Juelfs, Sharman lead Coyotes to win in OT

Over 36 minutes the game tipped and teetered, generally in favor of the home side. But two brief moments, consuming no more than 20 seconds in all, gave visiting Potter-Dix a 41-37 overtime win at Peetz.

The first came just before what would normally be the final buzzer.  Peetz senior Melissa Schumacher had sliced through the Coyotes defense to give the home side a 37-34 advantage. On the other end of the floor Coyotes long rang specialist Taylor Juelfs found herself confronted by white jersey at every turn. With less than 10 seconds remaining, however, she found a bit of space and drained a three.

"I knew they had the shooter and that's what they were going to do," Schumacher explained. The effort simply proved unstoppable.

Juelfs' shot knotted the game at 37-37 as regulation time ran out.

"I wasn't thinking about anything," she said.

Throughout the first half her trademark shot tended to sail off course. "This one went in," Juelfs added.

Peetz failed to score in overtime. Coyotes forwards Cortney and Tiffany Lewis dominated under the glass, preventing second changes for the home squad. But for the first two minutes of the four minute period, the Bulldogs' defense also held Potter-Dix at bay-then came the second moment.

Freshman Dawson Sharman wheeled around a pack of white jerseys and drove toward the rim, converting the game winner.

"I've never done that before," Sharman said with a jubilant laugh. "But I saw an opening and just went."

Juelfs tacked on two more from the line to cap what had been a see-saw affair.

The Coyotes held the edge after one, 10-7, thanks in part to perfect free throw shooting from Alexus Rozelle, who drew a crowd every time she elbowed into the paint. But Peetz center Beth Bernhardt converted back to back three point plays and Jodie Schumacher hit a true three just before the break, tipping things in favor of the home side.

In the third, both defenses clamped down.

"We knew we had to focus on their main shooters," Juelfs explained.

The Coyotes held Peetz to just 6 points in eight minutes. But the hosts proved even more miserly, allowing just 3 in return. And Jennifer Gutierrez sank one from beyond the arc to close out the period, seemingly handing momentum over to the Bulldogs.

Peetz entered the fourth with a 28-22 lead. But the game had already shown its fickle side.

"I didn't think we had it won, but I thought we could hold them," Melissa Schumacher said.

Indeed, Juelfs and Rozelle fashioned an 8-2 Potter-Dix run to open the fourth period, ended by a Schumacher three. Over the next few minutes the two sides traded punches in anticipation of the dramatic ending.

The Coyotes travel to Pine Bluffs on Friday for an encounter with the Hornets. Peetz makes up a game postponed by weather on Wednesday, visiting Prairie. They play host to Caliche on Friday.

Girls Basketball

Potter-Dix 41

Peetz 37