Neoga Wins First-Ever Girls Sectional Crown

TUSCOLA -- Neoga made school history for girls basketball with its first-ever sectional championship Friday.

The Indians captured a 48-42 win over Effingham St. Anthony to capture the Tuscola 1A title and earn a berth in the Wayne City Super-Sectional Monday night. The game was heard on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com. 

Neoga took the early lead, 12-6 after the opening quarter as Sydney Richards connected on two baskets while Avery Fearday hit a three-pointer and Haylee Campbell made an old-fashioned three-point play.

Neither team was shooting well as St. Anthony could connect on only two of 16 baskets while Neoga hit five of 12.

St. Anthony fought back in the second period as both teams shot better. The Bulldogs trailed by seven before starting a comeback near the end of the period. Grace Karolewicz hit a basket at the 1:22 mark and the Bulldogs were within 23-20.

Haylee Campbell got the Indians ahead by five but St. Anthony's Riley Guy hit a bucket and Lucy Fearday a three-pointer and the Bulldogs had pulled within 25-23 at halftime.

Neoga pushed ahead 27-23 at the start of the third quarter but here came St. Anthony again as Fearday hit a basket and at the 6:06 mark put in two free throws and the score was knotted at 27-27. Neoga pushed ahead again at 29-27, but the Bulldogs moved into a 30-29 lead on a bucket by Karolewicz. Guy connected on an old-fashioned three-point play and Stacie Vonderheide put in a free throw and the Bulldogs held a 34-29 lead going into the final quarter.

The lead went to 36-29 to start the final period on a bucket by Vonderheide. St. Anthony mained control and moved ahead by eight with 5:50 showing. But Neoga wasn't out of the contest. Trista Moore hit a three-pointer and that seemed to get the Indians rolling again. Richards connected at 4:20 and Sydney Hakman put in two free throws and suddenly Neoga had pulled within a point.

St. Anthony took a time out but that didn't stop the Indians' momentun. S. Richards nailed a three-pointer at 2:20 and the Indians moved ahead 40-38. St. Anthony pulled within a point several times but each time Neoga answered. Neoga led 44-42 before S. Richards connected on two free throws at 12.2 seconds and Brynn Richards hit two free throws and that was the game, 48-42.

"I'm very proud of the way all the girls stepped up," said Neoga Coach Kim Romack. "We had a fantastic first quarter and we knew we had to have a good start. We also knew we had to knock down free throws.

"Sydney Richards brings such a presence to the game and she's such a good kid and so humble. The kids just go with her."

Richards finished as the only double figure performer for Neoga with 17 points while Campbell and Fearday added nine each.

"Emotions are high right now," said Romack. "It was a down-right battle with these two teams because we know each other. Now it's on to a team we don't know and into uncharted territory."

Neoga Monday will face Goreville, a 57-53 winner over Christopher to capture the Sesser-Valier Sectional.

St. Anthony was led by Guy with 18 points and Fearday with nine.

"We had one really good quarter and against a good team you have to play all four quarters," said St. Anthony Coach Aaron Rios. "We missed a bunch of free throws at the end and turned over the ball in the fourth quarter. We didn't finish and we had chances.

"Riley Guy kept us in the game in the first half. I'm very proud of our seniors and couldn't be more excited about the wins the season."

The Bulldogs ended with a 23-10 record.

Class 1A Tuscola Sectional

Championship

NEOGA (48)

S. Richards 5-11 6-8 17, Cmapbell 4-5 1-1 9, Fearday 2-11 3-4 9, Moore 3-5 0-0 7, Hakman 0-2 2-3 2, B. Richards 1-2 2-2 4, Sampson 0-2 0-0 0. TOTALS 15-38 FG, 14-18 FT.

ST. ANTHONY (42)

Fearday 3-15 3-4 9, Guy 7-16 3-6 18, Karolewicz 4-12 0-0 8, Hatton 0-2 3-4 3, Faber 0-2 0-0 0, Vonderheide 1-1 2-4 4, Kibler 0-1 0-0 0, Nuxoll 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS 15-49 FG, 11-18 FT.

Neoga                    12    13      4    19    --    48

St. Anthony           6    17    11     8    --    42

3-point FG -- Neoga 4 (Fearday 2, S. Rchards 1, Moore 1), St.  Anthony 1 (Guy 1).

LISTEN TO INTERVIEWS WITH BOTH COACHES: