High School Girls Basketball
Lady Railers win epic comeback 63-52 over PND
Team improves to 24-0 after overcoming a 15-point deficit

 

[January 22, 2024] 

There are two things every winning basketball team needs, a Kloe and a Becca. Froebe and Heitzig refuse to lose. Absolutely, positively refuse to lose.

On Saturday evening at Bradley University’s Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria the no. 1 ranked Class 3A Lady Railers were losing 34-28 at halftime to the no. 1 ranked Class 2A Peoria Notre Dame Lady Irish. PND is obviously a great team that’s been assembled with all the perfect pieces in place and they certainly turned the tables on Lincoln in the first half. But as Kari Froebe’s favorite football player on the planet once said, “I didn’t come this far to only come this far.” Like Tom Brady, Froebe and Heitzig can carry a team to victory. On Saturday night, they had a will to win and by halftime they had enough of losing.

They took their winning mentality to another level in the second half and they were willing to sacrifice it all to keep the perfect season going. They got knocked down time and time again, nobody more than Froebe, but they got back up and without saying a word, they set their next plan in motion.

But it wasn’t just the Froebe and Heitzig show. They bring along that gritty cast of characters who buy into their system. And every single Lady Railer, 5’9 and under, who hit the floor on Saturday night in that tough Varsity matchup, found a way to contribute against a PND team that featured leading scorers who reached heights of 5'11 and 6’0.

Before any of these kids were even born, Tom Petty had a no. 1 hit in 1989 titled, “I Won’t Back Down.” Chances are these ladies are not familiar with Tom Petty but they can relate to the year 1989. Taylor Swift was born. Here we are now looking at 35 years later (ouch) and on January 20, 2024 it’s Tom Petty’s anthem that applies to this Lady Railers team.

They won’t back down.

First Quarter

Unchartered territory. It was uncomfortable. This was not the Lady Railers team fans had seen in the first 23 games of the season. The team was losing 7-0 to start the game. The first five shots Lincoln tossed up were awful missed opportunities. Froebe and Heitzig couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. It was ugly. It would take Piper Whiteman coming off the bench to put Lincoln in the scoring column, 7-2 the score at the 5:28 mark. A minute later Heitzig scored on her baseline drive and finally it was a 7-4 ballgame. But in a two minute stretch, there were numerous missed shots by Lincoln and the Lady Irish kept pouring in the baskets. The Lady Railers found themselves in a considerable deficit, 15-4 the score in favor of PND. Coach Taylor Rohrer called the first timeout with 1:54 showing on the clock. This just wasn’t pretty at all.

After the timeout, Lincoln began crawling their way back with a basket on the fast break by Froebe at the 1:25 mark, but the Lady Irish stayed on top with a 17-6 lead after a reverse layup. Thankfully the Lady Railers remembered how to put up a lot of points in a short amount of time. With under a minute to go, Froebe found Whiteman open under the basket and she delivered. Then with less than thirty seconds to go Froebe scored. Finally with 5.6 seconds left, the Lady Railers worked fast to move the ball up the court for another two points at the buzzer. After Taryn Stoltzenburg inbounded the ball to Heitzig, Heitzig passed it to Bowman mid-court and Bowman dished it off to Froebe racing down the sidelines and after a few dribbles Froebe fired a perfect pass to Tori Geriets under the basket and she was able to calmly and gently toss the ball off the backboard and in. Good things happen when that ball kisses the glass. Froebe even clapped as the ball made the net dance and Lincoln was coming alive! The fans rose from their seats in appreciation of the team’s effort.

Lincoln was down 19-12 in the first quarter but after what fans saw of PND in those first six minutes of the game, this was a small victory for Lincoln and they would just have to keep battling.

Second Quarter

Lincoln had the ball to start the second quarter but they couldn’t do anything with it. PND scored two baskets in the first minute and it was a roll your eyes, here we go again flashback of the first quarter. In fact, in the first three and a half brutal minutes, it was Froebe with one Lincoln basket and PND rolling to a 29-14 lead. Ouch. Heitzig’s jumper at the 4:37 mark was pretty, but the score was still ugly, 29-16. After a layup by Mya Wardle, it was again a 15-point margin, 31-16 PND lead. If Froebe can just get that ball and make her way into the lane and get a foul called, that would be a miracle. Finally, it happened and she sank the two free throws. Baby steps.

