Jan. 22, 2018

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. --- This comes at just the right time, doesn't it? Something to brighten the dismal doldrums and misery of mid-January.

Our Capital City Rivalry Week ... this one actually spanned two weeks, but still only covered seven days.

Last Tuesday, Helias beat Jefferson City in boys basketball --- again. That's now 10 wins in the last 12 meetings for the Crusaders.

Last Wednesday, Helias beat Jefferson City in wrestling --- a rarity. The Jays had won 13 of the previous 14 editions of Mat Madness, including eight straight.

Now this, the girls basketball version of this great rivalry. Would it be a sweep?

No.

Resoundingly.

The Lady Jays made sure of it, early and often.

Jefferson City used a 17-2 outburst midway through the first half to take control on its way to a 63-43 win over Helias on Monday night at Fleming Fieldhouse, as the Lady Jays salvaged the finale of this three-game/match set.

"Offensively, I thought we executed pretty well; defensively, I think we can get better," Lady Jays coach Brad Conway said. "But overall, I thought we rebounded the ball pretty well and we were able to get out on the break."

Junior guard Caitlin Anderson shredded the Helias defense, almost at will. The Lady Crusaders had no answer for Anderson's quickness, which allowed her an abundance of free lanes to the basket, especially in the first half.

"Caitlin did a really nice job creating for herself and her teammates," Conway said. "When she drives like that, she's not only creating for herself, but she's also drawing defenders and opening up and creating stuff for her teammates."

Helias (10-8), which lost for only the second time in eight games, never had the lead and and it was tied only twice, at 2-2 and 4-4. And when Anderson scored on a follow-shot with 5:17 left in the first quarter, the Lady Jays (11-6), who've won four straight, would lead the rest of the way.

It was still a two-point game with two minutes left in the first, but then, the game quickly got out of hand.

Anderson scored seven of her 17 first-half points during the 17-2 surge, which started when Jefferson City scored the final six points of the first quarter, then open the second with an 11-2 run.

That made it 28-11, and the margin was never less than 12 the rest of the way.

"We were able to separate a little bit in the second quarter and then coming out of halftime, we extended it a little bit more," Conway said. "After that, we just kind of maintained it."

The Lady Crusaders, who were led by Erin Wyricks' 14 points, were considered underdogs entering the night. Then, that mole hill became a mountain, as one of the mainstays of the team, 5-10 junior Ellie Rockers, was out with the flu.

"She's been playing really well this year --- she's athletic and does a good job on the boards --- and when you play without a player of her caliber, it makes it difficult," Conway said. "It kind of put them behind the 8-ball."

The Lady Jays --- who led 17-9 after one quarter, 35-20 at the half and 52-28 entering the fourth --- got a big boost with the return of talented junior Micah Linthacum. And when we say big, we mean it --- Linthacum is 6-3 and has the ability to dominate.

It was her first game since November, as she's been sidelined with a back injury.

"Just having her presence on the floor ...," Conway said, not needing to say anything else. "She was rusty, but just getting her running up and down the floor in game situations was nice to see."

The combination of the lightning-quick Anderson on the outside and the presence of Linthacum on the inside, well ... good luck dealing with that. Now, they're finally back together.

"I've been seeing it pretty consistently in practice," Conway said, "now, we just carry it over to the games."

Loeffler's Link

Jefferson City's Caitlin Anderson drives to the hoop between three Helias defenders during the first half of Monday night's game at Fleming Fieldhouse.

No sweep this year: Lady Jays rip

Helias to finish off Rivlary Week