Mellott’s 27 help Valley clinch outright TRC title

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Girls basketball

Tippecanoe Valley 55, Southwood 42 (Saturday): Kaydence Mellott scored 16 of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter, and Kelsey Cox added a season-high 13 for the visiting Lady Vikings as they beat Southwood to clinch the outright Three Rivers Conference title Saturday.

Lily Ault added eight points for Valley, who improved to 17-3, 8-0 TRC. They also won the TRC with an 8-1 conference mark last year. Valley travels to Wawasee Tuesday before their regular season finale at home against Manchester on Thursday.

Valley has won all eight conference games by at least 11 points.

Alaina Winer scored 16 points, and Aleia Sweet added 10 for Southwood. Leading scorer Ella Haupert, who came in averaging over 19 points per game, was held to a season-low six points. She scored 20 against Valley last year in a 52-50 loss and had scored in double figures in 23 consecutive games dating back to last year.

Valley led 21-12 at halftime and maintained a 38-29 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Mellott hit 11 of 13 free throws in the fourth quarter and 14 for 18 for the game. Valley made more free throws (18) than Southwood attempted (11).

Valley beat Southwood for the 10th consecutive year.

Valley also won the JV game 66-25 to improve to 19-1. Millie Scorsone led Valley with 18, and Ava Smith had 16.

VALLEY (55) (17-3, 8-0)

Lily Ault 3 1-2 8, Kaydence Mellott 5 14-18 27, Molly Moriarty 1 0-2 3, Corinna Stiles 1 0-0 2, Kelsey Cox 5 3-4 13, Gabby Gonzalez 0 0-0 0, Macy Petersen 1 0-0 2, Chesnee Miller 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 16 18-26 55

SOUTHWOOD (42) (14-5, 5-3)

Haupert 2 1-2 6, Norman 0 0-0 0, Winer 5 2-2 16, Younce 1 0-0 3, Sweet 4 2-4 10, Huffman 0 0-0 0, Collins 0 0-0 0, Claussen 2 0-2 4, Chellis 1 1-1 3, Lambert 0 0-0 0, Barney 0 0-0 0, Thomas 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 15 6-11 42

Three-point field goals:

Valley 5 (Mellott 3, Moriarty, Ault),

Southwood 6 (Winer 4, Younce, Haupert)

Total fouls: Valley 16, Southwood 19

Fouled out: Norman (SW)

Score by quarters

Valley 15 6 17 17 – 55

Southwood 5 7 17 13 – 42

JV: Valley 66, Southwood 25