Then it was Heitzig’s turn to get knocked around and she too got an opportunity at the free throw line. That’s another 2-for-2 and Lincoln finally has 20 team points. After Lexi Baer hit a three for PND with 3:14 showing on the clock, the Lady Irish lead was still a solid 34-20. It was very surreal. Froebe made another drive and drew another foul. This time she missed one of the free throws.

Finally, Jenna Bowman gave Lincoln fans a glimmer of hope. Bowman nailed a three, the first Lincoln three of the game, with 2:37 left and she cut the deficit to 34-24. Then it was Froebe tossing in two points and the score was 34-26. Heitzig also tossed in two points with just forty-five seconds left and a 34-28 deficit at this point never looked so good. That was an 8-0 run that earned the ladies a huge applause going into the locker room.

Before moving into the second half, please relive the nightmare of the first half again. PND looked like our Lady Railers usually look: sinking 3s, getting easy points under the basket and playing solid defense, getting all up in the business of the opponent. Lincoln, on the other hand, looked a bit like the New England Patriots in the first half of Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons. Football fans are well aware of what happened in the second half of that game.

Third Quarter

PND had the ball to start the third quarter. They missed a chance to score but then so did Lincoln. Things were not starting off well for the Lady Railers. In the first two minutes and forty seconds there were two baskets scored, and they both belonged to the Lady Irish. Here we go again. It’s a double-digit lead for PND, 38-28 the score.

Precisely around the five minute mark, Froebe was being held down by three players who just wouldn’t let go. Like holding her back for real. She really had to fight to break free from their grips to even get a good look at the basket. But like the true competitor she is, she found a way to score and even when she was knocked to the ground, she bounced back up. It would take a minute, but she would stand taller than her 5’9 frame at the free throw line and sink 3-of-4 shots in two separate trips to the line to pull Lincoln closer, 38-31 the score.

Get ready. There is about to be a shift in the energy.

After a steal by Froebe she would take it all the way to the hoop for a layup and draw the foul. Then Froebe dropped those words out loud that her teammates were waiting to hear as she headed towards the charity stripe, “Let’s GO!”

Kloe had had enough. She was fired up. She was ready to take on the world. With the score 38-33 she had to witness her ‘and one’ rattling in and out of the steel frame that held the hoop. That miss fueled the fire. Get out of her way. The bear has been poked. Froebe stole the ball from PND seconds later and after careful execution, it was time for Lincoln to score again. This time the ladies moved that ball like they were playing a game of chess quickly, each and every dribble and pass calculated to perfection. When it was all said and done, Froebe took the ball to the hoop with 5’11 Kaitlin Cassidy on her like a dirty shirt. Despite getting hammered, Froebe stayed on her feet and caught a glimpse of the ball falling through the net, despite the arms, elbows and hands in her face.

PND called a timeout to stop the 7-0 run by Lincoln. There was 2:19 on the clock and the Lady Irish had to find a way to stop the freight train that is the Lincoln Lady Railers. Froebe and her teammates ran to the bench for a quick breather and the fans rose to their feet with the score 38-35. PND stretched the lead again following the timeout. But then a huge moment in the game.

With 1:25 on the clock Bowman brought the house down with a three. Fifteen seconds later it was PND with a three and the score was 43-38. Lincoln was getting so close. But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades so the ladies knew they had to do better. It all started with a steal by Froebe and with 32.6 seconds left it was Froebe with her “I am never ever giving up” attitude as she tossed up a couple misses in the lane but fought hard for the rebound, and the third time was a charm. Surrounded by the Lady Irish, Froebe managed to get a shot to fall and she drew the foul. This time her ‘and one’ glided through the net and Lincoln was down just 43-41.

What does Froebe have left in the tank before the third quarter ends? Well, just like Tom Brady, plenty. She stole the ball from PND’s Julia Mingus at the volleyball line and with seconds ticking away, she scored the game-tying basket! It sounds simple and it looks easy, but it’s so impressive in person. Once Froebe gets a hand on the ball and sees it loose in the air, it’s hers. And then in the midst of Mingus and Mya Wardle chasing Froebe, she throws them off stride by dribbling the ball behind her back and crosses over from the right side of the court to the left side of the court and outrunning both of them, she races to the basket and tosses the ball with her right hand off that beautiful square on the backboard and the ball goes right in with precisely 7.5 seconds on the clock. Stoltzenburg and Heitzig had used their speed to run down their teammate in case she needed help but after the score was complete, all Heitzig had to do was give her friend a little clap that she had earned.

