By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
The terms “size” and “speed” are common in sports. The key to Perry Meridian’s 58-44 victory over Center Grove was “size WITH speed” Jan. 20 as the host Trojans simply had no answer for the Falcons’ talented and mobile post duo of Amanda Raker and Lindsay Spears.
Coach Mike Armstrong wanted his Falcons to speed the tempo of this game from the outset. They came into the game believing they could beat the Trojans up and down the floor, and they were right.
Perry Meridian (No. 14 in the latest Sagarin 4A ratings, 14-4 overall and in a four-way tie for first place in Conference Indiana at 4-1) used full-court pressure to speed up the game and force Center Grove into quick shots. The Falcons then ran like the wind in transition, scoring one easy bucket after another throughout the first half of the game.
Many of the scores were a result of Raker beating the Center Grove inside players down the court. She finished with 10 points at in the opening half, and Perry Meridian had opened a comfortable 34-19 lead at intermission.
“Comfortable” is a relative term. Three times this season, Perry Meridian has surrendered leads of 15 points or more. This time, however, no serious challenge was forthcoming from Center Grove.
The Trojans (No. 17 in the 4A power ratings, 9-6 overall and fourth in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference at 2-1) did have some success, though, in slowing Perry Meridian down in the second half as the Falcons scored only four points in transition during the final two quarters. Yet Center Grove could not muster enough offense of its own to seriously close the gap.
The closest they came were two chances to cut the margin to 11 late in the third quarter. But the Trojans came up empty on each occasion.
Raker, it should be noted, was even more deadly in the half court. She scored 13 in the second half to finish with a game-high 23 points. Katelyn Walker was also in double figures for Parry Meridian with 12 markers, and Spears added 10 points on the evening.
Britney Shaner and Kirsten Gliesmann led Center Grove with 12 points apiece.
The two schools are likely to meet again in Sectional 11 next month at Whiteland. But before that, Perry Meridian visits township rival Southport Jan. 23 while Center Grove will host undefeated 4A top-ranked Ben Davis Saturday.
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