Quicker Hornets top Cougars
By Greg Hoffman Contributing sportswriter

Takes it in for 2 The Cougars score on a #22 Jacob Craig first half breakaway at Rossville Friday night. Hornet players #30 Aaron Martin, #20 Travis Perkins and #21 Kendall Sadler provide defense for the host team. The Hoosier Heartland Conference game was won by RHS, 72-63. Bill Stauffer photo

The Cougars lost their first Hoosier Heartland Conference game of the season to host Rossville Friday night, 72-63. The Hornets improved to 2-3, 2-0, wile Carroll dropped to 1- 3, 0-1.

Rossville's quickness and Carroll's poor defense enabled the host Hornets to take a 17-4 advantage early in the first quarter. The Cougars regrouped and a trey by Jason Hazel started a 9-0 run to pull Carroll to within 4 at 17-13 at the first stop. Along with Hazel's 3 points, Adam Spesard added 4 points and Carson Spesard another 2 in the run.

The Cougars fell behind by 8 points, 21-13, before Adam Tussinger and Brad Benson pulled them back to within 4 at 21-17. From here, the Hornets starting picking Carroll's defense apart and went on another run, this time 12-0. By intermission, the Hornets led 40-23.

Rossville went inside in the second quarter and as a result shot 8 of 10 or 80% from the field while Carroll was only 5 of 14 or 36% with 9 turnovers.

To Carroll's credit, after falling behind by 20 points, 54- 34 late in the third period, the Cougars did not quit. They got their inside game going and pulled themselves back to within 7 points at 70-63. The Hornets outscored the Cougars 14-13 in the third quarter, but the Cougars poured in 27 points to Rossville's 18 in the final period.

Both teams shot lights out as Carroll was 29 of 56 for 52% from the field and Rossville was 26 of 44 for 59%. The Hornets outscored the Cougars 12 points from the foul line with the hosts sinking 15 of 24 shots and the visitors only 3 of 4.

Carroll put three players in double figures. A. Spesard led all scorers with 16 points. Jacob Craig had 15 points, Tussinger added 13, and C. Spesard rounded out Carroll's scoring with 8. Rossville was led by Jordan Delk's 15 points. Aaron Martin and Kendall Sadler split 28 points and Travis Perkins had 10.

The Cougars out-rebounded the Hornets 27 to 19. Tussinger and A. Spesard had 7 each and C. Spesard 6. Kevin Ives and Hazel dished out 5 assists each and Benson grabbed 5 steals.

Next up for Carroll will be a home contest against Western (2-3). The Panthers hold a 27- 19 edge in the series.

JV edges Hornets

Carroll's Junior Varsity held on Friday night for its third win of the season, beating the Hornets 40-33. The young Cougars found themselves in the same situation they were in last Saturday night against Cass. Up 6 points, 29-23 early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars used an 8- 0 run this time to take a 14 point lead, 37-23, with 3:57 left on the clock. The hosts would never get any closer than 6 points the rest of the way.

Jordan Brumbaugh led all scorers with 11 points and Drew Yoder had 8 each and Primmer Zook added 7.