FORTVILLE — With sectional play getting underway next week, teams across the state are looking to build momentum as they prepare for their first-round matchup.
In Fortville, Mt. Vernon is doing just that.
At home, the Marauders (10-13, 4-3) defeated Delta (11-11, 1-6) 57-23 for their third straight win and fourth win in their last five tries. All four wins have come against Hoosier Heritage Conference opponents, including a win over Hancock County rival Greenfield-Central who is in the Class 4A Sectional 9 field along with the Marauders.
“We’ve had a pretty good last two or three weeks, and we needed to have a good two or three weeks,” Mt. Vernon head coach Julie Shelton said. “Hopefully we can keep it rolling.”
On Senior Night, it was the Marauders senior class of five leading the way to the lopsided victory.
The five — Ellery Minch, Easton Wampler, Kaitlyn Laffey, Katelynn Hawkins and Aya Renforth — combined for 44 of Mt. Vernon’s 57 points.
“They all scored which was exciting, and all got to play some good minutes,” Shelton said about her seniors. “After giving four years to the program, it’s nice when it works out like that.”
The Marauders 6-foot, 3-inch DePaul University commit, Minch, sparked the offense for a 16-3 lead after the opening quarter.
Following four straight Laffey points early in the first that made it 6-0 in favor of the Marauders, Minch scored the next seven points to put Mt. Vernon ahead 13-0. She finished the quarter with nine points.
Minch added to her big night with another nine-point quarter in the third to finish her career on the Mt. Vernon home floor with a game-high 26 points.
Wampler, sparked the offense in the second period.
She knocked down all three of her 3-point tries to score nine of the 15 Mt. Vernon points.
After a Minch jumper opened the period, Wampler hit back-to-back treys to push the lead to 24-3. Her final deep ball of the quarter made it 29-4.
The Eagles opened the second half with three free throws from Griffyn Knight to match their point total from both the first and second quarters.
But the Marauders seniors answered right back.
Hawkins knocked down her first basket of the game to push the lead to 33-9, and along with Minch’s nine points in the period, Renforth knocked down a free throw to cap off a 12-point quarter from the Mt. Vernon seniors.
Freshman Gabby Thomas buried her second 3-pointer of the game to round out a 15-point MV quarter in which they grew their lead from 31-6 to 46-13.
Thomas finished the night with seven points.
In the fourth quarter, Kanyonrae Kenny scored a basket and Addison Bucksot knocked down two free throws to make it eight different Mt. Vernon players that found the point column.
“In a game like this we’re just building confidence and trying to get a lot of different kids minutes that haven’t had minutes,” Shelton said. “Hopefully we get to play at least three more games and you never know when you’re going to need some depth. We’re just trying to get kids comfortable and test out some different lineups.”
Mt. Vernon opens sectional play on Tuesday against Anderson with a 7 p.m. tipoff at Pendleton Heights.
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Mt. Vernon 57, Delta 23
Delta;3;3;7;10;—;23
Mt. Vernon;16;15;15;11;—;57
Delta (11-11, 1-6): Jillian Barr 4 1-5 9, Harper Timmerman 0 0-0 0, Elizabeth Bamidele 3 0-0 7, Griffyn Knight 1 3-3 6, Paizley Cool 0 0-0 0, Molly Conlon 0 1-2 1. Totals: 8 5-10 23.
Mt. Vernon (10-13, 4-3): Ellery Minch 10 4-4 26, Kanyonrae Kenny 1 0-0 2, Easton Wampler 3 0-0 9, Kaitlyn Laffey 1 2-3 4, Reagan Britt 0 0-0 0, Gabby Thomas 2 1-2 7, Addison Bucksot 1 2-2 4, Katelynn Hawkins 2 0-0 4, Aya Renforth 0 1-2 1, Marissa Miner 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 10-13 57.
3-point goals: Delta 2 (Bamidele, Knight); Mt. Vernon 7 (Wampler 3, Minch 2, Thomas 2).
