By: Joe Shouse, Sports Writer
HAVILAND – In a game that went back and forth it was the pivotal fourth quarter that was enough for Van Wert to ease past Wayne Trace in girls basketball action 29-26. Van Wert, who improves their season mark at 4-1, took their first lead of the contest midway through the final period when Soli Houg connected on a two-point field goal to push the Lady Cougars on top 25-24. Van Wert would widen their margin by three at 27-24 on a bucket from Erin Schaufelberger with just over a minute remaining in the contest.
Trailing by three the Raiders would answer when Gracie Shepherd connected on a two-pointer to close the gap to one 27-26. Down the stretch in the closing seconds neither team would score until Schaufelberger went to the line with two free throws with just six seconds remaining. Schaufelberger responded hitting both attempts to secure the three-point win on the road.
The Raiders opened up with a 9-3 advantage after one quarter of play but the Cougars fought back to tie the score at the break 14-14. Wayne Trace would take the upper hand in the third frame and would enter the fourth quarter with a-a four-point advantage. However, Van Wert would come to life with an 11-point quarter while holding the Raiders to just four points.
Scoring for the winners were Houg leading the way with 11 followed by Schaufelberger with seven, Kyra Welch six, Maria Bagley three and Jordanne Blythe adding two to round our the Lady Cougar scoring.
Wayne Trace placed six in the scoring column led by the eight points of Gracie Shepherd followed by Harper Myers tossing in six, Caroline Winans five, Abby Moore four and Lexi Moore one. With the three-point set-back the Raiders fall to 2-3.
