The Fort Calhoun girls basketball team wasn't pleased with its 1-5 start to the season.
So, coach Marty Plum's Pioneers did something about it Monday and Tuesday evening. They beat Conestoga 44-35 on the road first before routing Ralston at home second, 43-21.
“It was very much needed,” junior Bria Bench said of the two-game sweep. “I think everyone was just, like, down in the dumps about (the start).”
The forward contributed 41 total points to the victories, helping to flip the season's momentum.
“It's just a big positive to us,” she said. “I think its going to be good for us when we come to the (holiday) tournament.”
Before FCHS hosts three teams Dec. 29-30, though, it picked up its third win of December against the Ralston Rams. The Pioneers led 11-7 after one period, but held their visitor to just one point during the second for a 21-8 halftime advantage.
“I think our defense was just, overall, really good tonight,” Bench said Tuesday. “And, our press was pretty good tonight. We got a lot of steals off of it and that just helped us get on top faster.”
The junior scored a game-high 22 in the win, sinking three 3-pointers during the first half lead-building. Her team tallied a 10-5 third quarter before finishing the game out with a 12-8 fourth.
FCHS forward Kylie Perfetti highlighted the final period before the holiday break with two makes from long range.
“I think I just needed to get into the flow,” she said of her 3-point makes. “I think they just felt right this game.”
Overall, after a 1-5 start, the Pioneers head into the NSAA Activities Moratorium on a two-game winning streak.
“Right before the break, it's kind of given us a confidence boost going into the holiday tournament,” Perfetti noted.
Calhoun hosts Centura, Howells-Dodge and Sandy Creek next on Dec. 29. Tournament games begin at 2 p.m.
Pioneers beat Cougars
Kaylee Taylor hit the go-ahead 3-pointer just before halftime Monday as the FHCS girls knocked off previously-unbeaten Conestoga on the road, 44-35.
The sophomore guard's long-range make pushed the Pioneers ahead 18-16 at the break. They led 32-31 after three periods despite a Cougar make at the buzzer and put the game away with a 12-4 final quarter.
Bench led Fort Calhoun with 19 points in the win. Her long-range make during the fourth period boosted the Pioneers' lead to five before she and Ella Bouwman added six more made foul shots down the stretch.
Bouwman, a freshman guard, finished with nine points total, while Maddy Tinkham added six, too.
FCHS BASKETBALL LINE SCORE
Tuesday
Fort Calhoun 43, Ralston 21
RHS (0-6) 7 1 5 8 — 21
FCHS (3-5) 11 10 10 12 — 43
Scoring: FCHS — Bria Bench 22, Kylie Perfetti 6, Dala Drowne 5, Jovi Greiner 4, Maddy Tinkham 4, Ella Bouwman 2.
RHS — Brooke Tejral 12, Sami Cunningham 4, Lexi Paskach 2, Ari Hernandez 2, Andi Radji 1.
Monday
Fort Calhoun 44, Conestoga 35
FCHS (2-5) 5 13 14 12 — 44
CON (3-1) 7 9 15 4 — 35
Scoring: FCHS — Bench 19, Bouwman 9, Tinkham 6, Grenier 5, Kaylee Taylor 3, Drowne 2.
CON — Mackaylee Madsen 12, Ali Gansemer 9, Jameson Yost 8, Haven Zimmerman 4, Davida Garrett 2.
