Published on January 14, 2026 7:20 am
Last Updated on January 14, 2026 7:26 am
BY MILLIE LANGE
Another heartbreaker for Effingham as the team fell to Newton by a 42-40 tally in high school boys basketball Tuesday evening in a game heard on 979XFM.
Newton moved into a 9-2 opening quarter lead as the only basket for the Hearts came from Cole Phillips. EHS was one of 11 from the field.
Meanwhile, Newton’s Hayden Mulvey connected on a regular basket and a three-pointer for five while Jacob Oldham and Drake Wolf put in a basket each.
But EHS pushed the shooting problems behind in the second quarter with an 11 point run. Unfortunately for the Hearts, Newton was still clicking and tallied 14 for a 23-13 halftime lead.
The Eagles’ Kody Bergbower hit a basket and three free throws for five points while Mulvey connected on four of four from the line and Drake Wolf put in a basket and a free throw.
The Hearts battled back in the second half. EHS played Newton equal in the third quarter as both teams tallied 12 points. Max Buzzard scored five points for the Hearts. Newton continued to connect on its field goals with eight of nine. Bergbower put in five points and Mulvey four.
EHS continued on in the fourth quarter. Jenner Pals hit two three-pointers while Buzzard put in his second three-pointer. Cole Phillips and Jude Traub hit three each.
Newton tallied only seven points but the last two were the game winners. The squads were tied at 40-40. The Eagles had the ball and Mulvey put up a 15-foot shot from the left wing that came up short. However, Drake Wolf got the rebound and put it back in for the game-winner.
The Eagles were led by Wolf with 15 points on six baskets that included two three-pointers and was one of one from the free throw line. Mulvey added 11.
Newton connected on 44.1 percent from the field and were 75 percent at the line.
Effingham was led by Pals with 13 points on five field goals that included three from beyond the arc. Cole Philips added nine.
The Hearts hit only 34.9 percent from the field but were 71.4 percent at the line.
EHS dropped to 6-12 on the season while Newton improved to 9-6.
The Hearts are back in action today at Bethalto Civic Memorial.
Newton returns to play Friday hosting Lawrenceville.
At Effingham
NEWTON (42)
Mulvey 3-4 — 11, Bergbower 3-3 — 9, Volk 0-0 — 0, Oldham 3-0 — 7, D. Wolf 6-1 — 15, E. Wolf 0-0 — 0, Mulvey 0-0 — 0, Gier 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 15 FT, 9 FT.
EFFINGHAM (40)
Niebrugge 0-1 — 1, Bockhorn 1-0 — 2, Pals 5-0 — 13, Buzzard 3-0 — 8, Phillips 4-1 — 9, Fearday 0-0 — 0, McDaniel 0-0 — 0, Traub 1-3 — 5, Kinkelaar 0-0 — 0, Wendling 1-0 — 2, Love 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 15 FG, 5 FT.
Newton 9 14 12 7 — 42
Effingham 2 11 12 15 — 40
3-point FG — Newton 3 (D. Wolf 2, Mulvey 1), Effingham 5 (Pals 3, Buzzard 2).
At Neoga
Effingham St. Anthony rushed out to a 32-9 lead on Neoga and went on for a 78-38 victory as two National Trail Conference teams met Tuesday evening.
Eight players scored for the Bulldogs in that opening quarter run. Keenan Griffith led the way with four field goals that included a three-pointer for nine while Miles Waldhoff put in three baskets, one a three-pointer, and a free throw for eight.
Neoga’s Brayden Ray scored six of his team’s nine points while Trenton Ballinger put in a three-pointer.
The Indians had a slight 13-12 lead in the second quarter to trail 32-22 at halftime. Ballinger connected on another three-pointer.
Waldhoff hit for five more points in the second period.
St. Anthony came out in the third quarter with a 25-11 run to lead 69-33. Seven players scored in that quarter led by Waldhoff with six points and Aiden Lauritzen with five.
Four players hit double digits for the Bulldogs. Waldhoff connected on six field goals, two from three-point range, and was five of eight at the line for 19 points. Griffifth chipped in with 12 while Jonny Gannaway added 11 and Lauritzen 10.
Neoga was led by Ray with 10 points on four field goals and two of two at the line and Ballinger added nine.
St. Anthony was a 65-28 winner in the junior varsity game. Will Bierman scored 11 while Will Vonderheide, Cooper Sehy and Alex Mayer tallied 10 each.
Neoga was led by Evan Fearday with eight.
At Neoga
ST. ANTHONY (78)
Verdeyen 3-0 — 6, Waldhoff 6-5 — 19, Vonderheide 2-0 — 5, Storm 1-0 — 2, Sehy 1-0 — 3, Bierman 1-0 — 2, Lauritzen 4-2 — 10, Mayer 1-1 — 3, Jansen 0-1 — 1, Griffth 5-0 — 12, Gannaway 5-0 — 11, Storm 0-0 — 0, Looman 2-0 — 4. TOTALS 31 FG, 9 FT.
NEOGA (38)
Ballinger 3-0 — 9, Hakman 1-0 — 3, Haarman 0-0 — 0, Porter 0-0 — 0, Coy 0-0 — 0, Sparrow 2-0 — 5, Ja. Finney 0-0 — 0, Ray 4-2 — 10, Welsh 0-0 — 0, Fearday 2-0 — 4, Matusas 1-0 — 2, Bryant 1-0 — 2, Shuler 1-0 — 3. TOTALS 15 FG, 2 FT.
St. Anthony 32 12 25 9 — 78
Neoga 9 13 11 5 — 38
3-point FG — St. Anthony 7 (Waldhoff 2, Griffith 2, Vonderheide 1, Sehy 1, gannaway 1), Neoga 6 (Ballinger 3, Hakman 1, Sparrow 1, Shuler 1).
Junior Varsity Game
St. Anthony 12 17 28 8 — 65
Neoga 11 7 5 5 — 28
St. Anthony — Verdeyen 4, Vonderheide 10, C. Storm 9, Bloemer 0, Bierman 0, Gowin 0, Sehy 10, Bierman 11, Tingley 2, Mayer 10, Wagner 0, McAllaster 0, M. Storm 0, Hoene 2, Looman 7
Neoga — Hakman 3, Andrews 3, Porter 5, Sparrow 2, M. Platz 0, Ja. Finney 3, Be. Strobl 0, Welsh 2, N. Platz 0, Fearday 8, Ju. Finney 0, Will 2