Panthers roll to semifinals


Taylor McDonald of Monticello (left) drives around Dyersville Beckman’s Sydney Arens in the regional quarterfinal game Feb. 11 in Monticello. (Photos by Pete Temple)

Shay Stephen of the Panthers (right) is fouled as she tries to drive past Shannon Hoffman of Beckman in the regional quarterfinals.

Lauren Ries of Monticello (in white) finds room to drive along the baseline against Beckman.

Jordan Kuper (54) looks to the hoop for the Panthers.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     It’s only natural that jitters might be a factor for a high school girls basketball team when the post-season begins.

     In the regional quarterfinal game against Dyersville Beckman, it took until about midway through the second quarter before the Monticello Panthers found their stride.

     “Once we settled down and just played basketball, we looked just fine,” Monticello coach Donnie Kremer said.

     The Panthers, trailing 14-10 with 5:21 left in the first half, went on a 9-0 run to take the lead, and pulled away to a 49-32 victory over Beckman Saturday, Feb. 11 at MHS.

     The win moved Monticello (14-8) into the regional semifinals. The Panthers are scheduled to play Union (20-2, ranked sixth in Class 3A) on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m. in LaPorte City. The winner will face either Davenport Assumption or Camanche in the regional final Saturday, Feb. 18 at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

     Saturday was a big night for the Panthers’ two leading scorers, Lauren Ries (19 points, seven rebounds, five steals) and Taylor McDonald (16 points, seven rebounds, four assists).

     “Lauren and Taylor both have the ball in their hands a lot during games,” Kremer said. “They can score, they can rebound, they can attack the basket, and they both can see the floor really well.”

     Once the Panthers took the lead over Beckman, they never gave it up. Monticello led 21-16 at halftime, then scored the first two baskets of the second half to take a nine-point advantage.

     Beckman pulled to within five, 30-25, with four minutes left in the third quarter. But a free throw by Ries, a three-point basket by Ries, a layup by Jacqueline Petersen off a long, lazer-like pass from Shay Stephen, and a three-pointer by Taylor McDonald, opened the lead to 39-25 with a quarter to play.

     The Trailblazers never brought their deficit below 13 points after that.

     Monticello had 12 offensive rebounds during the game, many of which led to put-back baskets. Stephen finished with six rebounds, including three off the offensive glass; and five steals.

     “I thought we did a great job crashing the boards offensively, and we did a very good job defensively of taking them out of their offense,” the coach said.

 

Feb. 11

Beck.     7    9    9    7 – 32

Monti     5  16  18  10 – 49

     DYERSVILLE BECKMAN (32) – Sydney Steffen 2-8 0-0 5, Shannon Hoffman 1-4 0-1 3, Kylie Bildstein 2-5 5-6 9, Olivia Schlarmann 3-5 0-0 6, Tara Hansel 0-9 0-0 0, Sydney Arens 3-6 0-0 7, Hannah Lueck 1-3 0-2 2, Anika Brehm 0-2 0-1 0, Amber Bockenstedt 0-0 0-0 0, Abby Palmer 0-0 0-0 0, Lauren Shaull 0-0 0-0 0, McKenzie Arens 0-2 0-0 0, Jackie Olberding 0-0 0-0 0, Heather Boeckenstedt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-44 5-10 32.

     MONTICELLO (49) – Taylor McDonald 7-13 1-1 16, Shay Stephen 1-6 0-0 2, Lauren Ries 7-12 3-5 19, Maddie Fellinger 1-5 0-0 2, Jordan Kuper 1-5 2-2 4, Jacqueline Petersen 1-3 1-3 3, Rylee Warthen 1-5 1-2 3, Maddie Lambert 0-0 0-0 0, Caitlyn Cruise 0-1 0-0 0, Carly Hayen 0-0 0-0 0, Macy McDonough 0-0 0-0 0, Savanah Kremer 0-0 0-0 0, Meredith Melchert 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-50 8-13 49.

     Three-pointers: Steffen, Hoffman, S. Arens; Ries 2, McDonald.

     Rebounds: Monticello 31 (Ries 7, McDonald 7, Stephen 6), Beckman 27.

     Total fouls: Beckman 17, Monticello 15.

 

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