Three Cardinals score in double figures as Coldwater girls beat Harper Creek
BATTLE CREEK – The Coldwater Cardinal girls varsity basketball team improved to 9-2 overall on the season and 3-2 in the Interstate 8 with a 49-32 win over the Harper Creek Beavers Tuesday night.
Coldwater used a pair of big bookend quarters to take down Harper Creek, racing out to a 17-8 first quarter lead while finishing the game with a 19-7 fourth quarter advantage.
The Cardinals’ first quarter effort was bolstered by six different scorers, including Rylie VanAken (2), Elli Foley (5), Coley Burkhardt (4), Elli Anderson (2), Mya Porter (2), and Danika Cox (2).
The two teams played more even basketball in the second quarter, as the teams played to a 13-13 stalemate with Burkhardt chipping in six points and Foley netting five. Foley brought the second quarter even with a buzzer beater to end the half.
Coldwater ramped up the defensive pressure to start the second half, outscoring Harper Creek 9-4 to extend their lead to 30-25.
The Cardinals put the game away with a big fourth quarter, as Coldwater rode the hot hand of Foley and Anderson to a 19-7 advantage, finding the final score of 49-32.
“I felt we played with much more enthusiasm tonight than we had at Northwest last week and we did a much better job of taking care of the basketball,” Coldwater coach Ken Smoker said. “We do, however, need to get much better at stopping penetration as that is how Harper Creek did most of their damage in the first half.”
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Coldwater was led on the night by Eli Foley who poured in a team high 17 points to go along with four rebounds and four steals.
Two other Cardinals hit double figures as Elli Anderson scored 11 points while Coley Burkhardt added 10 points and eight rebounds. Mackenzie Scheid added six rebounds while Rylie VanAken chipped in with five assists.
The Cardinals will return to action Saturday when they play their makeup game with Pennfield on the road at 11 a.m.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Led by three in double figures, Coldwater girls take down Harper Creek
