By Dale Miller
dale.miller@theindependent.com

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Lane Hickenbottom Adams Central junior Jenna Smidt shoots the ball while being guarded by Kearney Catholicıs Megan Nickel Thursday during the semifinals of the Lou-Platte Conference Tournament at Centura High School. Adams Central won the game and will play Ravenna in the finals. Lane Hickenbottom Ravennaıs Steph Muhlbach takes the ball to the hoop after stealing it from St. Paulıs Dream Sombke (35). Ravenna defeated St. Paul to advance to the Lou- Platte Conference championship game. Click Thumbnails to View

The Class B No. 8-rated (Omaha World-Herald) Patriots made 7 of 10 shots in the final period and forced eight turnovers to knock off top-seeded Kearney Catholic 51-36 at Centura High School.

By outscoring the C-1 No. 5 Stars 21-6 in the fourth, Adams Central took the drama out of a close game while earning a spot in Saturday's 6 p.m. championship against Ravenna.

"We hit some shots outside," said Patriots coach Tim Marker of the key to the strong final period. "Kelli Shuck, our sophomore guard, had a couple and Breanna (Bohlen) made some. We shot a real good percentage in the fourth quarter."

Shuck made her first 3-pointer to open the fourth and break a 30-30 tie. After Becky Squiers pulled the Stars (15-4) back within one, the Patriots ran off 11 unanswered points to hold a 44-32 lead with 4 minutes, 3 second left.

The Patriots (14-3) disrupted Kearney Catholic's offense regularly after the first quarter, and forced it into 22 turnovers over the final three periods.

"We got over some nerves and played the game and settled down," Marker said. "I thought our depth bothered them. We have a deeper bench."

Kearney Catholic coach Rick Petri felt the absence of injured guard Morgan Mannlein hurt his team both on offense and in the turnover department.

"Turnovers was a big key," he said. "Morgan is also one girl willing to shoot the ball outside. When you don't have that outside threat, it makes it harder to get the ball to the girls in the post.

"Give Adams Central credit. They got their hands on a lot of passes that we tried to get into the post. They did a good job defensively and hit big shots in the fourth quarter."

Kearney Catholic held a 12-7 lead after the first quarter thanks in part to an 18-10 advantage in rebounds. Almost half of that total for the Stars was on the offensive end.

But for the rest of the game the Patriots outrebounded the Stars by two.

"(Rebounding) was a big key coming into the game," Marker said. "We had to stay at least even with them on the boards. We knew their posts rebound real well and their guards rebound real well."

Bohlen led the Patriots with 13 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 fourth quarter from the free throw line. Jenna Smidt added 12 points.

Earning the opportunity to play for a conference championship is a big accomplishment for the Patriots, Marker said.

"I don't even have the words for it," he said. "From where we were three years ago to where we are now I can't explain it."

ADAMS CENTRAL 51, KEARNEY CATHOLIC 36

ADAMS CENTRAL (14-3)

Fowler 3-8 0-2 6, Lay 0-4 0-0 0, Bohlen 3-8 4-4 13, Smidt 5-9 2-2 12, Rayburn 3-9 0-0 6, Shuck 2-7 0-0 6, Colburn 1-4 0-0 2, Hodson 2-4 0-0 4, Nikkel 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 20-58 6-8 51.

KEARNEY CATHOLIC (15-4)

Connely 2-7 0-0 4, Nickel 1-8 1-2 3, Reicks 2-7 0-0 5, Squiers 3-4 2-6 8, Sokolowski 3-12 1-4 7, Owen 1-2 0-0 3, Husmann 0-2 0-0 0, Venjohn 0-1 0-0 0, Hamik 3-4 0-0 6. Totals 15-47 4-12 36.

