After trailing by nine points with 6:00 to go in the game, the Dell Rapids Quarrier girls team trailed by two points and had the ball with :10 to play. The floater from the middle of the lane at the buzzer hit the back of the rim and fell away no good as the Vermillion Tanagers held on for a 42-40 win over the Quarriers on Thursday, January 25th at Dell Rapids High School.
Dell Rapids trailed Vermillion 6-4 with just over 5:00 to play in the first quarter. The Quarriers then out scored the Tanagers 9-4 the remainder of the quarter for a 13-8 lead. Neither offense could get anything going in the second quarter. The two teams combined for a total of 12 points, which was an 8-4 advantage for Vermillion. Dell Rapids went to the locker room at halftime leading 17-16.
Vermillion opened the third quarter on an 8-2 run to take a 24-19 lead with 5:17 to play in the quarter. Vermillion managed to keep a four-to-six point throughout the remainder of the quarter leading 31-25. The Tanager lead grew to nine points at 36-27 with 6:00 play before Dell Rapids made their run. Dell Rapids scored the next six points and cut the lead to 36-33 with 3:10 to go in the game. After a made basket by Vermillion’s Kasey Jensen, Kaylee Hennen made a three-point shot in front of her bench to cut the lead to 38-36 with 2:42 remaining. Arial Hoffman cut the lead to a point at 38-37 after going one-of-two from the free throw line with 2:06 to play. Jensen again made a tough basket inside for Vermillion to push the Tanager lead to three points. Hoffman pulled the Quarriers within two after another one-for-two trip to the free-throw line. With under :50 to play, Jensen made a reverse layup to give Vermillion a 42-38 lead. Jayda Knuppe answered with a layup of her own with :27 to go. Vermillion missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Dell Rapids grabbed the rebound with :16.5 on the clock. Hennen had the ball stripped on her drive to the lane, and Emma Paul picked up the loose ball and got a shot off from the middle of the lane that hit the back of the rim and fell away no good at the buzzer.
Paul led the team in scoring on the night with 12 points. Jayda Knuppe finished with eight points. Hennen added five points. Aspen Hansen, Ravyn Hoffman, and Sydney Stofferahn all had four points in the game. A. Hoffman finished with three points.
Dell Rapids (9-5) will host Tri-Valley on Friday, February 2nd as part of a girls and boys double header. The seniors will also be recognized during Senior Night. Both games can be seen on Big Sioux Media.