Ian King’s 12 points weren’t enough as Rose Hill overpowers Wellington. Above, Shayland French sees slew of Rose Hill players in big loss to Rockets.

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — If the Wellington girls are going to lose a game in Rose Hill this season, losing the one on Valentine’s Day would be preferable.

But Tuesday’s 49-33 loss to Rose Hill has to be concerning consider this is the same Rocket team Wellington has to get through if it wishes to return to state.

The same goes for the boys, who had an equally dispiriting loss to Rose Hill 62-55 in the nightcap.

One could say all the Valentine’s roses went to Rose Hill.

Wellington girls fell to 12-5 and kissed its league championship hopes good bye in a game that was dominated by Rose Hill from the start. The first two times these two teams played there was more than enough drama and they split exciting overtime, double overtime games. Tuesday night was all Rockets.

Rose Hill implemented a zone press and took a 17-6 first quarter lead, and expanded its lead to 31-16 at the half. Wellington played evenly with Rose Hill for most of the second half, but missed some very easy baskets. Still the Lady Dukes got within seven points midway through the fourth quarter, before Rose Hill closed out the game by scoring the final 9 points.

It would take some digging to see when the last time the varsity Lady Dukes lost a ballgame by double digits. It’s been awhile.

According to statistics accumulated by the radio station, Wellington was especially could from the field 12-of-37 for 32.4 percent. The Crusaders were 4-of-9 from the free throw line after just missing two in 15 attempts against Rose Hill.

Not much to write about here. The Crusaders got off to a promising start when MeKenna Adams and Lauryn Snipes hit two 3-pointers early to give the Lady Dukes a 6-2 lead. But Rose Hill would rattle off the quarter’s final 15 points and took a 17-6 lead into the second quarter.

Crusaders fell behind by 15, and trailed 31-16 at the half.

Wellington would stay in striking business and after a Lauryn Snipes layup, and a Tayland French banker on an offensive put back, the Lady Dukes trailed 40-33.

But Kylie Woods, 6-2 and very good, would hit a key layup and draw a foul on the ensuing possession and that put the Crusaders up 43-33. Wellington would never sniff the basket again eventually losing by 16.

Girls: Rose Hill 49 Wellington 33

Wellington 6 10 8 9 — 33

Rose Hill 17 14 9 11 — 49

Wellington: T. French 6, Snipes 13, S. French 4, Rusk 2, Adams 8. Total: 7 (5) 4-9 33.

Rose Hill: Adler 9, Simoneau 4, Mundy 1, S. Adler 2, Herman 11, Van Driel 14, Woods 8. Total: 15 (1) 11-15 49.

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The Wellington boys had picked up a key win over Rose Hill on their home court in December, but the Rockers exacted revenge at their place Tuesday.

Playing a high tempo affair, Rose Hill opened up a 17-14 first quarter lead and expanded the margin to 35-24 at the half. Wellington would twiddle the lead town to three with a nice third-quarter surge when Ian King put it in the basket to make it, 42-39. But Rose Hill hit the final two bucks of the quarter and led 46-39 going into the fourth.

That set up the final stanza in which Wellington could not pull any closer and fell to defeat.

A.J. Snipes had 16 points in the losing cause. Ian King followed with 12.

Rose Hill 62, Wellington 55

Wellington — A. Snipes 16, I. King 12, J. Walton 7, K. Boyer 7, C. Phelps 6, S. Popplewell 5, W. Long 2

Rose Hill — H. Forsberg 14, D. Sapp 13, G. Moore 12, K. Campbell 9, D. Rapp 5, G. McBride 4, C. Knight 3, A. Moore 2

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In other games, Wellington freshmen defeated Rose Hill 33-29. The Rose Hill JV won 45-42.

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