Blackburn-Kelley leads Panthers in three
By Fred Kroner
Timera Blackburn-Kelley scored in double figures in three consecutive road games during a four-day span to lead the St. Joseph eighth-grade girls’ basketball to a sweep of the games.
The Panthers topped Urbana, 37-21, on Monday (Oct. 25), Danville North Ridge, 33-11, on Tuesday (Oct. 26) and Rantoul, 36-2, on Thursday (Oct. 28).
Blackburn-Kelley tallied 13 points at Urbana. Kayla Osterbur hit eight points. Addie Brooks contributed seven points and Katie Erickson had three points. Finishing with two points apiece were Kenzie Atwood, Kaitlyn Beyers and Sophia Kasper.
At North Ridge, Blackburn-Kelley netted 15 points and Brooks tossed in 12, including three shots from three-point range. Lexi Lackey hit four points and Osterbur rounded out the scoring with two points.
At Rantoul, Blackburn-Kelley and Osterbur each notched 10 points in a game where the Panthers didn’t allow a point after halftime. Atwood chipped in with eight points.
Brooks drained four points. Adding two points apiece were Lackey and Ashlynn Miller.
On Monday (Nov. 1), the Panthers continued their winning ways, overpowering Tuscola, 35-20, in St. Joseph.
Brooks led the way with 10 points. Erickson added nine and Blackburn-Kelley ended with eight points. Osterbur scored four points while both Beyers and Miller added two points apiece.
The eighth-graders have a 12-1 season record and a nine-game winning streak.
The St. Joseph seventh-graders have played three consecutive one-point decisions after suffering a 38-5 loss at Urbana on Monday (Oct. 25).
Adeline Stevens scored three points and Hayden Dahl collected two points against Urbana.
In a game that was tied after three quarters, Danville North Ridge notched a 14-13 win over St. Joseph.
Dahl led the Panthers with six points and drained two three-pointers. Abigail Crider netted three points. Contributing two points each were Stevens and Brynn Ikemire.
St. Joseph snapped a three-game losing streak by prevailing at Rantoul, 11-10.
Crider hit four points and Kiah Riesel finished with three points for the Panthers. Stevens and Mia Jones chipped in with two points apiece.
On Monday (Nov. 1), the Panthers dropped a 15-14 decision at home to Tuscola.
The visitors led 13-6 after three quarters, but Dahl dropped all of her team-high eight points in the last quarter to spark a comeback that ended one point short. She nailed two three-point shots.
Riesel contributed four points and Crider finished with two points.
The seventh-graders have a 4-9 record, but are 4-5 in their last eight games. The team has played four one-point games this season and are 1-3 in those contests.
St. Joseph returns to action on Thursday (Nov. 4) at home against Tolono Unity.
