ESPARTO — If you play down to the level of an opponent, get ready for the volume to go up in the locker room at halftime.
That”s what happened to the Kelseyville High School varsity girls” basketball team on Wednesday as it sleepwalked through the first half against Esparto before picking up the pace the final two quarters for a 54-30 non-league victory.
Kelseyville coach Caitlin Andrus said she did raise her voice while addressing the Knights at halftime.
“We had a slow start, we weren”t very intense and were kind of just going through the motions out there,” Andrus said of Kel-seyville”s 21-10 halftime lead. “I told them they needed to play with more intensity, more emotion. I reminded them about how we played against some of the better teams we”ve faced like Salesian and St. Helena.”
Andrus” pep talk paid off in the third quarter as the Knights erupted for 21 points to open up a 42-18 advantage.
“I guess it worked,” she said. “We played much better in the second half.”
The Knights had three players score in double figures and two others who came close. Kendra Schwegerl led the way with 12 points, her second game back since having her tonsils removed late last month.
“She had eight points in the second half and went 4-for-5 at the free-throw line,” Andrus said.
Ashley Mueller scored 11 points for the second game in a row and Skyler Olson also had 11 points. Liz Berry added nine points and Sarah Johnson had eight, including both of Kelseyville”s 3-point field goals.
“Skyler had a great third quarter,” Andrus said. “She scored six points and played good defense.”
Andrus also praised the play of Berry and Ashley Johnson.
“Liz hit some key shots for us,” Andrus said. “Ashley is our backup point guard and she picked up the intensity for us, especially on defense. She”s super quick and goes 110 percent all the time.”
The Knights (9-5) host the Cloverdale Eagles on Friday.