PND was frustrated, frazzled and flustered, you name it and as the clock wound down all Kaitlyn Cassidy could do was throw up a bad shot over Stoltzenburg.

Meanwhile the Lincoln fans, who had never lost hope, were losing their minds at the 43-43 score. Even WLCN’s Jay Hardin was going crazy and all WLCN color commentator Kari Froebe could say was, “Wow! Wow!”

Brand new ballgame, folks!

Heading into the fourth quarter this one had the makings of a classic. The Lady Railers would not disappoint.

Fourth Quarter

Despite the first three quarters of the game going in favor of the Lady Irish, the fourth quarter began with a feeling of confidence for the Lady Railers. They had fought their way back from perhaps one of the most physical games of their careers to what was now a brand new ballgame.

Their tenacity alone gave them the advantage over the Lady Irish. Give Froebe a second chance and an even score and she will prove number one, thant she’s a winner and number two, she is the best player in the state of Illinois.

The Lady Railers used an 8-0 run to start the final quarter and this brought the energy in the building to a new level.

Meanwhile, the student section of the Lady Irish was silenced.

It took about a minute and a half into the quarter for the Lady Railers to score, but once they hit the “on” button there was no turning them “off.” The switch was flipped. And it was FUN to witness.

First, it was Heitzig with a basket to give Lincoln their first lead of the ballgame. Credit Bowman for pulling down the defensive rebound after a PND miss and credit Froebe for firing a pass ahead to the elite track star, who then graciously took Cassidy with her to the bucket and showed her how you can still make a layup despite getting clobbered.

Then Cassidy’s day got worse. Froebe stole the ball from her in the corner as the Lady Irish were scrambling at their end and this would lead to a basket by Whiteman at the other end. But first Froebe is going to let Heitzig bring the ball up the court and after Froebe reaches just inside the top of the key, PND’s focus is on no. 5. Froebe honestly played “hot potato” with the ball and the next thing you know, PND players are criss-crossing each other and no one can get to Whiteman fast enough. Whiteman takes the pass from Froebe and quickly and quietly bounces it off the backboard and the Lincoln crowd is in a full frenzy with a 47-43 lead. Each time it was Froebe playing the role of the instigator. A steal and a couple assists, all in the name of love for the game of basketball.

With just under five minutes left, it was Froebe on the drive and you could just see the determination in her eyes. She didn’t miss the layup in the lane with Emy Wardle as her dance partner and Lincoln was up 49-43.

Finally, after great ball movement by the Lady Railers, it was Heitzig dribbling in and around the PND defense and swishing her little lovable jump shot right in the lane. Timeout PND. There is now 3:57 on the clock for time and 51-43 for a score, Lincoln’s favor.

The Lady Irish had no plans to lay down and call it quits, and after a couple baskets, the score was 51-47.

Bowman made the next Lady Railers bucket, on the assist from Froebe, and that stretched the lead to 53-47. And while that’s the abbreviated version of the score, it was really a mastermind move by Froebe and her friends. Excellent ball handling, the uncanny ability to play smart basketball and it ended with Bowman quietly strolling towards the basket, with the other team’s attention on Froebe at the top. Without even a passing glance at Bowman, Froebe fired a straight pass her way and she gobbled it up and quickly tossed it through the hoop.

The crowd was really going nuts! These Lady Railers were delivering a fine performance in the fourth quarter.

With 1:26 left in the game, Heitzig was called for an intentional foul. Mya Wardle missed those two free throws and Lincoln returned to “We’ve got a mission mode.” No one better than Heitzig at the moment to extend the lead. After Froebe pulled down the rebound from a missed three by the Lady Irish, she tossed the ball ahead to Whiteman. Whiteman took the layup but missed. In typical Lady Railer fashion, Stoltzenburg was there to pick up the miss and then Heitzig pops into the picture.

Stoltzenburg was quick to pass to Heitzig, who made another nice little jumper from the free throw line and Lincoln was up 55-47 with 1:08 left in the game.

