ST. JOHN GIRLS 50, SPEARVILLE 30 (1ST) – St. John's tandem of Lydia Reed and Heidi Fisher showcased their talent with a combined 27 points and numerous assists to spark the No. 2 ranked 1A Tigers past Spearville 50-30 to qualify for the 1A Division state basketball tournament.
Reed and Fisher took charge in the third quarter when Tiger coach Danny Smith let the 6-2 Reed operate from the high post. Fisher fed Reed twice for baskets and Reed returned the favor with a perfect give-and-go score. Mia Meyer dished to Reed to start the second half, who scored eight of her 16 points in the quarter.
Fisher scored 11 points with several nifty assists besides holding Spearville's high-scoring Faith Ackerman to four points. Reed dominated the boards, blocked several shots and intimidated several others.
The Tigers full-court pressure forced 11 first-quarter turnovers that held Spearville without a score for 18 offensive possessions. Spearville's Madison McGee scored seven points. Spearville made 13 of 52 shots (25%) and 2 of 14 from long range (14%).
St. John (21-1) plays Frankfort (19-3) at 8 p.m. Thursday at Colby.
The Tiger girls (21-1) won the 2009 state title and have qualified for the state tourney 12 times. The Tigers lost 28-23 to Central Plains and 40-39 to Little River in substate championships games the past two years.
Spearville 4 7 10 9 – 30
St. John 6 15 17 13 – 50
SPEARVILLE (18-5)—McGee 3-7 0-0 7, Ratzlaff 2-5 1-1 5, Preisner 2-10 1-4 5, Kliesen 2-10 0-0 5, Faith Ackerman 2-11 0-2 4, Huston 1-4 0-2 2, Cheyenne Ackerman 1-6 0-0 2, Totals 13-52 2-9 30.
ST. JOHN (20-1)–Reed 6-11 4-5 16, Heidi Fisher 4-12 3-5 11, Bonner 4-9 1-2 9, Brummer 1-5 1-2 4, Meyer 1-3 3-4 6, Averi Fisher 1-1 0-0 2, Bright 0-0 2-4 2, Totals 17-41 14-22 50.
3-pointers–S 2-14 (McGee 1-1, Kliesen 1-3, Huston 0-1, Ratzalff 0-1, Preisner 0-2, C. Ackerman 0-2, F. Ackerman 0-4); SJ 2-6 (Brummer 1-1, Meyer 1-1, Bonner 0-1, H. Fisher 0-3)
1A DIV. 1 STATE COLBY MARCH 7
2 p.m. – Little River (22-0) vs. Olpe (17-5)
4 p.m. – Norwich (20-1) vs. Centralia (20-2)
6 p.m. – South Gray (21-1) vs. Rawlins County (20-4)
8 p.m. – St. John (21-1) vs. Frankfort (19-3)
ST. JOHN GIRLS 52, HODGEMAN COUNTY 34 – St. John's Mia Meyer scored 20 points and Lydia Reed chipped in 11 to spark No. 2 ranked 1A Tigers past Hodgeman County 52-34 in Friday's St. John basketball substate.
The Tigers (20-1) roared to a 32-11 halftime lead. Meyer scored 13 first-half points and Reed scored seven first-quarter points.
Hodgeman County's Taylor Bamberger and Morgan Ruff each scored eight points.
Hodgeman Co. 11 0 8 15 – 34
St. John 18 14 11 9 – 52
HODGEMAN COUNTY (15-7)–Bamberger 3 0-0 8, Morgan Ruff 3 1-2 8, Mallorie Ruff 1 1-2 4, Dansel 1 1-2 3, Beil 1 0-0 2, Schaffer 2 0-0 4, Reece 1 1-4 3, Lonnberg 1 0-0 2, Totals 14 4-10 34.
ST. JOHN (20-1)–Meyer 9 1-2 20, Reed 5 1-2 11, Heidi Fisher 3 3-4 9, Bright 4 0-0 8, Bonner 1 0-0 2, Brummer 1 0-0 2, Totals 23 4-8 52.
3-pointers–HC 4 (Bamberger 2, Morgan Ruff 1, Mallorie Ruff 1); SJ 1 (Meyer 1).
SPEARVILLE 43, CENTRAL PLAINS 34 (OT) — Spearville’s Faith Ackerman scored five points in overtime and Cheyenne Ackerman opened the extra period with a 3-pointer as the Royal Lancers outscored the perennial state qualifier Central Plains 11-2 in overtime for a 43-34 semifinal substate victory.
The Oiler girls (15-7) miss the state basketball tournament for the first time since 2013 after 10 straight state tourneys. The Oilers played without Melissa Donecker all season and lost Addy Ogle late in the season. Oiler coach Pat Stiles is 58-3 all-time in girls postseason play.
Oiler Grace Lamatsch converted her fourth 3-pointer for a 32-32 tie after four quarters. Marilyn Soeken scored 16 points and Lamatsch added 14 points.
Spearville’s Faith Ackerman scored 14 points and Cheyenne Ackerman and Makenzie Preisner added seven apiece.
“Obviously, we weren’t ready for our season to end this early, but these girls played their hearts out,” said Oiler coach Pat Stiles.
“I’m so beyond proud of everything these girls have accomplished. They’ve faced some adversity this past year, but they’ve handled it with true dignity and grace. I’m so blessed to coach these girls.”
Central Plains 9 10 8 5 2 – 34
Spearville 11 8 9 4 11–43
CENTRAL PLAINS (15-7)—Soeken 7 1-3 16, Lamatsch 5 0-0 14, Sheehy 1 0-0 2, Kempke 1 0-1 2, Totals 14 1-4 34.
SPEARVILLE (18-4)—Faith Ackerman 5 3-4 14, Preisner 3 2-2 9, Kliesen 1 1-2 3, Huston 2 1-2 6, Cheyenne Ackerman 3 0-0 7, McGee 2 0-0 4, Totals 16 7-10 43.
3-pointers—CP (Lamatsch 4, Soeken 1); S 4 (F. Ackerman 1, C. Ackerman 1, Huston 1, Preisner 1).
1A DIV. 1 ST. JOHN—3-2—St. John 20-1 vs. Spearville 18-4; St. John 52, Hodgeman Co. 34; Spearville 43, Central Plains 34 (OT); Hodgeman County 58, Macksville 41; Spearville 50, Kinsley 20; Central Plains 54, La Crosse 42
