21-Victory Season
Takes Back Seat For Regional
by Don Hill
(Reprinted McLeansboro Times-Leader February 12, 1987)
It has been a long and enjoyable season for the McLeansboro Lady Foxes. This squad's accomplishments are numerous and almost every one is going in the record books as season bests for the Lady Foxes.
But the records and season must take a backseat for a few weeks as the Lady Foxes get into regional action Wednesday night as they once again, host the Class A regional.
The action began Monday, but the top-seeded Lady Foxes and the second seeded Lady Eagles of Eldorado were not scheduled to take to the court until last night. The championship is slated tonight with a 7:00 p.m. starting time.
The Lady Foxes recorded their best regular-season mark ever as they recorded their 21st win of the season Saturday night at Fairfield. The win equals the number of wins recorded last season, but only requires one win in the regional to surpass the total.
The Lady Foxes also have dropped only two this year and, barring an unforeseen loss in the state tournament, the Lady Foxes cannot lose more than three games this time around, another record.
The win Saturday night also extended the Lady Foxes winning streak to 18 games without a loss. While the 52-32 performance was not equal to the best of the girls this season, it was proof that this team has the talent to take them a long way. The Lady Foxes were not sharp from the field as they hit on 45 percent of their shots, but, like the boys squad, they let their defense do the rest.
The Lady Foxes won the contest with their usual balance as four Lady Foxes scored in double figures with Lori Kirsch leading the way with 14 points; followed by Kerri Grubb, 12; Sharon Bowman, 10; and Denise Bowers, 10.
Thursday night, the Lady Foxes honored seniors Kerri Grubb, Lori Kirsch, and Sharon Bowman, and the group responded with an awesome display of roundball as they dismantled Christopher 93-35.
The win gave the Lady Foxes a 7-1 mark on the home hardwood this season and gave the Junior varsity players some varsity action as the season came to a close.
The defense was the key in this one as well as the Lady Foxes’ quickness at the guard spots kept the Lady Bearcats from getting the ball up the floor. Holly Sloan and Lori Kirsch combined for 11 steals in this one as the Lady Foxes rushed to a 25-4 first-quarter lead and never looked back. Due to the pocket-picking defense, Sloan had one of her top offensive games of the season as she scored 14 points with many of them coming on layups after the steals.
Wendy Wingo also came off the bench to record her top varsity performance of the season as she dominated inside for 17 points. Kirsch added 16 points to the effort with Grubb contributing 12 and Bowman 10.
A dozen players scored for the Lady Foxes in the contest as Denise Bowers added 7; Tina Thomas, 4; Kim Parker, 4; Dawn Coombs, 4; Jenny Webb, 2; Deanna Smith, 2; and Paula Mitchell, 1.
The junior varsity squad also ended a fine season and home schedule with a 33-28 win over the Lady Bearcats. The JV squad of coach Lewis Winemiller lost only one time all season and like many of the other contests, won this one with defense.
The Lady Foxes allowed Christopher to score in double figures during a period only once as 10 points were given up in the third. Webb led the attack with nine points and was joined by Parker, 6; Wingo, 6; Mitchell, 6; Joella Chappo, 4; and Smith, 2.
The Lady Foxes go into the regional with some excellent credentials from the starters already in the books. Denise Bowers is the leading field-goal shooter for the squad this year as she hit 41-70 for 58.6 percent. Grubb has also been very sharp from the floor with 130-233 from the floor for 55.8 percent while Kirsch is right behind that group with 150-279 for 53.8 precent.
Kirsch is the best the Lady Foxes have to offer at the charity stripe with a 73.9 percent for the one-pointers. Bowers is also at the top of the class as she came in right behind at 73.1 percent.
Those totals show that the Lady Foxes have outshot their opponents from the field by more than 13 percent this season as the girls in green hit 48.9 percent from the floor while their opponents can only 35.9.
The Lady Foxes also hit more than 60 percent from the charity stripe while the visitors canned 51.8. Grubb and Thomas also have been very dominant on the glass this winter as the two have combined for 362 rebounds with Grubb grabbing 200.
That 200 is the margin in which the Lady Foxes have outboarded opponents this season. Grubb also has 67 offensive boards among that total while Thomas has 64.
Reprinted by permission from McLeansboro Times-Leader - June 17, 1999 by Ryan Nelson
| 
