By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (December 23, 2024) – Some days just nothing goes right. Swanton had one of those days as the Bulldogs made just one field goal and committed 28 turnovers in a 44-5 loss to Evergreen. The game was the NWOAL opener for both teams.
It took just a 17 second burst in the middle of the first quarter for the Vikings to score seven straight points to give them a 7-0 lead that would expand throughout the game.
Lanae Manz hit a deep triple, then Kennedy Emmitt and Kyla Risner scored off turnovers in that short time span to vault the Vikes on top.
Risner’s back-to-back shots from outside the arc pushed the margin to 14-0 at the quarter, as Evergreen opened up 5/10 from the field. Meanwhile the Bulldogs were 0/5 and were hampered by nine turnovers.
Manz and Bailey Lumbrezer recorded nine more Viking points in the second to make it 23-0 before Jessica Finfera finally got the Bulldogs on the board with 2:56 left, splitting a pair from the foul line.
Avah Vaculik’s putback and Risner’s three-point play and long three-ball with 4:08 to go in the third got the Vikings up 37-1 and started the running clock rule the rest of the way.
Madilynn Stevenson’s layup 15 seconds into the fourth quarter kept the Bulldogs from being shut out from the field.
Risner had 14 and Manz 10 to lead the Vikings, who shot 18/49 for the game. Evergreen had 14 turnovers.
Swanton was 1/17 from the floor and had 28 turnovers in the time shortened affair.
Swanton (2-7) plays undefeated Delta in the opening round of the Fisher Holiday Tournament Friday. Evergreen (5-5) travels to Maumee Saturday.