Grace Shope sets school records in Lady Lions win

Fairfield sophomore Grace Shope joined the Fairfield record book on Thursday evening by setting the record for points in a game and points scored in a quarter for the girls basketball program in a 66-39 win over the Manchester Lady Greyhounds.

The record-setting night at Grandle Gymnasium saw Shope score 39 points, breaking the previous record set by Heather Cox and Chelsey Riddle, who each scored 36 in a game. Shope also set the quarter scoring record with 18 points in the first quarter, breaking the former record of 17 points, then set by Misty Howland.

Shope and the Lady Lions set the tone of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference contest early on with a 26-point first frame, as she scored 18 of those 26 points in the quarter, beginning with a two-point basket, followed by a 3-pointer.

The sophomore continued her record-setting quarter with two free throw conversions, three more two-point baskets, two more free throws and a second 3-pointer.

For the game, Shope totaled 11 two-point baskets, three 3-pointers and was 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Shope shot 14-of-21 from the field and 3-of-6 from the three-point line. The sophomore added eight steals, six rebounds and two assists.

Also in the first, Carly Arnold scored four points, while Trinity Huff and Blake Adams each added two points. Arnold for the game also tallied eight assists and six steals, while Huff totaled seven boards.

With a 26-3 lead after the first eight minutes, in the second frame Shope scored all five of the points tallied by the Lady Lions, with two two-point baskets and a free throw as FHS held a 31-17 lead at halftime.

The third quarter saw Huff sink a 3-pointer, while Macie Pauley added six points and Adams netted two points. Also in the third, Shope scored 12 points, with a third 3-pointer, three two-point baskets and three made free throws. For the game, Pauley added eight rebounds.

Shope set the scoring record with a four-point fourth frame, scoring those points on two field goals. Also in the fourth, Arnold, Huff and Olivia Bobb combined for eight points, wrapping up what was a 35-point second half for FHS, with quarter scoring of 23 and 12 points.

Manchester was led in scoring by Morgan Johnson with 27 points. MHS finished 8-of-9 from the free-throw line and made five 3-pointers, including four by Johnson.

FHS finished 8-of-13 from the free-throw line, with four 3-pointers.

With the win, the Lady Lions are now 9-5 overall, surpassing their wins total of eight from last season.