(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
INSIDE OFFENSE … Edgerton’s Gretchen Keppeler knocks down a short jumper in the fourth quarter. VIEW 134 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
NONLEAGUE GAME … Hilltop’s Libbie Baker drives the lane during Tuesday night’s home tilt with Edgerton.
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
WEST UNITY (February 4, 2025) – In a potential preview of the Division VII district final, a big first quarter run gave the Bulldogs the lead and they held off Hilltop in the second half for a 45-36 win.
Hilltop, the No. 1 seed in the Division VII Bryan district, took an early 5-3 lead thanks to a triple from Elena VanArsdalen before the Bulldogs put together a 14-0 blitz.
A Gretchen Keppler stick back started the tear followed by a layup from Ava Swank for a 7-5 Edgerton lead, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Swank and Casey Everetts would splash threes before Alivia Farnham scored on an offensive rebound and Kaitlyn Burke added a bucket on the low square to make it 17-5 with under two minutes left in the first quarter.
Hilltop (16-3) ended the quarter with a 7-0 spurt as Kelsy Connolly drained a triple followed by Kennedy Bailey and Libbie Baker both going 2/2 at the foul line to trim the Bulldog lead to 17-12.
The scoring slowed in the second with both teams struggling to find the range from the floor as Edgerton would go just 2/16 and Hilltop 1/8.
The Cadets’ only field goal of the frame was courtesy of a Baker offensive rebound early in the stanza to bring Hilltop to within three at 17-14.
Edgerton countered with two triples from Everetts, about five minutes apart, to grab a 23-14 advantage at halftime.
The Bulldogs started the third with a quick five points by Farnham and Sophia Crossgrove had a bucket for the Cadets in between the Farnham scores for a 28-16 Edgerton lead.
Crossgrove continued to do damage inside with back-to-back scores after offensive rebounds before Farnham scored on a drive as she blew by Hilltop defenders and Burke had a bucket inside to give the Bulldogs a 34-22 lead.
The quarter closed with 7-1 Hilltop run to cut the deficit to 35-29 as Baker scored on a putback, Bailey was 2/2 at the stripe, and Connolly hit a three from the head of the key.
The first points of the fourth wouldn’t come until 4:08 remained in the game as VanArsdalen hit a left corner triple to make it a one possession game at 35-32.
Edgerton responded as Keppeler scored in the post and Burke had an offensive rebound putback to increase the lead to 39-32 at the 3:18 mark.
A 2/2 trip to the line by Baker would make the score 39-34, but six straight points by the Bulldogs followed.
Swank went 1/2 at the line, Everetts drilled a trey from the top of the key, her fourth of the night, and Farnham added two free throws to put the game on ice at 45-34 with under a minute left.
Edgerton (12-7), who will be the No. 3 seed in the Division VII Bryan district, was paced by 15 points from Farnham and Everetts had 12.
Hilltop, who has dropped three in a row after starting the season 16-0, got 10 each from Baker and Crossgrove.
EDGERTON (45) – Huard 0; Burke 6; Saul 0; Farnham 15; Swank 7; Keppeler 5; Everetts 12; Totals: 9-6-9 – 45
HILLTOP (36) – Routt 0; Baker 10; Higgins 0; VanArsdalen 6; Bailey 4; Connolly 6; Crossgrove 10; 8-4-8 – 36
EHS 17 6 12 10 – 45
HHS 12 2 15 7 – 36
Junior Varsity: Edgerton, 12-6 (2 quarters)
GAME STATISTICS
EDGERTON: FG – 15/44 (34%); FG – 9/13 – (69%); Rebounds – 26 (8 offensive); Turnovers – 9; HILLTOP: FG – 12/45 (27%); FG – 8/8 (100%); Rebounds – 30 (13 offensive); Turnovers – 16
