By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
In a close, down-to-the-wire type of game, it normally comes down to a key shot or turnover in the waning seconds that makes the difference.
But to Effingham Coach Jeff Schafer, it was a 90-second stretch in the second quarter that proved critical Thursday night.
“Three times, we got lost in transition and they made three three-pointers,” the veteran coach explained. “We just didn’t communicate and left them open. I had to use three of my timeouts to try to stop the run. You take those three baskets away and it just might have been a different story tonight.”
Those three baskets from behind the arc gave Highland a 15-point lead – a lead they never relinquished.
But the Lady Hearts made a gallant comeback in the second half and had two opportunities late to either tie or even win the game.
A turnover and a missed three at the buzzer, however, didn’t allow that to happen.
As a result, the Lady Hearts saw their outstanding season come to an end, as the Lady Bulldogs escaped with a 34-31 victory in the championship game of the Class 3A Effingham Sectional.
Highland, now 25-10, will host the super sectional game. The Lady Bulldogs will face Chatham Glenwood at 7 p.m. Monday.
Highland owned an 11-6 lead midway through the second quarter. A three-pointer by Payton Frey started the decisive scoring surge. Jordan Bircher and Larissa Taylor also connected from long range and Bircher converted an EHS turnover into another basket to complete the 11-1 run and give the Lady Bulldogs a 22-7 advantage.
A long three-pointer by Sidney Donaldson at the buzzer got Effingham to within 22-11 at intermission.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
What do Averie Wolfe, Bria Beals, Sidney Donaldson and Bella Austin all have in common?
They each knocked down at least one three-pointer Tuesday night.
In fact, that foursome combined to make 14 shots from behind the arc.
That red-hot shooting helped the Effingham Lady Hearts get the lead, expand the lead and then seal the deal.
The end result was an impressive 75-59 victory over Mt. Vernon in a semifinal game of the Effingham Class 3A Sectional.
The Lady Hearts, winners of 13 straight, will now play Highland for the sectional championship. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Herrin, 42-26, in Tuesday night’s first semifinal game. The sectional final is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Effingham High School.
EHS posted a narrow two-point win over Mt. Vernon back on November 30 and another close game was expected Tuesday night. And for one quarter, it was. Austin connected on a pair of threes, Wolfe and Beals each had one and the hosts held a slim 12-11 lead.
It was still a close game midway through the second period with the Lady Hearts on top, 22-18. And then the game-changing and game-deciding run kicked in over the final four minutes of the half.
The Effingham Hearts will enter postseason play in the Charleston Regional.
The Hears are seeded No. 10 and will play their first game on Monday, Feb. 19. They will play against the host Trojans at 7 p.m.
The regional championship is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23.
The winner will advance to the Troy (Triad) Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, Feb. 27. Regional winners from Marion, Freeburg and Jerseyville will also advance to the Troy Sectional.
Here is the complete schedule for the Charleston Regional.
Monday, Feb. 19
Game 1 – 7 p.m. – No. 10 Effingham at No. 8 Charleston
Wednesday, Feb. 21
Game 2 – 6 p.m. – No. 2 Mt. Vernon vs. Winner Game 1
Game 3 – 7:30 p.m. – No. 3 Olney (Richland County) vs. No. 7 Mattoon
Friday, Feb. 23
Game 4 – 7 p.m. – Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 (championship)
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
Too many turnovers and too few baskets.
That’s pretty much been the story for the Effingham Hearts for much of this season.
And was again Monday night.
The Hearts turned the ball over 16 times and made just 9 shots in the game.
The Charleston Trojans scored the first eight points of the game and were never threatened, rolling to a 64-34 victory in an opening-round game of the Charleston Class 3A Regional.
The No. 8 Trojans, who improved to 13-19 on the season, will now face No. 2 seed Mt. Vernon on Wednesday night.
An underdog always hopes to get off to a good start. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen for the Hearts. They missed their first three shots and turned the ball over three times in the first five minutes. The hosts converted two of those into baskets, including a pair of jumpers from Adam Rudibaugh, who transferred to Charleston this year after playing at Effingham St. Anthony.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
With just five seconds showing on the clock, things didn’t look promising for the Effingham Lady Hearts.
They had just turned the ball over and were trailing by two points in overtime.
“When I looked down our bench and saw the faces, I could tell some of them thought the game was over,” EHS coach Jeff Schafer said. “But we set up a defense, trying to make it difficult for them to get the ball in-bounds. I put Olivia (Moser) on the ball and tried to front their other players. I think their girl panicked.”
There was nobody close to where the in-bounds pass was made. But Bella Austin grabbed the loose ball and quickly fired it to Alyssa Martin, who scored at the buzzer. That play saved the Lady Hearts season and sent the game into its second overtime.
Effingham then made just enough plays – and just enough free throws – to secure a 61-59 victory Thursday over Centralia in the championship game of the Class 3A Salem Regional.
“We were hoping for a bad pass,” Austin said following the contest. “I saw the ball come in and grabbed it. Then I saw Alyssa wide open. I fired a pass to her and trusted she would make it.”
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