HART — Monday’s Hart/Shelby game played out similarly to the teams’ first meeting back in December - a close, physical battle much of the way, but with the Tigers on top in the end, this time by a 53-44 margin.
Hart came out with a strong game plan that kept the Tigers from playing the same kind of frenetic, defensive-oriented game they’re used to. Instead it was the Pirates playing good defense and creating offense. The Pirates’ Rilynn Porter knocked down a three-pointer to make it 9-2 early in the first quarter.
The Tigers were bailed out by one of their less-heralded players - sixth woman Jordan Wolting, daughter of coach Sarah Wolting. The sophomore sharpshooter checked in off the bench and made four first-half three-pointers, including two quick ones in the first to get Shelby back to within a point, 11-10. She drilled another one to tie things up at 16, part of a brief run that put Shelby ahead for good.
“I go in every off day and I shoot 300-400 shots a day, off the dribble and everything from different spots,” Wolting said. “It’s a lot of commitment, but it’s definitely work that pays off.”
Coach Wolting said Jordan’s embracing of her role as the team’s designated long-range shot maker is emblematic of how everyone on the team has bought into what makes the team best. Jayna Burmeister, who ended the night with a team-high 16 points and 20 rebounds, is of course the gravitational star, but without the contributions of Wolting, Ava Lamberg and Michelle Peterson - who each knocked down timely treys in the second quarter - things likely wouldn’t have ended well for Shelby.
The Tigers aren’t familiar with trailing, having lost just once and needed a comeback to win only one other time, against Ravenna. However, the group displayed the toughness needed to win big games by hanging in there after Hart’s early rush.
“They’re just a group that never stops,” Wolting said. “They’re not going to give up. Even though we’re down by 10 or whatever, they’re going to fight back. That’s what makes us good right now. Other teams might get tired, but we just keep pushing through. I didn’t sub a lot tonight, but the six or seven that did (play) were all out all game.”
Peterson’s second-quarter trey was an especially big one, coming in rushed fashion as time was running out before the half. Sending that shot through the net gave the Tigers an even bigger boost going to the locker room.
The second half appeared more like the type of game Shelby likes to play, with defense and fast breaks. The Tigers had 10 steals in all in the game, and many of them came in the second half.
Hart didn’t let things get out of hand, though, and after falling behind 35-23, the Pirates responded with a 9-0 run led by Porter, who had 15 points in the game (Reese Smith had 13). The senior guard scored through contact for a three-point play, then knocked down a three-pointer. Smith followed with another triple to get the score to 35-32, but Wolting quickly put a stop to Hart’s momentum by scoring her only second-half bucket of the game. Burmeister followed by swiping an inbound pass and going end-to-end for a layup, and Hart couldn’t make another run.
The Echo was unable to reach Hart coach Ron Williamson for comment after the game.
The game was physically played, unsurprising given the rivalry and both teams’ emphasis on hard-nosed defense. Burmeister, who plays with a mask due to a facial injury suffered earlier this season, had to get the mask looked at multiple times during the game, and the Tigers’ Annabelle Stark went down on her back hard late in the game after a collision with a Pirate, though luckily appeared to be alright after the win.
“We just play so physical, and Hart does too,” Wolting said. “It was a physical game. I think our rebounding really picked up in the second half. Jayna had 20 rebounds. If she sets her mind on going to get a rebound, she’s going to get it.”
The game also was a Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser, as the Pirates wore special jerseys for the occasion, a shooting contest took place at halftime to raise money to fight the disease, and free will donations were accepted throughout. The event, as well as the game, was originally scheduled for Jan. 23 before being postponed due to the extreme cold temperatures that day.
“It was kind of a bummer that it didn’t happen that Friday, where we would have had maybe a bigger crowd and more people in attendance, but it was cool to wear pink, and say we’re playing for someone who’s fighting cancer or has passed from cancer,” Wolting said. “It’s a special thing for two rival teams to come together for one cause.”
