St. Anthony, Altamont To Meet For NTC Girls Tournament Title

Altamont won the first game of the evening with an exciting 49-48 victory over Dieterich.

The game came down to 1.7 seconds with the two teams tied. Altamont's Grace Nelson was fouled for two-shot free throws. She missed the first one but nailed the second one giving the Indians the one-point victory.

Nelson finished with 29 points on 13 field goals and three of four at the line. She got the Indians off in the right direction in the opening quarter with a 15-10 lead. Nelson connected for six points while Briana Grunloh hit a three-pointer and Kaylee Lurkins added four points.

But Dieterich came roaring back with a 17-8 second period run to lead 27-23 at halftime. Ruby Westendorf and Miley Britton got the Movin' Maroons on a roll. Westendorf connected on three baskets and two free throws for eight in the quarter while Britton hit a three-pointer and two regular baskets for seven.

Altamont came back with a 12-7 third quarter on a three-pointer by Peyton Osteen, six points by Nelson and three of four free throws by Lurkins to lead 35-34.

Nelson was unstoppable in the final quarter. She had 16 points over three quarters and then came back to hit 13 of her team's 14 final quarter points, including the game-winner.

Nelson finished with 13 field goals and three of four at the line for her 29 point total. Lurkins tallied nine on two field goals and five of six at the line. Altamont was 11 of 16 from the free throw line.

Dieterich was led by Britton with seven field goals, two of those from three-point range, for 16 points while Westendorf chipped in with 11.

The second contest was between two teams who are ranked in the Class 1A state poll. Both teams are in the others receiving votes category.

Effingham St. Anthony edged Brownstown/St. Elmo, 54-47.

The Bulldogs ran out to a 17-5 opening quarter lead and it looked like the game might be a blowout. Stacie Vonderheide was unstoppable, hitting three baskets and a free throw for eight of her teams points while Nancy Ruholl also put on a show with eight points on two three-pointers and a regular basket.

Brownstown/St. Elmo got over the first quarter jitters and came back to pull within 35-21 at halftime. Although St. Anthony held an 18-16 second period edge behind 10 by Vonderheide and eight from Ruholl, BSE also got untracked in the scoring department.

BSE's Lexi Seabaugh hit two three-pointers and a regular basket for eight in the quarter.

Then after halftime, BSE was unstoppable offensively with a 19-7 run to pull within 42-40 going into the final quarter.

Seabaugh tallied eight more while Dayana Haslett went on a five-point run and Danika Ramsey knocked in a three-pointer.

But the Bulldogs got back on an offensive run with a 12-7 final quarter to pull out the seven point victory. Vonderheide added six more points and finished with 24 for the contest. She hit nine field goals, one a three-pointer, and was five of six at the line. Ruholl also had a good game with 21 points on seven field goals, four of those from three-point range, and three of five at the line.

"We beat a tough Brownstown/St. Elmo team," said St. Anthony Coach  Aaron Rios. "Stacie led us in scoring and had seven rebounds, six steals and one blocked shot. Nancy Ruholl also had a great production night with 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

"Adysen Rios rounded out the scoring with nine points, five coming late in the fourth quarter to help us move ahead. She also had four rebounds, six assists and three steals.

"Addi Nuxoll led in blocked shots with five and Ava Faber made an outstanding pass to Adysen for an And One late in the game. It was a big play.

We are excited about the brand of basketball we are playing at this point in the season."

Brownstown/St. Elmo was led by Seabaugh with seven field goals, three of those three-pointers, and three of five at the line for 20 points while Dayana Haslett chipped in with 12 points on four field goals and four of six at the line.

Brownstown/St. Elmo and Dieterich will meet for third place at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

In the consolation championship, Neoga takes on Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City at 4. The seventh place contest features South Central against Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg at 2:30.

National Trail Conference Tournament

Game 9

DIETERICH (48)

Tegeler 2-1 -- 5, Kreke 2-0 -- 4, Westendorf 4-3 -- 11, Ad. Miller 1-0 -- 2, Faller 0-0 -- 0, Britton 7-0 -- 16, Meinhart 3-0 -- 6, Goebel 2-0 -- 4. TOTALS 21 FG, 4 FT.

ALTAMONT (49)

Grunloh 1-0 -- 3, Boehm 0-1 -- 1, Klein 1-0 -- 2, P. Osteen 1-1 -- 4, Lurkins 2-5 -- 9, K. Osteen 0-1 -- 1, Nelson 13-3 -- 29. TOTALS 18 FG, 11 FT.

Dieterich            10    17      7    14    --    48

Altamont            15      8    12    14    --    49

3-point FG -- Dieterich 2 (Britton 2), Altamont 2 (Grunloh 1, P. Osteen 1).

Game 10

BSE (47)

Williams 2-1 -- 5, Sasse 0-0 -- 0, Huddlestun 0-0 -- 0, Ledbetter 0-0 -- 0, Ramsey 1-0 -- 3, Dan. Haslett 0-0 -- 0, Day. Haslett 4-4 -- 12, Seabaugh 7-3 -- 20, Miller 2-3 -- 7,. TOTALS 16 FG, 11 FT.

ST. ANTHONY (54)

Rios 3-3 -- 9,  Ruholl 7-3 -- 21, Nuxoll 0-0 -- 0, Faber 0-0 -- 0, Vonderheide 9-5 -- 24, Lauritzen 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 19 FG, 11 FT.

BSE                             5    16    19      7    --    47

St. Anthony              17    18      7    12    --    54

3-point FG -- Brownstown/St. Elmo 4 (Seabaugh 3, Ramsey 1), St. Anthony 5 (Ruholl 4, Vonderheide 1).