Kelly downs Delta for title

CHAFFEE -- Kelly sophomore Kristen Powell came through with six important points in the four quarter after being held scoreless by Delta during the first three periods of Saturday's Chaffee Invitational title game.

Powell scored all three of her late field goals on open looks near the basket. Her effort helped No. 1 Kelly beat No. 2 Delta 55-50 after the two teams were tied entering the fourth quarter.

"A lot of people go to Debra [Hall] and double team her, and that leaves everybody else kind of there to be open, and the team passed it around and got me open," Powell said.

Hall had a nice game as well. She scored 24 points, including four in the final period.

The Hawks (4-0) and Bobcats (4-1) have played against each other in the past three Chaffee Invitational championship games, including this year.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.comKelly's Haley Glastetter grabs a rebound away from Delta's Jodi Menz during Saturday's game. Check online at semissourian.com for more photos from the game.

Delta, which finished second in the state in Class 1 last winter, had won the two previous meetings.

"Ever since I've been a freshman, it's been a rivalry with Delta, and it's a big relief to actually come out here and show that we're the best for once," Hall said. "It gets a lot off our shoulders."

Delta first-year coach Mark Verticchio said his team had a few defensive breakdowns in the fourth quarter when paying too much attention to Hall.

"Our defensive lapses are because we were concentrating on Hall so much," Verticchio said. "The biggest thing about her is how strong she is. I thought she had more than 24. But actually she didn't score much in the fourth quarter. We had some defensive lapses in the fourth quarter."

The other concern Verticchio expressed was the need for his team to find more scoring from a variety of players.

Delta returns two starters, Jodi Menz and Taylor Smith, from last year's team, which lost to Northeast (Cairo) by 22 points in the Class 1 title game.

Menz poured in 20 points while Smith added 14 on Saturday. First-year varsity starter Katie Brucker had 12 points. But only two others scored for Delta, and each had just two points.

"I thought Jodi had a really good game," Verticchio said. "I thought the girl who had a really good game for us was Katie Brucker. Our problem is our scoring is just not balanced enough. We've got to get more girls involved in the offense."

The second quarter featured some strong play from Hall and Menz. Hall had 10 points while Menz had eight as the score went back and forth.

"I've played against Jodi since I was in middle school and she's an all-around ballplayer," Hall said. "She can play defense and offense."

Tara Johnson drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Hawks a 30-27 halftime lead.

Kelly led 49-48 with 3 minutes, 17 seconds remaining when Powell scored to put her team ahead 51-48. Powell then scored another basket to put the Hawks ahead 53-48.

"We knew that part of the game they would double-team me or something, and we focused more on the team," Hall said. "We knew Powell would be open and that's what we expect out of her every game -- to come off the bench and score like that."

Kelly held on for a five-point win with some strong defense down the stretch.

"I told Powell at halftime, 'This is a team sport, get your head up and pick it up,'" Kelly coach Rod McQuerter said. "Obviously she did tonight. I told her just because you miss one or two shots that doesn't make the game end."

In other action, Scott City improved to 3-3 with its 60-46 victory over East Prairie in the third-place game.

Stephanie Essner led the way with 17 points.

Host Chaffee got the better of Oran in the fifth-place game.

Amber Kirk poured in 24 points to lead the Red Devils to the 60-49 win.

Cheyanne King led the Eagles with 20 points.

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:KELLY 55, DELTA 50

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Delta1215158--50

Kelly12181213--55

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Delta (50) -- Taylor Smith 14, Katie Brucker 12, Lynn McKuin 2, Kendra Burnett 2, Jodi Menz 20. FG 19, FT 11-14, F 16 (3-pointers: Smith 1. Fouled out: None)

Kelly (55) -- Katee Moore 4, Londyn Backfisch 9, Lana Whitworth 3, Tara Johnson 9, Kristen Powell 6, Debra Hall 24. FG 21, FT 10-17, F 15 (3-pointers: Johnson 3. Fouled out: None)

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@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:SCOTT CITY 60, EAST PRAIRIE 46

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Scott City16151514--60

East Prairie169712--46

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Scott City (60) -- Stacey Heisserer 8, Stephanie Essner 17, Macy Heisserer 4, Holli Shemonia 13, Katie Hogan 13, Ashley Brant 5. FG 23, FT 12-18, F 7 (3-pointers: Essner 1, Shemonia 1. Fouled out: None)

East Prairie (46) -- Mandy Knupp 2, Blair Peters 4, Brittany Trusty 6, Lydia Cartwright 6, Grace Swann 4, Jennifer Nicholson 12, Whitley Rundles 6. FG 16, FT 6-6, F 15 (3-pointers: Trusty 2. Fouled out: None)

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@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:CHAFFEE 60, ORAN 49

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Oran1191910--49

Chaffee15161117--60

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Oran (49) -- Abbey Anderson 4, Shelby Unger 8, Kirstie Mangels 9, Taylor Irwin 6, Cheyanne King 20. FG 20, FT 8-15, F 15 (3-pointers: Mangels 1. Fouled out: None)

Chaffee (60) -- Anna Ayers 17, Madelyn Kiefer 3, Amber Kirk 24, Taylor Kirchdoerfer 9, Hannah Bedwell 5, Randi Wiley 2, Taylor Hannah 2. FG 22, FT 9-13, F 15 (3-pointers: Kirchdoerfer 1, Ayers 1, Kirk 4. Fouled out: None)