Overtime is needed to down Ridgewood, 49-46, in Class 1A State Semifinal
| Northern Illinois Sports Beat http://www.northernillinoissportsbeat.com |
Championship Calibur Game Goes
to Lady Royals, Title Awaits
to Lady Royals, Title Awaits
At Redbird Arena, Normal
Class 1A Semifinal
Hinckley-Big Rock 49
AlWood/Cambridge 46 (OT)
Key: 2pt, 3pt, ft, pts
Ridgewood (46) – Stephanie
Williams 3-8 0-0 2-2 8,
Amanda Kruger 3-3 0-0 1-1 7,
Michelle Williams 2-6 0-1 0-0
4, Jena Peterson 2-8 2-8 0-0
6, Ella Teel 4-13 1-7 4-4 13,
Danyelle English 4-6 0-0 0-0
8, Annie Gelaude 0-4 0-1 0-0
0. Totals 18-48 3-17 7-7 46.
HBR (49) – Jenna Thorp 6-19
0-0 2-5 13, Maxzine Rossler
1-2 1-2 -1 3, Tess Godhardt 9-
17 0-0 1-4 11, Kaitlin Phillips
3-8 0-0 2-3 8, Jes Meyer 1-5
0-0 1-2 3, Katie Hollis 1-2 0-0
0-2 2, Alyssa Baunach 0-0 0-
0 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 1-2 6-17
49.
R'Wood 10 20 6 6 4 - 46
HBR 16 11 9 6 7 - 49
Offensive Rebounds – HBR
17 (Godhardt 7); Ridgewood
5 (Kruger, Gelaude 2).
Defensive Rebounds - HBR
25 (Thorp 7), Ridgewood 20
(S. Williams 5). Assists -
HBR 9 (Thorp 5), Ridgewood
7 (S. Williams 4). Steals -
HBR 13 (Thorp 4),
Ridgewood 6 (M. Williams 2).
Blocks - Ridgewood 2
(Kruger, English), HBR 1
(Thorp). Turnovers - HBR 19,
Ridgewood 15. Total fouls -
Ridgewood 14, HBR 13.
Fouled out - Godhardt,
Peterson.
Records: HBR (32-2),
Ridgewood (31-3).
Class 1A Semifinal
Hinckley-Big Rock 49
AlWood/Cambridge 46 (OT)
Key: 2pt, 3pt, ft, pts
Ridgewood (46) – Stephanie
Williams 3-8 0-0 2-2 8,
Amanda Kruger 3-3 0-0 1-1 7,
Michelle Williams 2-6 0-1 0-0
4, Jena Peterson 2-8 2-8 0-0
6, Ella Teel 4-13 1-7 4-4 13,
Danyelle English 4-6 0-0 0-0
8, Annie Gelaude 0-4 0-1 0-0
0. Totals 18-48 3-17 7-7 46.
HBR (49) – Jenna Thorp 6-19
0-0 2-5 13, Maxzine Rossler
1-2 1-2 -1 3, Tess Godhardt 9-
17 0-0 1-4 11, Kaitlin Phillips
3-8 0-0 2-3 8, Jes Meyer 1-5
0-0 1-2 3, Katie Hollis 1-2 0-0
0-2 2, Alyssa Baunach 0-0 0-
0 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 1-2 6-17
49.
R'Wood 10 20 6 6 4 - 46
HBR 16 11 9 6 7 - 49
Offensive Rebounds – HBR
17 (Godhardt 7); Ridgewood
5 (Kruger, Gelaude 2).
Defensive Rebounds - HBR
25 (Thorp 7), Ridgewood 20
(S. Williams 5). Assists -
HBR 9 (Thorp 5), Ridgewood
7 (S. Williams 4). Steals -
HBR 13 (Thorp 4),
Ridgewood 6 (M. Williams 2).
Blocks - Ridgewood 2
(Kruger, English), HBR 1
(Thorp). Turnovers - HBR 19,
Ridgewood 15. Total fouls -
Ridgewood 14, HBR 13.
Fouled out - Godhardt,
Peterson.
Records: HBR (32-2),
Ridgewood (31-3).
By Cody Cutter
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Publisher
NORMAL (Feb. 26) - Tess Godhardt sat on the bench, hands clenched in fists over
her head.
