Grain Valley Girls end season with win against Raytown

by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News

Grain Valley girls basketball coach Randy Draper and members of his 23-1 team know there will likely be no more mercy-rule victories as the Eagles head to Columbia, Mo., for Class 6 District 7 play next week at Columbia Battle High School.

The Eagles routed Raytown 69-35 Thursday night on the Blue Jays home court and earlier in the week crushed Truman 76-30.

"We know we're not going to have any more wins like that," senior guard Cam Kelly said after she scored 12 points in just over a half of basketball at Raytown. "Coach has really been running some hard practices - even some where (our starters) play five on seven - and that helps get us ready for the competition we're going to see at district.

"We go into every game wanted to be competitive, because we know we're going to have to play competitive ball when we play Blue Springs South next Thursday."

The Eagles own 47-28 and 53-43 wins over the 7-18 Jaguars, and Addy Seyfert says those wins don't mean a thing once Class 6 District 7 District action starts at Columbia Battle High School.

"Blue Springs South is a good team, and we better not even think about an easy win just because we beat them twice in the regular season," said Seyfert, who scored 16 points  in less than a half of action. "We're going to be ready. We're going to have some of our toughest practices of the season next week - that's how Coach gets us ready for big games.

"And tonight, before the game I told Cam to shoot all she wanted, because we're going to need everyone to contribute offensively. She does so many things to make us a better team, and tonight she goes out and scores 12 - and that's what we're going to need against South."

The Eagles trademark late in the season has been opening a game with a dynamic first quarter.

With Seyfert exploding for 13 points, Grain Valley took a 30-5 lead into the second quarter.

"That's what I like about our team," Draper said. "Our girls set the tone early. Look at tonight, we got that big lead and never looked back. It would be nice to get a lead like that in district, but that's not realistic to think about. But when we come out with the intensity we showed tonight, we can be dangerous."

The Eagles led Raytown 41-17 at halftime and took a 64-28 lead into the fourth quarter.

"One of the best things about our big wins is that all our girls get to play," Seyfert said, "and when you're playing tough teams like South and the two Columbia teams (Rock Bridge and Battle) we're going to need everyone to contribute, like they have been doing all season."

Coaches, from left, Michael Hoffman, head coach Randy Draper, Brock Tiefenbrunn, Katie Kelly and Kylie Borher, along with members of the Grain Valley High School girls basketball team - Bella Bollinger, Madison Rust, Addy Seyfert, Aspen Reed and Cam Kelly - have reason to smile as they watch Eagles reserves play in the fourth quarter of a 69-35 conference win at Raytown Thursday night. It was the last regular season game of the season as the 23-1 Eagles play Blue Springs South at 7 p.m. Thursday in district action at Columbia Battle High School. Photo credit: Bill Althaus

Coach Randy Draper sends his Grain Valley girls basketball team back on the court at Raytown High School Thursday night. The Eagles finished the regular season with a 23-1 overall record and a 13-0 mark in conference play. Photo credit: Bill Althaus
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