Girard girls down Fort Scott on last-second shot

GIRARD, Kan. -- Kenzie Dunlap's 3-point goal with three seconds remaining completed a Girard rally as the Trojans defeated Fort Scott High's girls, 39-38, at Ted Taylor Gymnasium Friday night.

The Tigers (5-3) led 35-26 with five minutes remaining and were still ahead 37-31 with under a minute to go.

However, while Girard couldn't hit very many shots from the field, it was doing just well enough at the free-throw line. Kylie Kunshek brought the Trojans (7-0) within 37-34 with a pair of free throws with 51 seconds to go.

The Trojans turned on their full-court press, but fouled Megan McDermed, who made one of two free throws with 42 seconds to go to boost the margin to 38-34.

Randi Pierce connected on an 18-foot shot with 28 seconds remaining to bring the Trojans within two. Then Hayden Herlocker forced a held ball with 20 seconds left. The possession arrow was pointing to Girard.

After Girard used its last time out, Herlocker found Dunlap in the left corner for what held up as the game-winning shot.

Fort Scott had one last chance but was not able to get a shot away.

For Girard, it was the 30th consecutive victory at Ted Taylor gym. But it looked for most of the night that the Tigers were going to bring that streak to an end.

Fort Scott scored the game's first 7 points, with McDermed hitting a 3-point shot to cap that run with 5:05 remaining. Moments later, Herlocker, Girard's starting point guard, injured her ankle and looked as though she could be done for the night.

But Dunlap was able to tie the score for Girard, 8-8, to start the second quarter. However Fort Scott went on another run with McDermed putting Fort Scott ahead 15-9 with 3:17 left in the half.

Girard was able to keep Fort Scott off the scoreboard the rest of the half and used free throws to get within 15-13 at the break.

Jenna Harper and Kori Allen scored consecutive baskets to start the second half and boost Fort Scott's lead to 6. But Girard stubbornly stayed in the contest with Danica Kelly scoring four straight. The last two points came on a field goal that ended an almost 9 1/2-minute stretch the Trojans had in which they did not make a field goal and brought Girard with 19-17.

Fort Scott extended the lead again with Maddi Allen, playing more extensively in this game than in any previous varsity contest, making it 25-20 on a layup with 1:55 to go in the third.

Girard got within one point on baskets by Jordan Davied and Hope McLeod. But Maddi Allen made a pair of free throws to end the third, making it a 27-24 lead. And Fort Scott scored 10 of the first 12 of the fourth, making it 35-26 on McDermed's transition basket with 5:03 to go.

Girard finished the night 9 of 43 from the field for a paltry 21 percent. The Trojans went 2 for 16 in the first half and 2 for 19 from behind the 3-point line. But they created 22 turnovers and made 19 of 29 free-throw attempts.

Fort Scott was 12 of 35 from the floor (34 percent) and 13 of 16 at the free-throw line. But they were just 8 of 28 from the floor after three periods.

Brianne Lawrence led the Tigers with 13 points and 8 rebounds. McDermed added 10 points.

No one from Girard had more than 8 points (Davied). Herlocker returned to the game in the second quarter and her ankle hobbled her enough that she did not score, going 0 for 9 from the field. But she led her team with 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.

The Tigers will be challenged again Tuesday as they will face Platte County, ranked No. 7 in Missouri Class 4, in the first round of the Basehor-Linwood Tournament. Tipoff at Basehor, Kan., will be at approximately 6 p.m.

FORT SCOTT: H.Tourtillott 0-1 0-0 0, Harper 1-2 0-0 2, M.Tourtillott 0-0 0-0 0, Rienbolt 0-3 0-0 0, Shelton 1-3 1-1 3, K.Allen 2-4 0-0 4, Si.Maycumber 0-0 0-0 0, McDermed 3-11 3-4 10, Campbell 0-3 0-0 0, Lawrence 3-6 7-9 13, M.Allen 2-2 2-2 6. TOTALS: 12-35 13-16 38.

GIRARD: Dunlap 2-6 0-0 5, Pierce 2-9 1-3 6, Walsh 0-0 0-0 0, Kinshek 0-1 6-10 6, McLeod 2-4 3-3 7, Herlocker 0-9 1-2 1, Davied 2-9 4-7 8, Kelly 1-5 4-4 6. TOTALS: 9-43 19-29 39.

Girard............... 6 7 11 15 -- 39

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 1-4 (McDermed 1-2, K.Allen 0-2), Girard 2-19 (Dunlap 1-5, Pierce 1-5, Davied 0-1, Herlocker 0-8).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 22, Girard 17. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.

Rebounds: Fort Scott 32 (Lawrence 8), Girard 33 (Herlocker 7). Assists: Fort Scott 5 (Harper 2), Girard 6 (Herlocker 5). Turnovers: Fort Scott 22, Girard 14. Steals: Fort Scott 5 (Lawrence 2), Girard 12 (Herlocker 5). Blocked shots: Fort Scott 2 (Shelton, McDermed), Girard 1 (Kelly).