By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Bennington girl’s basketball season met an unfortunate end on Saturday 61-44 at the hands of Inman in the sub-state championship game.
The Lady Bulldogs showed real fight early, but foul trouble and a lack of size proved too much for Bennington to overcome down the stretch.
In the first half, Bennington was able to wreck havoc on the Lady Teutons, forcing 12 first-half turnovers and cashing several of those in for easy transition buckets on the other end.
Thanks to Taleigh Watson in the first quarter and Khloe Dossett in the second, the Lady Bulldogs led by a point after one, and trailed by just six at the half.
Unfortunately, early in the third quarter, Jordan Bartlett would collect her third foul, and Rori Miles would do the same shortly after, sticking Bennington’s two best players on the bench for a majority of the frame.
Without that duo on the floor, the well dried up for the Lady Bulldogs, who scored just two points for the first seven minutes of the third quarter, watching a six-point deficit balloon to 22.
Miles and Bartlett returned to the floor in the fourth quarter but the damage was done and Inman punched their ticket to the 2A state tournament with a 61-44 win.
Miles led the charge in the loss with 12 points, joined in double figures by Taleigh Watson (10).
In the win, three different Lady Teutons scored ten or more points, including Suttyn Harris (15) Ellie Thimmesch (14) and Morgan Froese (13).
While this loss will sting for Bennington, the Lady Bulldogs can hold their heads high as they conclude a stellar campaign at 19-4.