Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The St. Joseph Lady Flyers started well.
And it only got better.
The Lady Flyers opened Monday’s season opener with a 12-0 run and lead 18-2 at the end of the first quarter.
St. Joseph continued to roll as they made excellent passes and hit shot after shot in posting an 84-6 win over the Ohio Valley Christian Lady Defenders.
“We played everyone but we only have nine and our bench is pretty good,” said Lady Flyers coach Bart Burcham.
“Our starters played well for a first game and then the girls off the bench did a good job. Emma Whaley and Emilee Blankenship are so much better this year. Bella Whaley had a great game. Faith Mahlmeister played well inside and Gracie Damron came off the bench and did a nice job for a freshman.”
Emma Whaley scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Lady Flyers in three quarters of play. Bella Whaley had 18 points seven rebounds and five assists. Damron got 16 points and five rebounds off the bench and Mahlmeister recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Emma Whaley and Bella Whaley combined for 14 points as St. Joseph took an 18-2 lead.
The duo teams up for 14 points in the second quarter and Mahlmeister added 4 more as the lead grew to 42-4 at the break.
Emma Whaley got hot to start the third quarter and scored 14 points before sitting down for the night midway through the quarter. Mahlemister added eight more points for a 72-4 lead.
The Lady Flyers had 44 rebounds with Blankenship and Aubrey Sutton grabbing six each.
Kaitlyn Sheridan and Emma Whaley had four assists each and the Lady Flyers had just one turnover for the game.
St. Joseph visits Sciotoville East next Monday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
Ohio Valley 2 2 0 2 = 6
St. Joseph 18 24 30 12 = 84
OHIO VALLEY CHRISTIAN (0-2): Lauren Ragan 0 0 0-0 0, Lolla Hurlow 1 0 2-4 4, Marcie Kessinger 0 0 0-0 0, Christina Dong 1 0 0-0 2, Lena Neal 0 0 0-0 0, Kenzie Childers 0 0 0-0 0, Kylie Henry 0 0 0-2 0, Amy Dong 0 0 0-0 0, Jazzy Valkre 0 0-0 0-0 0, Kristen Groves 0 0 0-1 0, Micah Hughes 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 2 0 2-7 6. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.
ST. JOSEPH (1-0): Kaitlyn Sheridan 1 0 0-0 2, Faith Mahlmeister 6 0 0-2 12, Emilee Blankenship 3 0 0-2 6, Emma Whaley 14 0 0-0 28, Bella Whaley 9 0 0-0 18, Chloe Sheridan 0 0 0-0 0, Kerri Jenkins 0 0 0-0 0, Gracie Damron 8 0 0-2 16, Aubrey Sutton 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 42 0 0-6 84. Rebounds: 44 (Mahlmeister 10, B. Whaley 7, Blankenship 6, Sutton 6, Damron 5, Sheridan 4). Assists: 18 (B. Whaley 5, K. Sheridan 4, E. Whaley 4). Turnovers: 1. Fouls: 14.