Mount Pulaski girls win on Senior Night

[February 03, 2017]  The Mount Pulaski Lady Hilltoppers swept the Illini Central Lady Cougars on the court Thursday night to end the regular basketball season. Before the Varsity tip-off Ashley Houser and Hailey Moore were also recognized for Senior Night.

In the opening contest the Lady Hilltoppers JV squad won 53-31.

Mount Pulaski dominated the JV game jumping out to a 17-8 first quarter lead.

By the half Mount Pulaski was up 28-8.

The third quarter only saw the gap widen with the Lady Hilltoppers running the score up to 42-15.

The final in the JV game, thanks to double-digit scoring in every quarter by Mount Pulaski, was 53-31. The Lady Hilltoppers ended the season on a good note.

Callie Anderson led the Lady Hilltoppers JV with 11 points. Olivia Cooper and Amelia Kuhlman each scored 10 points for Mount Pulaski. Mount Pulaski poured in eight three-pointers in the game with Cooper and Anderson scoring three apiece.

The JV squad is coached by Steven Hayes.

Varsity

In the Varsity contest Mount Pulaski hung on late in the game to defeat Illini Central 43-39.

Mount Pulaski was off to a quick start in the first quarter, leading 9-0 before the Lady Cougars even got on the board.

Kyndel Arthalony finally hit two free throws at the 2:14 mark to get Illini Central in the scoring column.

Fikirte Mott’s three with 35 seconds left in the quarter gave Mount Pulaski a 14-4 lead.

Buckets by Dakota Schmeiderer and Skylar Hayes completed the scoring in the first quarter for both teams.

Things got a little too close for comfort for Mount Pulaski as Illini Central came back late in the fourth quarter. The Lady Hilltoppers hung on to win 43-39.

Mount Pulaski’s lead at the end of the first quarter was 16-6.

Illini Central, who truly could not buy a basket in that first quarter, finally heated up in the second quarter. The Lady Cougars put up 14 points to the Lady Hilltoppers 15 points.

Mount Pulaski got threes from Ashley Houser and Hayes to lead the way in that second quarter and allow Mount Pulaski to have a comfortable 31-20 lead at halftime.

The third quarter saw both teams struggle to put the ball through the hoop. No one made a basket until the 4:30 mark when Hailey Moore banked the ball in on an assist from Mott for Mount Pulaski.

Arthalony made all five points for Illini Central in the third quarter.

Add in Mott’s one free throw here and Mount Pulaski’s third quarter performance consisted of three points. Still Mount Pulaski had a 34-25 lead going into the final quarter.

Hayes quickly hit a three from the corner to extend the Mount Pulaski lead to 37-25 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Good thing because Schmeiderer for Illini Central would heat up and toss in seven points while Mount Pulaski cooled off for the next five minutes of play.

Mount Pulaski seniors Hailey Moore and Ashley Houser are all smiles after the 43-39 win on Senior Night.

With just less the a minute left in the ballgame Arthalony hit a three for the Lady Cougars and the Mount Pulaski crowd began to get nervous. Illini Central had made it a ballgame, only trailing by one point, 40-39.

Then with 33 seconds left Hayes hit another three, her fourth on the night, and the crowd erupted. Mount Pulaski’s lead was 43-39 and that is where it would stay.

The rest of the game was just missed opportunities and a couple missed free throws by Mount Pulaski that did not matter in the long run. The Lady Hilltoppers had won on Senior Night with Ashley Houser and Hailey Moore earning a loud applause whenever they scored. Houser finished with 8 points and Moore with 3 points.

Hayes led all scorers with 20 points while Schmeiderer led Illini Central with 17 points. Arthalony also had 10 points for the Lady Cougars.

Mount Pulaski (9-16) hosts the regional tournament next week with the Lady Hilltoppers, a no. 4 seed, playing on Wednesday night.

Mount Pulaski Varsity 43

Hayes 20
Houser 8
May 6
Mott 4
Moore 3
Wade 2

Illini Central Varsity 39

Schmeiderer 17
Arthalony 10
Paskach 8
Damm 2
Duncheon 2


Mount Pulaski JV 53

Anderson 11
Cooper 10
Kuhlman 10
Lowe 6
Roberts 6
Wilham 5
Elaine Aylesworth 3
Emma Aylesworth 2
Kirk 2
 

Illini Central JV 31

Ratliff 19
Duncheon 7
McMorris 5

[Teena Lowery]