JEFFERSON — Everything looked great for the Perry girls for the first eight minutes at Greene County Tuesday.
The Jayettes, riding a career performance from Isabel Saemisch, raced to a 19-6 lead after one quarter. Then came foul trouble and a surge from an energized Rams squad, and suddenly the lead was only 32-31 at the half.
A 15-7 deficit in the third quarter put Perry in a 46-39 hole, with 5-of-14 free throw shooting in the fourth period hampering any chance of a comeback as the Rams improved to 2-0 for the first time in many years with a 63-52 victory.
Greene County was a 46-3 winner over Ogden Monday to start 2-0. The Rams scored over 45 points one time in a 4-18 season last year, but overcame a rattled Perry team with physical play. The Jayettes fell to 1-2 overall with the loss.
Saemisch did her best to lead Perry to victory, pouring in a career-high 22 points, 15 of which came in the first half. She buried three 3-pointers in the game and was a stout 10-of-12 at the line while the rest of team combined to hit just 5-of-16 at the stripe.
“Isabel had another heck of a game,” Perry head coach Chris Morrow said. “She has bought into the system and is working very hard. We smacked them in the first quarter but got into foul trouble and let it take us out of the game completely.”
“We have to step up and start playing better defense and doing the little things right,” he added. “Pretty much we have to be more mentally tough and more physical and I know the girls know how to do it because it was expected of them last year.”
Laurin Lyons had 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals to lead the hosts. Samantha Hardaway added 11 points, Kassie Lamoreux nine and Bailey Cunningham eight.
Molly Lutmer contributed 14 points for Perry, with Jo Diw scoring nine points, Gabby West six and Alyssa Kruger one.
Perry hosts Carroll Friday in a Racoon River Conference tilt at 6 p.m. They will travel to Des Moines Christian Saturday for a girls/boys set beginning at 1 p.m.
