Sullivan Gets By Lady Lancers
Sullivan held the 11th Annual Peoples Bank Holiday Classic this week. Seven of the best basketball teams from around the state traveled to Sullivan for the event. Sullivan was victorious in the first round, but fell in the other two to walk away in fourth place in the tournament. The Lady Eagles defeated St. Pius X (Festus), 49-45.
In the first quarter, the Lady Lancers outscored Sullivan by two points. Dakayla McClain stole the ball and Abby Peterson sank the ball for two. Olivia Charleville of St. Pius X tied up the game and St. Pius X’s Brook Blankenship broke the tie. Sullivan’s Head Coach Jordan Flora took a timeout with a little less than five and a half minutes left. Molly Lohden then went up for a layup but drew a foul. She got the points back from the free throw line. PJ Krodinger of St. Pius X sailed a three and Sullivan took another time out with 3:45 on the clock. Olivia Witt scored a layup and drew a foul. She landed a free throw and followed it with another layup. St. Pius X’s Blankenship tied the game with a layup and St. Pius X’s Charleville gave the Lady Lancers the lead by two, 11-9.
In the second quarter, Sullivan secured fifteen more points and outscored St. Pius X. Peterson drove the ball to the hoop to tie the game. When Emma Johnson of St. Pius X shot the ball, it went around the hoop and fell in. Johnson missed a couple free throws, but Peterson powered through defenders on the next play and netted another layup. Witt gave Sullivan the edge with a big three. St. Pius X’s Blankenship scored a free throw and so did Elena Ruble after Peterson sank yet another layup. Peterson then landed a free throw before McClain passed the ball to her wide open under the basket for a layup. Head Coach Aaron Portell of St. Pius X took a timeout with a little over two minutes left in the first half. Peterson then made another three pointer swoosh through the net and St. Pius X’s Blankenship netted two free throws. She finished with another layup to end the first half and Sullivan led, 24-19.
In the third quarter, the Lady Lancers outscored Sullivan, but Sullivan held the lead by one. Peterson netted another layup and St. Pius X’s Blankenship landed another free throw. Lohden landed a huge three point basket and Korndinger of St. Pius X followed with a layup. Charleville and Blankenship of St. Pius X made them down by one. Raegan Johnson jammed in a layup and she was followed by St. Pius X’s Blankenship, and Sullivan was up by one, 31-30.
In the fourth quarter, Sullivan outscored St. Pius X by three and secured the win. St. Pius X’s Johnson gave them the lead and Sullivan began to fall apart on fouls. Charleville and Blankenship of St. Pius X gave them the five point lead. Peterson netted a much needed three for Sullivan and then she took the lead with another three point shot. Riley Cappozzo of St. Pius X tied the game with a free throw and another free throw by Charleville gave St. Pius X the lead. Lohden swooshed a three and the crowd went wild after Sullivan took the lead. St. Pius X’s Blankenship tied the game with two free throws and St. Pius X took a timeout. Witt netted a three point basket and after St. Pius X’s Krodinger missed a free throw, Coach Flora took timeout. Charleville of St. Pius X powered through Sullivan’s defenders and landed a layup. Coach Flora took a timeout with under a minute left. Peterson powered through for another layup and after St. Pius X took a timeout, she scored a free throw. St. Pius X landed a three point basket and they took their last timeout. The crowd was quiet as McClain scored two free throws and Sulivan won, 49-45.
Sullivan forced 13 turnovers and held St. Pius X at 41% shooting. McClain led in turnovers with five. She was followed by Peterson, Alex Bylo, and Delaney George with two. Lohden and Kylee McReynolds each had one. The Lady Eagles tallied 25 rebounds with Peterson leading with 11. McReynolds secured six and was followed by Bylo with four. George, Lohden, McClain, and Witt each had one.
Peterson led in points with 22. Witt followed with 11. Lohden landed eight. McReynolds and McClain had three each and Johnson finished with two.