GBB 3A FINAL: Youth, experience lead #6 Mt. Vernon to elusive title

From ihsaa.org

TERRE HAUTE – The Mt. Vernon (Fortville) Marauders wouldn't be denied this time. Sydney Shelton and Erica Moore made sure.

The sixth-ranked Marauders (23-4), in their second consecutive appearance in the Class 3A championship game, used 5’8” freshman guard Shelton's 29 points and 6’1” junior forward Moore's 3A-record 15 rebounds to fuel a 61-47 upset of No. 2 Hamilton Heights March 2 at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute.

Mt. Vernon fell to Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, 42-39, in last year's title game.

Shelton, the niece of 15th-year Mt. Vernon coach Julie Shelton – a 1987 state semifinalist herself with Seymour – turned in a sterling shooting effort on the finals' big stage. She went 8 of 14, including a 3A-record 5 of 9 from 3-point range, and added four assists.

Meanwhile, Moore totaled 14 points to go with her dominance on the glass.

Mt. Vernon, which lost its regular-season meeting to Hamilton Heights 70-61 back in November, opened a 24-point lead with 5:10 left in the game. The Marauders outshot the Huskies 46 percent to 34 percent and outrebounded them by a 38-22 margin.

The Huskies (23-3), making their first appearance in the girls basketball state finals, were led by 5’5” junior guard Kiley Walters' 13 points and 5’5” senior guard Dakota Weatherford's 12, while 5’7” senior guard Katelyn Rednour collected six rebounds.

Mt. Vernon’s Houck named Roy Mental Attitude Award winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Rachel Houck of Mt. Vernon High School as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A girls basketball. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to the school in her name.

The award is named in honor of former IHSAA assistant commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999. The award is presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.

Houck maintains a 3.8 GPA through honor and Advanced Placement courses at her school, ranking in the Top 15 percent of her class. She has attended the IHSAA Student Leadership Conference for three years, is a DARE Role Model, and has been a NASA Council Representative.

Rachel holds the school record for steals both in a season and for a career, was a Hoosier Heritage All-Conference selection the last two seasons, and was part of two Mt. Vernon state finalist teams. She also has been a member of the Marauders’ softball team for four years, earning team MVP last year.

The daughter of Ken & Mary Houck of Greenfield will attend the University of Louisville on a softball scholarship. She plans to study exercise science.

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