ST. GEORGE — Traveling to one of the toughest places in Kansas at which to play, the Concordia High School girls’ basketball team fell 58-39 to the number eight-ranked Rock Creek Mustangs.
After a slow start offensively, the Panthers found themselves in a tight fight with the Mustangs, tied at seven-all in the first quarter. The Panthers took the lead after a Jaylin Roush layup, 9-7, before a 5-2 spurt by the Mustangs gave them a 12-11 lead after one quarter.
The Panthers would keep the game close in the second quarter, matching baskets and taking the fight to the number eight team in the state. The dreaded second-quarter hump that has plagued the Panthers struck again, and what was a tied game fell into a 12-point hole going into halftime, with the Panthers down 30-18.
In the third quarter the Mustangs would start to slowly pull away, going on an 11-2 run to start the quarter. The Panthers would start to tighten up on both ends and closed the quarter with a 7-4 spurt to enter the fourth quarter down 44-27.
In a repeat of the first quarter, both teams dueled in the fourth quarter. The Mustangs only outscored the Panthers by one point, 13-12 for the quarter. Concordia would end the game on a short 9-4 run before the final buzzer sounded with the Panthers falling 58-39.
Rock Creek shot 53.5 percent from the field, while Concordia shot only 27.3 percent.
Roush had 20 points and eight rebounds.
Rylie Jessup had eight points and four rebounds.
“I personally thought we matched up really well against them from guards to posts,” head coach Trey Kuhlman said. “I honestly think we out-worked them in the first quarter, but then allowed them to knock down a couple shots from outside in the second quarter which allowed them to pull away.”
Concordia will host Nemaha Central Friday, February 21. Competition starts at 4:30.
