KARNS CITY, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Caylen Rearick threw her arms up and bellowed in celebration after hitting a 3-pointer.
For Rearick, those shots feel different now when they touch nothing but net.
(Above, file photo by Madison McFarland)
It hasn’t been the season Rearick, a junior guard on the Redbank Valley girls basketball team, envisioned after scorching the district last season for the Bulldogs. It’s been frustrating. It’s been humbling. She’s had to tackle more adversity than she bargained for.
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But Wednesday night in a 53-27 win over Karns City, Rearick displayed the form that has made her one of the most dangerous shooters around.
To her great relief.
“I’ve definitely been off this year,” Rearick said. “At the beginning of the season, I started off really bad and it just dropped my confidence so much. Last year, I was consistent every game. It’s just been different this year. I’m on one game and then I’m off for three, so it’s good to get back into the groove of things.
“I think I’m progressively getting more into the groove,” she added. “I’m getting more and more of that confidence back.”
Redbank Valley needed Rearick to find her shooting touch after slogging through a first half against Karns City.
The Bulldogs entered the break with an 18-13 lead, but behind eight of Rearick’s game-high 16 points coming in the third, they stormed out to a 39-17 lead when the quarter was said and done.
A quick 10-1 run to start the second half gave Redbank Valley some breathing room.
Rearick keyed the run and the 21-4 quarter for the Bulldogs. She drained her second 3-pointer of the game, and then was fouled on another 3-point attempt and sank all three free throws.
She also scored while getting to the hoop — something she has been trying to do more this season.
“I’ve been face guarded in games, but my coaches are just telling me to drive to the basket, so I’ve been doing that instead of shooting all the time, even though that’s my main thing,” Rearick said. “My teammates face guard me in practice to get me used to it. I’ve also been shooting on the side with my coaches just to get my reps up.”
If Rearick can reclaim the form she had last year, which earned her a first-team All-District 9 spot, the Bulldogs will be even more dangerous come playoff time.
Alivia Huffman added 11 points and freshman Mylee Harmon, coming off a 27-point game against Union Monday, added nine. Madison Foringer also put up nine points for Redbank.
“We have 15 players who can step up any give night,” said Redbank Valley coach Chris Edmonds, who played 11 in the first quarter alone and 13 total in the game. “Mylee’s night was Monday. Caylen had a big third quarter that helped us get that separation. Someone else might step up Friday night against Moniteau.”
Redbank Valley’s lead climbed as high as 31 in the fourth quarter at 53-22.
For Karns City, which got seven points from Rosie Carden to lead an offense that struggled, this game will be put to bed quickly.
“We flipped the lid on this one. It’s over,” said Gremlins’ coach Steve Andreassi. “The first half is more typical of what type of team we are and how we can hang with that team. Practice tomorrow night is going to be geared toward (Clarion-Limestone) and getting that victory.”
Redbank forced Karns City to take some chances in the second half.
Up 30-14, Harmon and the Bulldogs were content to either hold or dribble the ball to drain the remaining four minutes off the clock.
Karns City had to come out of its zone.
“I looked at the clock and there was 3:30 left and they were trying to dribble the the game out,” Andreassi said. “If we would have stayed back, (Harmon) would have just put the ball under her arm. We had to go to man. That’s good coaching on their part, when you have a ball handler that he had out there.”
Andreassi lamented that his team also didn’t try to get to the basket more.
“All we did was talk about getting to the hole,” Andreassi said. “We were getting all kinds of opportunities. When you’re down 13, 14 points, that’s when you have to make your best decisions and we didn’t tonight.”
There’s no panic in Karns City (10-8, 4-4), however.
“We’re still in good position,” Andreassi said. “We feel like we’re fine. Our goal has always been to advance to the playoffs.”
Redbank Valley (15-4, 7-0) is in very good position.
This has been a big week for the Bulldogs and Friday’s game against Moniteau (11-7, 6-2) will also be pivotal.
“This was a big win for us because Karns City is in our division,” Rearick said. “They’re going to be in the playoffs with us and we could play them again.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
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