She had picked up her fourth foul of the game with 5:17 left in the third quarter of her
team's Class 1A State Semifinal game. The one who had been leading the way during
Hinckley-Big Rock's march back to Normal wasn't going to be available much longer.
The Lady Royals were tied 30-30 at that point against a Ridgewood team that gave
them the most competition they've had in quite some time.
There was no need to fear, as the rest of the team fought off Ridgewood and won
49-46 despite forcing overtime.
Even though the Lady Royals rosters consists of eight girls, teams can't take out one
person. The balance is what makes the team special.
"What we saw today was an outstanding basketball game between two outstanding
teams," said Hinckley-Big Rock coach Greg Burks. "I don't think anyone expected
anything less."
Going into the overtime period with the game tied at 42, Godhardt inquired to Burks as
to if fouls are carried over into the overtime period.
"She did ask me if - I didn't know if she was serious or not - if her fouls started over,"
said Burks after the game.
She was only joking, but still Godhardt found herself being needed to help jump start
things in the extra time. She went off for the first six HBR points, giving her team a
48-44 lead before finally fouling out with 37.7 left.
"It was a little tough, but my coaches just kept telling me to keep my composure
because they were going to need me," said Godhardt. "So I had to sit there and stop
crying. It was a bit hard to do."
Added to that was the unfamiliarity of being in a tight game, as the last time they won by
less than 15 points was during Christmas. Ridgewood (31-3) had a 5-2 lead with 5:32
left in the first quarter before the Lady Royals (32-2) reeled off eight straight points to
go up by five after two buckets from Godhardt and one each from Jenna Thorp and
Kaitlin Phillips. The run be short-lived, as Ridgewood brought out their three-point
prowess to end the quarter. Jena Peterson's arc shot with ten seconds left ended the
quarter with her team trailing 16-10.
"We always need a big shot like that," said Peterson. "All the players got going and
making their shots."
Halfway through the second quarter, a couple of more three-pointers by Peterson and
Ella Teel helped inch the gap to within one point at 21-20. Amanda Kruger found the
paint unoccupied by a Lady Royal and put up an easy shot to regain a lead with 3:47
left.
Ridgewood held onto a 30-27 lead at half. The Lady Royals were marred by costly
turnovers on their end of the floor late in the half.
"We were pretty tired, but mentally we were still in the game," said Thorp. "We kept our
heads up throughout it. At the half we were disgusted with ourselves."
Getting used to Godhardt being sidelined took some time, as the Lady Royals trailed by
four with three minutes to go in the third quarter. After several missed baskets,
momentum began to swing their way after Jes Meyer took a charge call fon Teel at
halfcourt with 2:33 left. A three-point play by Thorp followed to inch the gap to two. A
pair of free throws from Phillips gave HBR at 35-34 lead.
"We haven't been in tight situations lately, so the experience with the crowd and
everything will keep your head up a little better," said Thorp.
Both teams scored six points in the fourth quarter, with each going on six point runs.
The Lady Royals were up 42-36 before baskets from Kruger and Stephanie Williams
followed. Williams made it a 42-42 game with a bucket with 31 seconds left. The Lady
Royals' final shot of the quarter missed when Phillips couldn't connect on a desperation
shot with 15 feet.
Ridgewood's three-point shooting went cold in the second half. Burks changed his
defense from a man to a zone to make that happen. Ridgewood soon felt
uncomfortable making their big shots.
"The pace was more of what they wanted it at," said Burks about Ridgewood's perimiter
shooting in the first half. "At the same time I thought we wanted to play a man defense,
and I thought with their three-point shooting, that's what we'd have to do. It turned out
we went to a 2-3 (zone) in the second half and pressured a little out of it."
Godhardt led HBR with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Thorp had 14 points, 13 rebounds,
five assists and four steals. Phillips had eight points, Meyer and Maxzine Rossler each
had three points and Katie Hollis had two points.
"Katie Hollis had to come in and did a nice job. Alyssa Baunach was in the rotation at
the time, and she did an outstanding job helping us get back in the ballgame," said
Burks. "I thought Maxzine Rossler and Jessica Meyer were really all over the court,
Katilyn Phillips too, and were really, really active."
