2023IHSAG

2023 IHSA (Illinois) Girls State Basketball Tournament Championships
Class A, 2A, 3A, & 4A
CEFCU Arena (Doug Collins)

Normal, IL
March 4, 2023

© 2023 Ron Harrison

March 4th

Christopher vs. Okawville (Girls) Class A Championship

Christopher coach Hayden Carter started the following lineup: 5-7 Sr. McKensie Jackson, 5-7 Sr. Emily VanHoorebeke, 6-2 Jr. Amiah Hargrove, 5-2 Sr. Tori Crain, and 5-3 Sr. Jessica Gordon. Okawville coach Haylee Bowers countered with 5-8 Jr. Alayna Kraus, 5-7 Jr. Raelyn Obermeier, 5-9 Sr. Megan Rennegarbe, 5-6 Jr. Briley Rhodes, and 5-6 Jr. Madisyn Wienstroer.

Okawville pulled away in the second half for a 56-35 victory over Christopher. Okawville shot 52.3% from the field including four of 13 from the three point line. The Lady Rockets connected on six of nine free throws, pulled down 27 rebounds, and 12 points off nine Christopher turnovers. Christopher shot 36.6% from the field including two of 12 from beyond the arc. The Lady Bearcats connected on three of seven free throws, pulled down 22 rebounds, and scored five points off five Okawville turnovers.

Alayna Kraus led Okawville with 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Megan Rennegarbe added 17 points and five rebounds. Raelyn Obermeier recorded eight points including two three point baskets.

Amiah Hargrove led Christopher with 19 points and eight rebounds. Jessica Gordon added seven points and two assists. 5-4 Sr. Makayla DeJear recorded seven points and two rebounds.

Christopher - 8,12,6,9,35
Okawville - 13,14,17,12,56

Christopher - (35) – Jackson 0, VanHoorebeke 0, Hargrove 19, Crain 2, Gordon 7, DeJear 7.
Okawville - (56) – Kraus 21, Obermeier 8, Rennegarbe 17, Rhodes 3, Wienstroer 5, Hackstadt 2.

Breese (Mater Dei) vs. Byron (Girls) Class AA Championship

Breese (Mater Dei) coach Craig Zurleine started the following lineup: 6-0 So. Maris Zurliene, 5-11 Sr. Madison Eversgerd, 6-5 So. Alyssa Koerkenmeier, 5-4 Jr. Avery Trame, and 5-11 Sr. Julia Korte. Byron coach Eric Yerly countered with 5-8 Fr. Macy Groharing, 5-8 Sr. Brittyn Bielskis, 5-10 Sr. Ella Grundstrom, 5-4 So. Karsyn Bielskis, and 5-10 Sr. Ava Kulgen.

Breese (Mater Dei) defeated Byron by the score of 62-46. Breese (Mater Dei) shot 55.8% from the field including four of nine from the three point line. The Lady Knights connected on 10 of 24 free throws, pulled down 43 rebounds, and 12 points off 11 Byron turnovers. The Tigers connected on seven of 10 free throws, pulled down 32 rebounds, and scored 16 points off 16 Breese (Mater Dei) turnovers.

Alyssa Koerkenmeier led Breese (Mater Dei) with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots. 5-10 Fr. Amelia Beer added 13 points and eight rebounds. Julia Korte recorded 11 points including two three point baskets, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocked shots. Maris Zurliene chipped in with seven points including two three point baskets, four rebounds, and two blocked shots. Avery Trame added six points and three rebounds.

Macy Groharing led Byron with 14 points including four three point baskets, two rebounds, and two assists. Ava Kulgen added 12 points and six rebounds. Karsyn Bielskis recorded 10 points including five of six free throws and two assists.

Breese (Mater Dei) - 16,14,17,15,62
Byron - 8,16,10,12,46

Breese (Mater Dei) - (62) – Zurliene 7, Eversgerd 0, Koerkenmeier 23, Trame 6, Korte 11, Beer 13, Kampwerth 2.
Byron - (46) – Groharing 14, B. Bielskis 0, Grundstrom 7, K. Bielskis 10, Kulgen 12, Green 3.

Lincoln vs. LaGrange (Nazareth Academy) (Girls) Class AAA Championship

Lincoln coach Taylor Rohrer started the following lineup: 5-8 Jr. Tori Geriets, 5-7 Jr. Becca Heitzig, 5-9 Jr. Kloe Froebe, 5-5 Jr. Taryn Stolzenburg, and 5-6 Jr. Jenna Bowman. LaGrange (Nazareth Academy) coach Eddie Spritzer countered with 6-0 Jr. Danielle Scully, 5-11 Sr. Grace Carstensen, 6-0 Jr. Olivia Austin, 5-6 Jr. Mary Bridget Wilson, and 5-8 Jr. Amalia Dray.

