***Ava Landwehr is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
The Lady Geese varsity basketball team triumphed 37-29 over the Lady Tigers of Illini Bluffs in their first-round sectional game.
This secures the girls’ Sweet Sixteen placement for the first time since 2012. They’ll face the Abingdon-Avon in the sectional title game Thursday.
The Lady Geese started off strong with a 7-0 lead in the game’s first two minutes. But the Lady Tigers took back the ball and led the game for the entirety of the first half.
By the third quarter, the Lady Geese took back the ball and scored continuously, scarcely letting Illini Bluffs get a hold of the ball. Their impressive defense allowed the opposers to score only once.
Their leading score at the end of the third was 26-17. They continued their defensive attack and sharp shooting into the fourth quarter, ending with a score of 37-29.
The leading scorer of the game was senior Lajaya Angel with 13 points. The team as a whole had a lot of defensive and offensive rebounds. They were strong in the paint, both in scoring and defending the ball, and their frequent steals allowed them to take control of the game. Over all, the team’s aggressive attack proved beneficial for the win.
The Geese move on to the Sweet Sixteen. They play A-Town’s Lady Tornados at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 at United High School, rural Monmouth. Fans are invited to come out to cheer the Lady Geese on to their next big win.
***This copy has been edited to identify the correct team that the Lady Geese will play on Thursday. The Lady Geese will play Abingdon-Avon and not Annawan as originally reported.
