Raiders avenge regional loss

PHOTO BY BETH SCHMALTZ

South Ripley Junior Dylan Jessee emerged and dropped 20 points in a Raider win over Forest Park last Saturday. The game served as a rematch of last year’s Class 2A Regional Championship.

A season ago in Seymour it was Forest Park delivering South Ripley a premature exit in the state tournament but the Class 2A No. 10 Raiders got a chance to avenge that regional championship loss last Saturday, beating the Class 2A No. 12 Rangers 71-64 in the Southridge Holiday Tournament.

The victory for South Ripley gave them a 2-1 record in the tournament and a third place finish. Forest Park (5-5) lost all three of its games during the two-day event.

After just nine points in the first quarter, the Raider offense started picking up steam, putting up 15 points in the second frame and then firing away for 47 points in the second half. That included 26 points in the third period.

Getting a starting nod during the tournament, junior Dylan Jessee canned four triples en route to leading the Raiders with 20 points. He had 12 points in the second half. Sophomore Eli Gilpin added 19 points -14 points in the final two quarters- and Drew Volz went off for 13 points in the same stretch and finished with 15 points. Landon Werner chipped in eight points, Bryson Sipples had 14 points and Mason Bascom totaled three points.

Ethan Schmaltz rounded out Raider scoring with two points.

South Ripley started the tournament with a 57-49 victory on Friday over host Southridge (5-3), the eventual tournament champion. The Raiders however fell in the nightcap, losing to Bedford North Lawrence (2-6) by a 56-48 final.

Statistics from Friday’s two games were not provided by time of print. South Ripley (7-3) begins its Ripley County title defense on Wednesday night at Batesville, facing Milan in the first opening round contest of the Ripley County Tournament.