Teel led Ridgewood with 13 points. Kruger led in rebounding with six boards.
Ridgewood, which is a cooperative program between Cambridge and Woodhull
AlWood, had been in three overtime games prior to this one. One was in the Regional
final against Knoxville, and another was in the Sectional final against Annawan - that
one ending in two overtimes.
"There was no time, even when we were down by four, that I knew these girls were
going to quit," said Ridgewood coach Bryan Brooks. "The experience in being in some
of these games gave us some confidence. Some things didn't go our way in the end."
The Lady Royals will face Jacksonville Routt on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at
Redbird Arena. Ridgewood will face Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City for the third place
trophy.
Both coaches agree that this was like a state championship game.
"And now we got to come back and do it again against a very, very good Routt team,"
said Burks. "Hopefully we will have enough energy left in the tank to compete with them."
Jacksonville Routt 56 - Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 36
Routt started the day's action with a bang, scoring the first eight points of the game.
Cowden started on an 0-for-7 drought.
The Rockets outscored the Hornets 13-11 after one quarter, and 22-10 after one half.
The Rockets outscored the Hornets 21-15 in the second half.
Morgan Eilering and Erika White led Routt with 12 points each.
"I thought our team came out very focused and intsense from the get-go," said Routt
coach Joe Eilering. "Other than a few times, we ran our offenses very well. Defensively I
thought our defenseive pressure on the wings and guards were outstanding."
Hilary Shelton led the Hornets with 12 points.
Cody Cutter is the Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat. He can be reached at
Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our Message
Boards!
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Publisher
NORMAL (Feb. 26) - Tess Godhardt sat on the bench, hands clenched in fists over
her head.
She had picked up her fourth foul of the game with 5:17 left in the third quarter of her
team's Class 1A State Semifinal game. The one who had been leading the way during
Hinckley-Big Rock's march back to Normal wasn't going to be available much longer.
The Lady Royals were tied 30-30 at that point against a Ridgewood team that gave
them the most competition they've had in quite some time.
There was no need to fear, as the rest of the team fought off Ridgewood and won
49-46 despite forcing overtime.
Even though the Lady Royals rosters consists of eight girls, teams can't take out one
person. The balance is what makes the team special.
"What we saw today was an outstanding basketball game between two outstanding
teams," said Hinckley-Big Rock coach Greg Burks. "I don't think anyone expected
anything less."
Going into the overtime period with the game tied at 42, Godhardt inquired to Burks as
to if fouls are carried over into the overtime period.
"She did ask me if - I didn't know if she was serious or not - if her fouls started over,"
said Burks after the game.
She was only joking, but still Godhardt found herself being needed to help jump start
things in the extra time. She went off for the first six HBR points, giving her team a
48-44 lead before finally fouling out with 37.7 left.
"It was a little tough, but my coaches just kept telling me to keep my composure
because they were going to need me," said Godhardt. "So I had to sit there and stop
crying. It was a bit hard to do."
Added to that was the unfamiliarity of being in a tight game, as the last time they won by
less than 15 points was during Christmas. Ridgewood (31-3) had a 5-2 lead with 5:32
left in the first quarter before the Lady Royals (32-2) reeled off eight straight points to
go up by five after two buckets from Godhardt and one each from Jenna Thorp and
Kaitlin Phillips. The run be short-lived, as Ridgewood brought out their three-point
prowess to end the quarter. Jena Peterson's arc shot with ten seconds left ended the
quarter with her team trailing 16-10.
"We always need a big shot like that," said Peterson. "All the players got going and
making their shots."
Halfway through the second quarter, a couple of more three-pointers by Peterson and
Ella Teel helped inch the gap to within one point at 21-20. Amanda Kruger found the
paint unoccupied by a Lady Royal and put up an easy shot to regain a lead with 3:47
left.
Ridgewood held onto a 30-27 lead at half. The Lady Royals were marred by costly
turnovers on their end of the floor late in the half.
"We were pretty tired, but mentally we were still in the game," said Thorp. "We kept our
heads up throughout it. At the half we were disgusted with ourselves."
