Shoes' Season Ends in Girls Sectional Final; Hearts Advance to Regional Final

The Teutopolis Shoes saw their season end Thursday night with a 47-36 loss to the Flora Wolfgals in the championship game of the Flora 2A Sectional. The game was heard on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com.  

Meanwhile, the Effingham Hearts came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat the Centralia Annies 52-49 and advance to the championship game of the Olney 3A Regional. The Hearts will play the Salem Tigers Friday at 7pm for the regional title and the opportunity to advance to the Highland 3A Sectional on Monday night.

FLORA 47, TEUTOPOLIS 36

The Shoes suffered through a terrible shooting first half, hitting just three of 19 shots, 16%. However, Flora struggled, too, making just six of 20 shots in the half to lead 15-9 at halftime.

T-town finally hit stride in the third quarter, making seven of 13 shots and at one point erasing a seven-point deficit in about a minute of playing time to make it 20-20, eventually taking a 29-28 lead at the end of the period.

Flora came out and took control in the fourth quarter, hitting five of six shots from the field and making eight of nine foul shots. The Wolfgals outscored the Shoes 19-7 in the final stanza to win by 11. T-Town made just three of 15 shots in the final quarter.

For the game, Teutopolis made just 13 of 47 shots, 28%. The Shoes hit six of 10 foul shots, committed 12 turnovers, grabbed 27 rebounds, and made four of 13 three-point attempts.

Flora shot 42% from the field, making 16 of 38, but they were 10 of 18 from the field in the second half. The Wolfgals made 11 of 14 foul shots, turned the ball over just seven times, and pulled down 24 rebounds while making four of 12 three-point tries.

Shelby Thompson led Teutopolis in scoring with 14 points. Hannah Bueker scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds, while Anna Hartke scored six points and pulled down seven rebounds. Jenny McMahon and Jamie Sandschafer each scored four points.

Junior Crimson Jones was sensational for Flora, scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Jones was 11-of-20 from the field.

Flora improved to 28-3 and will play Monday night at Millikin University in Decatur in Class 2A Super-Sectional action against Bloomington Central Catholic.

Teutopolis concludes an injury-riddled season with a 16-17 record, and says goodbye to senior players Hannah Bueker, Michelle Schmidt, Jenny McMahon, Sara Thoele, Janelle Gebben, and Cassidy Lohman.

EFFINGHAM 52, CENTRALIA 49

Hearts Coach Jeff Schafer termed his game a "tale of two halves".

Schafer said, "We did not play well in the first half; if it hadn't been for Jantzen (Michael)'s two late threes to close the half, we would have been down double digits. We started two kids in the second half; Bria (Barr) and Taylor Crowell; and then also got huge minutes from Shelby Nunamaker and just never quit. We made a lot of mistakes, but just fought through them; we just gutted it out. I'm proud of our effort and how we just grinded."

The Hearts' mentor complimented freshman Aly Armstrong, who "hit some key shots down the stretch" and said Taylor (Crowell) added four key free throws at the end. Schafer also had praise for Centralia Coach Roger Stieg, saying Stieg "does a great job and his kids played hard."

As for Friday night, Schafer said, "Now, we get the opportunity to play Salem for the third time. We will have a tall task ahead." Salem pounded Olney 66-37 in the first game Thursday night.

Centralia led the game 16-10 after one quarter and 31-25 at halftime, but the Hearts had been down by 11 at one point in the first half. EHS outscored Centralia 11-9 in the third quarter to pull within 40-36 and then outscored the Annies 16-9 in the fourth quarter to win by three.

Jantzen Michael led Effingham with 17 points, while Aly Armstrong scored 15 points. Brittany Beals, Maddy Field, Taylor Crowell and Shelby Myers each scored four points, and Shelby Nunamaker and Bria Barr scored two points apiece.

Effingham climbed to .500 again with the victory and are now 15-15 on the season, while Centralia closes its season with a 16-14 mark.

We'll have the Effingham/Salem game Friday night at 7pm at Olney on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com.  

In other games Thursday:

AT THE ST. ANTHONY 1A SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Central A&M 62, Arcola 41 (Neoga's E.C. Thies advanced to State in the Country Financial Three-Point Challenge)

AT THE CHARLESTON 3A REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Charleston 53, Mt. Zion 51

AT THE TAYLORVILLE 3A REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Rochester 63, Taylorville 29

AT THE JERSEYVILLE 3A REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Bethalto Civic Memorial 63, Highland 56