St. Anthony Wins Girls NTC Tourney Championship

Effingham St. Anthony claimed the championship of the NTC Basketball Tournament.

BEECHER CITY -- Two state-ranked teams battled it out for the championship of the National Trail Conference Girls Basketball Tournament Saturday at Beecher City High School in a game heard on KJ Country 102.3.

Effingham St. Anthony toppled No. 4 ranked Altamont by a 69-60 tally. The game was neck and neck throughout.

The Bulldogs, in the others receiving votes category in the Class 1A state poll. edged out to a 14-13 opening quarter lead. Stacie Vonderheide connected on three baskets and was two of two at the line for eight points while Nancy Ruholl hit a three-pointer and was also two of two at the line for five.

Grace Nelson kept the Indians within two by hitting a three-pointer, two baskets and one of one at the line for eight.

St. Anthony pushed the lead to 34-29 at halftime. Ruholl took over the scoring with eight points while Vonderheide added six more.

Nelson was on target with two three-pointers, a regular basket and three of four at the line for 11.

The Bulldogs kept the pressure on and had a slight 15-14 edge in the third quarter to lead 49-43. Ruholl added seven more points to her total.

Nelson scored half of her team's third quarter points with seven.

St. Anthony's Vonderheide tallied eight points in the final quarter with three baskets and two free throws. Ruholl added six and Addie Lauritzen five.

Altamont couldn't get over the hump and fell by nine points.

"Stacie had an outstanding game with 26 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and two steals," said St. Anthony Coach Aaron Rios. "She was also named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. We are all so proud of Stacie and her accomplishments on the season. She is an amazing kid who is an outstanding basketball player.

"Nancy Ruholl had an amazing performance as well with 26 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. She also made the All-Tournament team. Down the stretch, she was four of four from the free throw line which was big for our ballclub to finish the game. She was eight of nine from the stripe tonight."

Adysen Rios contributed seven points, nine rebounds and four assists for the Bulldogs.

"To almost have three guards in a big game like that in double figures is a phenomenal performance," said Coach Rios.

"Freshman Addie Lauritzen and junior Addi Nuxoll rounded out the scoring with five points apiece. Laurtizen ended the game with five boards and Nuxoll had seven boards and three blocks.

"We finished the game with 43 rebounds and only turned the ball over 10 times. I am proud of our kids and how they kept fighting tonight. It is an awesome time for the Sisterhood culture, our kids, parents, fans and St. Anthony."

Third place in the tournament went to Brownstown/St. Elmo, also in the Class 1A state polls in the others receiving votes category, with a 62-38 victory over Dieterich.

BSE ran out to a 25-2 opening quarter lead and never looked back.

Lexi Seabaugh led the way for Brownstown/St. Elmo with 22 points on eight field goals, one a three-pointer, and five of five at the line. Presley Williams also was in double digits with 16. BSE hit 13 of 17 from the free throw line.

Addison Miller led Dieterich with 12 points while Miley Britton added 10. The Movin' Maroons hit only one of five free throws.

In the consolation championship, Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City won over Neoga, 61-43.

CHBC took a 17-7 opening quarter lead and led 30-22 at halftime. CHBC then had a 21-10 third quarter run.

Macee Rodman connected on eight field goals, four from three-point range, for 20 points to lead the Bobcats. Baya Fingo chipped in with 14 points.

Neoga was led by Brynn Richards wth 17 points on seven field goals, one a three-pointer and two of five at the line. Haylee Campbell chipped in with 13.

In the seventh place contest, Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg won over South Central, 57-41.

The Hatchets ripped out to a 21-6 opening quarter lead and never looked back.

The Hatchets led 32-16 at halftime. Ella Kinkelaar led the winners with 20 points on six field goals, three from trifecta land, and five of nine at the line. Kendra Hayes chipped in with nine and Kaitlyn VonBehrens added eight.

South Central was led by Percilla Reid with nine points on three field goals, two of those three-pointers, and one of two at the line. Kaitlyn Swift, Taegan Webster and Lauren Johnson added eight each.

Named to the All-Tournament Team were Stacie Vonderheide (St. Anthony) who was named Most Valuable Player, Grace Nelson (Altamont), Lexi Seabaugh (Brownstown-St. Elmo), Macee Rodman (Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City), Brynn Richards (Neoga), Miley Britton (Dieterich), Dayana Haslett (Brownstown/St. Elmo), Nancy Ruholl (St. Amthony), Taegan Webster (South Central), Miah Ballard (North Clay), Ella Kinkelaar (Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg) and Peyton Osteen (Altamont).

