The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Huskies hold off surging Miners, 66-56
* Game knotted 52-52 with 3:38 left in fourth quarter
* McKenzie scores 10 points in 1:49 span to seal victory
* Fratz moves into third place on school's all-time scoring list

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
FROSTBURG, Jan. 24 -- Northern Garrett girls basketball coach Steve Fratz said his team's 66-56 win over host Mountain Ridge was a little too close.

But with the game tied 52-52 with three minutes and 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter, it was exactly where the much-improved Miners wanted the second-ranked Huskies. Unfortunately for Mountain Ridge, the No. 5 Miners fell to the second-ranked Northern Garrett squad in an Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference matchup.

"I think I have a team that's very competitive with anybody," said Miners coach Valery Broadwater.

She might be right. And Mountain Ridge is gaining momentum now, at the start of the second half of the season. Broadwater said she's not particularly concerned with the team's overall record. The only thing that matters is how much the team improves before Maryland's open playoffs begin.

Although "no loss can be called a great game," Broadwater said it seems as if she's finally figured out the best starting lineup - which includes freshman Sarah Raines and sophomores Shae Winner and Carlie Lewis.

The season is comprised of "22 practice games" in preparation for the playoffs, Broadwater said. The Miners are "getting more comfortable with each other."

That's evident. Since point guard Madi Nightengale's return from a five-game absence due to mononucleosis, the Miners have started to click and take advantage of Winner's inside presence along with the perimeter shooting of Nightengale, Raines, fellow freshman Anna Broadwater and the mid-range field goal shooting of Emily Greig.

On Monday, however, the game was Northern Garrett's to lose. Star point guard Kaitlynn Fratz, who already has secured a full ride to Division II University of Pittsburg at Johnstown, needed just 10 points to surpass Northern Garreett Principal Gary Reichenbecher for third place on the school's all-time scoring list.

It took Fratz less than six minutes to reach that mark. By the time Fratz scored her 12th point - on a 3-pointer late in the first quarter - the Huskies led 14-4 and, seemingly, was in the early stages of a rout.

Fratz didn't celebrate with anything more than a pump of her first and a waist-high five with teammate Terra McKenzie. After all, there was plenty of game left to be played.

And the Miners decided to make a game of it after all.

Northern led 21-9 after the first quarter. The Miners closed to within eight in the second quarter on two of eight points by Greig. Winner closed out the second period with two field goals in the final 50 seconds to pull Mountain Ridge within 32-25.

Fratz finished the first half with 14 points - but only three in the second quarter - and McKenze had 11 points in the first 16 minutes of play. Winner had 10 to lead Mountain Ridge and Nightengale had, at this point, six. She also had been tagged for three fouls, which limited Broadwater's use of her in the third period.

In the third quarter, the Miners cut the deficit by a single point by outscoring the Huskies 14-13 in those eight minutes. Northern led 45-39 after three quarters and Morgan Brosnihan's field goal one minute into the fourth quarter gave the Huskies a 47-39 lead.

Winner struck again, though. The sophomore forward hit two free throws - she made six of 10 from the foul line on the night - and her next field goal less than 100 seconds into the final quarter had Mountain Ridge within four points - and thinking upset.

Greig hit a bucket with 5:54 to play and Winner hit two more free throws to tie the game 47-47. After a Huskies timeout, the momentum seemed to shift to Northern Garrett when McKenzie hit a short jumper with 4:45 to go.

Greig stole that momentum right back, though, with a bucket of her own just 18 seconds later tie the score again, 49-49. McKenzie's 3-pointer with 4:13 to play temporarily gave Northern room to breathe, but Nightengale - who played more than five minutes in the fourth quarter before being called for her fifth foul - hit her first 3-pointer of the game to knot the score at 52.

With 3:38 to play, it seemed as if Mountain Ridge was poised to take advantage of the home court. The crowd, though small, was loudly in support of the Miners.

Then McKenzie went crazy. She hit a bucket eight seconds later for a 54-52 lead. Thirty-four seconds later, her 3-pointer - what turned out to be the game-winning shot for the Huskies - gave Northern a 57-52 lead with 2:56 left.

Nightengale's second 3-pointer in 63 seconds pulled Mountain Ridge within two points, but reserve Lauren Yeager's only field goal of the game gave Northern a 59-55 lead with 2:26 remaining.

Then Brosnihan scored her only points of the game when she hit a 3-pointer. Suddenly, Northern led 62-55 with only 76 seconds left on the clock.

While it wasn't the game Fratz - the coach - had expected of his team, the second half of the fourth quarter was exactly the kind of finish he wants from the Huskies.

"I tell you what, I liked what they showed the last three and one-half minutes of the game," Fratz said.

"We need" Brosnihan's shot, which seemed to deflate the Miners - they scored ust a single point after it.