T-town Girls Hand EHS 46-39 Loss

TEUTOPOLIS -- It's a game where there's always a crowd and rightfully so.

Teutopolis played host to Effingham in girls basketball competition Friday evening and the contest never disappoints. This time Teutopolis claimed a 46-39 victory and gave the crowd about all they could want.

"I'm glad we had that last swing of momentum," said T-town Coach Laurie Thompson. "We came out very focused defensively. We wanted to keep Fearday and Weis in check. But, we got a little rattled down the stretch."

The Wooden Shoes ripped out to a 10-4 opening quarter lead on the Hearts and pushed that to 12-4 to start the second period. But the Hearts finally settled and began to work their way around the always tough Shoes defense.

Abby Weis pulled out and knocked down a couple of three pointers and put in two free throws while Carsyn Fearday started to connect, hitting three baskets and the Hearts trailed by only three at halftime, 21-18.

EHS then proceeded to pick away at the T-town lead although the Shoes kept things going offensively to lead 23-20. EHS brought that down and finally knotted the score at 25-25 with 3:32 in the third quarter on another three-pointer by Weis.

Weis nailed her fourth three-point basket with 44 seconds on the clock and that put the Hearts ahead for the first time in the contest. They led 34-29 at the start of the final period.

The Shoes then settled down and Lexie Niebrugge knocked in a three-pointer that pulled them within 34-32. Sadie Bueker came up big with a basket and the Shoes moved ahead 36-34. Olivia Niemerg scored for T-town and the lead stood at 38-34. Weis put in a basket and the Hearts pulled back within two with 1:58 showing.

Then it was time for free throws. Niebrugge hit a basket that put T-town up by four. Bueker then went to the line three times running, hitting all six free throws and that was the game.

"Sadie wanted the ball," said Thompson. "And I wanted it in her hands. Those free throws were huge. We had some impatience early so we slowed down and spread the floor. Then we got to the free throw line."

Bueker finished with 18 points to lead T-town while Niebrugge added 16. Claire Bushur pulled down 10 rebounds.

Effingham was led by Weis with 16 and Fearday with 11. Fearday had seven rebounds.

"We just have to make a couple of shots at the end but we didn't and they did," said EHS Coach Jeff Schafer. "It's frustrating to play that tough of defense and hold a team in the 40s and yet not win. T-town had great defense to start the game but we didn't panic. We got the lead but in the fourth period that's when we have to be sharp and make the plays and we didn't.

"I didn't think we shared the ball to the right person three or four times. We'd push it up the floor then not hit the right person. T-town is just a very good team and they're deep. I like their chances in post-season.

"This was our first loss where we've actually had all our starters healthy. Now we just have to refocus and be ready for Charleston and the Apollo Conference."

T-town improved to 25-4 on the season while Effingham dropped to 20-4.

At Teutopolis

EFFINGHAM (39)

Fearday 5-15 1-2 11, Schafer 1-6 2-2 4, Carie 1-5 2-3 4, Fox 2-3 0-0 4, Weis 5-14 2-2 16, Kuhlman 0-0 0-0 0, Bushur 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS 14-43 FG, 7-9 FT.

TEUTOPOLIS (46)

Mette 1-7 0-0 2, Grimes 1-1 0-0 2, Niebrugge 5-10 4-5 16, Bushur 2-6 0-2 4, S. Bueker 5-10 7-8 18, Niemerg 1-2 0-0 2, Roepke 0-1 0-0 0, H. Bueker 1-1 0-0 2. TOTALS 16-38 FG, 11-15 FT.

Effingham                 4    14    14      7    --    39

Teutopolis               10    11      8    17    --    46

3-point FG -- Effingham 4 (Weis 4), Teutopolis 3 (Niebrugge 2, S. Bueker 1).

Junior Varsity Game -- Teutopolis 42, Effingham 32.