By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
NILES – For the second time this season the Niles girls' basketball team put 30 points on the board in the first quarter while holding its opponent to a basket or less.
On Monday night, Edwardsburg found out just how good the Lady Vikings are as it was outscored 30-2 in the opening quarter on the way to a 67-19 setback.
Niles (6-2) raced out to a 16-0 lead in the first four and a half minutes to remove any doubt anyone had about how the game was going to go.
Edwardsburg's Emily Kozinski stopped the run with a basket with 3:21 remaining.
Niles went on another run, 14-0, to end the first quarter.
Kozinski again stopped the run with a 3-pointer just 16 seconds into the second period.
On the ensuing trip down the floor, Niles' Lindsay Craig answered with her own 3-pointer to put the lead at 33-5.
The Lady Vikings' lead would reach 47-5 before the Lady Eddies would find the basket again.
Steffany Streb scored with 2:59 remaining in the first half to make it a 40-point contest.
Edwardsburg (1-7) actually outscored Niles 4-2 over the final two-plus minutes, but trailed at the intermission, 49-11.
It didn't take long for the Lady Vikings to score enough points in the third quarter to force a running clock for the remainder of the contest.
The Lady Eddies were shut out in the third period, while Niles netted 11 points to take a 60-11 lead into the final eight minutes of play.
The clock continued to run in the fourth quarter, but for Edwardsburg, it was their best effort of the game as it scored eight points, while holding Niles to just seven.
"Point out the positives," answered first-year Edwardsburg coach Nicole Cartwright when asked what she had to say to her team after the game. "The second half we controlled the ball better and we had less turnovers. We utilized our strengths. We set screens. We got more shots off in the second half, they just didn't fall. Whereas in the first half we were plagued with turnovers."
Niles first-year coach Patrick Touhey wanted his team to get off to a quick start and seize control of the contest.
"We told the kids that (Edwardsburg) could not keep up with our transition game," he said. "We talked about good energy, crisp passes, good execution and let's not make this a basketball game. Let's not make this a sloppy basketball game, so that when it's done we can feel proud about what we put on display and the effort.
"And I think the kids did that tonight. They were very focused on taking care of business and not being sloppy. So I was happy about that," he added.
Nicole Sly led a balanced Niles attack with 13 points, while Baysia Cox added 12 points and Jenna Grannell 10 points. Cox also had seven rebounds.
The Lady Vikings also got eight points from Kaleigh Hill and seven points from Lindsay Craig.
Streb led Edwardsburg with 12 points, while Kozinski finished with five.
In the junior varsity contest, Niles defeated Edwardsburg 60-12.
Lindsey Lucero led the Lady Vikings with 17 points. Alexis McIntee added 11 points and Savannah Wolnik eight.
Brooke Portwood scored six to lead Edwardsburg, which also got four points from Branda Fleischauer.
Niles returns to action next Tuesday, Jan. 20, when it travels to South Bend, Ind. to take on St. Joseph.
The Lady Vikings were scheduled to host Berrien Springs on Saturday afternoon, but that contest has been switched to Saturday, Jan. 24.
EDWARDSBURG 19
Leslie Boyles 0 0-1 0; Emily Kozinski 2 0-0 5; Steffany Streb 4 3-6 12; Mariah Murphy 1 0-0 2; Nicole Brooks 0 0-2 0. TOTALS: 7 3-9 19
NILES 67
Lindsay Craig 2 2-2 7; Baysia Cox 6 0-0 12; Nicole Sly 6 0-0 13; Kaitlyn Touhey 0 0-0 0; Kaleigh Hill 4 0-3 8; Autumn Lucero 2 0-0 5; Alyssa Pingel 1 0-0 3; Jenna Grannell 4 2-3 10; Maureen Craig 1 0-0 3; Rachel Smith 1 0-0 2; Bryanna Cramer 1 0-0 2; Maggie Ernsberger 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 29 4-8 67
Edwardsburg 2 11 11 19
Niles 30 49 60 67
3-point goals: Edwardsburg 2 (Kozinski, Streb), Niles 5 (L. Craig, Sly, Lucero, Pingel, M. Craig). Total fouls (fouled out): Edwardsburg 6, Niles 14. Varsity records: Edwardsburg 1-7, Niles 6-2