By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Shawnee Heights girls ran into a buzz saw in their second game of the season Tuesday night, losing at home to Piper, 72-47.
The Pirates, seventh in the state in the latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A rankings, outscored Shawnee Heights 26-8 in the second period, turning a 13-11 Shawnee Heights lead into a rout.
Shawnee Heights senior Kaydence Torrez paced the T-Birds with 16 points in Tuesday's 72-47 UKC loss to Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Pirates did most of their damage with defense. They picked up Shawnee Heights in the backcourt and created havoc. Some of the damage, T-Bird coach Bob Wells said, was self-inflicted.
“I’m not so much inclined to think it was their pressure, because really, they weren’t putting that much pressure on us,” Wells said. “They put a double team out there, but they weren’t all over us. We just got sped up and made some really bad decisions.
“We had some people decide to not do the things we’ve been working on in practice to get past (the pressure). They had a (19-3 run) and all of a sudden, it’s a different ballgame.”
Shawnee Heights, which won its first game 48-33 at Basehor-Linwood last Friday, will have to regroup following Tuesday’s showing, Wells said.
“There are things we’ve got to learn from this,” Wells said. “I think when they see this on film, they’re going to say, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I did that.’ It’s the first time they’ve been under fire, and Piper is a good team. No doubt about it, they’re loaded. But I think we can do better.”
Shawnee Heights was led by senior Kaydence Torrez, who connected on 8 of 10 attempts for 16 points. Junior Reianna Vega added 13 points.
Junior Reianna Vega scored 13 points for Shawnee Heights in Tuesday's 72-47 UKC loss to Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Avary Vallejo paced the Pirates with 18 points. Sisters Grace and Faith McCallop added 16 and 15, respectively.
PIPER GIRLS 72, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 47
Piper 11 26 17 18 -- 72
Shawnee Heights 13 8 16 10 -- 47
Piper (1-1, 1-1) – Vallejo 7-15 0-0 18, G. McCallop 6-12 2-2 16, Lockwood 2-4 0-0 4, F. McCallop 6-14 1-1 15, Ochs 2-7 0-0 5, Roth 2-4 0-0 5, Gerber 3-5 3-8 9, Benedetto 0-1 0-0 0, Lightfoot 0-0 0-0 0, Hollinshed 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-62 6-11 72.
Shawnee Heights (1-1, 1-1) – Emmot 2-10 4-6 8, Brees 0-3 0-0 0, Bowers 2-4 0-0 4, Torrez 8-10 0-3 16, Vega 5-10 2-4 13, Euwer 2-4 1-3 5, Hamilton 0-2 1-2 1, Hanshaw 0-0 0-0 0, Karlyle 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-43 8-18 47.
3-point goals – Piper 10 (Vallejo 4, G. McCallop 2, F. McCallop 2, Ochs 1, Roth 1), Shawnee Heights 1 (Vega 1). Total fouls – Piper 20, Shawnee Heights 10. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.