Here’s all you need to know about the last 58.7 seconds of the game: Kloe “Klutch” Froebe is going to be a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line, PND is going to miss multiple shots from the three-point range and the Lady Irish assistant coach is going to earn a technical foul. PND on the other hand did make one three point basket by Lexi Baer and got two free throws from Emy Wardle while Mya Wardle fouled out.

In the end it was a great turn of events for the Lady Railers and their fans, definitely the comeback win of the season to date. Lincoln walked through the line at the end of the game 63-52 winners. Just like those New England Patriots in 2017.

The Lady Railers record remains perfect at 24-0.

After Saturday night in Peoria, Kloe Froebe’s performance should leave no doubt that she is the best player in the state of Illinois. Froebe had 33 points, 12 rebounds, 8 steals and 5 assists. She just knows how to win. And she refuses to lose.

Becca Heitzig has the same burning desire for victory and like Froebe, she hates to lose too. Heitzig was instrumental in the win with not only 14 points but also her ability to provide the necessary spark when needed to start a fire. She put Lincoln on top for good in the fourth quarter and she never looked back. She was full steam ahead. Oh and she had a nice block on 6’1 Lexi Baer.

The win was indeed a team effort, but you can’t overlook the 47 points Froebe and Heitzig combined to score.

Piper Whiteman’s overall performance cannot be overlooked either. The junior played eight quarters of hard-nosed, gritty basketball. She escaped unscathed and was even smiling afterwards, that’s our Piper. She scored 14 points in the JV game and another 6 points in the Varsity game.

For the Lady Irish, both Kaitlin Cassidy and Lexi Baer each led the team with 14 points. Julia Mingus tallied 10 points for PND.

Peoria Notre Dame falls to 22-4.

In the JV game Lincoln picked up a 58-49 win over the Lady Irish.

Lincoln was up 16-8 after the first quarter.

By halftime Lincoln was on top 31-23.

The third quarter saw the Lady Irish mount a comeback, trailing just 39-37 to Lincoln.

A total team effort in the fourth quarter put Lincoln in the win column with a 58-49 victory.

Mia Clark led Lincoln with 16 points. Piper Whiteman had 14 points. Lily Holmes tossed in 12 points, six to lead the team in that crucial final quarter.

The Lincoln JV team is now 17-0 on the season.

Final notes:

What a great night overall in Peoria. The crowd showed up, the media showed up and the Lady Railers and the Lady Irish brought out a great crowd to a top notch facility on a college campus on a Saturday night for a HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL GAME. It’s a big victory for girls basketball, no matter what team colors you had on display.

And speaking of team colors, after the game a very tall young man was spotted in a Peoria Notre Dame green stocking hat, talking with other spectators down by the court. Or as Piper Whiteman said of the stocking hat, “It looks like Railer green.” The guy was very cordial with fans, taking pictures and chatting like he had all the time in the world. Turns out it was 6’7 Peoria High School graduate Shaun Livingston, a three-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors. Livingston was also Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2004 and he went straight to the NBA following high school. After his 15 year career in the NBA, Livingston is known for giving back to his community. Nice to see the support of girls basketball from a true NBA superstar.

When asked for a picture with the Lady Railers basketball team in the lobby of the Renaissance Coliseum after the game, Livingston kindly obliged. And when asked his thoughts on the Lady Railers he said, “Oh, they’re tough. They’re tough.”

Yes, Shaun Livingston, they are.

These tough girls return home on Tuesday night for a game with Springfield High School.

The JV team will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.

The Varsity team will tip-off at 7:00 p.m.

More young local basketball teams will also showcase their talents at halftime. Make sure you come early. You don’t want to miss the fun!

Varsity scoring

Lincoln 63

Froebe 33
Heitzig 14
Bowman 8
Whiteman 6
Geriets 2

Peoria Notre Dame 52

Cassidy 14
Baer 14
Mingus 10
E. Wardle 6
M. Wardle 4
Heinz 2
Dooley 2

JV scoring

Lincoln 58

Clark 16
Whiteman 14
Holmes 12
Knapp 8
Schneider 5
McCloud 3

Peoria Notre Dame 49

Heinz 17
Chaddock 10
Maloney 7
Beck 6
Khoury 5
Larson 4

[Teena Lowery with photos by Kari Froebe and Lynn Paulus]