By Rick Teverbaugh/For Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — It wasn’t much of a mystery to figure out why host Mt. Vernon won its girls basketball season opener against Whiteland Tuesday night.
Instead of needing Ellery Queen to solve the riddle, it took Ellery Minch, a 6-foot-2, lanky sophomore to tell most of what needed to be revealed — minus the pseudonym.
Minch hit her first four 3-pointers and 4 of her next 6 from long range to finish with 31 points as Mt. Vernon got past pesky Whiteland 44-38.
“I kind of felt like, with the four seniors gone, it was my time to step up,” said Minch, herself just a sophomore. “I was injured last year (torn ankle tendon), but I came back for sectional and was able to help out.”
When coach Julie Shelton was asked whether Minch was really that good of a shooter, she quickly answered a different question. “She’s just that good of a player.”
Minch scored all but 13 of her team’s points. But truthfully, her 2-point and free-throw percentages didn’t match her long-range launches. From inside the arc she was 3-for-11 and from the foul line she was 1-of-2.
“That’s really funny,” said Minch. “I have been working hard on my post up moves and shooting. I want to be a three-level scorer. But the first game is always the hardest. We played alright, but I know there are a lot of things we can correct.”
The rest of the Marauders were 5 of 24 from the field, including 0-for-8 from 3-point range.
“I was happy with our shots,” said Shelton. “We just have to hit shots. We knew this would be a season with some growing pains early, but it’s good to get the first game under our belt.”
The Marauders won the rebound battle, 33-23, with Minch’s eight boards topping the team. Senior Maddie Swingle had four caroms and six points, while Shay Shipley failed to score but had six rebounds.
The Warriors looked to be much improved from a season ago when they went 5-18. New head coach Kellie Kirkhoff kept them no further away than eight points and were within one once in the second half.
Muskaan Ghuman topped the team in both points with 11 and rebounds with five. Braylen Clendenen added 10 points and Kylee Marlin had nine.
“They have got a new coaching staff and starters back from a year ago, so they will be better,” said Shelton.
Mt. Vernon travels to Franklin Thursday while Whiteland hosts Greenfield-Central on Saturday.
