Wagner, Francis power Lady Bucks past scrappy Galeton, 56-35 on Pink Out Night
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL, PA- You should never underestimate your opponents. Thursday night during the annual “Pink Out” game the hometown Lady Bucks found that out in the first half of their contest against 0-21 Galeton.
The Lady Tigers were fresh off of a 48-6 defeat the previous night to Coudersport, but you wouldn’t have known it in the first half.
Bucktail jumped out to an 8-4 lead after one quarter of play and then the sellout hometown crowd in Farwell would be introduced to Galeton junior Addison Reigle. Reigle would shoot lights out from the three-point line in the second quarter. Reigle would drill 4 three-point baskets, part of a 20-19 Galeton second quarter advantage.
Bucktail still led 27-24 at the break following a 20-19 Lady Tigers’ second quarter advantage.
Kendall Wagner and Lily Francis had had enough from their friends from Potter County. The Bucktail duo would take charge by force in the second half.
Francis, the senior would nearly get a double-double in the third quarter alone. She would score 8 points and grab 10 rebounds in the third quarter alone to help build the Bucktail lead to 45-34 heading into the game’s final quarter of play.
It was the freshman Wagner’s turn in the fourth quarter. Wagner would score 9 of her game-high 22 points in the game’s final quarter of play. Bucktail’s swarming defense kept the Lady Tigers at bay and only allow Galeton to score a single point in the game’s final quarter. Bucktail’s 11 points in the final eight minutes would set the final at 56-35, in favor of Bucktail.
The Lady Bucks clamped down on Reigle in the second half, as they limited her to just one attempt from beyond the arc.
Francis finished her double-double night with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Wagner led all scorers with her 22 point effort and 19 rebounds to collect her own double-double. Kayla Probert would score 4 points and grab 8 rebounds. Bucktail as a team grabbed an amazing 57 rebounds as a team in the victory.
Reigle led Galeton with 12 points, all in the first half.
Bucktail improved their record to 9-11 and they now sit one win away from extending their season. Galeton finished up their season with a valiant effort against Bucktail at 0-22.
Bucktail will next be on the road Saturday afternoon when they play Mid Penn Conference West Division Champions South Williamsport (15-5) before returning home on Thursday to face Austin.
Galeton 4 20 14 1 = 35
Bucktail 8 19 18 11 = 56
BUCKTAIL- K. Wagner 9 2-5 22, Francis 6 2-8 15, Probert 1 2-5 4, Halpate 1 2-2 4, Mason 0 3-7 3, B. English 1 0-0 2, L. English 1 0-0 2, Sockman 0 2-2 2, Cole 1 0-0 2, TOTALS- 20 13-29 56
3FG- 2 (K. Wagner 2) Rebounds- 57 (K.Wagner 19, Francis 16) Blocks-1 (Francis)
