Lady Hornets win rivalry showdown over Minerva

While the Malvern-Minerva boys game drew most of the attention over the past week, another rivalry matchup played out on the girls side.

Malvern claimed the bragging rights this time, as the Lady Hornets outlasted Minerva 51-40 in a nonconference battle Jan. 3.

Minerva led by three at the end of the first quarter, but Malvern answered with a 17-9 run to take a 26-21 advantage into halftime.

The Lady Lions pulled within three points during the third quarter, but Malvern pulled away down the stretch to seal the win.

Avery Sprague led Malvern with 18 points, while Addy Mitchell and Whitney Smith added 14 apiece for the Lady Hornets (7-5). Ivey Rettig scored 11 points to pace Minerva (2-9), and Ireland Kirkpatrick added seven.

Five days earlier, Malvern hosted Fairless in another nonconference matchup, and it did not go the Hornets’ way.

Fairless jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the first quarter, and Malvern was never able to recover. The Falcons closed the game with a 22-10 fourth quarter to secure a 66-36 win.

Smith and Ella Debo each scored 11 points for the Hornets, while Mitchell added 10. Ella Wade scored 16 points to lead Fairless (4-6).

Boys Basketball

Malvern faced its first real adversity of the season, losing back-to-back games for the first time since February 2021.

The Hornets opened the stretch with a Dec. 29 appearance at the First Federal Holiday Showcase at Berlin Hiland’s Reese Center, where Malvern fell to Miami Valley Christian Academy 77-34.

MVCA, ranked 20th in the state in Division VII, took control in the second quarter, turning a six-point lead into a 14-point advantage by halftime.

Any comeback hopes were erased in the third quarter, as MVCA outscored Malvern 25-8 to build a commanding 31-point cushion.

Luke Thomas led Malvern with nine points, while Delonte Simmons added seven points and five rebounds. Casey Heap scored 20 points to lead MVCA (5-1).

Malvern then returned to league play Jan. 3 for its rivalry showdown with Minerva, hoping to extend its dominance over the Lions. Instead, Minerva pulled off a 57-54 upset — its first win over Malvern since January 2010.

Thomas led Malvern (7-3) with 14 points, as the Hornets rallied from a nine-point deficit to make it a one-possession game late. But Minerva (6-4) made just enough free throws in the final minutes to hold on for the win.