CENTERBURG — The Knox Morrow Athletic Conference girls basketball game played out as advertised.
When Cally Carpenter stole the ball at midcourt with 4.2 ticks remaining, it is very likely the roar from the Fredericktown fans could be heard in that hamlet 17 miles to the north. Freddies, 50, Centerburg 45 — and with that play the KMAC crown was clinched.
“It was amazing. It was unbelievable. These kids played the best game I have ever seen,” Fredericktown coach Jared Pryor said.
It was a defensive struggle throughout.
By halftime Fredericktown carried an 18-13 lead into the locker room. By the end of the third quarter, Centerburg closed to within 33-29.
Early in the fourth period, Centerburg’s Kenlee Fairall buried a trey to draw the Trojans to a 35-34 deficit, but that was as close as the home team would get.
Centerburg Coach Bill Abner could feel the momentum tilt, but it never shifted all the way.
“They played hard and we had a slow start. Fredericktown is a really good team. We had opportunities,” Abner said. “The thing that stands out to me is that when we made our run in the second half, Fredericktown had an answer.
“They made the big shots when they needed to and they deserved to win the game.”
Pryor was jubilant after his team’s performance.
“They just battled the whole game, we knew it would be tough and they were just so mentally tough to battle through adversity, to battle through some turnovers and they just kept playing hard to the end,” Pryor said.
“That’s what it takes to be a great team and I am super proud of them.”
Pryor noted some adjustments had to be made in Fredericktown’s defense.
“They started making shots, they started hitting threes and we just made an adjustment,” Fredericktown’s bench boss said. “We stayed in our zone until the last possession and Cally (Carpenter) made a great steal and that was pretty much icing on the cake.”
Carpenter is nearing the all-time scoring record for the Freddies.
“She had 24 tonight, so she is over 1,300 (for her career),” he said. “So she is close, probably within 50 points.”
Centerburg Athletic Director Rich Porter said he is proud of the Trojans.
“We’ve had a great season, tonight was unfortunate and there is still a lot of basketball,” he said.
Fredericktown was led by Carpenter with 24 points, and Mya Bryant chipped in 17.
Kayla Larimore was Centerburg’s leading scoring with 17 points, and Fairall tallied 12.
The Trojans travel to Highland for a 2:15 p.m. tip on Saturday, while the Freddies bus to Colonel Crawford High School for a 6 p.m. start.
