***Kyra Galbraith is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the Lady Geese traveled to Abington-Avon High School to take on the Tornadoes in a fast-paced and aggressive basketball matchup.
The last time these two teams met was during the super sectionals of the 2024-2025 season, where the Tornadoes robbed the Geese of a win. That tough loss set the tone for a highly anticipated rematch.
The game opened with immediate fire. The Geese won the opening possession, and Kyleigh Anderson was fouled, sinking both free throws to score the first points of the night.
That first foul foreshadowed what would be a long night at the free-throw line. The first period stayed close until the Tornadoes grasped ahold of the lead, with a final score of 5-12.
As the second period unfolded, the Geese struggled to find momentum, allowing the Tornadoes to achieve an even larger lead of 14 points. Despite several strong shots from the Geese, they headed into halftime trailing 14-28.
The second half changed it all for the Geese. They played with renewed determination and energy. In the third period alone, they scored 19 points, slowly closing that gap between the Tornadoes. By the end of the quarter, the score had tightened to 33-40.
The fourth period had the fans, coaches and players on their toes. With the third period ending with the Geese down by 7 points, they fought relentlessly and managed to cut the Tornadoes’ lead down to just one point, keeping the game’s outcome uncertain until the last few moments.
Despite the hard work, hustle and impressive shots, the Geese were not able to secure the win, leaving the Tornadoes with a home victory and a final score of 55-60.
The lead scorers were senior Camryn Anderson with 11, junior Lana Scott with 15, and the leading scorer was freshman Kyleigh Anderson with a total of 18 points.
“We had a slow start and got behind in the first half,” said Anderson. “And we came out the second half much better with more energy. We just need to play all four quarters like we did in the second half as we are getting closer to the post season.”
