Lady Raiders fall to powerhouse Chadron

CHADRON – For 24-plus minutes of playing time Friday night, Sidney High School’s girls’ basketball team went toe-to-toe on the road with state Class C powerhouse Chadron.

That’s when the Lady Raiders were called for grabbing a foot, and in an instant, all the momentum was gone from a 34-all tie after three periods.

Raiders senior Jeni Herren, who had fallen on the floor during a rebound scrap with the Lady Cardinals’ Alia Brennan, was called for grabbing Brennan’s feet in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

The foul was ruled intentional, and marked the beginning of the end for SHS in a 49-35 loss.

“The way it was explained to me, (Heeren) grabbed (Brennan’s) feet,” Sidney coach Tyler Shaw said. “I didn’t see it.”

What Shaw and the Lady Raiders (12-4) did see was all their chances at winning go right out the door: Chadron outscored Sidney 15-1 the rest of the way and improved to 15-1.

Sidney played short-handed most of the night after senior guard Kylee Price injured her head in the first half. She did not return to action, and her status for tonight’s game in Hershey is unknown.

As usual, Chadron used its height and trapping to frustrate its opponent. The Cardinals held leads at the first two stops, 9-4 and 22-16, but Sidney erupted for 18 third-quarter points to knot the game when Sarah Mahr buried a 3-point shot at the buzzer, 34-all.

Heeren was a big factor in the rally, scoring six points, and Mahr tacked on five.

However, the fourth period snowballed in favor of Chadron after the controversial call. Brennan stepped up and made both free throws to give the Cardinals the lead for good – but the senior reserve was hardly done

Brennan added a pair of baskets down the stretch and Briley Hannaford tossed in six points late to take the load off twin sisters Ashlea and Bailea Kerr.

Sidney’s lone response was a free throw by Katelin Cole at the 5 minute, 20 second mark – and Chadron scored the final nine points.

Chadron was led by A. Kerr’s 16 points, Hannaford adding 14 and B. Kerr tossing in nine.

Heeren and Mahr both scored eight points to lead Sidney, Cole adding seven and Karissa Segelke six.

Chadron 49, Sidney 35

Sidney 4 12 18 1-35

Chadron 9 13 12 15-49

SIDNEY (12-4)

Segelke 3 0-1 6, Price 0 0-0 0, Linneman 0 0-2 0, Heeren 3 2-4 8, Rowley 1 0-0 2, Mahr 2 3-4 8, Porter 1 2-2 4, Cole 2 1-2 7. Totals 12 8-16 35

CHADRON (15-1)

Hinn 0 0-0 0, Hanneford 5 3-4 14, Eitemiller 1 0-0 2, AKerr 7 2-4 16, BKerr 4 0-0 9, Churchill 1 0-0 2, Brennan 2 2-2 6. Totals 20 7-10 49

3-point goals – Sidney 3 (Cole 2, Mahr); Chardon 2 (Hanneford, BKerr). Team fouls – Sidney 12, Chadron 17