Bobcats defend home court against Panthers

County rivals clashed in Superior on Thursday as the Lady Panthers of Alberton took the court to face off against the Lady Bobcats.

The gym was packed with fans from both schools and the squads came out swinging in the first quarter.

Both teams began things feeling the other out and establishing a rhythm on offense. The Lady Panthers shot well in the first quarter and grabbed the edge with an 11-9 lead.

However in the second quarter, Superior Head Coach Jeff Schultz started play with his second team in the game.

The young Superior bench swarmed the Lady Panthers on defense, throwing off the rhythm they had established in the first.

Halfway through the quarter, Coach Schultz put his starters back in the rotation and the Lady Bobcats sprinted their way to a 24-16 lead at half.

In the third quarter, Superior maintained the defensive momentum they built in the second.

“We played a great first half,” Alberton Head Coach Jim Baldwin said. “The constant pressure finally got to us in the third quarter.”

On offense, the Lady Bobcats caught fire in the third led by the efforts of senior Nicole Stroot – who had 11 of her 15-points in the second half.

Fellow seniors Kinzie Cooper and Myranda Kuhl backed up Stroot and contributed a combined 21-points for the Lady Bobcats.

All of Cooper’s 11-points came in the second half.

After the buzzer rang on the third quarter, Superior had built a commanding 47-25 lead and went on to win 55-29.

Ryan Vicek led the Panthers in scoring with eight-points, followed by Delani Hanley and Kaitlyn Galahan, who each had six points.   

Jordan Mueller and Marissa Koke followed the senior scoring leaders with eight and five points respectively.