Hannah Kroft posts double-double in Marietta win
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MARIETTA -- Hannah Kroft was double-trouble with a double-double on Senior Night.
The 6-foot senior pivot player had 15 points and 17 rebounds, both game-highs, as Marietta High downed Ripley High, 63-37, Monday evening in a girls basketball game at Sutton Gymnasium.
"It was a very emotional night," said Kroft, a Marietta College recruit. "I love it here."
Morgan Altenburger added 14 points while Jennifer Smith netted 12. Jessica Smith chipped in with eight markers, and Adi Hill had seven.
"We're very balanced," Kroft said. "We like to swing the ball a lot and give everybody a chance. If a girl is wide open, she's got to shoot it and make it."
Marietta improved to 14-7 overall while Ripley fell to 10-4.
Kaylei Blackburn and Katlyn Sarver each tallied 14 points to pace the Vikings of Jackson County, W.Va.
With it being Senior Night, Marietta's five seniors -- Maria Pfaff, Zuly Marguez, Alejandra Portilla, Emma Pfeiffer, and Kroft --all started. The Tigers got off to a slow start but with a couple seconds remaining, Hill drained a 3 to give the home team a 10-7 lead after one.
MHS scored 13 unanswered points to start the second period, and led 23-7. Highlighting the surge, Altenburger knocked down two triples and a freebie. Jessica Smith finished the stanza with eight points as the Tigers went into the locker room with a 31-12 halftime lead.
Kroft had nine points and eight boards at the break.
"We picked it up a lot (in the second quarter)," Kroft said. "We've been focusing really hard on playing as a team. And, we've done that very well this year."
Marietta maintained the advantage in the third quarter, outpointing the Vikings, 17-15. Jessica Smith and Jennifer Smith each had two buckets to lead the charge.
Blackburn scored eight points in the third as Ripley played its best eight minutes of the contest.
During fourth-quarter action, Altenburger had five points while Kroft and Kroft and Pfeiffer each had four as the Tigers won going away.
"It was a team effort all the way," Kroft said.
Marietta is scheduled to host River View at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Ripley is slated to host Ravenswood in a Jackson County showdown at 7:30 p.m. tonight.
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Ron Johnston can be reached at rjohnston@mariettatimes.com