COUGAR JV GIRLS PREVAIL OVER PANTHERS
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
 
(2/12/08 Chico, CA) The Foothill girls' junior varsity basketball team took a 40-35 verdict over Chico Tuesday at "The Panther Pit."
 
Jenna Lane made the Cougars' first basket 14 seconds into the first quarter. A free throw from Michelle Knafla 26 seconds later opened up the Panthers' scoring. Hannah West made a hoop with 4:07 remaining in the first quarter as Foothill gained a 10-8 lead. Keri Piluso's shot with 1:05 left kept Chico close at 12-10.
 
Kirsten Sherman made a three 53 seconds into the second quarter to move the Cougars ahead by five points. A free throw by Nalani Vernau with 6:35 remaining in the first half cut the Panthers' deficit to 15-11. A pair of free throws by Lane with 4:01 left in the period gave Foothill a 19-11 lead. Karlee Forbis' shot with 2:52 to go until halftime brought Chico within four points at 19-15.
 
Knafla made a hoop 15 seconds into the third quarter as the Panthers were down 26-19. Brittany Toft hit a shot with 6:24 to go in the period to send the Cougars back up by nine points. Foothill took a 30-25 lead when Lane nailed a bucket with 3:47 left in the third. Vernau's hoop with five seconds left allowed Chico to come within a point at 30-29.
 
The Panthers took the lead when Polly Rystrom made a basket with 6:57 remaining in the fourth quarter. Chico's advantage would be short lived as a three from Lane 38 seconds later gave the Cougars a 33-31 lead. Toft made a pair of free throws with 2:04 to go in the game as Foothill went up 37-33. The Panthers only came within two points at 37-35 when Knafla hit a pair of free throws with 58 seconds left.
 
The Cougars got 13 points and eight rebounds from Lane, while Sherman added 11 points and six rebounds. The Panthers received nine points each from Knafla and Kristy Reynolds. Reynolds also grabbed five rebounds