McDonald reaches 1,000 career points in MHS win


Taylor McDonald, shown driving against Cascade in a Jan. 30 Panther home game, reached the career 1,000-point mark three nights later at Tipton. (Photos by Pete Temple)

Caitlyn Cruise makes a pass for the Panthers in the Jan. 30 game against Cascade.

Monticello’s Maddie Lambert dishes to a teammate in the Cascade game.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     Monticello senior Taylor McDonald achieved a career milestone while she and her Panther girls basketball teammates bounced back from a defeat to pick up a much-needed win last week.

     McDonald scored 19 points in the Panthers’ 53-31 win at Tipton Friday, Jan. 5, enabling her to achieve the career 1,000-point mark.

     “It was really awesome to see her achieve this goal,” Monticello coach Donnie Kremer said. “She has worked hard to get to this point.

     “She has provided so much to the program the past four years, whether it is scoring, steals, rebounds or assists. We have had stability at the point guard position for four years. Taylor is an outstanding student athlete and a pleasure to coach.”

     There was much to enjoy about the win at Tipton. Leading by three points after one quarter, the Panthers (13-4, 16-5) outscored the Tigers 24-10 over the second and third quarters to take a 37-20 lead.

     “I thought we did a very nice job of defending and rebounding,” Kremer said. “We also did a very nice job of getting out in transition and executing in the half court.”

     McDonald had a double-double in the Tipton game, adding 10 steals to her 19 points. She also had five assists.

     Lauren Ries added 16 points and blocked two shots. Maddie Fellinger had 10 points. Jordan Kuper had six points and 12 rebounds. Carly Hayen had two points and two rebounds.

     “I thought Carly came off the bench and gave us some really good minutes,” Kremer said.

     Earlier, the Panthers were dealt a 50-36 home loss to Cascade on Jan. 30.

     The Cascade game was close through three quarters. The Cougars led 8-7 after one quarter, opened up a seven-point lead, saw it slip to two, and then led 19-14 at halftime.

     Midway through the third quarter, a three-point basket by Maddie Fellinger and two free throws by Lauren Ries pulled the Panthers into a 21-21 tie. After Cascade opened a 25-21 lead, a three-point play by Ries cut it to 25-24. By the end of the third quarter, the Cougars led 31-27.

     Cascade then opened the third quarter on a 12-3 run to take a 43-30 lead. The Panthers were unable to get the margin back to single digits after that, and the Cougars came away with the 14-point victory.

     “Cascade did a much better job of rebounding and converting offensive rebounds to points,” Kremer said. “We needed to take care of the ball much better.

     “I thought we played very hard and gave it a great effort, but just could not make a shot in the fourth quarter when we needed it.”

     Taylor McDonald had 15 points and Ries had 14 in that game. Those two, along with Hayen, had seven rebounds apiece. Fellinger contributed five points and three assists.

Regional Saturday

     Monticello will play its quarterfinal game in the Class 3A Region 3 tournament Saturday, Feb. 10 at home against Solon. Game time is 7 p.m.

     The winner will play either Vinton-Shellsburg or Benton Community in a regional semifinal Feb. 14, also in Monticello. The regional final will be Feb. 17 at Independence.

 

Jan. 30

Cascade    8 11 12 19 – 50

Monti         7   7  13   9 – 36

     CASCADE (50) – Nicole McDermott 9-14 7-11 25, Anne Ryan 1-8 0-0 3, Jordan Simon 1-8 5-6 7, Rachel Trumm 1-4 0-0 2, Abbie Ruggeberg 2-11 1-2 6, Skylar Dolphin 3-5 0-0 7, Zoe Ryan 0-0 0-0 0, Robyn Takes 0-0 0-0 0, Abby Welter 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-51 13-19 50.

     MONTICELLO (36) – Taylor McDonald 5-12 1-3 15, Maddie Fellinger 2-6 0-0 5, Lauren Ries 4-16 5-9 14, Maddie Lambert 0-2 0-0 0, Jordan Kuper 1-6 0-0 2, Caitlyn Cruise 0-0 0-0 0, Sydney Hansen 0-1 0-0 0, Carly Hayen 0-3 0-0 0, Tori McDonald 0-0 0-0 0, Gabrielle Steiner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-46 6-12 36.

     Three-pointers: Ryan, Ruggeberg, Dolphin; Ta. McDonald 4, Fellinger, Ries.

     Rebounds: Cascade 35, Monticello 35 (Ta. McDonald 7, Ries 7).

     Total fouls: Cascade 15, Monticello 5.

 

Feb. 2

Monti   13 13 11 16 – 53

Tipton  10   4    6 11 – 31

     MONTICELLO (53) – Taylor McDonald 7-18 1-2 19, Maddie Fellinger 3-4 2-3 10, Lauren Ries 5-20 6-8 16, Maddie Lambert 0-1 0-0 0, Jordan Kuper 3-8 0-0 6, Carly Hayen 1-2 0-2 2, Sydney Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Savanah Kremer 0-0 0-0 0, Meredith Melchert 0-1 0-0 0, Emmi Sampson 0-0 0-0 0, Marissa Recker 0-1 0-0 0, Gabrielle Steiner 0-0 0-0 0, Lydia Franzenburg 0-0 0-0 0, Tori McDonald 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-55 9-15 53.

     Three-pointers: Ta. McDonald 4, Fellinger 2.

     Rebounds: Monticello 31 (Kuper 12).

     Total fouls: Monticello 10.

 

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