Indians pull away

FORT RECOVERY - After a third quarter where they opened with an 8-0 run to take a 30-17 lead only for Arcanum to score 13 straight points to tie the game, Fort Recovery recovered with a strong fourth quarter to improve to 5-1 with a 53-43 win in Saturday afternoon girls' basketball action at Fort Site Fieldhouse.

The Indians (5-1) led 22-17 at the half and began to pull away as Val Muhlenkamp hit a free throw and then Grace Thien nailed a three-pointer in the first 35 seconds of the quarter. Kiah Wendel added a trey and Carley Stone hit a free throw to complete the 8-0 run with 6:07 left in the quarter to make it 30-17.

But just as quickly, the Trojans roared back into the game. Gracie Garno's field goal with 5:07 left in the third quarter started a 13-0 run. Garno followed with a three-pointer and Camille Pohl added five points of her own to get Arcanum to within two at 30-28. Kayla O'Daniel tied the game at 30-all with 1:48 left in the third with a pair of free throws.

"They're a gritty team and have some young kids. They just get after it," Fort Recovery coach Brian Patch said of Arcanum. "There were times where we got up on them and our kids put it in a kind of cruise control. We can't do that. We have too many kids with experience and seniors to do that.:

Thien snapped the run with a three-pointer with 76 seconds left in the third quarter to allow the Indians to take a 33-30 lead into the fourth quarter. Thien then opened the fourth quarter with another trey to give the Indians a six-point lead. Pohl and O'Daniel combined for four straight points to get the Trojans back to within two, but Kiah Wendel added a three-pointer to raise the Indian lead to five.

"Grace is a senior who has started since her freshman year," Patch said. "When you have close games, someone has to step up and hit shots. (Thien) did."

After Lexi Unger hit a three-pointer to get the Trojans to within two at 39-37. Kiah Wendel hit two free throws and after a Trojan turnover, Olivia Patch hit two free throws of her own to put Fort Recovery up 43-37 with 3:48 to play in regulation.

Arcanum got no closer than five points the rest of the game as the Indians outscored the Trojans 10-5 over the final three minutes.

"I like how we responded and finished the game off down the stretch," Patch said. "We've got that to take and continue to build."

Thien led Fort Recovery with 14 points. Kiah Wendel added 12 points and Stone and Muhlenkamp each added 11 points.

Pohl finished with a team-high 14 for Arcanum (5-7). Garno added 12 points.

Fort Recovery is off until Jan. 2 when the Indians host St. Marys.