HTC girls pass big road test

MEDIAPOLIS — The yells could be heard over the sound of the final buzzer.

Natalie Randolph and Mary Kate Bendlage looked at each other as time ran out in Holy Trinity’s 59-52 win over Mediapolis and shouted with the joy that comes with a big early-season road victory.

“We thought this was going to be probably one of the toughest games in the conference, and we came out with the win, and it was so exciting,” Randolph said.

The Crusaders (4-0 overall, 3-0 SEI Superconference South Division) outscored the Bullettes (2-1, 2-1) 20-8 in the fourth quarter, solving Mediapolis’ pressure defense and getting high-percentage field goals out of it.

“I think we were both dead tired, but I think our girls had a little more will,” Holy Trinity coach Tony Johnson said. “We’re so even, both teams. We could play 10 games, and probably each of us wins five. We’re pretty equal, but we outlasted them.”

The Crusaders used their own pressure to keep Mediapolis scrambling in the fourth quarter.

“I think we’re really starting to come together,” said Randolph, whose 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter was the first spark for the Crusaders. “At the beginning of the season, you’re going to have ups and downs. After the Danville game (a 48-42 win last Tuesday), we’ve wanted to lock in on our defense, and I think we really did that tonight. We just tried to stay together and stay fired up through the whole thing, and I think that really helped.”

Bendlage, who led Holy Trinity with 27 points, hit her own 3-pointer with six minutes to play that put the Crusaders up 47-46. It was the first of four consecutive field goals for the senior, a stretch that gave Holy Trinity a 53-50 lead with 4:12 to play.

“I was proud of both of them (Randolph and Bendlage),” Johnson said. “It’s great to have Natalie back this year — she’s a calming presence. Good, bad or even, she stays level with her make-up.”

Randolph was a little angry after a foul was called on her in the first half that led to a technical foul on the Holy Trinity bench. With the Crusaders down 26-19 after the two technical free throws, Randolph forced a turnover on Mediapolis’ next possession and roared to the other end, getting a layup and drawing a foul. Randolph and Bendlage then came up with two field goals in the final 30 seconds of the half to cut Mediapolis’ lead to 28-25 at halftime.

“There are just some things you can’t control out there,” Randolph said. “It was a pretty physical game.”

Presley Myers had 12 points for the Crusaders. Myers, Randolph and Bendlage were three of the biggest keys to Holy Trinity’s run to a second-place finish in the Class 1A state volleyball tournament, and that momentum has carried over into the basketball season.

“You can’t teach how that winning mentality is,” Johnson said. “They’ve been down in front of big crowds in volleyball, and they’ve roared back.”

HTC JV FALLS: Holy Trinity’s junior varsity team lost to Mediapolis 49-26.

Ellie Hellman led the Crusaders with 12 points. Kara Lake had five points.