EHS Girls Advance in Charleston Holiday Tournament

CHARLESTON -- The Effingham High School girls basketball squad bounced Rantoul 54-29 in opening round play of the Charleston Holiday Tournament Thursday.

Effingham edged out to an 11-7 opening quarter lead then had a 19-9 second period run to lead 30-16 at halftime. The Hearts came out blazing in the third period with a 20-8 run and put the game away.

Three players hit double digits for the Hearts. Jantzen Michael, a sophomore, led the way with 14 points while Caitlin Kaufman and Josie Zerrusen tallied 12 each. The Hearts connected on four three-pointers, two by Kaufman and one each by Zerrusen and Michael.

In other games, Taylorville 46, Decatur Eisenhower 25; Paris 43, Galesburg 36 and Charleston 61, Urbana 41.

Charleston Holiday Tournament

EFFINGHAM (54)

Utz 1-2 -- 4, Michael 5-3 -- 14, Weiser 0-0 -- 0, Beals 0-0 -- 0, Totten 1-0 -- 2, Stephenson 0-0 -- 0, Kaufman 5-0 -- 12, Robb 3-0 -- 6, Zerrusen 3-5 -- 12, Fields 2-0 -- 4. TOTALS 20 FG, 10 FT.

RANTOUL (29)

Walker 0-0 -- 0, Church 2-0 -- 4, Mullen 0-0 -- 0, Riggs 2-0 -- 4, Lutes 0-0 -- 0, Dixon 0-0 -- 0, H. Wascher 6-5 -- 17, Egerton 1-1 -- 4, L. Washer 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 11 FG, 6 FT.

Effingham          11    19    20    4    --    54

Rantoul               7      9      8    5    --    29

3-point FG -- Effingham 4 (Kaufman 2, Zerrusen 1, Michael 10, Rantoul 1 (Egerton 1).