By Eric Eaton
Hoosier Crossroads Content Coordinator
FISHERS – A year ago, Fishers’ girls basketball team paid a visit to arch-rival Hamilton Southeastern and came away with 42-39 victory that ended HSE’s 40-game Hoosier Crossroads Conference winning streak.
In addition, the Tigers went on to claim the conference championship, which put a halt to the Royals’ run of five straight conference crowns.
Fast-forward to this year. The Class 4A fourth-ranked Royals got their revenge on 4A No. 6 Fishers with a 48-37 road victory, in the process earning them the Mudsock Trophy in girls basketball for the 2008-2009 school year.
(Make sure you check out the top video player in this article to watch highlights from the game!)
Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers compete for the coveted trophy in 19 of the 20 IHSAA-sanctioned sports – the school that accumulates the most trophies gets to claim possession of a traveling Mudsock Trophy for the following school year.
Hamilton Southeastern currently has the Mudsock Trophy in its possession.
On Nov. 26, the Royals outscored the host Tigers by six points (24-18) in the opening half due in part to their superb defensive effort on Fishers senior point guard Karli Harris. The Oakland University (MI) recruit made only one field goal in the first half as the HSE guards blanketed her with smothering defense.
Meanwhile, Southeastern senior guard Courtney Osborn (headed to Miami University in Ohio) was on her game during the opening 16 minutes. In fact, she had her own run of seven straight points en route to a 13-point first-half performance.
Fishers emerged from halftime with some renewed confidence and got within one point of the Royals early in the third quarter. Unfortunately for the Tigers, though, Southeastern would never relinquish its lead.
That’s because the Royals continued to clamp down on Harris defensively in the second half as well. The 5’4” Harris had only one field goal in each half and finished with just seven points on 2-of-12 shooting.
Osborn, on the other hand, scored eight more points in the second half for HSE and finished with a game-high 21. She also cleaned up on the glass, collecting a team-high nine rebounds.
(Be sure to check the second video player in this story to watch my post-game interview with Osborn!)
Junior Rachel Puckett was Fishers’ leading scorer and rebounder with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Next up for Hamilton Southeastern (4-0 overall and 2-0 in HCC play) is a Nov. 29 date at third-ranked defending 4A state champion Carmel. The Tigers (3-1, 1-1) will attempt to get back on track the same day when they host Avon in another HCC contest.
Fishers will be without the services of senior Christina Simpson. The 5’8” forward suffered what is believed to be a torn ACL against HSE and will likely miss the remainder of the season.
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