DELTA SUFFERS LOSS TO COUCH

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Delta High girls basketball player Rebecca Below had the type of performance that would normally mean a victory for her team.

But Couch had just a bit more balance, so it is the Lady Indians who are moving on in the Class 1A playoffs.

Despite 37 points by Below, Couch was able to slip past Delta 70-61 Monday night in an exciting 1A regional game at the Sikeston Field House.

Couch will carry a 17-6 record into Wednesday night's sectional game against Ellington in Poplar Bluff. Delta ends its season at 15-10.

Below, a 6-foot sophomore, was virtually unstoppable around the basket as she scored on a variety of shots from within a few feet. She poured in 23 second-half points to help keep the Lady Bobcats within striking distance.

"Rebecca had a real good game and I thought we could have even gotten the ball into her more," said Delta coach Nate Crowden.

Sarah Cook, another sophomore, added 13 points for the Lady Bobcats but the rest of the squad combined for just 11 points.

Sophomore Stephanie Jones paced Couch with 22 points, senior all-stater Krystal Bennett and freshman April Redus scored 16 each and 6-3 sophomore Amie Smiedala added 13.

"We didn't win district last year, so this feels good," said Couch coach Kristi Dethrow. "It's especially nice considering we only have one senior."

The physical, fiercely contested game featured several key players on both teams getting into early foul trouble and three eventually fouled out: Bennett for Couch and Rebecca Cook and Erin Cook for Delta.

"Getting into foul trouble early in the game hurt us," Crowden said. "But both teams played hard. The execution wasn't that great, but the teams got after it."

Couch hurt Delta early with its press and bolted to an 8-2 lead, but the Lady Bobcats settled down and pulled to within 16-13 by the end of the first quarter.

Delta kept coming in the second period and grabbed a late four-point advantage before settling for a 36-35 edge at the break.

The Lady Bobcats built their biggest lead of the game in the third quarter as four straight Below points put Delta ahead 46-41.

But then came the key sequence of the contest. Delta committed five turnovers on its next six possessions, leading to a 12-0 Couch run as the Lady Indians grabbed a 53-46 lead. It was 55-50 entering the final period.

"We didn't handle the press like we should have," Crowden said.

Still, the Lady Bobcats fought back, pulling to within one point early in the fourth quarter, but they never could catch all the way up and Couch sealed the win by scoring the game's final five points.

"We had a good season, for as young as we are," said Crowden. "I feel like this group has a lot of potential."

Richland 78, Delta C-7 56

In Monday's regional boys game, Sherome Cole poured in 26 points as the Rebels romped.

Sean Gibson added 19 points and Josh McMullin had 14 for Richland (21-8), which will play South Iron Wednesday in Poplar Bluff.

Delta C-7 (20-6) got 17 points from Derrick Dye, 13 from Wesley Richardson and 12 from Bryant Rose.

The Rebels led 27-11 after one quarter, but the Chargers fought back to within 38-31 at halftime and a Rose 3-pointer early in the third quarter made it 43-38.

But the Rebels then blitzed the Chargers with an 18-2 run that made it 61-40 entering the final period. Richland led by as many as 30 points down the stretch.