(Oakland) — A dominant third-quarter run propelled Riverside to a 50-31 victory over CAM in a Class 1A Regional Semifinal on Friday night at Riverside High School.
Kayden Schnack led the Bulldogs with 18 points, followed by Elly Henderson with 9. Sophia Fenner and Sydney Somers each contributed 6, while Sophia Taylor and Karlie Miller added 3 apiece. Adaline Martens and Ayla Richardson chipped in 2 points each, and Ryleigh Ewalt rounded out the scoring with 1.
For CAM, Krista James and Ada Hansen led the way with 8 points each. Courtney Follman scored 5, Ailey Wahlert had 4, Maddie Richter finished with 3, Daphna Wahlert added 2, and Ruthie Rich had 1.
The Bulldogs set the tone early, with Sophia Fenner draining a three-pointer on the opening possession to spark a quick 5-0 lead. CAM responded to tie the game at 6-6, but Riverside closed the first quarter ahead 10-6 and never relinquished the lead. Both teams played aggressive defense, forcing multiple turnovers in a low-scoring first period. By halftime, Riverside had built a 21-13 advantage.
Early in the third quarter, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 23-13, but the Cougars fought back, cutting the deficit to 27-20. Riverside answered with a crucial 13-point surge to close the frame with a commanding 40-27 lead. They sealed the win with an 11-4 run in the final quarter.
After the game, Riverside Head Coach Mark Jeppesen expressed his excitement for his players.
Jeppesen pointed to the teams defensive focus on CAM’s leading scorer, Maddie Richter. The Bulldogs held the CAM senior, who was averaging 17 points per game and coming off a 37-point quarterfinal performance, to just three points.
With the win, Riverside (20-3) advances to the Regional Final against St. Albert (21-1) on Wednesday, February 26.
CAM wrapped up its season at 13-11, closing strong by winning seven of its last nine games, including a 68-57 quarterfinal victory over Woodbine to avenge two earlier losses.
