What started out as a game of runs ended with Knoxville for the second straight night slamming the door on an opponent in the fourth quarter and winning in girls basketball over Centerville 53-45 last night. The Big Reds jumped out to a 12-0 lead to start the game, but Knoxville closed the first quarter on a 9-0 run of its own. Centerville would get distance again in the second quarter, but another Knoxville flurry closed the gap to six at the half. Knoxville then turned up the defense in the second half and started to assert itself with efforts by Marissa Lenger, Katie Cunningham, and Emily Wallace. Along with her career high ten points, Lenger also made life difficult for Centerville defensively. Coach Jim Utiermarkt said Lenger’s all-around effort was key. Ashley Hawkshead had 13 points to pace Knoxville who now moves to 2-3 on the season. The Centerville boys came in averaging around 75 points per game this season and raced out to a 17-4 lead over Knoxville en route to a 90-59 win. The Panthers would battle back to within eight by halftime on a sequence that saw Ryan Douglas score five points in the last five seconds of the half on a layup then getting ball back after Gerrit Davis stole the inbounds pass finding Douglas wide open for a three at the buzzer. However, a 17-3 run in the third quarter by the Big Reds blew the game open. Coach Jeff Larson said there was progress on both ends of the court and hopes to see more this Friday. The Panthers were led by Ross Shelford who scored 15 points while Chase Higgenbotham dropped in a season high 11. Knoxville is now 0-5 on the season, both boys and girls dive back into Little Hawkeye Conference play at Oskaloosa this Friday.

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