Wilton-Lyndeborough girls basketball knocks off Newmarket

WILTON - It wasn't a surprise to see the Newmarket High School girls basketball team doing it everything it could to defend the paint Tuesday against Wilton-Lyndeborough.

That the Warriors were able to make the Mules pay for it was.

WLC turned in one of its better shooting performances of the season, hitting several mid-range jumpers in the first to open up the middle, and cruised to a 47-24 win over Newmarket in Division IV action.

"Nobody thinks we can shoot, but we're starting to get a little better," WLC coach Denny Claire said. "We didn't hit a lot of them, but we hit enough."

Ally Schwab led the Warriors (4-6) with 13 points while Kelsey Randlett was also in double figures with 11. Sara Holka chipped in with seven and Tess Simpson had six as WLC won its second in a row following a four-game skid.

"It was huge for us because we've been struggling this season," Schwab said of the win. "We had to come out strong and we did.

"I think (shooting) is (contagious), and it is both ways. You miss one, it goes in and out, then another goes in and out, but I hit a couple and then Sara Holka did and then Tess (Simpson) did. I think we play off each other very well. We were able to get more toward the middle in the second half."

The Warriors were able to play well defensively, mixing up their pressure defenses to force the Mules into turnovers. After Newmarket pulled within 8-6 at the end of the first, it scored just six points over the next two-and-a-half quarters. WLC led 38-12 with 4:36 left to play.

Reagan Jordan scored all of her team-high nine points in the fourth quarter and Janina Ribero added six points for Newmarket (4-6).

The defense was part of an adjustment made during the Warriors' last game, a win over Mascenic.

"We went to Mascenic and laid an egg in the first half," Claire said. "I don't know if we were too calm or flat, but we couldn't do anything. We didn't run our press right and we're losing – they only average 18 points a game and had 20 at halftime. I switched the press up and then we just got clicking. We’ve been clicking ever since."

Schwab believes that will give WLC an advantage as the season continues.

"We were going back between the two," she said. "I think our press has always been big for us, and to have a second one this year, teams know that we press and they might have the right play to break it, but throwing something else in throws them off."

The Warriors return to action Friday when they host Sunapee (9-0) at 7 p.m.