STRYKER – A few years back, the games between Fayette and Stryker were never decided until the final buzzer. Names like Haley Figy, Stephanie McCord and Megan, Mandy and Molly Boetz were prominent in the outcome of games that were pure electricity. December 14 saw a revival of those games being played out in The Cage in Stryker as the Lady Eagles again traveled to take on the Lady Panthers of Stryker. The pressure was high as the hometown girls held off a late Fayette rally to pull out a 57-56 win.
The Lady Eagles of 2012 are nothing short of a force, and they had the Lady Panthers looking like they were standing still in the early going. Had it not been for the all-out play of Conner Varner, it would have been a rout. At the end of the first period, Fayette held a 20-17 lead…and 12 of those 17 points came from the hands of Varner.
When Coach Steve Brown got the fires lit under his Lady Panthers though, they responded in the second period, taking their first lead with 1:24 left in the half. The Lady Panthers were able to battle back every time that Fayette recaptured the lead, but they were never able to get their BBC rivals out of the rearview mirror. A final push in the waning seconds of the game fell just short for the Lady Eagles.
Varner finished with a game-high 23 points for 3-4/2-1 Stryker, with Conner Sullivan adding 11 points and Michaela Rupp 8. Maddie Uribes came off the bench to put in 7 points, Hannah Doehrmann had 6 and Emily Rupp 2 points.
Taylor Griffiths fired off 20 for the 4-2/2-1 Lady Eagles, with Alexis Fruchey adding 14 and Kaela Seiler 10. Paige Keefer put in 6 points, Allison Cuff had 4 points, Melani Seiler 2 and Mikayla Smith one.
SCORING BY QUARTER:
Stryker 17 15 12 13 – 57
Fayette 20 8 13 15 – 56