March 29, 2024

Roadrunners pull away in fourth quarter

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STUART — A good start fizzled out for Interstate 35 here Friday night, and the Roadrunners had to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit in a 49-41 win over West Central Valley in the first game back from Christmas break.

Sophomore Cheyenne Hiatt sparked the Roadrunners with three baskets in the fourth quarter, as Interstate 35 went on an 9-0 to pull away from the Wildcats.

“She was huge,” Interstate 35 head coach Jamie Smith said. “She hit three shots in a row that sparked a 9-0 run. She has hit shots like that the last two games.”

The first of Hiatt’s three baskets came off a dish from Slye Richardson that put the Roadrunners up 38-37, after Bailee Arnburg had started the third quarter with a 3-pointer to give West Central Valley a 36-34 lead.

Jennifer Dudley scored for the Wildcats to put them back on top 39-38, but that was the last lead of the game for West Central Valley.

Gracey Griglione hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to put I-35 back on top 40-39 with 4:54 left in the game.

Then Hiatt hit back-to-back shots along the baseline to build a 44-39 advantage. Caylin Brommel followed with an offensive rebound and putback and Griglione sank one of two free throws to cap off the 9-0 run.

“I thought we did a good job on the boards, limiting them second shots, which was a key in the fourth quarter,” Smith said.

Griglione finished with a game-high 16 rebounds to go with her team-high 17 points. Riley Morris grabbed nine rebounds for Interstate 35.

Morris scored eight points, including back-to-back baskets early in the game as Interstate 35 built a quick 7-0 lead.

But she quickly picked up two fouls and played through foul trouble throughout the remainder of the game.

“I thought we got off to a good start the first three minutes,” Smith said. “We really wanted to get the ball inside to Riley, which we did. Then, like we have done before on the road, we got in foul trouble. We have to fix that.”

Hiatt scored 11 points and Richardson added 10 for the Roadrunners. Richardson also finished with four assists and three steals. Brommel added three assists.

Arnburg led West Central Valley with 20 points, including a running 3-pointer from 35 feet to cut Interstate 35’s lead to 34-33 as the third quarter buzzer sounded.

“I think West Central had a great game plan on defense and made it tough for us to do what we wanted to for three and a half quarters,” Smith said.

Interstate 35 improved to 8-2 for the season with the win, the team’s fifth in a row. The Roadrunners were scheduled to host Creston on Monday, but that game was cancelled because of weather.

Interstate 35 hosts Lenox on Friday.