EVERGREEN SOPHOMORE … Lilli Eisel powers between a Swanton double team to put up a shot.
PHOTOS BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
TOP SCORER … Swanton’s Lauren Bettinger (above) paced the Bulldogs in scoring with 10 of their 15 points.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (December 4, 2025) – At times Evergreen looked like the Biblical pack of locusts, inciting a rash of turnovers that plagued Swanton all night long, as the Vikings got out to a 19-point first half lead, and cruised to a 41-15 romp over Swanton.
“We take a lot of pride in that,” Evergreen coach Josh Williams said of his team’s defense. “That was one of the things we talked about before the game was that we had to set the tone right away and bring a lot of energy.
“You can see when we don’t have a lot of energy we can go downhill like we did in the second quarter.” Kyla Risner’s triple two minutes into the game got the Vikings started and they never looked back.
Avery Emmitt came off the bench to can a pair of free throws and a power move inside to extend the margin to 9-0 before the Bulldogs could get on the board.
Lauren Bettinger’s two free throws were the only points the Bulldogs could muster in the first as Evergreen forced 16 Bulldog turnovers.
Bailey Lumbrezer’s three-pointer along with a steal and score by Lanae Manz extended the lead to 16-2 after eight minutes.
A Manz’s triple and Risner’s swipe and score made it 21-2 with 5:32 left in the half. Evergreen went ice cold after that, not scoring the rest of the half, but Swanton could only chip the lead to 21-7 when Katherine LaPoint’s triple try clanged off the glass and in, and a Carli Lagrange hoop.
The Vikings got it rolling again in the third, using a 13-2 burst to put the game away. Manz had two hoops during the run, Lumbrezer meshed her second triple of the night, as did Risner to blow the game open at 34-9.
“We got the energy going again defensively in the third quarter and look what happened,” Williams said. “Forcing turnovers and getting that fast start again in the third, that’s what we have to count on this year.”
Lauren Valentine’s two fourth quarter baskets helped maintain the 25 point lead, and Bella Henricks late free throw gave the Vikings their biggest margin, the final score at 41-15.
Manz was the only double figure scorer in Evergreen’s balanced attack, getting 11 for the night. Bettinger hit 10 of the Bulldogs’ 15 points.
Swanton (0-4) was guilty of 39 turnovers in the game, compared to 19 for Evergreen (2-1).