St. Joseph eighth-grade prepares for postseason
By Fred Kroner
The St. Joseph Middle School seventh-grade girls’ basketball team overcame a five-point first-quarter deficit to defeat Hoopeston Area, 19-9, on Saturday (Nov. 13).
Hannah Dahl drained three three-point shots and scored a game-high nine points. Kiah Riesel contributed four points and Abigail Crider hit three points. Adeline Stevens had a basket and Brynn Ikemire made a free throw.
Hoopeston led, 7-2, after one quarter.
On Thursday (Nov. 18), the Panthers were held scoreless in the first and fourth quarters and dropped a 22-5 decision at home to Mahomet-Seymour.
Crider and Kiah Riesel each scored two points and Dahl scored the other point.
On Saturday (Nov. 20), seventh-seeded St. Joseph opened IESA Class 3A regional tournament play with a come-from-behind 12-11 conquest of second-seeded Tuscola.
The Panthers were held to one first-quarter free throw.
Crider hit four of her team-high seven points in the last stanza. Dahl and Stevens each contributed a basket and Riesel added a free throw.
The Panthers played third-seeded Tolono Unity on Monday (Nov. 22) in the regional semifinals at St. Joseph and suffered a season-ending 39-23 loss.
Crider posted the team’s top-scoring game of the season, firing in 15 points. She was backed by Dahl and Maggie Hewkin, each with three points, and Madison Farber with two points.
Crider’s 15 points and Dahl’s 14 against Champaign Franklin were the Panthers’ top individual offensive games of the year.
Overall, Dahl led the team in scoring (or shared the lead) in 11 games, Crider in seven, Riesel in two and Stevens in one.
St. Joseph finishes with a 7-13 record after an 0-4 start to the season.
The St. Joseph eighth-graders suffered a 28-10 loss at home to Mahomet-Seymour.
Tamara Blackburn-Kelley led the way with six points. Adding a basket apiece were Ashlynn Miller and Kayla Osterbur.
The loss snapped a winning streak that had reached 13 games on Saturday (Nov. 13) with a 20-6 triumph at Hoopeston Area.
Addie Brooks matched a season-high with three three-point baskets and led the way against Hoopeston with nine points. Blackburn-Kelley and Osterbur each added four points and Katie Ericksen added three points.
The eighth-graders (16-2) start IESA Class 3A regional tournament play at home on Tuesday (Nov. 30) against an opponent to be determined. The Panthers are top-seeded in the regional.