LaGrange (Nazareth Academy) defeated Lincoln by the score of 63-52. There were four ties and three lead changes in this game. LaGrange (Nazareth Academy) shot 58.5% from the field including six of 13 from the three point line. The Road Runners connected on nine of 16 free throws, pulled down 25 rebounds, and scored 15 points off 11 Lincoln turnovers. Lincoln shot 47.2% from the field including five of 14 from beyond the arc. The Railsplitters connected on 13 of 20 free throws, pulled down 19 rebounds, and scored 11 points off 11 LaGrange (Nazareth Academy).

Olivia Austin led LaGrange (Nazareth Academy) with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists. Grace Carstensen added 11 points including three three point baskets, three rebounds, three assists, and five steals. Mary Bridget Wilson recorded 11 points including two three point baskets and three assists. Amalia Dray chipped in with 10 points and three assists. Danielle Scully added eight points, five rebounds, and two assists.

Kloe Froebe led Lincoln with 19 points including 11 of 16 free throws, three rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Becca Heitzig added 12 points, three rebounds, and four assists. Taryn Stolzenburg recorded nine points on three three point baskets. Jenna Bowman chipped in with six points on two three point baskets and four rebounds.

Lincoln - 13,12,9,18,52
LaGrange (Nazareth Academy) - 15,16,18,14,63

Lincoln - (52) – Geriets 2, Heitzig 12, Froebe 19, Stolzenburg 9, Bowman 6, Whiteman 4.
LaGrange (Nazareth Academy) - (63) - Scully 8, Carstensen 11, Austin 23, Wilson 11, Dray 10.

Lisle (Benet Academy) vs. O'Fallon (H.S.) (Girls) Class AAAA Championship

Lisle (Benet Academy) coach Joel Kilbride started the following lineup: 6-0 Sr. Lenee Beaumont, 5-11 Jr. Emilia Sularski, 6-0 Sr. Samantha Trimberger, 5-9 Jr. Lindsay Harzich, and 5-10 Jr. Magdalena Sularski. )’Fallon (H.S.) coach Nick Knolhoff countered with 5-10 Sr. Shannon Dowell, 5-9 Sr. Jailah Pelly, 6-1 Jr. D’Myjah Bolds, 5-2 Fr. Josie Christopher, and 5-6 Sr. Malia Robertson.

O’Fallon (H.S.) defeated Lisle (Benet Academy) in double overtime by the score of 62-57. O’Fallon’s Shannon Dowell hit two free throws with 17 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 50-50. Lisle (Benet Academy) had a couple of shots for the win in the last six seconds for the win but the shots would not fall. Shannon Dowell hit a three point shot with two minutes left in the first overtime to tie the score at 54-54. Both teams had opportunities in the last two minutes but failed to score and the game went to the second overtime. O’Fallon (H.S.) finally took control in the second overtime for the win. The score was tied nine times and there were 10 lead changes in the game. O’Fallon (H.S.) shot 52.4% from the field including five of 11 from the three point line. The Panthers connected on 13 of 16 free throws, pulled down 23 rebounds, and scored 14 points off 14 Lisle (Benet Academy) turnovers. Lisle (Benet Academy) shot 42.2% from the field including four of 17 from beyond the arc. The Red Wings connected on 15 of 18 free throws, pulled down 25 rebounds, and scored 13 points off 14 O’Fallon (H.S.) turnovers.

Shannon Dowell led O’Fallon (H.S.) with 25 points including 10 of 10 free throws, two rebounds, and two assists. Jailah Pelly added 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Josie Christopher recorded nine points on three three point baskets and two steals. D’Myah Bolds chipped in with nine points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Lenee Beaumont led Lisle (Benet Academy) with 27 points including nine of 10 free throws, eight rebounds, and two assists. Samantha Trimberger added 13 points, 12 rebounds, three blocked shots, and four steals. Emilia Sularski recorded 11 points including three three point baskets and two rebounds.

Lisle (Benet Academy) - 4,16,17,13,4,3,57
O'Fallon (H.S.) - 15,12,7,16,4,8,62

Lisle (Benet Academy) - (57) - Beaumont 27, E. Sularski 11, Trimberger 13, Harzich 3, M. Sularski 2, Sterbenz 1.
O'Fallon (H.S.) - (62) - Dowell 25, Pelly 16, Bolds 9, Christopher 9, Robertson 3.

Acknowledgements

A special thanks to the Event Stats Crew for the comprehensive stats provided for these games.

Please feel free to send your comments and questions concerning the event, teams, or players to me at prephoops@yahoo.com.

Ron Harrison’s reports on this and other basketball events appear on kyprephoops.com.