By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Over the last 27 minutes of Friday's season-opener against Blue Valley Northwest, Washburn Rural's girls led for 1.5 seconds.
But thanks to Junior Blue junior Josie Carlgren, that was enough for Rural to take a 44-43 come-from-behind non-league win over the Huskies at Rural.
Washburn Rural junior Josie Carlgren launches her game-winning 3-pointer in Friday's 44-43 win over Blue Valley Northwest. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural trailed by 12 points with a minute and a half left in the third quarter and was down by seven with two minutes left before mounting its late charge.
The Huskies, who were just seven of 16 at the free throw line, went in front 43-41 on a free throw by Rylie Edwards with 12.9 remaining but Washburn Rural got the ball to Carlgren in the corner and she swished the game-winning 3-pointer, her only basket of the night, as time ran down.
Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick and the Junior Blues' bench react to Josie Carlgren's game-winning 3-pointer Friday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
"Jo just felt her moment and she said, 'I just knew it was going in. The minute I shot it, I said it's in,' '' Rural coach Kevin Bordewick said. "That's the confidence that we're kind of telling them that they need.
"And you're talking about a kid that's kind of bided her time and she stepped up in a pretty big moment right there.''
After Carlgren's clutch hoop 1.5 seconds was put back on the clock, but Rural senior Kate Hinck intercepted the Northwest inbounds pass to clinch the win.
Washburn Rural celebrates Friday's 44-43 win over Blue Valley Northwest. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural, which has been to three straight Class 6A championship games, led 7-3 early in the game but Northwest took a 17-13 lead at the end of the quarter and the Junior Blues were fighting from behind the rest of the night.
The Huskies led 25-21 at the half and threatened to turn the game into a rout with an 8-0 start to the third quarter, but Rural sophomore star Maddie Vickery scored the final six points of the quarter on a 3-pointer and a traditional 3-point play to get the Junior Blues back in the hunt at 33-27.
After Northwest regained its seven-point advantage Rural got within a point on Vickery's fourth 3-pointer of the night with 42 sseconds remaining and got within a point again with 14.3 seconds left on a Hinck bucket before the Junior Blues finally got over the hump on Carlgren's trey, Rural's first lead since 9-7.
Washburn Rural's Maddie Vickery opened her sophomore season with 26 points and 12 rebounds Friday night in a 44-43 win over Blue Valley Northwest. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Vickery had a huge night for the Junior Blues, finishing with game-high totals of 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Hinck added seven points.
Senior Megan Darensbourg led Blue Valley Northwest with 12 points while Edwards added 10.
Washburn Rural will compete in next week's De Soto Hardwood Classic, beginning with a 3:30 p.m. first-round game on Tuesday against Liberty, Mo.
WASHBURN RURAL GIRLS 44, BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST 43
BV Northwest 17 8 8 10 -- 43
Washburn Rural 13 8 6 17 -- 44
Blue Valley Northwest (0-1) -- Edwards 3-10 4-8 10, M. Numrich 1-2 0-2 3, Darensbourg 4-6 2-4 12, McFall 3-8 1-2 8, Edwards 3-6 0-0 6, Grosdisier 2-2 0-0 4, Eils 0-2 0-0 0, A. Numrich 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-36 7-16 43.
Washburn Rural (1-0) -- Hinck 3-10 0-0 7, Hirschi 1-3 0-0 3, Vickery 9-25 4-7 26, Lemke 0-3 3-4 3, Bunck 0-3 0-0 0, Walker 0-2 0-0 0, Carlgren 1-2 0-0 3, Rutherford 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 15-49 7-11 44.
3-point goals -- Blue Valley Northwest 4 (Darensbourg 2, M. Numrich, McFall), Washburn Rural 7 (Vickery 4, Hinck, Hirschi, Carlgren). Total fouls -- Blue Valley Northwest 12, Washburn Rural 18. Fouled out -- none. Technical foul -- none.
