Patriot BB Powers Through To Lincoln! Girls Lose OT Heartbreaker to Eventual C2 Runner-Up
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It’s post-season time for Patriot basketball, and the girls were looking to make four straight trips to Lincoln this year, and they succeeded!
After defeating Cross County, the #1 team in their sub-districts, the girls’ Patriot basketball team traveled to Hastings to battle against the St. Cecilia Bluehawks in the district final on February 23.
Despite the Bluehawks being ranked higher than them, the Patriots played hard and prevailed after a big night from senior Chloe Hanel and the rest of the team. Hanel put up 30 points and 15 rebounds. The Patriots only allowed double-digit points once through the four quarters, allowing 10 in the 4th, but before that the Bluehawks never got over 9.
The girls played a tough game, edging out a 39-32 win against St. Cecilia, punching their ticket to Lincoln for the Class C2 State tournament, and keeping St. Cecilia out of the state tournament for the first time in 12 years!
Head Coach Matt Murren said, “What a run the girls were able to put together as we headed into the postseason. Being able to go into sub-districts and knock off a highly ranked Cross County team in a physical game was a huge step for the team. Heading to Hastings St. Cecilia for the sub-state game and executing on the defensive end the way we did was so much fun to be a part of. The girls showed they can play with anyone in the state and were playing their best basketball.”
After this amazing win, the girls traveled to Lincoln for the first round of the state tournament. The Patriots faced a tough 27-1 Crofton Warriors team. The contest was neck and neck the whole game, before the Warriors were able to get the upper hand in overtime, taking it 38-32.
Although this loss knocked the Patriots out in the first round, it was an amazing season and they were able to take the eventual state runner-up to overtime in their final game.
Head Coach Matt Murren said, “We knew playing Crofton at state was going to be a tough and physical game, and the girls were up to the challenge. They put together their best defensive game of the year and really limited Crofton offensively. Unfortunately, we ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard, but I couldn't have been prouder of how the girls left everything on the court. This team should be extremely proud of how much they accomplished and how well they were playing at the end of the year.”
Gracie Eisenmann, one of two seniors on this year’s team, said, “It was super exciting being able to beat Hastings St. Cecilia in the district final and snapping their 12-year streak of going to state. It was also really exciting to make it back to the state tournament and have the opportunity at making a run in Lincoln.
“Unfortunately, the state tournament didn't end the way we would have liked but I'm super proud of my team for fighting till the end and pushing a top team to the brink. It has been a fun season and we were able to make huge strides from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. I had so much fun being a part of this team over the years and I'm thankful for everything basketball has taught me!”
Junior Brynn Settje, who led the team at state with 20 points, said, “I thought the district finals went really well. We started off a little slow, but as the game went on we started to get a rhythm. The state game had an unfortunate outcome but we played our best game that we have played this season. We battled hard and played very well on defense. Our defensive energy allowed us to make some shots on the offensive side. Overall, I thought our season went very well. We started off slow in the beginning of the season, while we were still figuring out what everyone's role was. Once we settled in and knew what we needed to do, we started to play a lot better. Our team works very well together, and we are always having a fun time when we are around one another.”
The girls’ finished the season ranked #5 in the Lincoln-Journal Star. Congratulations on the Patriot girls on their 17-6 season and another trip to Lincoln!
Patriots vs. St. Cecilia
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Clarkson/Leigh 8 11 12 8 39
St. Cecilia 9 5 8 10 32
Stats - (Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals)
Cadence Indra - 0, 1, 0, 1; Chloe Hanel - 30, 15, 1, 5; Ava Kasik - 3, 3, 1, 0; Gracie Eisenmann - 1, 2, 0, 0; Brynn Settje - 5, 0, 1, 1; Baylee Settje - 0, 2,0, 0;
Patriots vs. Crofton
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT1 Final
Crofton 7 7 7 9 8 38
Clarkson/Leigh 10 5 4 11 2 32
Stats - (Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals)
Cadence Indra – 1, 2, 0, 0; Chloe Hanel - 7, 6, 1, 3; Ava Kasik - 0, 1, 3, 1); Gracie Eisenmann - (0, 3, 0, 0); Brynn Settje - 20, 3, 1, 2; Baylee Settje - 4, 2, 0, 0;