Blue Ridge Girls Basketball Tips Off Season with 15-Point Loss to Maroa-Forsyth

MAROA, Ill. -- Jacquelyn O'Neal and Melinda Wilson each scored double-digit points.

It was not enough, however, as the Lady Trojans' Brenna Finck scored 19 points to lead her team to a 57-42 victory over the Lady Knights.

Blue Ridge ended the first quarter trailing 15-13. Maroa-Forsyth ended the half with a lead of 29-23.

Then the Lady Trojans pulled away with a 15-7 third quarter to build a 44-30 lead.

O'Neal led Blue Ridge with 16 points, 10 of which were scored in the first quarter. She also led her team in rebounds with five.

Wilson picked up 12 points, including the Lady Knights' only 3-pointer of the game, and recorded four rebounds and two steals. Blue Ridge finished the game shooting 1-for-6 from beyond the arc as a team.

The Lady Knights also shot 15-for-35 (42.9%) from the field and 11-for-26 (42.3%) from the free-throw line.

The Lady Trojans' bench outscored Blue Ridge's bench 35-10.

With the loss, Blue Ridge starts its season with an 0-1 record. The Lady Knights will begin playing in the Comet Classic at Oakwood High School on Friday, when they will face Westville at 6:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, Maroa-Forsyth improves to 1-1.

Maroa-Forsyth 57, Blue Ridge 42

Blue Ridge (42)

Jeana Cheek 0 0-1 0, Jacquelyn O'Neal 8 0-2 16, Melinda Wilson 5 1-2 12, Liz Cordes 0 1-2 1, Bailey Clancy 0 6-11 6, Gabby Pearl 1 2-2 4, Jamison Brandt 1 1-6 3, Breanna Watterson 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 11-26 42.

Maroa-Forsyth (57)

Shae Doolin 0 0-0 0, Devin Greenwell 0 0-0 0, Tarynn Tirpak 3 0-1 6, Gabby Werren 0 0-0 0, Alex Berry 0 0-0 0, Kennedy Flesner 5 0-0 12, Aaliyah Currie 4 1-2 9, Brenna Finck 8 0-0 19, Kaitlin Snyder 1 1-2 3, Breanna Livingood 2 0-0 4, Rachel Hastings 0 0-0 0, Taylor Butler 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 2-5 57.

Blue Ridge   13   10   7   12   -- 42

Maroa-Forsyth   15   14   15   13   -- 57

3-pointers -- Blue Ridge (Wilson), Maroa-Forsyth 5 (Finck 3, Flesner 2). Rebounds -- Blue Ridge 18, Maroa-Forsyth 9. Turnovers -- Blue Ridge 10, Maroa-Forsyth 14. Total Fouls -- Blue Ridge 11, Maroa-Forsyth 21. Points in the Paint -- Blue Ridge 16, Maroa-Forsyth 16.