Rugby used good shooting and aggressive defense Thursday to bring an end to the undefeated dreams of Polk County’s girls basketball squad.
Yet Polk head coach Brandy Alm couldn’t have been more proud of her squad.
Trailing by 16 points entering the fourth quarter, the Wolverines battled back to drop a 40-33 decision to Rugby in Blue Ridge Middle School Conference play at Polk Middle. The loss leaves Rugby and Polk, who defeated Rugby earlier this season, tied atop the Eastern Division standings.
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Isabell Bell scored 21 points for Rugby (6-1), who took command of the game in the middle two periods, outscoring Polk County (6-1) 30-9 in those two quarters. But it was the fourth quarter and the Wolverines’ comeback that gave Alm reason to be upbeat about the setback.
“We turned it back on in the fourth quarter. It was just too late,” Alm said. “These girls have incredible heart, and they showed that.
“We played an incredible fourth quarter. These girls never quit, and they showed so much heart then.”
Led by Maranda Gosnell’s six points in the period, Polk Middle opened a 12-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. But Rugby opened the second period with a 10-0 run, then closed it with a 10-2 spurt, its pressure defense setting up some easy transition baskets. The two rallies gve Rugby a 27-18 lead at the break.
The Raiders held Polk without a point for the first five minutes of the third quarter, then fashioned a 6-1 spurt to close the period and take a 37-21 lead. At that point, though, the Wolverines began to rally. Autumn Owen scored six points and Karli Wood hit a long jumper from the wing as Polk cut the deficit to 37-29 with 3:40 left. The Wolverines then had a couple of shots narrowly miss, and Rugby held Polk scoreless until Wood and Ansley Lynch each scored in the final minute.
“We started getting after it and playing our game,” Alm said. “It was just too little, too late.”
Owen scored 14 points and Gosnell added 11 for Polk.
Polk County Scoring
Autumn Owen 14, Maranda Gosnell 11, Karli Wood 4, Ansley Lynch 4
