Lady Hearts Win Regional, Set Record for Wins in Single Season

The Effingham Lady Hearts captured the championship of the Rantoul Class 3A Regional Tournament Thursday night, setting a record for wins in a single season in the process.

The Lady Hearts defeated the Champaign Central Maroons 69-38 to improve their record on the season to 29-2, the most wins for a Lady Hearts team in any season. After a scuffling start that saw them score just four points in the first half of the first quarter, Effingham kicked it in gear and led 16-6 by the end of the quarter. It was 32-19 Effingham at halftime and 44-25 Lady Hearts after three quarters before Effingham outscored the Lady Maroons 25-13 in the final period to post the 31-point win.

Effingham shot 41% from the field on the night, making 18 of 44 shots including 4 of 8 threes. The Lady Hearts went to the line 40 times and made 29 for 73%. Effingham turned the ball over 17 times, but grabbed 38 rebounds.

Champaign Central made 14 of 51 shots, 27%, including 1 of 8 threes, made 9 of 18 foul shots, grabbed 28 rebounds and turned the ball over 22 times.

Carsyn Fearday led Effingham in scoring with 23 points on 6 of 11 shooting. Miranda Fox scored 17 points, going 13 of 15 from the foul line. Shelby Myers scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Also for Effingham: Abby Weis eight points, Skyler Schafer four points with nine rebounds, Kiyah Kuhlman four points, and Natalie Carie two points. Aly Armstrong did not score, but grabbed four rebounds.

Chanice Willis led Champaign Central with 12 points. The Maroons finished the season with a 10-20 record.

Effingham advances to the 3A Sectional Tournament at Lincoln and will play Rochester Tuesday at 7:30pm. Rochester won the Bloomington Central Catholic Regional, defeating Bloomington Central Catholic 59-54. Effingham High School will have a fan bus signup sheet for Tuesday's game at Lincoln in the main office this morning. Students interested in riding the bus will need to sign up by Tuesday morning prior to school starting.

Class 3A Rantoul Regional

Championship

CHAMPAIGN CENTRAL (38)

J. Wilson 0-0 -- 0, Willis 5-1 -- 12, Gwin 1-0 -- 2, Browning 1-2 -- 4, V. Mccoy 0-0 -- 0, L. MCcoy 3-3 -- 9, Badmos 3-0 -- 6, Kashua 0-0 -- 0, Smith 0-2 -- 2, K. Wilson 1-1 -- 3. TOTALS 14 FG, 9  FT.

EFFINGHAM (69)

Fearday 6-8 -- 23, Schafer 2-0 -- 4, Carie 1-0 -- 2, Armstrong 0-0 -- 0, Fox 2-13 -- 17, Weis 3-1 -- 8, Myers 3-5 -- 11, Herboth 0-0 -- 0, Kuhlman 1-2 -- 4, Koester 0-0 -- 0, Armstrong 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 18 FG, 29 FT.

Champaign Central            6    13      6    13    --    38

Effingham                         16    16    12    25    --    69

3-point FG -- Champaign Central 1 (Willis 1), Effingham 4 (Fearday 3, Weis 1).