By Staff

            MCPHERSON – The season continues to look good for the McPherson Middle School seventh grade girls basketball program as their ‘A’ team remains unbeaten with wins this week over Goddard Eisenhower and Newton Chisholm while the ‘B’ team split their two games.

            On Tuesday, the seventh grade Junior Lady Pups ‘A’ team went on the road and dominated Goddard Eisenhower with a 47-18 win before coming back to the home floors and defeating Newton Chisholm 31-15. At 8-0 for the season the ‘A’ team has yet to be beaten.

            After the seventh grade ‘B’ team lost on Tuesday at Goddard Eisenhower 21-24 they were able to bounce back on Thursday and score a 41-2 hammering win over Newton Chisholm. The ‘B’ team is now 5-5 for the season.

            Up next week for the eighth-grade Junior Lady Pups will be a road trip to Salina South on Tuesday followed by a home battle with Hutchinson on Thursday.

            Here is a summary of the weeks games:

TUESDAY – 7th Grade JUNIOR LADY PUPS at Goddard Eisenhower

            In the seventh grade Junior Lady Pup ‘A’ team game at Goddard where they earned a 47-18 win, Jersey Alexander and Amerie Lowery led the team in scoring with 12 and 11 points, respectively, while both Audra Sandbo and Karlie Cooper chipped in with eight.

            Kennedy Bonham was a monster under the basket as she grabbed 12 rebounds and Jersey Alexander, Amerie Lowery, and Karlie Cooper each had four steals with Alexander and Audra Sandbo both dishing out four assists.

            “We shot the ball well against the Goddard zone defense,” said head coach Matt Sandbo. “Kennedy (Bonham) was a beast on the boards.”

            It was a tight, hard fought battle in the ‘B’ team game with the Junior Lady Pups losing by just three points, 21-24.

            Allison Randa and Karlie Cooper led the team in scoring with six points each while Jersey Alexander had five.

            Coach Sandbo noted in his final reflections of the games at Goddard that, “We ran out of gas. Proud of these girls effort as Raegan Hancock, Jaylinn Major and Haleigh Kirkbride played every second with a sub while Allison Randa, Kennedy Bonham, and Karlie Cooper played a full six quarters today.”

‘A’ Team Scoring:

JUNIOR LADY PUPS 47 Goddard Eisenhower 18

Individual Leaders: Jersey Alexander – 12 pts, 4 stls, 4 ast; Amerie Lowery – 11 pts, 4 stls; Audra Sandbo – 8 pts, 8 rbs, 4 ast; Karlie Cooper – 8 pts, 4 stls; Kennedy Bonham – 6 pts, 12 rbs; Allison Randa – 2 pts.

‘B’ Team Scoring:

Goddard Eisenhower 24 JUNIOR LADY PUPS 21

Individual Leaders: Allison Randa – 6 pts; Karlie Cooper – 6 pts; Jersey Alexander – 5 pts; Kennedy Bonham – 4 pts.

THURSDAY – 7th Grade JUNIOR LADY PUPS hosting Newton Chisholm

            On Thursday the seventh grade Junior Lady Pups doubled up on scoring over Newton Chisholm in a 31-15 victory that enabled them to remain unbeaten on the season.

            Kennedy Bonham topped the team in scoring with 11 points with Karlie Cooper getting eight. Cooper led McPherson in rebounds with six with Bonham grabbing five while Audra Sandbo dished out six assists in directing the offense.

            “Kennedy (Bonham) and Karlie (Cooper) were able to finish on the block early,” noted head coach Matt Sandbo. “Newton was improved and has some good athletes, but fortunately so do we.”

            The seventh grade Junior Lady Pup ‘B’ team throttled Newton Chisholm with a 39-point, 41-2 win.

            Allison Randa led the girls in scoring with 13 points while Karlie Cooper hit for nine and Jaylinn Major chipped in with six.

            Concluding his reflections on the games with Newton Chisholm and the ‘B’ team in particular, coach Sandbo said, “All the girls who played scored while they made some nice plays in the game as well.”

‘A’ Team Scoring:

JUNIOR LADY PUPS 31 Newton Chisholm 15

Individual Leaders: Kennedy Bonham – 11 pts, 5 rbs; Karlie Cooper – 8 pts, 6 rbs; Amerie Lowery – 6 pts, 3 stls; Audra Sandbo – 4 pts, 6 ast; Jersey Alexander – 2 pts; Allison Randa – 3 stls.

‘B’ Team Scoring:

JUNIOR LADY PUPS 41 Newton Chisholm 2

Individual Leaders: Allison Randa – 13 pts; Karlie Cooper – 9 pts; Jaylinn Major – 6 pts; Rut Diaz Chay – 4 pts; Haleigh Kirkbride – 4 pts; Kennedy Bonham – 4 pts; Eliza Jex – 1 pt.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)