Hamilton edges M-E in overtime for first win

Dow scores game-winner late in extra period

Olivia Dow netted a shot with just over 30seconds left in overtime, lifting the Hamilton girls basketball team to a 38-37victory over Morrisville-Eaton on Friday night, its first of the season.

HAMILTON >> After scoring just 13 points in the first three quarters of Friday’s girls basketball game against rival MorrisvilleEaton, defending Class D state semifinalist Hamilton was in danger of falling to 0-2 this season.

The Emerald Knights’ three key returners made sure that didn’t happen.

Jess Welsh, Olivia Dow and Hayden Nolan combined to score all 25 of Hamilton’s points in the fourth quarter and overtime with Welsh making a game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation and Dow scoring the game-winning basket with 31.5 seconds to play in overtime.

“We kept plugging away defensively, forced a lot of turnovers on their part and that fortunately kept us in it,” said Hamilton coach Gary Weeks. “And then down the stretch Jess Welsh did what she does. And she’s just a tremendous individual talent and she had the will to bring us back.”

Welsh finished with a game-high 15 points in the victory while grabbing nine rebounds and tallying six steals. Nolan netted 11 points for the Emerald Knights and a teamhigh five assists while Dow finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks.

“It feels really good,” said Welsh of the win. “We came into the game knowing it was going to be tough but we came out on top.”

Emily Widger led M-E with 11 points while teammate Kathryn Parkhurst netted nine and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

The Emerald Knights went without a field goal for much of the first half, missing open shots from all over the court. However, Hamilton’s defense kept the hosts within striking distance. Emily Widger scored the game’s first basket with 4:37 to play in the first quarter. The visitors extended that advantage to 6-0 on two free throws by Deena Scoville and a field goal from Madison Phillips. Nolan broke through for the hosts with 28 seconds to play in the quarter with a free throw.

Jen Hilts opened the scoring in the second qurater with a jump shot on an assist from Scoville, who added a 3-pointer to extend M-E’s lead to 11-1. Welsh scored Hamilton’s first field goal with 3:47 to play in the second quarter and converted a 3-point play to cut the lead to 126. Hlits responded with a drivng layup and a Kathryn Parkhurst free throw made it a 15- 6 game. Nolan capped the first-half scoring with a 3-pointer that brought the Emerald Knights within 15-9.

Both offenses continued to struggle in the third quarter but baskets by Dow and Sara Russin brought the hosts within two points midway through the period. However, Heidi Gorton scored after an offensive rebound and Parkhurst added another two points to help M-E take a 19-13 lead into the fourth quarter.

Nolan finally found her shooting touch at the start of the period, making two 3-pointers to cut the lead to 21-19. Widger scored three straight points for the visitors before Hamilton used a 7-0 run to take its first lead. Dow scored five points during the run and gave her team the lead after grabbing an offensive rebound and putting the ball back in the basket while drawing a foul. The sophomore made the free throw but Parkhurst answered with a long jump shot to tie the score at 2626. Scoville put M-E ahead with a 3-pointer but Welsh answered with one of her own to tie the score again at 29-29.

“Coach just said that we’re going to either make a layup or a three and I made the three,” said Welsh.

The visitors had one last chance to win in regulation but Hilts missed the front end of a one-in-one to send the game to overtime.

Weeks urged his squad to get a couple stops and execute offensively before the start of overtime. However, Widger gave M-E the lead after a steal and a fast-break layup and a basket from Parkhurst extended it to 33-29. Welsh cut the lead to one point with a 3-pointer and Dow scored inside to give Hamilton a 34-33 lead and set up a wild finish. The visitors regained the advantage on two free throws by Widger before Welsh made a runner in the lane to put the hosts back on top. Parkhurst netted the next basket before Dow scored inside with 31.5 seconds to play, giving the Emerald Knights a 38-37 lead.

“I knew that I had it underneath and I didn’t feel any pressure, so I put it up and it went in,” said Dow. “It was great.”

M-E held the ball for one last shot but Scoville missed a contested layup and Dow grabbed the rebound with three seconds to play and fed it to Welsh, who kept her dribble alive to run out the clock despite colliding with one of the referees and falling down.

“Morrisville- Eaton is a much improved team,” said Weeks. “All those girls played hard and really, I told them, I said ‘ you deserved to win. You outplayed us.’ I have lot of respect for Kevin (Johnson). He’s a great coach.”