Mount Pulaski Lady Toppers kick off 2018-19 season at the Clinton Turkey Tussle
Skylar Hayes becomes all-time leading scorer for MPHS girls basketball

[November 19, 2018] 

Mount Pulaski senior girls basketball standout Skylar Hayes is having quite the week - and it's only going to get better. The sky is the limit for this young woman, who kicked off the first game of the 2018-19 basketball season by breaking the MPHS girls all-time scoring record that was previously held by Jessica Awe.

Awe, a current 5th grade teacher at MPGS and an assistant basketball coach for the Honeybears, scored 1,687 points in her high school career and set that record in 2013. Hayes broke that mark in the opening round of the Clinton Turkey Tussle Tournament last week.

Games sites of the eight-team tournament are split between Clinton and Riverton, so Mount Pulaski opened their season in the Riverton gymnasium versus Porta on Monday, November 12, 2018.

November 14, 2018 - MPHS senior Skylar Hayes stands center court in the Ed Butkovich Gymnasium as the new all-time leading scorer in girls basketball.

Hayes hit a field goal in the fourth quarter versus the Blue Jays to become the all-time leading scorer in MPHS girls basketball.

Hayes finished with 20 points in that opening contest versus Porta. She currently only trails Jeff Clements on the all-time leading scorers list in MPHS history. Clements scored 2,212 points in his career and he set that record in 1978.

Some members of the Turkey Tussle All-Tournament Team: Madelyn Stevens, Colby Burt, Anna Sagle, Ashlyn Sturdy, Skylar Hayes and Abbi Bode.
Photo courtesy Hayes family

Hayes was also named the MVP of the Clinton Turkey Tussle Tournament. She received the most votes on the all-tournament team. Hayes scored 84 points in 4 games.

Later today at 2:45 p.m. in the Ed Butkovich Gymnasium, Hayes will sign her National Letter of Intent to continue her education and basketball career at the University of Illinois-Springfield.

Clinton's Fifth Annual 2018 Turkey Tussle Girls Basketball Tournament four-game wrap-up

One clever side-note about the tournament. The Clinton folks divide it up into two brackets: the Cranberry Pool and the Stuffing Pool. If that doesn't make you hungry for a Thanksgiving dinner while sitting in a gym, nothing will.

Back to the court and the Lady Toppers.

The team began the season with a 49-39 loss on Monday to Porta in the Clinton Turkey Tussle Tournament. Skylar Hayes led Mount Pulaski with 20 points and Morgan May contributed 8 points and 12 rebounds.

On Tuesday night the ladies bounced back to defeat Riverton 47-20. That game was held in Clinton. Hayes led all scorers with 26 points and Savanah Moore tossed in 9 points.

On Thursday night Mount Pulaski returned to Riverton to take on Buffalo Tri-City. The Lady Toppers had an excellent first half against the Tornadoes and only trailed 26-21 at the half.

The Tornadoes have some outstanding female athletes and they lit it up in the third quarter against Mount Pulaski. The Lady Toppers could not recover and lost 55-36.

Hayes had 19 points. Isabella Wade tossed in 7 points.

Mount Pulaski head coach Eric Leever explains to his team the game plan for holding onto the lead over Dee-Mack.

On Saturday Mount Pulaski regrouped and faced a tough squad from Deer Creek-Mackinaw back at Clinton, where the tournament concluded.

Dee-Mack had a 16-12 lead over Mount Pulaski at the end of the first quarter but by halftime the Lady Toppers held a 26-23 lead.

A strong third quarter by the Lady Chiefs allowed them to take a late 38-35 lead until the Lady Toppers kicked up their defense a notch. By literally taking a couple charges, Mount Pulaski was able to take advantage at the free throw line and take the lead. Just before the end of the third quarter, sophomore Chloe Olson connected for two baskets from the charity stripe. Olson gave Mount Pulaski the 39-38 lead at the end of three quarters of play.

Isabella Wade ignited the Lady Toppers offense versus Dee-Mack. Wade finished with 20 points.

In the fourth quarter, Mount Pulaski continued to crank up the defense while on offense, Isabella Wade was on fire. Wade scored seven of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter.

Chloe Olson was clutch at the free throw for the Lady Toppers. Her 4-4 effort from the line was key in the win.

Olson continued to be "Clutch Chloe" at the free throw line and her two free throws in the fourth quarter were key. Mount Pulaski took a 43-41 lead with 4:48 left to play.

Abigail Fitzpatrick (10) sinks a basket in the lane for Mount Pulaski in fourth quarter action versus Dee-Mack.

The Lady Toppers never let go of the lead, with Abigail Fitzpatrick playing tough defense and getting a basket in the lane that pulled the momentum the way of the purple squad.

Savanah Moore's five points and outstanding defensive effort were also key to the Lady Toppers efforts.

Meanwhile tournament MVP Skylar Hayes ended the game on a nice drive through the lane for two points.

Mount Pulaski took the fifth place game from Dee-Mack by a score of 55-49.

Wade and Hayes guided the Lady Toppers to a 5th place finish in the 2018 Clinton Turkey Tussle Girls Basketball Tournament. The duo combined for 39 of the 55 points scored by Mount Pulaski.

Wade's 20 points led all scorers. Wade sank four 3-pointers for Mount Pulaski. Hayes tossed in 19 points in the victory.

For those keeping track of Hayes' scoring, the senior now sits at 1,758 career points.

Mount Pulaski evens their record at 2-2 to start the season.

The Lady Toppers are off the week of Thanksgiving but resume play November 26th at Okaw Valley.

Game 1 Mount Pulaski versus Porta

Mount Pulaski 39

Hayes 20
May 8
Wade 4
Wilham 4
Moore 2
Fitzpatrick 1

Porta 49

Danner 12
Privia 11
Wellbaum 10
Hudspeth 7
Kirchner 4
McClure 4
Stone 2

Game 2 Mount Pulaski versus Riverton

Mount Pulaski 47

Hayes 26
Moore 9
Wade 4
Olson 2
Fitzpatrick 2
May 2
Eskew 2

Riverton 20

Pettit 5
Van Huss 4
Atkins 3
Payne 3
Megginson 2
Lingleo 2
Kendall 1

Game 3 Mount Pulaski versus Buffalo Tri-City

Mount Pulaski 36

Hayes 19
Wade 7
Moore 4
Fitzpatrick 3
May 3

Tri-City 55

Sturdy 32
Sagle 20
Closs 2
Honeyman 1

Game 4 Mount Pulaski versus Deer Creek-Mackinaw

Mount Pulaski 55

Wade 20
Hayes 19
Moore 5
Olson 4
Fitzpatrick 4
May 3

Dee-Mack 49

Carithers 17
Simmons 11
Sidwell 10
Miller 8
McGinnes 3

[Teena Lowery]