CR South edged CR North 38-36 in Tuesday's SOL Featured Game, sponsored by the CR South Booster Club. To view photos of the game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Mary Jane Souder
HOLLAND – Anything can happen when neighboring rivals Council Rock South and Council Rock do battle, and it usually does.
Granted, it looked as though the most recent meeting between the two schools on Tuesday night would be devoid of drama as the Golden Hawks methodically opened up a 36-23 lead after three quarters, but the idea that this game would be relatively uneventful went out the window in a wild fourth quarter.
That’s when the Indians – or more specifically Katie Budny and Jessica Gerber – put on a clinic from beyond the arc. First it was Budny hitting nothing but net on a three, and after a Gerber steal at the defensive end, Budny buried another three to make it a 36-29 game.
Another South turnover set the stage for a Gerber three-pointer, and suddenly, it was a 36-32 game with close to six minutes remaining in regulation. South came up empty on back-to-back possessions, turning the ball over on the second, and again, Gerber made it hurt, connecting on another three-pointer to make it a 36-35 game with 4:33 remaining.
South suddenly found itself struggling on the offensive end and once again didn’t score on back-to-back possessions, and after a North timeout, Gerber hit nothing but net on a tough three-pointer over her defender to put the Indians on top 38-36 with 2:45 remaining.
“I think we got complacent and stopped attacking the basket,” Rock South coach Monica Stolic said. “I don’t know – that can’t happen against any team. You’re going to lose the game.”
With the Golden Hawks in dire need of a lift, senior co-captain Alexis Hofstaedster gave it to them, calmly connecting on a shot off the dribble to knot the score with just over two minutes remaining.
“I think we just kind of laid back – we thought we had the lead, and we weren’t pushing as much,” Hofstaedter said.
The drama was far from over.
The Indians - after running more than a minute off the clock in the delay - misfired on the front end of a one-and-one but retained possession by forcing a jump ball on the rebound. Rock South’s Shannon Boyle stole the inbounds and then – at the other end – was fouled on a drive to the hole.
With 24 seconds showing on the scoreboard clock, the junior forward sank one-of-two to put the Golden Hawks on top 39-38.
“At the end of the game, it basically comes down to who has the most heart and who wants it the most,” Barlow said.
The Indians – after a timeout – inbounded at midcourt for the potential game winner, but they never so much as managed a shot as Rock South sophomore Allison Taub came up with the steal that sealed the win for the Golden Hawks.
“Every little thing we could do wrong at the end of the game – we found a way at the end,” North coach Lou Palkovics said. “We just were not strong with the ball.
“We looked scared, and I don’t know how you can look scared after hitting five-of-six three’s and coming all the way back and taking a two-point lead. I’m glad they came back, but this is a game we should have won.”
The Golden Hawks established the tone from the outset, going on top 5-2 after Barlow buried a baseline trey and upping that lead to seven after Taylor Dillon connected on a pair from the foul line. They led 13-9 after Boyle scored on a putback in the closing seconds of the first quarter.
A bucket by Hofstaedter made it a 15-9 game, but Madison Attanasio connected for the Indians to trim that lead to four. It was still a four-point game (19-15) after Hailey Burns scored at the 3:15 mark, but again Hofstaedter – who had six points in the quarter – scored off the dribble, and after a North miss, Taub turned a Dillon pass into an easy bucket.
Gerber buried a pair of foul shots to make it a 23-17 game, but another Hofstaedter bucket sent the Golden Hawks into halftime with a 25-17 lead.
“We were fighting for all the loose balls and we had all the motivation,” Barlow said. “We’re not big, so we have to win all the little stuff.”
The Golden Hawks added to their lead in the third quarter, going on top 31-21 after a Dillon three-pointer. They led 33-23 after Courtney Brown scored on a drive. When Hofstaedter converted a reverse layup in the closing seconds of the quarter, the Golden Hawks led 36-23 and appeared to be cruising to the finish line.
The Indians, however, had other ideas, but the Golden Hawks prevailed.
“We really did need the win,” Stolic said. “I thought we played pretty well until the start of the fourth quarter. Nobody wanted to shoot. Nobody wanted to make the wrong pass. Nobody was taking charge out there.”
Hofstaedter led the Indians with 13 points to go along with seven rebounds. Dillon added nine points and Barlow, in a gutsy effort, had eight points, five rebounds and three steals. Taub contributed four points, four rebounds and two steals.
“We needed this big time,” Hofstaedter said. “It was a sloppy win, but we needed it.”
“This gives us confidence to believe in ourselves,” Barlow said. “We can win a tough game, we can come back when we’re down and pull a win out.”
The Indians were led by the 18-point effort of Gerber while Attanasio added 10 and Budny, six points.
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH (38) – Jessica Gerber 6 2-2 18; Michaela Finneyfrock 1 0-0 2; Madison Attanasio 4 2-2 10; Hailey Burns 1 0-0 2; Krista Campbell 0 0-0 0; Katie Budny 2 0-1 6; Tara Garfield 0 0-0 0; Natalie Guama 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 14 4-5 38
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH (39) – Taylor Dillon 2 4-4 9; Courtney Brown 1 0-0 2; Alexis Hofstaedter 6 1-2 13; Cara Barlow 3 0-0 8; Shannon Boyle 1 1-2 3; Allison Taub 2 0-2 4; Stephanie Thomas 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 15 6-10 39
Council Rock North 9 8 6 15-38
Council Rock South 13 12 11 3-39
3-point goals: CRN – Jessica Gerber 4, Katie Budny 2; CRS – Cara Barlow 2, Taylor Dillon.
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