December 6, 2003 - New Paris

Tri-Village was riding a two game winning streak and gaining some confidence only to have it shaken in a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Lady Trailblazers. This was a game that Trail seemed to be in control of from the outset but the Patriots found a way to make it a game down the stretch and almost escaped with a win missing a last second shot that bounced off the front of the rim.

To start the game Trail blazed out to a 12-4 lead in quarter one. Playing a 1-2-2 zone which seemed to stifle the Tri-Village offense. TV again lacked the intensity to begin the game.

In the second quarter TV installed a full court press trying to get back in the game and forcing themselves to pick up their intensity. It looked like it would work as they forced a number of turnovers but unable to convert them into points. Trail would continue with their offensive machine mainly through penetration and inside scoring and by the half held a 23-12 lead.

The Patriots continued to press in the 3rd quarter and with two straight baskets by Brennan Moore the lead was cut to 27-23 with 3 minutes. But National Trail would make a couple steals and converted them into layups to pull away again and lead 31-23.

In the 4th period two scores by Sara Burkhardt and one by Olivia Frazier then Mattie Burns and the score was 35-33 with 4:44 to play. The game would be close from here on out. Moore fouled out with 2:40 to play and Trail converted two free throws to increase the lead to 37-33. Then with about 1:30 Burkhardt hits a huge 3 pointer to bring the Patriots within one 39-38. Samantha Coomer makes a big steal off the press and Frazier hits a basket in the lane to give the Patriots their first and only lead of the night with 1:17 to play. The Patriots would miss a couple of free throws and Trail would get the ball with 40 seconds to play. The Lady Blazers point guard pentrated into the lane and Tri-Village playing help defense stopped the pentration only to see the ball dished off to a wide open blazer who scored a layup and regained the lead 41-40. With 6 second to play and really no time to call a timeout and set up a play Burkhardt brought the ball up the court and passed off to a waiting Burns on the wing. Burns would get a good look at the basket with a Trail player getting a hand in her face, launched the shot and it just missed off the inside front of the rim. It was a heartbreaking loss but the Patriots made it a game when it looked like they had no chance for 3 quarters.

"I thought it was in," said Coach Jim Maples on Mattie Burns last second shot. "We really didn't want to call a timeout and give Trail a chance to set-up a full court defense and really got as good a shot or better than if it was drawn up on the blackboard." "But we have to play hard for the entire game not just one half and we win this game." I really thought our intensity in the second half was better and we have some kids who are down on themselves because they know they can play better." "Mary Skidmore really played a nice game and stepped up guarding Megan Kyle and made up couple of nice baskets for us," said Maples.

The Patriots record goes to 2-2, 1-0 in the conference and chance to redeem themselves when they play both Trail and the Trojans in conference play later in the year. Tri-Village is back in action Tuesday, December 9, at Randolph Southern in Lynn, Indiana.

Box Scores
Tri-Village
#10 - Burns - 8
#24 - Moore - 6
#25 - Dill - 0
#32 - Deaton - 5
#35 - Burkhardt - 7
#42 - Skidmore - 4
#44 - Frazier - 10
#50 - Coomer - 0
TOTALS - 40

National Trail
#20 - Kyle - 13
#22 - McWhinney - 4
#32 - Gibbons - 2
#33 - Troutwine - 11
#44 - Eyer - 5
#50 - Halderman - 6
TOTALS - 41