DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
Photo Credit: Tara Riehm
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DECATUR – It took a total team effort Friday night for the Bellmont Braves to stay unbeaten in the NE8 and defeat Columbia City 49-40, setting up a showdown for the conference title next Saturday against Norwell.
The team, ranked fourth in the most recent poll and also receiving one first-place vote, usually goes eight deep in competitive games and all eight of those girls found the scoring column Friday night, with Ashley Bleke leading the way with 16 points.
A couple of early threes by Kate Kitson and Kaitlyn Barton kept the Braves in the game early, with the visiting Eagles jumping out to a 13-10 lead after the first quarter.
The Braves then dealt Columbia City a healthy dose of the Bleke twins, with Mary and Ashley combining for all eleven points in the second quarter, giving the hosts a one-point lead at halftime.
Mary finished the game with eleven points.
It remained a one-possession game for much of the third quarter until the Braves put things away with a run in the fourth. Ashley Bleke made three buckets and knocked down a free throw to give the now 15-1 Braves the cushion they needed.
Lanie French finished with five points, while Kate Kitson had seven.
Before Bellmont can worry too much about their biggest rival, Norwell, they’ll need to avoid an upset against a Northrop team that has been awfully good the last few seasons.
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