By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
WESTFIELD – On Friday night at CSI Gymnasium in Westfield, it was just your typical Hoosier Crossroads Conference battle.
It was a slow start for both squads, but it was Zionsville that went on a couple runs in the second half to stay unbeaten, holding off the host Shamrocks, 43-39.
“I think we were getting really good looks. We got good looks at the rim, but they just weren’t falling,” said first-year Westfield head coach Kelsey Key on Westfield’s slow start that didn’t deter them.
For the first four and a half minutes of the game, the score was 4-2 Zionsville with numerous opportunities coming up empty for both the Eagles and ‘Rocks.
“We wanted them to stay locked and focused; stay doing the same things we were doing offensively to get those looks. I felt like we prepared well and the shots were going to fall at some point,” continued Key on the Shamrocks’ mentality to keep at it, which geared them for their comeback.
Zionsville led 9-2 after one quarter, thanks to a Jordyn Coleman layup in the final seconds for the seven-point cushion.
The Eagles then went on a 7-2 run to take a 16-4 lead in the first few minutes of the second, forcing Key and Westfield to burn a timeout.
Out of the timeout, Reagan Lorenzen took a pass in the left corner from Emmrey Collinsworth, sinking a three to cut it to 16-7 with 3:32 until half.
A pair of free throws by senior all-state candidate Laila Hull made it 18-7 with 2:40 in the second.
Westfield made a run itself to close out the half. Kiki Loveless sank a three from the top of the key, cutting it back to eight at 18-10.
Reserve forward Maren Dee made a three from the right wing from a Collinsworth assist that made it 20-13.
The ‘Rocks ended the half on a high note. Grabbing a rebound from a miss by the Eagles, Ellie Kelleher dribbled across the timeline, made a spin move and chucked up a long three from the volleyball line near the center circle, swishing a three-pointer at the buzzer to trim the Zionsville lead at halftime to 20-16.
“Our kids showed a lot of toughness tonight, especially on the defensive end,” stated Key on her team’s defense that went toe-to-toe with second-ranked Zionsville.
Zionsville came out scoring in the second right away with a Mallory Heerdt three from the right corner, pushing the Eagles’ lead back to seven at 23-16.
Emmrey Collinsworth then had a 5-0 run herself with a driving layup and three, cutting the deficit to 23-21.
Aubrey Crockett made a long three, making it a one-point margin at 25-24.
Hull then would complete the old-fashioned three-point play, getting fouled and making the basket for 30-24.
“We definitely had some breakdowns in the second half. We let Laila Hull get going downhill to the rim. She’s a heck of a player and you expect her to do that now and again,” said Key on Hull finding her way to points in the second half.
Faith Leedy made a three on the right wing for Zionsville for their largest second half lead at 33-24, but Westfield wasn’t going away without a fight.
Lindsey Van Dyke converted a fast break layup from a Kelleher pass up the court and then Kelleher got fouled heaving the ball toward the basket with 0.7 seconds in the third. She would make two of her three from the foul line to bring it back to five at 33-28 through three.
Just like in the third, the Eagles began the fourth with a three, this time from Allie Caldwell. This moved it to an eight-point lead at 36-28.
Aubrey Crockett knocked down another long trey that cut it to 36-31. Loveless put in two and it was 38-33.
On the other end, Hull was at it again for a 40-33 score.
Collinsworth then put in a driving layup off the glass and was fouled. She made the free throw to make it 40-36.
Hull got her third basket of the fourth for a six-point lead late at 42-36.
Crockett again launched and drilled another long range three to cut it to 42-39.
Emma Haan got fouled in the final seconds, making one of two free throws to put the game out of reach at 43-39.
“Overall, I was proud of our effort. I think we gave up a little too many offensive rebounds. We only gave up seven on the night, but they scored on a lot of them and that hurt us,” said Key on her team’s effort overall.
Laila Hull would lead all scorers with 15 points and seven rebounds. Jordyn Coleman came off of the bench to score eight and grab five boards. Mallory Heerdt added seven points and Faith Leedy chipped in with six for the Eagles.
Zionsville (10-0, 3-0 HCC) kept its unbeaten season going. The Eagles’ next game is at Ben Davis on Thursday.
The ‘Rocks were led by two with nine points each.Ellie Kelleher and Aubrey Crockett both tied for team-high honors with nine. Kelleher grabbed five rebounds and Crockett seven.
Emmrey Colllinsworth added eight points, three assists and a pair of key blocked shots.
Westfield (5-5, 1-1 HCC) dropped their third game in a row. The Shamrocks will look to right the ship on Tuesday when they host Avon (5-5, 0-3 HCC), who lost on Friday at home to No. 3 Hamilton Southeastern, 73-42.
ZIONSVILLE 43, WESTFIELD 39
Westfield FG FT TP PF
Ellie Kelleher 1-8 6-7 9 3
Aubrey Crockett 3-8 0-0 9 4
Emmrey Collinsworth 3-8 1-1 8 2
Kiki Loveless 2-6 0-0 5 0
Lindsey Van Dyke 1-3 0-0 2 2
MaKayla Hatcher 0-2 0-0 0 0
Reagan Lorenzen 1-6 0-0 3 2
Maren Dee 1-5 0-0 3 1
Totals 12-46 7-8 39 14
Score by Quarters
Zionsville 9 11 13 10 – 43
Westfield 2 14 12 11 – 39
Westfield 3-point shooting (8-30) Crockett 3-8, Kelleher 1-4, Collinsworth 1-4, Loveless 1-4, Lorenzen 1-4, Dee 1-3, Hatcher 0-2, Van Dyke 0-1.
Westfield rebounds (24) Crockett 7, Kelleher 5, Loveless 4, Lorenzen 3, Dee 2