NTC Tournament

Championship

ST. ANTHONY (69)

Rios 2-2 -- 7, Ruholl 8-7 -- 26, Nuxoll 2-1 -- 5, Faber 0-0 -- 0, Vonderheide 11-4 -- 26, Laurtizen 2-1 -- 5. TOTALS 25 FG, 15 FT.

ALTAMONT (60)

Grunloh 2-0 -- 6, Boehm 1-0 -- 3, P. Osteen 4-3 -- 13, Lurkins 1-2 -- 4, K. Osteen 1-0 -- 2, Nelson 11-4 -- 32, Klein 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 20 FG, 9 FT.

St. Anthony              14    20    15    20    --    69

Altamont                  13    16    14    17    --    60

3-point FG -- St. Amthony 4 (Ruholl 3, Rios 1), Altamont 11 (Nelson 6, Grunloh 2, P. Osteen 2, Boehm 1).

Third Place Game

DIETERICH (38)

Tegeler 1-0 -- 2, Kreke 2-0 -- 4, Hahn 0-0 -- 0, L. Goebel 0-0 -- 0, Westendorf 0-0 -- 0, Miller 5-0 -- 12, Faller 1-0 -- 2, Britton 3-1 -- 10, C. Goebel 0-0 -- 0, Miller 0-0 -- 0, Meinhart 0-0 -- 0, Huber 0-0 -- 0, S. Goebel 4-0 -- 8. TOTALS 16 FG, 1 FT.

BSE (62)

Williams 5-4 -- 16, Sasse 0-0 -- 0, Huddlestun 0-3 -- 3, Ledbetter 1-0 -- 2, Ramsey 2-0 -- 5, Dan. Haslett 0-0 -- 0, Day. Haslett 4-0 -- 9, Seabaguh 8-5 -- 22, Miller 1-0 -- 2, Ireland 1-1 -- 3. TOTALS 22 FG, 13 FT.

Dieterich               2    14    13      9    --    38

BSE                     25    13      9    15    --    62

3-point FG -- Dieterich 5 (Britton 3, Miller 2),  Brownstown/St. Elmo 5 (Williams 2, Ramsey 1, Day. Haslett 1, Seabaugh 1).

Consolation Championship

NEOGA (43)

Frankie 0-0 -- 0, Snidle 0-0 -- 0, Henderson 2-0 -- 4, Ricahrds 7-2 -- 17, O'Dell 0-1 -- 1, Sampson 2-0 -- 4, Eaton 2-0 -- 4, Reynolds 0-0 -- 0, Lindsay 0-0 -- 0, Osborn 0-0 -- 0, Campbell 5-2 -- 13. TOTALS 18 FG, 5 FT.

CHBC (61)

Vaughn 0-0 -- 0, Rodman 8-0 -- 20, Colman 2-0 -- 4, Nohren 1-0 -- 2, K. Vaughn 0-0 -- 0, Musson 0-0 -- 0, Saez 2-0 -- 4, Smith 4-0 -- 8, Doty 0-0 -- 0, Dawson 0-0 -- 0, Fingo 7-0 -- 14, Stuckemeyer 3-3 -- 9. TOTALS 27 FG, 3 FT.

Neoga                 7    15    10    11    --    43

CHBC               17    13    21    10    --    61

3-point FG -- Neoga 2 (Richards 1, Cambpell 1), Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 4 (Rodman 4).

Seventh-Place Game

SOUTH CENTRAL (41)

Reid 3-1 -- 9, Ky. Swift 0-0 -- 0, Ka. Swift 3-0 -- 8, Rose 1-0 -- 2, Conant 1-0 -- 2, Webster 3-1 -- 8, Johnson 3-2 -- 8, Cowger 1-2 -- 4. TOTALS 15 
FG, 6 FT.

WSS (57)

Johnson 0-0 -- 0, Kinkelaar 6-5 -- 20, Carey 0-0 -- 0, K. Hayes 2-3 -- 9, K. VonBehrens 4-0 -- 8, Vonderheide 0-0 -- 0, Wittenberg 3-1 -- 7, Kasey 0-0 -- 0, S. Hayes 3-0 -- 6, Despoitre 0-0 -- 0, Mathis 3-0 -- 7. TOTALS 21 FG, 9 FT.

South Central               6    10    12    13    --    41

WSS                            21    11      8    17    --    57

3-point FG -- South Central 5 (Reid 2, Ka. Swift 2, Webster 1), Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 6 (Kinkelaar 3, K. Hayes 2, Mathis 1).