Sports

In girls basketball: Craftsbury Chargers hang tough in loss to Richford

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Janet Bohannon goes up for a shot against Richford. Photo by Harris Kinsey

by Harris Kinsey

copyright the Chronicle 12-12-2012           

CRAFTSBURY COMMON — Coming off a nice win against United Christian Academy, the Craftsbury Academy girls basketball team was hoping to win their first game in their brand new gym.  They fought hard through four quarters, but came up short in a 42-36 loss to Richford on Monday night, December 10.

Elle Purrier paced Richford with 10 points and the Richford Falcons rode well balanced scoring to the victory.

Janet Bohannon led all scorers with 23 points but didn’t have much help on the scoring, as other players just couldn’t get their shots to fall.

The game started slowly, with the teams trading misses until the 3:38 mark of the first quarter.  Richford scored first with a layup.  Richford 2, Craftsbury 0.

Craftsbury then scored two field goals to take the lead at 4-2.

The score stood that way for a while until Craftsbury scored three more points, and Richford got a free throw.  After the first quarter the score stood Craftsbury 7 Richford 3.

The teams traded misses again to start the second quarter, until a three-pointer by Richford cut the lead to seven to six. Scoring really picked up in the second quarter of play. Janet Bohannon led all scorers in the second quarter scoring 11 points to pace Craftsbury.  Craftsbury held the lead throughout the second and ended the first half of play with an 8-point lead, Craftsbury 23, Richford 15.

The third quarter also started with a scoring lull with the teams trading misses again until Craftsbury made two field goals to take a 27-16 lead three minutes into the third.  Craftsbury 27, Richford 16.

But Richford would then close the gap considerably.  With good defense and good shooting, they were able to get to the basket for layups, and got to the foul line.  They closed the gap to four by the end of the third.  After three quarters the score stood Craftsbury 30, Richford 26.

At the beginning of the fourth, the teams were still fighting hard and Richford hung close.  They traded baskets to start the quarter.  Then Richford began to really make shots and they ended up taking the lead by a point.  Craftsbury answered with a basket of their own to take the lead right back.  Craftsbury 36. Richford 35.

Richford took a 3-point lead with 2:07 left in the game 39-36.  Craftsbury just couldn’t make their shots fall.  The game ended with Craftsbury losing by six, Richford 42, Craftsbury 36.

After the game, Craftsbury coach Rick Thomas said,  “We are very young.  We played well and we played hard.  To hang with a veteran team as long as we did is an accomplishment in itself.  Everybody contributed.  It was a team effort.”

Craftsbury is a very young team with only four juniors and no seniors.  They have two eighth-graders, four ninth-graders, and two sophomores.  Richford on the other hand has a lot more experience with three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman.

Craftsbury played a great game, but came up just short.  Their next game is on December 18 when the varsity girls host Stowe at home.  The game starts at 5:30 p.m..

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