By Fred Kroner
Two days after being held scoreless in the final road game of her high school basketball career, Villa Grove/Heritage senior Kyleigh Block erupted for a career-high 47 points in her final home game on Wednesday.
Block’s performance featured nine three-point shots. She tallied 20 first-quarter points, leading the Blue Devils past Warrensburg-Latham, 62-26. Block didn’t play in the game’s final six minutes.
“A game for the ages for one of the best kids I have ever coached,” VG/Heritage coach Dan Sappenfield said. “An amazing performance.”
The game was not just memorable for Block. It is one Sappenfield will carry with him.
“I will always remember my last girls’ basketball game,” the coach said.
After 15 years coaching girls’ basketball, Sappenfield will switch to the boys’ program for the 2021-22 school year.
Villa Grove/Heritage led 24-8 after one quarter and 40-12 at halftime.
Vanessa Wright scored five points in the season finale. Madie Burwell had four points. Kaylee Arbuckle had all of her points on one three-point shot. Hailey Stutz contributed two points, from the free throw line, and Malani Smithenry converted one free throw.
On Monday (March 8), VG/Heritage played its fifth road game in a row and its ninth contest (out of the first 11) away from home.
The road-weary team suffered a 67-10 loss at Clinton. Burwell led the Blue Devils with four points, including a three-point basket.
Scoring two points apiece for a team which made just 3 of 24 shots from the field were Arbuckle, Clodfelder and Stutz.
Clinton (12-3) led, 16-4, after the first quarter. VG/Heritage managed just three second-half points.
VG/Heritage ends the season with a 7-5 overall record. Block was the team’s top scorer in 11 games. Burwell was the leader in one game.
Block’s final-game outburst raised her scoring average to 21.3 points per game. She knocked down a team-best 42 three-point shots for the season.
Three teammates had games where they scored in double figures this season: Arbuckle, Burwell and Wright.
