Girls hoops open season with a victory

By Ed Gotwals on 12/2/25

Greencastle-Antrim 55, Spring Grove 46: Kiersten Swain produced some hot shooting in the fourth quarter Tuesday night and the Blue Devils handed the Rockets a non-league defeat in G-A’s season opener on the road.

Kiersten Swain

Swain nailed a trio of 3-pointers in the final period to help Greencastle stretch its 1-point lead after 3 quarters. Calliee Izer scored G-A’s other 5 points in the quarter.

Swain ended up with 27 points with 6 longballs, and Liv Carey totaled 11, including three 3-pointers.

Greencastle coach Scott McKeever, who won in his debut, said, “We got into foul trouble in the first half, with Calllie Izer and Sophie Fries picking up their third foul early in the second quarter. But we got key bench contributions from Alannah Coleman, Braelyn Cordell and Morgan Bear to keep it close at the half (trailing by 2).

Spring Grove was able to stay in touch thanks to Na’kera Melbourne firing in 24 points. But she was held scoreless in 

the fourth quarter and the Rockets managed only 6 points in the frame.

Fries led the Blue Devils with 10 rebounds, while Swain and Izer each had 8, while Ellie Bigler contributed 9 assists and 3 steals.

“We fought through some first-half adversity and the bench really stepped up,” McKeever said. “In the second half we had good ball movement and tough defense. The girls played hard for 32 minutes and their determination paid off.”