High School Girls Basketball
Lady Railers dispose of Cardinals 64-39
The love for the Lady Railers is gaining momentum

 

[January 04, 2024] 

On Thursday night the no.1 ranked Lincoln Lady Railers, according to the latest Class 3A AP rankings, were greeted by a really big crowd that filled both the lower and upper sections of Roy S. Anderson as the team returned home for the first game of 2024. To show their appreciation for the large crowd, the ladies picked up a 64-39 win over a very solid team from Pleasant Plains.

The visiting Cardinals are a young and talented team with a great deal of height and they gave the Lady Railers a good game. The Cardinals stepped up and did a really nice job versus the Lincoln press. Overall Pleasant Plains is a very good defensive team. They will certainly be a team to watch as they get more experience. If the Cardinals could’ve gotten more shots to fall in the paint, the final score would’ve been a bit closer. Pleasant Plains joins Morton and Peoria Central as the only three teams to play Lincoln tough enough to escape a running clock in the fourth quarter. That’s impressive company given that the Cardinals start four sophomores.

First Quarter

Lincoln took a 4-0 lead to start the game, with Kloe Froebe the first to light the scoreboard up on a free throw. Jenna Bowman’s three at the 5:50 mark made up the difference and the game was starting in the usual fashion for Lincoln. However, the Cardinals came back with a three of their own and the battle was on. Lincoln used a 7-0 run to sprint out to an 11-3 lead before the Cardinals called a timeout. Following the timeout, Taryn Stoltzenburg hit a three to extend the run and give Lincoln a 14-3 lead. The Cardinals stayed in the game by outscoring Lincoln 9-5 in the remaining minutes of the quarter and as the first quarter ended, Lincoln was on top 19-12. The close score was definitely not characteristic of the season, but it was a good test for the Lady Railers to come up against a young and scrappy team. It kept the fans engaged too, on both sides.

Second Quarter

The first two minutes of the second quarter were entertaining, with each team showing off their shooting skills. After a quick two by Becca Heitzig, the Cardinals counter-acted with a two-point field goal, then it was a three by Froebe, a three by the Cardinals’ Bailey Leach and finally a long two by Grace Schneider. Lincoln’s lead grew to 26-17. Froebe, feeling good, dropped another three a minute later and the lead was 29-19. By halftime, Lincoln ran the lead up to 37-21, with Froebe pouring in five more points and Bowman sinking the money ball for a three near the one minute mark.

Third Quarter

Froebe put up nine points in the third quarter and with Bowman and Whiteman each getting a basket in the paint, the Lincoln lead was still solid when these eight minutes were complete. At the end of the third quarter, the Lady Railers were on top 50-29.

Fourth Quarter

Makinley Knapp tossed in two points off the glass fifteen seconds into the fourth quarter. Stoltzenburg added a three and Froebe added one more basket to top her season average as Lincoln just kept holding the Cardinals back. Mid-way through the quarter, Lincoln’s lead was 57-33 as the bench began to take over. Schneider, Whiteman and Clark finished the scoring for Lincoln and the final score of 64-39 was reached.

Kloe Froebe led Lincoln with 28 points.

Jenna Bowman hit double-figures with 11 points.

Bailey Leach led Pleasant Plains with 10 points.

Lincoln continues their perfect season with an 18-0 record.

Pleasant Plains falls to 11-6 on the season.

In the JV game, Lincoln defeated Pleasant Plains 47-13.

Mia Clark led Lincoln with 15 points. Piper Whiteman added 10 points.

Lincoln will play at Chatham Glenwood on Saturday.

The Freshman will play at 10:00 a.m.

The Junior Varsity will play at 11:30 a.m.

The Varsity will play at 1:00 p.m.

Varsity scoring

Lincoln 64

Froebe 28
Bowman 11
Stoltzenburg 6
Whiteman 5
Geriets 4
Schneider 4
Heitzig 4
Knapp 2

Pleasant Plains 39

Leach 10
Weber 9
Burke 8
Cameron 6
Fraase 3
Sabatka 3

JV scoring

Lincoln 47

Clark 15
Whiteman 10
McCloud 7
Knapp 6
Schneider 4
Adams 3
Gilbert 2

Pleasant Plains 13

Leach 6
Dugan 4
Crawford 3

[Teena Lowery]