CN’s Alex August shoots over Hammond’s Amelia Green and Clara Castles. Photo by Jeff Blake/ColumbiaWeddingPhotos.com Alex August and Molly Rainwater scored 25 points each as the Cardinal Newman Lady Cardinals defeated the visiting Hammond Lady Skyhawks 76-59 Tuesday, January 24.

Cardinal Newman (11- 9, 4-1) took the lead early in the first quarter, using a fastpaced attack to keep pressure on Hammond’s defense. Rainwater scored eight points in the first quarter, helping her to break out of a scoring funk she had been in since registering her 1,000th point two weeks earlier. Eden Picow tried to keep the Lady Skyhawks (7-12, 0-4) close with six consecutive points, but the Lady Cardinals used a 10-1 run at the end of the first quarter to take a 20-11 lead.

The frenetic pace continued in the second quarter. August scored eight of her points in this frame to help Cardinal Newman take a 37- 26 lead into halftime.

The teams traded baskets for the first half of the third quarter, but then Hammond used a 13-4 run fueled by seven points by Amelia Green to pull within three at 53-50. But the Lady Skyhawks would get no closer, as August hit a layup to stretch the lead to five at the close of the period, and Cardinal Newman used a 21-9 final quarter to run away at the end.

Cardinal Newman’s Annaliese Hughen and Hammond’s Amelia Green battle for a loose ball. Photo by Jeff Blake/ColumbiaWeddingPhotos.com August finished with 15 rebounds and six blocks to go with her 25 points, and Rainwater dished out eight assists in addition to scoring her 25. Green finished with 17 points and five rebounds before fouling out in the fourth, and Chapman Giles scored 15 for the Lady Skyhawks.

Cardinal Newman next plays at Augusta Christian Tuesday, January 31. Hammond travels to Ben Lippen Friday, January 27.