Girls Basketball: Neoga Advances to Casey Sectional Championship, Tuscola Comes Back To Defeat St. Anthony

Is it March yet?

Nope its just February but it sure feels like March with the weather outside and the postseason action in the gym.

On Tuesday night in Casey two teams punched their tickets to Thursday’s sectional championship and two teams seasons came to a heartbreaking end.  These same four teams Neoga, Tri County, Tuscola and St. Anthony all made the sectional last year in Tuscola only this time the matchups were reversed.

In the first semi final  of the night the Neoga Indians took on the Tri County Titans. Neoga got off the the great 6-0 start that forced Coach Morrisey to take a early timeout.  Neoga got six points from Sydney Hakman, Sydney Richards and Haylee Campbell both had four points in the opening quarter. The Titans had some tough luck of getting shots to go in all night but it was Josie Armstrong with seven of the nine first quarter points for Tri County.  Neoga got off to the 16-9 lead after one.

The Indians would continue their strong start by going on a 7-0 run to open up the second quarter.  Tri County would finally get on the scoreboard with a free throw from Sami McClain with about four minutes to go in the quarter.  Fortunately for the Titans they would hold Neoga for the rest of the quarter and finish the half strong to trail 23-14 at the half.

In the third quarter Tri County would get as close as they have been since the opening minutes.  Kaylin Williams converted an and-one to make it 29-20. A turnover by Neoga and a layup the other way from Armstrong  would cut the deficit to 29-22 with a couple minutes left in the quarter.  But that is as close as the Titans would get the rest of the way.

Armstrong for Tri County would finish with a flurry of points finishing the game with 24. But it would be Hakman for Neoga who went seven for eight in the final quarter at the free throw line to put the game away. Neoga went on to win 54-41.

Neoga improves to 31-3 on the season and advances to the sectional championship on Thursday back in Casey.

Tri County ends another impressive season at 25-7 overall.

Neoga Stats

Sydney Richards 15, Hakman 13, Sampson 10, Brynn Richards 9, Campbell 7.

Tri County Stats

Armstrong 24, Williams 6, Hales 4, Barry 3,  McClain 3.

In the second of the semi final, it was championship game worthy as Tuscola came back to advance to the championship and got revenge on their only loss of the season so far.

Tuscola got off to a great start as the Warriors came out playing with intensity that was missing in the matchup two weeks ago.  Sydney Moss scored the first six points of the game. The lead didn’t last long,  as St. Anthony adjusted to the 1-3-1 zone that Tuscola came out in.  Anna Faber led the charge with six points in the opening quarter as the Bulldogs tied the game at 6.  Lucy Fearday would make a shot that put St A in front 8-6.  St. A wouldn’t stop there and just as quickly as Tuscola got out to the lead, the Bulldogs took control.  Stacie Vonderheide made a layup off a turnover to give St A the 12-6 lead forcing Tuscola to call a timeout.  The score would hold for the reminder of the quarter with St Anthony leading 12-6 after one.

In the second quarter Tuscola would climb back into it with a three from Ella Boyer. That cut the deficit to just three 14-11 with Coach Rios calling a timeout.  After that St Anthony went on a run and  a Nancy Ruholl three would get the lead up to 21-11.  Ava Boyer would finish a wide open layup to close out the half to get Tuscola back trailing 24-19 at the half.

St. Anthony would start out the third with a 5-0 run.  With a basket from Addi Nuxoll and a three pointer by Lucy Fearday to get the lead back to 29-19.  From there Ella Boyer would bring the Warriors back almost single handily. Ella would go on a personal 7-0 run to get Tuscola back within five 35-30.  Late in the third,  Zoey Thompson would hit a tough shot in the lane to get Tuscola within three. The Warriors would trail 35-32 going into the final quarter.

Tuscola would tie the game at 35 early in the fourth.  St. Anthony quickly took the four point lead back 39-35 with four minutes to go.  St. Anthony would have the 41-35 lead with two minutes to go but Tuscola again fought back.  With points from Ava Boyer  Tuscola trailed 41-39.

Late in the game Harly Woodward would make the four biggest points of her career.

With  30 second left Woodard would tie the game at 41.  After St. Anthony was held scoreless, Woodard would come up clutch again.   Ava Boyer found Woodard open in the post and Harly would finish the short shot to give Tuscola their first lead lead since the first quarter, 43-41 with 12 seconds left.  After a mad scramble Moss would put the exclamation point on the comeback with a layup as time expired,  as Tuscola comes out with the win 45-41.

Tuscola improves to  33-1 on the season and advances to play Neoga in the sectional championship game on Thursday night at 7 P.M. in Casey.

St. Anthony ends their great season 27-6.

Tuscola Stats

Moss 16, Ella Boyer 14, Ava Boyer 6, Woodard 6, Thompson 2, Patterson 1.

St. Anthony Stats

Anna Faber 9, Vonderheide 8, Nuxoll 8, Ruholl 7, Fearday 5, Rios 4.