CHBC Defeats Dieterich in Battle of the Wendte Sisters

The Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Hornets took another step down the tournament trail Monday night with a 65-46 win over the Dieterich Movin Maroons in girls high school basketball action at the Altamont 1A Sectional.  The contest was heard on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com.

The win was at least a little painful for CHBC Coach Carolyn Wendte in that it came at the expense of the team coached by her sister, Donetta Ohnesorge.  The two engaged in a big hug at the close of the game.  Wendte said after the game, though, that someone has to lose and she has a bunch of girls who don't want to lose.

Dieterich attempted to stay close to the Hornets despite committing 27 turnovers.

CHBC led 18-9 after the first quarter and extended the lead to 16 points in the second period before taking a 33-20 lead to the locker room.  CHBC led 45-30 after three quarters before outscoring the Maroons 20-16 in the final period to win by 19.

The top player for each team, CHBC's Micah Jones and Dieterich's Candace Niemerg, essentially canceled each other out as each scored 27 points and pulled down double digits in rebounds.

CHBC was assisted, though, by Ava Paruleski who scored 19 points to continue a second half surge this season.  Also for CHBC: Kirby Herrmann six points, Jensyn Morrison and Autumn Riley four points each, Kacie Hilt and Ashley Miller two each, and Chandler Ward one point.

In addition to Niemerg's performance, Dieterich got 10 points from Sydney Higgs, five from Taylor Wright, and four from Mallorie Vahling.

Dieterich closes its season with an 18-12 record and the first regional championship in any girls sport in school history, and says goodbye to seniors Candace Niemerg and Katilyn Meinhart.

CHBC improved to 24-5 with the victory and will take on Central A&M Thursday at 7:30 p.m. for the sectional championship and the right to advance to the Salem Super-Sectional next Monday night. Central A&M defeated Hume Shiloh 75-59 in the opener Monday night in a battle of teams rated in the Top 10 in girls 1A basketball.

Here's ticket information for CHBC fans for Thursday's game:

Tickets will be sold Tuesday at both Cowden-Herrick and Beecher City High Schools.  Tickets are five dollars apiece as set by the IHSA and are all general admission. 

-- Players may buy six tickets each from 9-9:30 a.m.

-- Students may purchase one ticket for themselves from 9:30-10 a.m.

--Staff and board members may purchase two tickets each from 10-10:30 a.m.

--The general public may purchase four tickets each from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the high schools in Cowden and Beecher City.

Class 1A Altamont Sectional

Game Two

COWDEN-HERRICK/BEECHER CITY (65)

Ward 0-1 -- 1, Morrison 2-0 -- 4, Jones 9-9 -- 27, Miller 0-2 -- 2, Edwards 0-0 -- 0, Riley 0-4 -- 4, Paruleski 6-4 -- 19, Herrmann 3-0 -- 6, Hilt 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 21 FG, 20 FT.

DIETERICH (46)

Abbott 0-0 -- 0, Flach 0-0 -- 0, Higgs 3-2 -- 10, Niemerg 12-3 -- 27, Schmidt 0-0 -- 0, Meinhart 0-0 -- 0, Vahling 2-0 -- 4, Wright 1-3 -- 5. TOTALS 18 FG, 8 FT.

CHBC               18    15    12    20    --    65

Dieterich            9    11    10    16    --    46

3-point FG -- Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 3 (Paruleski 3), Dieterich 2 (Higgs 2).