JEFFERSON TWP — The shots were there for Knoch, but they wouldn't fall.

Still, the Knights started strong and finished stronger in a 44-16 section victory over an outmanned Valley team, which had only five players and ended the game with three.

Knoch had a 17-2 lead late in the second quarter and closed out the game on a 24-1 run.

But in between, the Vikings used a 13-3 run to make it a five-point contest with 3:32 left in the third quarter.

"Sometimes we were patient and sometimes we were not," said Knoch coach Rob Greenleaf. "We got some good shots. We shot 15-of-58, but had only 12 turnovers.

"The positive is we played our best defensive game all season," he added.

Knoch (3-7, 1-3) took a 10-0 lead after the first quarter and enjoyed a 17-2 advantage with 1:31 remaining in the first half before the Vikings (1-11, 0-5) showed some life.

A pair of baskets by Valley's Mariah Hudick and a score by Kristea Smith made it 17-8.

The spurt started a 13-3 run that carried over into the third quarter, including consecutive baskets by Tara Shemanski, to pull Valley within five points.

Knoch, however, closed out the third frame with a 7-0 run — a pair of Hailey Hutterer baskets sandwiched around a free throw by Samantha Logan and a basket by Emily Protzman — to take a 27-15 lead.

But fouls began to catch up with Valley in the fourth quarter, when Smith fouled out with 6:45 to play and Casey Bonk did likewise with 5:22 left.

"The girls are starting to learn how to play," said Vikings coach Jeff Cheatham. "They never knew how to play the last five years. They're learning everyday.

"The attitude is better. Hopefully, we can get some people. We had some academically ineligible. ... Right now, we're teaching the basic fundamentals. The sun will shine tomorrow," Cheatham added.

Hutterer led all scorers with 14 points while Protzman added nine. Valley received seven from Shemanski and six from Hudick.

"We've been in a season-long shooting slump," said Greenleaf. "We scored all summer and all fall, but since we put on the uniforms, we haven't been able to shoot the ball.

"I told the kids this was a standard game. What kind of standard do you want to set? You look for positives and we've played really good defense the past two, 2Z\x weeks.

"It's a win and we needed one," he added.

VALLEY 16Atlanta Pitts 0 1-4 1, Tara Shemanski 3 1-2 7, Casey Bonk 0 0-2 0, Kristea Smith 1 0-0 2, Mariah Hudick 3 0-1 6.

Totals: 7 2-9 16.

KNOCH 44Emily Protzman 4 1-2 9, Hannah Novotny 2 0-4 4, Haley Hutterer 4 5-8 14, Samantha Logan 1 2-4 4, Taylor Tresatti 1 0-1 2, Taylor Zonts 0 1-2 1, Shelly Isherwood 0 0-0 0, Haley Williams 1 0-0 2, Heather Cooper 0 0-0 0, Kate Miller 0 0-0 0, Julia Kleinfelder 2 0-0 4, Amber Henzel 1 0-0 2, Rachel Neff 0 0-0 0, Brooke Armahizer 1 0-0 2.

Totals: 17 9-21 44.

Valley 0 9 6 1—16Knoch 10 9 8 17—443-point goals: Knoch 1 (Hutterer).

Monday: Knoch at Mars