Adams Central 7 12 11 2151

Kearney Catholic 12 5 13 636

3-point field goalsAdams Central 5-16 (Shuck 2-5, Fowler 0-2, Lay 0-1, Bohlen 3-8), Kearney Catholic 2-11 (Owen 1-2, Nickel 0-2, Reicks 1-4, Sokolowski 0-3). Fouled outnone. ReboundsAdams Central 35 (Fowler, Bohlen, Smidt, Hodson 5), Kearney Catholic 41 (Nickel, Squiers 10). AssistsAdams Central 15 (Bohlen 3), Kearney Catholic 8 (Sokolowski 4). TurnoversAdams Central 11, Kearney Catholic 26. Total foulsAdams Central 13, Kearney Catholic 15. Technicalsnone.

Ravenna 78, St. Paul 56

Ravenna scored a season-high in points while rolling past St. Paul 78-56 in the Lou-Platte Conference Tournament semifinals on Thursday.

The Bluejays (15-5) shot 27-for-42 (64.3 percent) from the floor while making 8 of 17 3-pointers.

"Offensively we just shot lights out," Ravenna coach Jeff Thober said. "Our offense was good. They scored a lot of points, but we just kept outscoring them."

St. Paul coach Todd Alberts echoed Thober's assessment.

"They shot lights out," he said. "They had four shots in the first half that hit iron and dropped straight in, and three of those were threes. Sometimes it's the luck of the bounce."

Even though Ravenna went 12-for-22 in the first half while not attempting a shot from inside the 3-point line for the first 6:30 the Bluejays only led 33-29 at halftime.

But a 27-point third quarter outburst put them in control 60-43.

The Bluejays were aided by regularly rotating eight players while St. Paul only used Melanie Placke off the bench in the first three quarters. The Class C-1 No. 8 Wildcats (15-3) were slowed down inside with Placke and Ashley Hall both suffering from the flu.

"We subbed early and often," Thober said. "I told the girls we're subbing and they aren't, so keep attacking, keep attacking. After the first quarter we settled down and our depth paid off for us."

Ravenna finished with five players in double figure scoring. Emily Achtenberg and Mallory Irvine led the way with 15 points apiece. Steph Muhlbach added 12, Taryn McDowell 11 and Jesi Markvicka 10.

Justine Dethlefs topped St. Paul with a game-high 16 points. Hall chipped in 13.

Thober feels Saturday's final against Adams Central should be a good match-up.

"It'll be another Lou-Platte good game," he said. "I look forward to the challenge, and I'm sure they feel the same way."

RAVENNA 78, ST. PAUL 56

RAVENNA (15-5)

Grabowski 2-3 2-4 6, Irvine 7-8 1-1 15, McDowell 3-7 3-4 11, S. Muhlbach 3-5 5-6 12, Pernicek 2-3 0-0 4, Achtenberg 4-8 4-5 15, Crowell 2-2 0-0 5, Markvicka 4-4 1-2 10, Andrews 0-1 0-0 0, M. Muhlbach 0-0 0-2 0, Hnad 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-42 16-24 78.

ST. PAUL (15-3)

B. Grim 1-6 0-0 2, Mamot 0-2 0-0 0, Dethlefs 7-14 2-3 16, Sombke 2-9 4-6 8, Hall 5-9 3-5 13, Placke 2-3 2-2 6, K. Grim 2-3 0-0 4, Alberts 0-3 0-0 0, Masat 1-4 2-3 5, Knox 0-0 0-0 0, Behnk 0-3 0-2 0, Synowski 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 21-57 13-21 56.

3-point field goalsRavenna 8-17 (Grabowski 0-1, Achtenberg 3-6, Crowell 1-1, Markvicka 1-1, McDowell 2-6, S. Muhlbach 1-2), St. Paul 1-5 (B.Grim 0-1, Mamot 0-1, Dethlefs 0-1, Masat 1-2). Fouled outnone. ReboundsRavenna 29 (Irvine 4), St. Paul 31 (Hall 8). AssistsRavenna 11 (Achtenberg, Pernicek 3), St. Paul 3. TurnoversRavenna 20, St. Paul 18. Total foulsRavenna 18, St. Paul 16. Tecnicalsnone.