Teutopolis Girls Headed to Class 2A State Tournament

The Shoes started off post-season play with a championship at the Class 2A Vandalia Regional.

During the middle of the season, Coach Laurie Thompson had to wonder whether her Teutopolis High School girls basketball squad would reach the brink they're standing on right now . . . the Class 2A State Tournament and a title.

The Wooden Shoes ripped along like most T-town teams early on racking up 19 straight victories and two tournament championships at the Salem Thanksgiving and the Fairfield Christmas meets.

Then it was two straight losses against Breese Central and Bethalto Civic Memorial before heading into the Highland Tournament where they went 2-2, finishing sixth. Then here came another two losses to Effingham and Breese Mater Dei. So, in a span of nine games, they suffered six losses. Unusual for a Wooden Shoe team.

But what's not unusual about a Wooden Shoe team is their great ability to get things back in motion and reaching for a state tournament golden ring. They've now won six straight and will face Chicago Marshall Friday at the State Tournament in Normal's Redbird Arena  at 7:15 p.m.

"We can look really good at times and really bad at times," said Thompson who is going into her fourth state tournament in her 13 years as head coach. "This team can play defense. This summer I saw them play stretches of great defense and thought they could be really good defensively. I tried to key on that early and they bought into it. But then we lost Savannah Grimes. I consider her and Morgan Mette my best defensive players. We have never really totally replaced Savannah.

"We had losses in January, playing good teams. These losses stink but if we don't learn from them we're not going to be where we are. A lot of those losses we played undisciplined and threw the ball away. And all those things add up to losses. Those are things we can control and we started doing that later in season."

So, the Shoes, 28-6, return to state after downing Breese Mater Dei, a team they had already gone 1-1 with during the season, 40-26 at the Salem Super-Sectional.

Coach Thompson talked about her starters and off the bench players.

"My starters include Jolene Bueker, a senior, who is averaging 11 points and is our leading rebounder. She plays inside and out for us. She is very versatile. We look to her for leadership.

"Sadie Bueker, a junior, is averaging 11.3 points. She pretty much shares the point guard spot with Marianna Hemmen. She's our best outside shooter. She can go inside some but typically she shoots from the perimeter. She has the most experience and calms us.

"Marianna Hemmen, a senior, averages 7.6 points. She's a point guard. I look to her for good defense and assists as well.

"Macy Michels, a senior, averages 10.6 points. Macy is our tall kid in the middle. She blocks a lot and alters shots. She is our second leading rebounder. That's what I'm on her about, grabbing and getting the boards. She can shoot inside and at the 15 foot range.

"Morgan Mette, a junior, averages 4.5 points. She's in there for defensive purposes. She will usually get the best offensive kid we're playing. That's her main thing. She is our third leading rebounder and has been doing well in that area lately.

"Off the bench players include guard Olivia Niemerg, a sophomore, who averages 3.0 points. She's someone that can handle the ball. She loves to pass but she can score.

"Claire Bushur, a sophomore, is my post kid coming in off the bench and averages around 3.0 per game. She's strong and can get in there and board and can score as well.

"After that I have a lot of kids including Hope Bueker, Lexie Niebrugge and Karsyn Mette. They've come in and played minutes for us and that's been big especially towards the end of the season.

"I also have juniors Julia Frey and Hannah Pruemer and when the time is right they will get in. I have a lot of kids that can compliment each other. I can play eight or nine kids. It's been kind of unique in the post-season because it hasn't been the same kids stepping up. We've had great games from Marianna, Claire, Sadie and Jolene. They are all kind of taking their spotlight at what they do well.

"The girls have had more confidence lately. We had Savannah and then had to play without her, so we struggled offensively at times. If we don't make our easy baskets then we tend to struggle."

Coach Thompson has some secret weapons in her assistant coaches, Josh Cottrill, Maria Tegeler and Heather Worman.

"Both Maria and Heather have played as members of T-town state teams," said Thompson. "I told the girls you're getting so much experience having these two ladies here. They've lived it and done it and the girls need to pick their brains. Heather played in 2008 when we got third and Maria in 1995 when we won the state championship. It's pretty cool and we remember things we did. I tell Heather and Maria to go out there and show the girls. It doesn't have to come through me.

"I think the girls realize they have a pretty cool setup. They have vast experience from these former two players and can learn from them. I know Dennis (Koester) would think it's pretty cool.

"And of course we can't forget Josh. He does a ton behind the scenes. He watches films, scouts, prepares. We pick each other's brains. That's a big responsibility. He likes that challenge and does a heckuva job coming up with game plans. I made him put in a dribble-drive offense and he has tweaked it. That's something early on that we didn't do a whole lot with but it's nice to have those other ideas out there."

Chicago Marshall is the first round opponent and the Commandos come into the meeting with a 20-7 record. Another huge factor is legendary Dorothy Gaters, the head coach. The Hall of Fame coach has led this team since the 1975-76 season and has a career record of 1,104 wins and 198 losses.

What will Coach Thompson's team look to do against them?

"The big one is we have to take care of the ball," said Thompson. "We do make a lot of turnovers at multiple positions. We have to take care of the ball, especially in pressure situations. This team will pressure us. If we can handle it, we'll be able to score.

"Playing well defensively will be huge also. Chicago Marshall is pretty quick and we're going to have to play better defense than the other night.

"Honestly, the turnover situation we have to keep under control. We get crazy. Once we start turning it over and then it goes on. If we keep our calm and don't panic. The girls just have to get it together and play it for four quarters.

"Chicago Marshall is quick and they like to get up and down the floor. They play an aggressive man-to-man defense and also some zone.We just need to play our type of game. We can't get into a running type of game like they do.  If we do what we do best, I think we can beat them."

The Shoes play the second game of the evening Friday. Chicago Harlan (25-6) and Eureka (28-3) will square off in the opener at 5:30.