Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Laney Belcher protects the ball from a Johnsonburg defender during Wednesday’s nonregion game in Johnsonburg.

JOHNSONBURG — Eisenhower made the long trip to Johnsonburg on Wednesday night to play the Ramettes and came away with a 55-49 win behind 19 points apiece from Clara Steinberg and Lainey Font.

The Knights built a 26-11 first-quarter lead behind Font’s 11 points and Steinberg’s 10.

The two added another 10 points in the second quarter and the Knights played strong on defense to build a 16-point lead at the half.

Eisenhower was aggressive on defense all night and paid a heavy price as Steinberg picked up her fourth foul with just 39 seconds left in the first half.

“The girls played a great first half offensively and controlled the pace of the game with their pressure defense, unfortunately we got into some foul trouble and had to sit Clara for the entire third quarter,” Eisenhower head coach D.J. Steinberg said.

With Clara Steinberg on the bench with four fouls, the Ramettes began to cut into the Eisenhower lead. Johnsonburg held Font to just 2 points and the Knights to just 8 points in the quarter while the hosts scored 19 points to cut the Eisenhower lead to just 6 points at the end of the third quarter.

Clara Steinberg started the fourth quarter and immediately made her presence known, draining a 3-pointer less than a minute into the final period. Eisenhower baskets by Laney Belcher and Keeley Alcorn opened up a 49-40 lead. The Knights held Johnsonburg to just 2 points in the first four minutes of the final quarter to aid their cause.

Johnsonburg battled back to cut the lead to four points at 53-49 with 59 seconds remaining, but a 2-point shot by Font made the lead 55-49, which held for the final score.

“We made some young team mistakes in the second half, turning the ball over too much allowed them to battle back, but overall I am happy with the progress the girls are making,” Coach Steinberg said. “They played well and I’m happy to start the season with a win.”

Clara Steinberg made five 3-pointers.

Johnsonburg was led by Natalie Dunworth with 16 points.

EISENHOWER (55)

Font 8 2 19, Childs 3 0 6, Belcher 3 0 7, Alcorn 2 0 4, Gates 0 0 0, Steinberg 7 0 19, Waite 0 0 0. Totals 23 2 55.

JOHNSONBURG (49)

Casilio 4 3 14, Brechtel 2 0 4, Dunworth 8 0 16, Zimmerman 1 1 3, Grunthauer 6 0 12, Notarianni 0 0 0. Totals 21 4 49.

3-point goals–Font, Belcher, Steinberg 5, Casilio 3.

Eisenhower 26 10 8 11 — 55

Johnsonburg 11 9 18 11 — 49