Getting used to Godhardt being sidelined took some time, as the Lady Royals trailed by
four with three minutes to go in the third quarter. After several missed baskets,
momentum began to swing their way after Jes Meyer took a charge call fon Teel at
halfcourt with 2:33 left. A three-point play by Thorp followed to inch the gap to two. A
pair of free throws from Phillips gave HBR at 35-34 lead.
"We haven't been in tight situations lately, so the experience with the crowd and
everything will keep your head up a little better," said Thorp.
Both teams scored six points in the fourth quarter, with each going on six point runs.
The Lady Royals were up 42-36 before baskets from Kruger and Stephanie Williams
followed. Williams made it a 42-42 game with a bucket with 31 seconds left. The Lady
Royals' final shot of the quarter missed when Phillips couldn't connect on a desperation
shot with 15 feet.
Ridgewood's three-point shooting went cold in the second half. Burks changed his
defense from a man to a zone to make that happen. Ridgewood soon felt
uncomfortable making their big shots.
"The pace was more of what they wanted it at," said Burks about Ridgewood's perimiter
shooting in the first half. "At the same time I thought we wanted to play a man defense,
and I thought with their three-point shooting, that's what we'd have to do. It turned out
we went to a 2-3 (zone) in the second half and pressured a little out of it."
Godhardt led HBR with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Thorp had 14 points, 13 rebounds,
five assists and four steals. Phillips had eight points, Meyer and Maxzine Rossler each
had three points and Katie Hollis had two points.
"Katie Hollis had to come in and did a nice job. Alyssa Baunach was in the rotation at
the time, and she did an outstanding job helping us get back in the ballgame," said
Burks. "I thought Maxzine Rossler and Jessica Meyer were really all over the court,
Katilyn Phillips too, and were really, really active."
Teel led Ridgewood with 13 points. Kruger led in rebounding with six boards.
Ridgewood, which is a cooperative program between Cambridge and Woodhull
AlWood, had been in three overtime games prior to this one. One was in the Regional
final against Knoxville, and another was in the Sectional final against Annawan - that
one ending in two overtimes.
"There was no time, even when we were down by four, that I knew these girls were
going to quit," said Ridgewood coach Bryan Brooks. "The experience in being in some
of these games gave us some confidence. Some things didn't go our way in the end."
The Lady Royals will face Jacksonville Routt on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at
Redbird Arena. Ridgewood will face Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City for the third place
trophy.
Both coaches agree that this was like a state championship game.
"And now we got to come back and do it again against a very, very good Routt team,"
said Burks. "Hopefully we will have enough energy left in the tank to compete with them."
Jacksonville Routt 56 - Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 36
Routt started the day's action with a bang, scoring the first eight points of the game.
Cowden started on an 0-for-7 drought.
The Rockets outscored the Hornets 13-11 after one quarter, and 22-10 after one half.
The Rockets outscored the Hornets 21-15 in the second half.
Morgan Eilering and Erika White led Routt with 12 points each.
"I thought our team came out very focused and intsense from the get-go," said Routt
coach Joe Eilering. "Other than a few times, we ran our offenses very well. Defensively I
thought our defenseive pressure on the wings and guards were outstanding."
Hilary Shelton led the Hornets with 12 points.
Cody Cutter is the Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat. He can be reached at
Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our Message
Boards!
Photo by Cody Cutter
Hinckley-Big Rock's Jenna Thorp (bottom front) and Tess Godhardt (bottom middle) fight to get the
ball out of the hands of Ridgewood's Jena Peterson under the hoop, as Ridgewood's Danyelle
English and HBR's Kaitlin Phillips look on. HBR won the game in overtime, 49-46.
Hinckley-Big Rock's Jenna Thorp (bottom front) and Tess Godhardt (bottom middle) fight to get the
ball out of the hands of Ridgewood's Jena Peterson under the hoop, as Ridgewood's Danyelle
English and HBR's Kaitlin Phillips look on. HBR won the game in overtime, 49-46.
LEFT: Hinckley-Big Rock's
Jenna Thorp, coach Greg
Burks, and Tess Godhardt
answer questions in the
post-game press
conference.
Photo by Cody Cutter
Jenna Thorp, coach Greg
Burks, and Tess Godhardt
answer questions in the
post-game press
conference.
Photo by Cody Cutter
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