Sidney girls cruise

The beat went on for the Sidney Lady Raiders as they won for the eighth game in their last nine tries. The latest victim for the Raiders were the Perkins County Lady Plainsmen in a 50-12 blowout at Cabela's Athletic Facility last night.

The Raiders' third-straight win has come in a span of just five days. But Sidney will have little time to rest as two district opponents roll into Sidney this weekend. Gering is the opponent on Friday while District B-6 leading Scottsbluff is on the bill for Saturday night. The Bearcats are the only district team to have beaten Sidney.

As the Raiders prepared for their weekend of district play, head coach Tyler Shaw used a platoon system of sorts for the second straight game. Shaw rotated in different groups of five as he had done at Hershey on Saturday. The groups he used against Perkins County, however, varied somewhat from the sets employed against Hershey.

"We were just trying to get a look at some different players in some different schemes," Shaw said. "We are just trying to get ready for districts and be able to be flexible in what we can do on the floor."

While the Raiders (12-6) had little trouble with a Class C2 team that has gone winless (0-17), the Raiders took no chances and took to their business from the opening tip. Once Savanna Rosenbaum dropped in a foul shot 1:10 into the game the Raiders were ahead to stay.

While Sidney scored 15 points in the opening quarter, the defense allowed not a single point. Throughout most of the game, Sidney employed a 2-3 zone, which the Plainsmen struggled to penetrate.

"Coach was trying to mix it up the last couple of games and see who works best together," Jallen said. "It's a good chance to get us all to play with different people before we get into districts."

Besides Rosenbaum, Kelsey Knight, Maddi Porter and Jasmine Jallen all scored in the opening frame. Ashley Stafford picked up three assists with some sharp passing to the inside. Jallen finished the first-period scoring with a driving layup in the final minute.

The Plainsmen did not score their first point until Andrea Brayton sank a free throw with 6:03 left in the half. The first field goal did not drop for Perkins County until late in the half. Meanwhile, the Raiders kept up the pressure in the second quarter. The scoring in the second eight minutes began when Ashley Stafford converted on a pass from sister Maddie 20 seconds in.

Abby Heller landed the biggest blow of the second eight with a 3-pointer. Maddie Stafford was the abettor on the final Raiders field goal just as she was the first. Knight benefitted this go around as her layup gave Sidney a 27-1 lead. The half ended 27-3.

Opening the second half Knight, Ashley Stafford, Rosenbaum and Annalise Lecher all scored a field goal in an 8-2 third. Emily Mahr began the final frame on a personal 6-0 run and later Genessa Schilz dropped in four straight. A perfect pass from Abbey Mills to Jallen ended the scoring.

"Coach threw a lot at us today," said Maddie Stafford. "Our zone wasn't working as well late in the game and we had a chance to try some different things. We really can't rest now. We have to practice hard tomorrow because we have some big games coming up."

Knight led a balanced scoring attack for Sidney with 10 points. Emily Mahr added nine, Ashley Stafford seven and Rosenbaum five.

Game time for the Bulldogs contest on Friday is 5:30 p.m. The game against Scottsbluff is slated for 7 p.m.