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Girls stave off Lansing rally again

By Shawn Linenberger - | Jan 24, 2007

The play worked.

Assistant coach Jon Jacques told Tonganoxie High girls basketball players that a play was open if they decided to use it against Lansing in the Tonganoxie Invitational championship Saturday in the THS gymnasium.

Rachel Bogard took Jacques’ advice at an opportune time.

“Just pump-fake and go around; you’ll make it,” Bogard said. “I did it for Jacques.”

¢ Look for photos from the Tonganoxie Invitational on The MIrror’s online photo gallery at www.tonganoxiemirror.com.

Bogard started out near the free-throw line, hesitated, and then drove around the right side for the score.

Moments before, a Lansing basket at the other end helped the Lions take the lead, 54-53, in the fourth quarter. The shot caused the Lansing crowd to erupt in even louder cheers, as the Lions continued to peck away at the Tonganoxie lead.

Bogard’s basket, though, breathed life back into the Chieftains. Tonganoxie went on a 17-3 run that ended the game, as THS won, 50-37, and clinched its second Tonganoxie Invitational crown.

THS outrebounded Lansing, 48-32, while Lansing turned the ball over 22 times to Tonganoxie’s 16.

Tonganoxie coach Randy Kraft credited Lansing’s defense with disrupting the Chieftains to an extent. In the Pistora earned Most Valuable Player honors.

Rachel Bogard described winning the tournament as “awesome” and said the team’s wins aren’t just because of the starting five who made the all-tourney team.

“Our whole bench is reliable,” Bogard said. “It’s not the starting five, or top seven or anything. We can rely on them for anything.”

The win moved Tonganoxie to 11-0 on the season entering Tuesday’s game against Basehor-Linwood in Tonganoxie. The game was rescheduled from a December date because of inclement weather. The teams will play again Friday in Basehor for their regularly scheduled contest.

The Chieftains remained the No. 1 team in Class 4A, according to the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.

THS 50, Silver Lake 20

Call it a friendly family feud.

Pistora faced off against her cousin, Amanda Pfannenstiel, who plays for Silver Lake.

THS and Silver Lake have had their battles the past two seasons, but Pistora’s team held the upper hand against her cousin’s squad Friday with the 30-point win in the semifinals.

“I think it’s too bad I didn’t get to guard her,” Pistora said.

Still, Pistora was pleased to have some family bragging rights.

Although Tonganoxie won by 30, the first half wasn’t so pretty.

Tonganoxie led, 17-7, at halftime, a score the football team likely would gladly take against defending 3A champion Silver Lake.

But in basketball, that’s not the best of scores after 16 minutes of play.

Tonganoxie shot a dismal 22 percent in the first half, but Silver Lake had an even tougher time, shooting a meek 7 percent from the field.

“We shot that well?” Kraft said with a sheepish grin after the game.

Baska scored a game-high against the Eagles, while Rachel Bogard scored 12 and Pistora 9.

THS 51, Immaculata 24

Carlin scored 12 and Pistora 10 in a game the Chieftains controlled from the beginning. THS led, 25-9, at halftime and never looked back.

Rebecca Bogard also scored 9 for the Chieftains. team’s first meeting in December, the Lions stormed back from a 15-point second-half deficit, only to lose by two points.

“It all comes down to Lansing’s defense, which has improved from last game,” Kraft said.

The Chieftains had just one player score in double figures with Ali Pistora scoring 10. But Tonganoxie had eight players score overall, including Rebecca Bogard with nine, Elizabeth Baska with eight and Christy Weller with seven.

Tonganoxie players hoisted their tournament championship trophy into the air after the game, but the players received more accolades after that.

All five Chieftain starters, Rachel Bogard, Rebecca Bogard, Shannon Carlin, Baska and Pistora, were named to the all-tournament team.