Lady Hearts' Record-Breaking Season Comes to an End

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Published on February 26 2014 9:30 am
Last Updated on February 26 2014 9:44 am
Written by Greg Sapp

The Effingham Lady Hearts set a single-season record for wins, but the season came to an end Tuesday night at the hands of a buzzsaw known as Bethalto Civic Memorial.

Civic Memorial defeated Effingham 50-30 at the Carbondale 3A Sectional in a game heard on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com.  

(LADY HEARTS SENIORS STEPHANIE ROBB, LAUREN STEPHENSON, JOSIE ZERRUSEN AND CAITLIN KAUFMAN)

Civic Memorial scored the first five points of the game, but the Lady Hearts responded with six straight points to take a 6-5 lead, but that was pretty much the last hurrah for Effingham.  Civic Memorial closed out the scoring in the quarter to lead 14-6 and outscored Effingham 15-7 in the second period to lead 29-13 at halftime.

The Lady Hearts fought back to outscore Civic Memorial 12-11 in the third quarter, but the Eagles still led 40-25 at the end of the period.  A 10-5 edge for Civic Memorial in the fourth quarter made it a 20-point win for the Eagles and an end to the season for Effingham.

The Lady Hearts shot just 32% from the field, hitting 11 of 34 shots including four of 11 three-point tries.  Effingham was four of six from the foul line and grabbed 20 rebounds, but committed a whopping 22 turnovers.  

Civic Memorial shot 42% from the field, made 16 of 24 foul shots, turned the ball over just seven times and pulled down 23 rebounds while making two of six three-pointers.

Josie Zerrusen led Effingham with 15 points including three three-pointers.  Also for the Lady Hearts: Jantzen Michael five, Stephanie Robb and Maddy Field three points apiece, and Lauren Stephenson and Caitlin Kaufman two points each.  Brittany Beals, Felicia Totten and Taylor Crowell also saw action for Effingham, whose season ends at 28-4.

Civic Memorial is now 30-2 and will play Carbondale, a 58-46 winner over Columbia in the first game Tuesday, for the sectional championship Thursday at 7pm.

Effingham says goodbye to seniors Caitlin Kaufman, Stephanie Robb, Josie Zerrusen and Lauren Stephenson.