ELLINWOOD — A torrent of turnovers gave the Larned High School girls’ basketball team fits on Friday night.
The Ellinwood Lady Eagles road multiple turnovers and 28 points from guard Sophie Hayes to a 76-42 Mid-Central Activities Association victory.
“I think Sophie had five in the first minute and a half,” Ellinwood head coach Ryan Mountain said. “We were getting them. We were putting the pressure on them and we were intercepting in the passing lane. We just couldn’t get the ball to go in early.
“She loves (driving the baseline). She does it well, and I don’t know how she maneuvers her body to get under the basket and get up. But with the vertical she’s got and the strength that she has, she finds a way to score the ball.”
With 2:34 remaining in the first quarter, Ellinwood went on a 14-1 run that ended the first period and opened the next.
The run started with a pair of free throws from Oma Thomas, followed by a trio of layups by Hayes coming off Larned turnovers.
Ellinwood had nine steals in the first quarter alone.
“We were trying to stick with them, but then again, we were standing around a lot,” Larned head coach Michael Heater said. “We definitely allowed them to get some separation.
“We got into our offensive sets like we wanted to, but we had some silly turnovers where we were just standing around.”
Larned’s Jessie Johnson made the back end of two free throws with 57.1 remaining in the quarter, making it 15-7.
Kelsey Ward got a putback, and Rachel Doll sank two free throws before the second period.
Blake Wilt opened the second quarter with a layup, making it 21-7.
The Lady Indians never recovered from the deficit, as the Lady Eagles opened up the lead to 41-20 at halftime.
“There was had a couple of big runs in there,” Mountain said. “We had a lull there for about two or three minutes in the second quarter. Right before half, we had a goal in mind of where we wanted to be at half, and we put together another strong run and ended up with that goal.”
Tiara Diaz, who hit a trio of 3-pointers in the game, led Larned with 12 points, and Shay Shepherd added 11.
“For us, that was a good offensive night,” Heater said. “Our defense could’ve played a little better. We spent a little more time shooting in practice, getting more reps that way.
“We ran some stuff to get the ball inside, and I thought that  we did some good things as far as executing some sets late.”

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Mid-Central Activities Association

GIRLS

Friday

At Ellinwood

Ellinwood 76, Larned 42
LARNED (3-12)
    Roxy Foster 0 0-4 0, Reagan Quick 4 0-2 8, Corrine Quick 0 0-0 0, Maci Perez 3 0-0 6, Tiara Diaz 4 0-2 11, Shay Shepherd 3 2-2 10, Jessi Johnson 1 1-4 3, Alysa Byrum 2 0-0 4. Totals 15 3-14 42.
ELLINWOOD (10-5)
    Sophie Hayes 12 4-7 28, Oma Thomas 4 6-10 14, Jenna Snell 0 0-2 0, Blake Wilt 4 0-0 8, Brooke Panning 2 0-0 5, Rachel Doll 1 2-2 4, Kelsey Ward 4 4-4 12, Tawny Arndt 2 1-2 5. Totals 29 17-27 76.
Larned          7    13    16      6   —  42
Ellinwood    19    22    18    17  —  76
    Three-point goals — Ellinwood 1 (Panning); Larned 3 (Diaz 3). Total fouls — Larned 20, Ellinwood 10. Fouled out — Ellinwood (Snell); Larned (None).