DOVER - As the calendar turns to 2022, the Western Boone girls basketball team is hoping to turn over a new leaf in their season as well.
The Lady Stars had dropped seven of their final eight games of 2021, but started their games in 2022 on a high note, topping Fountain Central 42-28.
"I think we were a little disappointed with how we played the Tipton tournament, and I think we kind of realized you get to turn some things around - new year, same team," Western Boone head coach Hannah Kelly said. "We had a new mentality to start off the first game of the year strong. I think we did a really nice job tonight. We played composed and were feeding the girls who were hitting shots."
Western Boone scored the game's first seven points and led 10-3 after a quarter.
The Stars shot just 4-of-16 from the field, but grabbed eight offensive rebounds in the quarter.
"It came down to a couple of things, turnovers and more importantly rebounding," Fountain Central head coach Jason Good said. "We gave up 19-20 offensive rebounds in the game. When you look at the first quarter when they got their lead, they didn't shoot a great percentage, but we let them have 4-5 shots most possessions. That really took a toll."
Western Boone closed the second quarter on a 10-2 run to build a 25-10 lead at the break.
Emmy Roys had seven points in the run.
Roys and fellow post Carlie Pennington each had 13 points for the Stars to lead all scorers.
"They worked hard down low," Kelly said. "It was a good job by our guards too for looking inside and locating them. They did a great job of rebounding and put the shots back up."
Western Boone led by as many as 20 in the second half and never by less than 12.
Katheryn Rutherford added six points in the win, with Lili Jones and Sam Wynkoop scoring five each.
Western Boone had only 13 turnovers in the win, tying a season low.
Kelly said that is something the Stars have worked a lot on.
"We have been talking about reducing turnovers, and how when we have a really good possession on one end of the court, that momentum can build on the other side," Kelly said. "That's been a key focus of ours, making sure we play under control and contained, and that leads to less turnovers."
Jerzi Hershberger led the Mustangs with eight. Hannah Prickett had seven and Kaylee Spragg had six.
The Mustangs travel to Indiana Deaf on Thursday.
"I thought in the third quarter we were a lot more competitive and our guards are getting better at putting some pressure on the other team," Good said. "Hannah Prickett did a good job of getting to the rim and getting to the free-throw line. Kaylee Spragg came in and played a long stretch than usual and when she was on the floor we played faster, which helped. This is still a learning process for us. We're still young, but we are getting better."
Western Boone travels to Clinton Prairie for an afternoon tilt on Saturday.
The Stars are 5-7 on the year.
"I think this win helps the girls shift their mentality and starts them thinking about the second half of the year," Kelly said. "I think this is going to motivate them to keep working hard in practice and finish the year strong."
