Jets shut down Patriots to begin 2024 with emphatic ACAC home triumph

#22 Alexa Brotherton of Adams Central drives down the baseline against the Heritage Patriots

After nearly a week off, the Adams Central Jets returned to The Hangar in Monroe for a comfortable win in Allen County Athletic Conference play against the Heritage Patriots on Senior Night on Friday, 42-16.

After Danica Fuller connected on a threepointer to give the Patriots the early lead, Adams Central (5-13, 2-4 Allen County) put together an 8-0 ran that was capped off by a driving layup by Athena Schwartz.

Heritage (1-14, 0-3 Allen County) could not keep pace. Fuller scored their only five points of the quarter.

In the closing seconds of the first, Schwartz threw a pass from near the half-court line to a wide-open Alexa Brotherton for an easy bucket to give the Jets an 11-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Heritage started the second quarter with a three from Trinitee Brown.

Grace Fisher answered for the Jets with a pair of free throws to push the lead back to five.

After Brotherton drove down the baseline and scored off the glass, Heritage called a timeout to regroup.

The stoppage may have also been an attempt to get their offense going. Unfortunately for the visitors from Monroeville, the Jets continued to limit their offense.

Another three by Fuller with 5:07 left in the second would be the final points of the half for Heritage.

Ava Stafford stole an inbound pass and sent the ball up to Lillee Dull who finished the play at the other end.

Scwartz ended the first half with a steal that led to a layup to give the Jets a 19-11 lead at the half.

Adams Central did not pull away from Heritage in the first half.

That changed in the second half thanks to more excellent defending.

Keeping the Patriots in check allowed Adams Central the chance to gradually increase their advantage.

Stafford buried a three from near the Adams Central bench to make the score 24-13 in favor of the home side.

Kate Fisher put the Jets up 30-16 with a three in front of the Adams Central student section.

The Jets ended the quarter with a 16-point surplus after two more points from Stafford.

Like the first quarter, the Jets held the Patriots to five points in the third.

Schwartz started the fourth quarter by tossing an excellent pass to a cutting Stafford who made a reverse layup.

In a bizarre situation that occurred with under two minutes remaining, an invalid substitution by the Patriots gave the Jets a couple of technical free throws.

Audrey Eisberg pushed the score to 40-16 with a jumper.

The comfortable scoreline allowed the Jets to substitute their seniors so they could get an ovation from the home fans.

The defensive effort of the Jets should certainly be applauded, as well.

Heritage did not score in the fourth quarter.

Ashlyn Doster scored the final points of the game, making the score 42-16 when the final horn sounded.

The win provides Adams Central a vital momentum boost ahead of the ACAC Tournament next week.

The Jets will open the competition with a home game against South Adams on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m.

South Adams defeated Adams Central 58-37 in Berne on December 20th.

If the Jets advance, they would take on Jay County next Friday at home.

The ACAC Tournament Championship Games will take place at South Adams next Saturday night.

Adams Central will resume their regular season with a trip to Eastbrook on January 16th.

The Jets are slated to host Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian on January 25th.