Lady Railers fall in Regional Championship to Effingham 70-64

[February 18, 2017]  The Lady Railers season came to an end Friday night at the hot-shooting hands of the Effingham Flaming Hearts. Lincoln fought a tough battle and in the end came up short, losing 70-64.

Effingham started off the game with a three and that was only a sign of things to come. The Flaming Hearts would hit 12 threes in the game while Lincoln would hit a total of 8 threes.

In that first quarter Effingham would have a 6-2 lead early before Lincoln’s defense got warmed up and forced a couple turnovers.

With that came a couple baskets, a huge three from Morgan Lolling to fire up the Lincoln crowd and then a bucket by Hailie Williams to put Lincoln on top 7-6 at the 4:50 mark.

Froebe’s first three of the night extended the lead to 10-6 seconds later. She would add another three with 3:40 left to play in the first quarter and Lincoln was up 13-8.

Those Flaming Hearts, who had only suffered four losses all season, were not about to let the lead get too far away. Threes from Sidney Webster and Natalie Carle allowed them to earn the lead back with just around a minute left in the first quarter.

Then Grace Bossingham’s basket was good in the lane to give Lincoln the lead back, 15-14 at the close of the quarter.

Kennedy Lolling extended the Lincoln lead to start the second quarter action with a three. Then it was Morgan Lolling hitting a 10-foot jumper and the Lady Railers were up 20-15.

Those Flaming Hearts have a super sophomore by the name of Carsyn Fearday and she heated up in the second quarter scoring eight points and it was her layup that tied the game 21-21 around the 4:00 minute mark. Aly Armstrong then put the Flaming Hearts back on top 24-21 as she hit another one from downtown.

Lincoln scratched their way back to tie the game by hitting some free throws. But as soon as Lincoln would either tie the game or take the lead, Effingham would come storming back. With just around a minute left in the second quarter and Lincoln down 30-26, it was the Lady Railers turn to play catch up.

Kennedy Lolling’s layup in the open court was good for two and then Froebe’s free throws with 46.9 seconds showing on the clock did indeed tie the game. Lincoln managed to steal the ball in the final seconds of the quarter but nothing developed from it and the two teams went to the locker room tied at 30-30.

To start the second half, Morgan Lolling would give Lincoln their last lead of the night. Her basket in the lane put Lincoln on top 32-30 and the rest of the quarter Lincoln fans would just have to witness the Flaming Hearts burying one 3 after another.

Effingham’s six 3s in the quarter was just the dagger in the hearts of Railer Nation. Armstrong was particularly on fire and her back-to-back threes really brought the Effingham crowd to their feet and gave the team a 40-32 lead. Fearday would also hit a three and with that bucket Effingham was up 43-36. But Armstrong was not finished with her business. She decided to launch another from long distance and it was good for the 46-36 Flaming Hearts lead.

Leah Schneider kept the Lady Railers alive with six points in the quarter but she picked up her third foul with 2:24 left here and she had to play a little more careful after that.

Meanwhile the shooting display continued from the Flaming Hearts. Carle’s three for Effingham only made the lead worse in the eyes of Lincoln. The Effingham lead was now 52-40 and that was quite a hole Lincoln was buried in, especially by a team that already had 25 victories under their belt.

Leah’s bucket with 31.4 seconds would be the last of the scoring in the third quarter and Effingham held a 52-42 lead going into the final eight minutes of the game. A couple times in the fourth quarter Lincoln pulled to within seven points early and it looked like the Lady Railers would have a chance. The effort was there by the Lady Railers, no doubt.

As fans watched Froebe focus and pour in 15 fourth quarter points, there was hope. That hope was definitely alive as Froebe launched one from just within reach of the Lincoln bench, making the score 64-57 with 2:29 left to play in the game. Thirty seconds later Froebe would just miss another three and pick up her fourth foul at the other end of the court, forcing Effingham to the free throw line.

Kaelyn Froebe dribbles around an Effingham defender Friday night on the Dolph Stanley Court.  Froebe poured in 29 points for Lincoln but the Lady Railers fell in the Regional Championship 70-64 to the Flaming Hearts. 

Miranda Fox made those two free throws for Effingham but Lincoln had the ball back. Froebe again launched a three and this time it is good, pulling Lincoln to within six points late in the game, 66-60 now the score.

Lincoln managed to remain close with the Flaming Hearts in the final minute and a half of play, exchanging buckets until the end. After Bossingham made the last basket of the Lady Railers season with 10.5 remaining that would be all she wrote for the 2016-17 season.

Lincoln ends the season in a 70-64 regional championship defeat and Effingham moves on in the postseason.

These two teams will be conference foes next season as Lincoln joins the Apollo Conference. Look for a rematch of epic proportion next season as Effingham’s current squad is heavy on juniors and seniors, all loaded with talent and the ability to shoot lights out.

Lincoln loses two seniors to graduation and also boasts a stellar junior class. In addition the freshmen and sophomores coming up through the ranks are very talented and focused on the game.

Next season is something to look forward to already, but for now Lincoln should be proud of their 19-13 season record, knowing that they lost a number of games within reach to some much taller teams. It will be fun to see Lincoln’s 6’1 freshman Leah Schneider develop in the coming years and of course seeing that junior class on the court during their senior year will be a treat as well.

Railer Nation certainly has a lot to look forward to. One can only get better by playing better teams. Lincoln ran across that more than once this season and they are only going to be better for it.

One final note to mention, if you’ve watched any Lady Railers games this season, you had to have noticed how these ladies keep their composure. They play with class and dignity and let their game do the talking. Thank you, ladies, for a great season and YOU make Railer Nation proud.

Finally, Lincoln was led in scoring one last time for the 2016-17 season by those “Splash Sisters” - Froebe poured in 29 points, which included five 3s, while Kennedy Lolling launched three 3s and ended up scoring 13 points.

Lincoln 64

Froebe 29
K. Lolling 13
M. Lolling 8
Schneider 8
Bossingham 4
Williams 2

Effingham 70

Armstrong 17
Fearday 16
Myers 11
Carle 9
Fox 9
Webster 6
Schafer 2

[Teena Lowery]