High School Girls Basketball
Froebe breaks the all-time scoring record as Lincoln crushes Bloomington 79-36

 

[December 01, 2023] 

Kloe Froebe broke a big record on Thursday night at Roy S. Anderson. The 5’9 senior all-stater eclipsed Steph Reichle’s long-standing record of 2,376 points scored at LCHS.

Froebe set the new record in the third quarter and after she scored, Coach Taylor Rohrer quickly called a timeout to allow the fans and Froebe’s teammates the opportunity to recognize her historic achievement. Froebe finished the game with 31 points and 2,377 career points to date. Reichle’s record had stood since the last century, 1999. With Froebe averaging 30 points per game and her and her teammates on an unfinished business mission this season, there is no doubt when she finishes her career at LCHS her record will be monumental.

The Lady Railers would go on to defeat the Bloomington Purple Raiders 79-36 with the starting five sitting out much of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter.

First Quarter

The Lady Railers raced out to a 13-0 lead with the scoring spread around the starting lineup to start the game. Jenna Bowman, Becca Heitzig, Tori Geriets and Froebe all scored and the outstanding defense of the Lady Railers starters accounted for countless steals that really frustrated the Purple Raiders from the first possession of the ballgame. At the 2:58 mark the Purple Raiders finally sank a basket and there was lots of cheering from their fans for that moment.

Leave it to Bowman and Taryn Stoltzenburg to quiet the purple crowd down as they each sank threes and the score escalated to 19-5. Froebe would then rattle off seven straight points and the lead was 26-5. Heitzig ended the first quarter scoring on a bucket and the Bloomington crowd was chirping with the score showing 28-5.

Second Quarter

Stoltzenburg hit another three in the second quarter and her amazing defense was a big reason the Purple Raiders did not reach double-digits until the 2:15 mark. Stoltzenburg followed the lead of Froebe and Heitzig on defense and she was persistent. There probably isn’t a more relentless trio that frustrates opponents in all of the state of Illinois.

Those three take their job seriously of not allowing the opponent to bring the ball up the court. There had to be at least a dozen steals by the Lady Railers defense in the first half. Geriets and Bowman make themselves a nuisance to the opponents too. When it was all said and done in the quarter, Froebe had 14 more points, bringing her total to 26 at the half. Piper Whiteman also came in the game to score a three. Geriets added a basket and the halftime lead grew to 50-15.

Third Quarter

Bring on the history! With former Railer legends like Mike Swingle, Bob Patterson, John Andrews, and Brad Slater in the crowd watching, everyone was ready to see Froebe make history. Legendary sports writer Dave Kindred was also sitting in the top row of the lower bleachers, notebook in hand, watching Froebe’s every move on the court. Lynn Paulus had arrived early, camera in hand, ready to capture the moment. No one would be disappointed. Froebe delivered. Needing five points to break the record, Froebe didn’t make the crowd wait too long. Forty-seconds into the quarter she hit a three.

It was a sequence where Heitzig fired a pass across the lane to Stoltzenburg, who was greeted by Bloomington’s six-footer Crissiana Rose. Stoltzenburg in turn spotted Froebe nearby on the wing and she fired a pass over to no. 5. Froebe, who hadn’t made a three all night long, launched one with Bloomington’s Lauren Shuey lunging after her and it dropped through the net without touching the rim. A minute and a half later Froebe found the ball in her hands again and made the most of the opportunity.

After Becca Heitzig stole the ball from the Purple Raiders just past half-court, she took off and ran for the layup and missed. Who’s got Becca’s back? Well, of course, it’s Froebe. Froebe collected the rebound with two defenders on her and immediately tossed it square off the backboard and in for a record-breaking two points.

The scoreboard flashed 59-17 with 5:53 showing as Coach Rohrer called timeout and quickly hugged Froebe as she reached the Lincoln bench. Froebe and her teammates smiled and chatted in the timeout, while the crowd stood and applauded. Froebe really is not one for the spotlight and she remained focused in the timeout, allowing for fans to soak in the moment, while she was undoubtedly planning her next move on the court.

While the starters would only play briefly from that moment on, the bench that came in to give them a rest performed very well. Sophomore Mia Clark, in fact, entered the game and rattled off eight consecutive points. She hit a three, a two-pointer and finally another three to show the crowd that when this group of seniors graduates, she will be more than ready to step up to Varsity full-time. Heitzig, Geriets and Grace Schneider also scored in the third quarter and at the end of the action here the score was 71-29.

Fourth Quarter

Sophomore Lily Holmes, who poured in 20 JV points against Bloomington, also stepped up with a three in the fourth quarter for Lincoln. Ceana Adams tossed in three points here, too, and with a basket by Schneider the scoring was complete. Thanks to the running clock the game came to a quick ending with the final score 79-36.

Kloe Froebe led all scorers with 31 points.

Immediately after the win, Froebe was presented the game ball and a banner depicting the historic occasion, with photos by Lynn Paulus.

In the JV game, Lincoln toppled the Purple Raiders 71-11.

Lily Holmes led the team with 20 points, all scored in the first half. Her first three baskets were 3s, which allowed Lincoln a 23-7 lead in the first quarter.

By halftime Lincoln led 46-7 as Holmes poured in eight more points.

Mia Clark was second in scoring with 17 points and she scored those in three quarters of play. At the end of the third quarter, Lincoln was really holding the Purple Raiders down with a 61-9 lead.

Lincoln breezed to the 71-11 win with Makinley Knapp also hitting double-figures. Knapp scored 10 points, six in the first quarter and four in the third quarter.

Six other JV players made it into the scoring column, assuring fans this team will be ready, willing and able to step up to the Varsity level next year.

But first, unfinished business.

The Lady Railers Varsity team improves to 6-0 on the season.

The JV team is 5-0.

The ladies will host Sacred Heart-Griffin tonight.

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

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

A big Friday night crowd would be very nice for this Central State Eight matchup!

Varsity scoring

Lincoln 79

Froebe 31
Geriets 9
Clark 8
Stoltzenburg 6
Heitzig 6
Bowman 6
Schneider 4
Holmes 3
Adams 3
Whiteman 3

Bloomington 36

Rose 12
Buss 8
Embry 6
Skeate 5
Leonard 3
Shuey 2

JV scoring

Lincoln 71

Holmes 20
Clark 17
Knapp 10
Whiteman 6
Schneider 6
Adams 4
Hutchison 4
McCloud 2
Perkins 2

Bloomington 11

Embry 4
Skeate 3
Paroh 2
Sterling 2

[Teena Lowery with photos by Lynn Paulus]