HS girls’ basketball: Carlinville wins sixth Macoupin County title under Darrin DeNeve

 

Staunton dethrones Gillespie; Lilly Bandy reaches 1,000 career points

By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter

The Carlinville High School girls’ basketball team won its program’s sixth Macoupin County title under the leadership of Darrin DeNeve in front of a packed Big House on West Main last Friday, Jan. 23.

Coming into this season, DeNeve’s accomplished core of seniors had never beaten Staunton. Now, the girls have done it twice in the same month.

Carlinville, which remained in contention for its first outright South Central Conference title in three decades with a 42-35 win at Staunton on Jan. 9, opened the county championship game on a 12-0 run en route to a 54-34 statement victory.

While the Cavaliers would not have been where they were without their seniors, it was one of the CHS juniors that ultimately stole the show and put the team on her back. Kaitlyn Reels, who was named to the All-Tournament squad, hit four threes and scorched the Dogs with 20 points. Senior captain Isabella Tiburzi, another All-Tournament honoree, added 17 tallies to solidify Carlinville’s scoring attack, which additionally consisted of six points from Jordyn Loveless, five points from Ruthie Reels, four points from Hannah Gibson and two points from Braley Wiser.

Sam Anderson buried seven threes and finished as the game’s top scorer with 21 tallies for Staunton, but the Bulldogs didn’t have the supporting cast to hang with the Cavaliers that night. In addition to having their other key players brought out of rhythm by a stingy CHS defense, the Dogs were without Grace Bekeske and Jenna Staggs – their two paint players.

Bekeske is recovering from an ankle injury and Staggs is unavailable to play on Fridays.

Ele Feldmann scored six points and Lilly Bandy added five tallies for the Dogs in defeat. Both players joined Tiburzi and Reels on the All-Tournament team.

Carlinville improved to 19-3 on the season while Staunton fell to 17-3.

Semifinals

Staunton dethroned defending champion Gillespie, 42-32, and Carlinville blitzed North Mac, 68-42 Jan. 21.

Anderson scored 14 points and was backed by Bandy (12 points), Anna Machota (six points) Staggs (five points), Feldmann (five points) in the Dogs’ big win over the Miners.

K. Reels, who had been battling a recent shooting slump for the Cavaliers prior to the tournament, erupted for 26 points against the Panthers. Carlinville, which also got 16 points from Tiburzi, put up a whopping 29 tallies in just the second quarter alone and had North Mac buried in a 43-19 hole by halftime. Taylor Kiers led the Panthers with 20 points in defeat.

Quarterfinal

On Jan. 20, Bandy surpassed 1,000 points for her career and Staunton made easy work of Mt. Olive, 71-31, in the quarterfinal round.

Bandy had a game-high 14 tallies for the Bulldogs. Staggs added 13 points. Feldmann and Machota also hit double figures with 10 points apiece.

Staunton opened the game with a 25-7 run in the first quarter and intiated a running clock leading 64-22 after three.

Lauren Bailey scored 18 points for Mt. Olive.