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Stop the presses! Challenger applies tenacious defense

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Published: November 20, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - West Hernando Middle School didn't lose a game for nearly two and a half seasons.

Then came this week. The Golden Eagles, the two-time defending Hernando County Middle School Athletic Conference champions, dropped two straight.

They lost to Powell Middle School on Tuesday, 32-25, and Challenger K-8 on Thursday night at home, 37-20.

West Hernando had gone 10-0 two straight seasons and began the current campaign 4-0. That included a 24-20 overtime victory over the Lady Navigators in the season opener.

"It's big. It's very big. Very exciting," Challenger Head Coach Roe Foley said. "When we first played them we lost in OT.

"Our press (made the difference), and having Gabby (Bienkowski) come off the bench with a little extra energy really helps out. That press is the big difference and the girls really wanted it. They kept up the intensity."

Challenger (4-2) corralled seven of its 21 steals in the opening quarter, three by Bienkowski and two by Tori Hattaway, many of which led to easy lay-ups.
Hattaway finished with seven steals, a game-high 15 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Lady 'Gators. Bienkowski chipped in eight points off the bench and five steals. Raven Humphrey added six steals.

The Lady 'Gators led 20-14 at the half, then held the Golden Eagles (4-2) to just a Rhiannon Venturella field goal in the third quarter and four points in the fourth - two from Venturella, two from Jillian Martinez as time expired.

The lead reached 10 points, 24-14, on two free throws from Carey Bossey at 4:47 in the third. Bienkowski's offensive put back with 50 seconds remaining in the period made it 31-16.

West Hernando never made a run in the fourth, allowing Challenger to close out its first-ever win over the Golden Eagles.
Lyndsey Pospisil scored 12 points and pulled down 14 rebounds along with two blocked shots and two steals for West Hernando. No one else scored more than four.

"We did well. We just couldn't break the press today," West Hernando Head Coach Ginny Gaustad said. "The girls hustled and worked hard.

"We need to work on our passing. They're doing really good, working as a team. We need a little bit more but they're doing really good."

Challenger takes JV contest

Challenger also won the junior varsity contest, 26-22, using a similar pressing defense to find success.

The Lady 'Gators (3-3) got 18 points from Syclair Jones, eight in a second quarter that saw Challenger out-score West Hernando (1-5) 12-3. Julia Waugh scored 10 points for the Golden Eagles.

"We've been improving each game through the season. We're at the second-half point," said Challenger JV coach Jeff Laing, formerly the head boys coach at Hernando High. "I thought we passed very well and played very good defense.

"We really go how (Jones) goes. She's a good player and she's played very, very good. I thought tonight number 22 (Nicole Morolla) came in off the bench and gave us a lot of energy on defense. She had a couple of steals and was just harassing out there."

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