By Jayson Henderson
The Clay Center Community Middle School 8th Grade Lady Bengals basketball team faced off against Susan B. Anthony Middle School in Manhattan on Thursday, November 7, 2024. The Lady Bengals came away with a win in the “B” game but fell short in a tightly contested “A” game.
“A” Game: CCCMS 22, Susan B. Anthony 25
Despite a strong defensive effort, the Lady Bengals “A” team came up just short, losing 25-22. A sluggish start saw Clay Center trailing 12-2 after the first quarter, but a solid second quarter defense helped close the gap.
Lara Hammond led the team with 9 points, adding 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 assists. Shae Berroth was a force in the paint with 11 points and 8 rebounds, while Aubrey Pfizenmaier chipped in 2 points.
Coach Dick Ahlberg highlighted areas for improvement: “Playing a quality opponent like this will make us better in the long run. We had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio today, and they out-rebounded us. Our shooting was subpar, and we had some foul trouble. We will work to clean up a few things.”
“B” Game: CCCMS 35, Susan B. Anthony 11
The Lady Bengals “B” team continued their unbeaten streak, cruising to a 35-11 victory. A dominant third quarter, where Clay Center outscored Susan B. Anthony 20-2, sealed the game.
Anderson Craig and Treya Pfizenmaier each scored 10 points to lead the Lady Bengals. Morgan Green added 9 points and a team-high 8 rebounds, while Hannah Cott contributed 4 points and 2 steals.
Assistant Coach Addy Mullin Lehman praised the team’s effort: “We made some shots today and had fewer turnovers. Our girls play hard and have fun.”
Game Highlights
“A” Game Stats:
– **Rebounds:** Shae Berroth 8, Lara Hammond 6, Jayde Richter 4
– **Steals:** Lara Hammond 5, Jayde Richter 4, Shae Berroth 3
– **Free Throws:** CCCMS 1/4, Susan B. Anthony 7/26
“B” Game Stats:
– Rebounds: Morgan Green 8, Treya Pfizenmaier 4
– Steals: Anderson Craig 4, Hannah Cott 2
– Free Throws: CCCMS 1/4, Susan B. Anthony 1/10
Next Game
The Lady Bengals will host Marysville on Monday, November 11, at 4:30 p.m. at CCCMS.
