Lady Redskins Remain Undefeated After HNAC Win

The target on the back of the Knox Lady Redskins (18-0, 5-0) continues to grow, as the ladies from Starke County continue their tear through the regular season. Heading into the game at Winamac, the Lady Redskins were a perfect 17-0 on the year, having just come off a 22 point win over 4A Merrillville on Tuesday. The Lady Warriors (11-7, 3-1), meanwhile, had just put an end to a 3-game losing streak with a 5 point win over Westville, and were looking to make it two in a row at home.

Things started off very much in favor of the Lady Warriors, as they were able to jump out to a 10-5 lead as the first quarter came to an end. The Lady Redskins would then explode onto the scene in the second quarter as they turned up the heat defensively, which led to some serious scoring before the half. The Starke County girls would be in sync on the defensive end of the floor, as they were able to grab 9 first half steals, many of which turned into points at the other end of the floor. Leading the way for the Lady Redskins would be Sophomore Megan Bolen, who would put in 9 points to lead all scorers in the first half. Bolen would also be one of the leaders defensively, as she was able to apply pressure all night long, frustrating the Warriors from start to finish, on her way to pulling away 5 steals in the game. As a team, the Lady Redskins would hold Winamac to just 2 second quarter points, outscoring the Lady Warriors 17-2, to hold a 22-12 lead at the half.

The third quarter would show much of the same on both ends of the floor. The Lady Redskins’ defense continued to frustrate the Lady Warriors who, for the second straight quarter, struggled to find success on the offensive end of the floor. Knox would end the game with 17 steals as a team, with Felicity Olejniczak leading the charge with 6 of those steals. Once again, the defense of Knox would be the spark to their offensive success, turning many of their forced turnovers into points at the other end. The Lady Warriors found themselves behind the 8-ball, as they were outscored 15-6 in the third quarter, putting them down 35-18 as the final quarter rolled around.

The 4th quarter would be a classic battle between the two teams, as the Lady Redskins and Lady Warriors somehow found a way to raise the intensity to an even higher level. With Winamac desperate to make a comeback, they would turn multiple times to Sophomore Kingsley Kroft, who would knock down three 3-pointers in the second half, to provide a little spark for Winamac. The Lady Redskins would have too much balance in the end, making it extremely difficult for Winamac to key on any one player. While Winamac would outscore Knox 14-7 in the final quarter, it would not be enough, as the Lady Redskins were able to remain undefeated on the year, with an incredible road win that saw significant contributions from nearly their entire roster.

Sophomore Megan Bolen would be named the Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game on WKVI for her 13 point, 7 rebound, 5 steal performance in the winning effort. As a team, the Lady Redskins would see six girls find the scoring column. Perhaps more importantly, the Lady Redskins would have five girls with at least one steal in the winning effort, with Junior Felicity Olejniczak leading the way with six. It would also be at the free-throw line where Knox would find a distinct advantage, as the Lady ‘Skins would go 18-33, compared to Winamac’s 4-8.

The Lady Redskins will be back in action on Tuesday, January 14th for the second of their three-game road trip, when they travel to South Central. The Lady Warriors, meanwhile, will hit the road as they travel to Triton on Tuesday.

Game Statistics:

Knox (42): Riley Messer-10, Megan Bolen-13, Remi Jordan-3, Felicity Olejniczak-7, Brianna Korcha-2, Preston Minix-7

Winamac (32): Kendal Johnson-7, Kingsley Kroft-9, Maggie Smith-3, Hailey Sanders-5, Taylor Jennings-8

*Statistics In This Article Provided By Kankakee Valley Broadcasting Staff. These Are Not Official Game Statistics*