Entering the season, Lady Kahoks Head Coach Lori Billy thought the sophomores would be the key to her team’s success. She was prophetic, at least for the first game.
Samantha Buettner / Photo by Roger Starkey
Collinsville’s sophomore class scored 35 of the team’s 49 points in the Kahoks 49-41 victory over Freeburg in the Nashville Tournament. “Our young kids really stepped up and took control,” Billy said.
The Kahoks balanced scoring attack was led by sophomore guard Julie Scheiter, with nine points. Fellow sophomores Caitlyn Brombolich and Gabby Morgan, as well as junior Samantha Buettner, chipped in eight points apiece for Collinsville (1-0). Chelsea Hill led the Midgets (0-1) with 21 points.
Collinsville jumped out to an early lead and held an 18-11 edge after a quarter of play. The Kahoks got into foul trouble in the first half. The Midgets took advantage, hitting free throws to keep them in the game.
The Midgets cut Collinsville’s seven-point halftime lead to three when the Kahoks’ shooting went cold in the third quarter. After the Kahoks hit a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to six, the remainder of the game was back and forth, with the Midgets never getting closer than five.
The Kahoks guards made 3-point shots each time the Midgets would claw back into the game. Mahan, Scheiter and Brombolich each hit big 3-pointers for CHS.
Despite the victory, Billy said the team had work to do to improve their man-to-main defense. “We got lost on some cuts, but that’s part of the game, when you’re learning it’s something you have to work on,” Billy said. “They play aggressively enough and hard enough that they’ll be fine.”
Freshman guard Andrea Frerker was a game changer, defensively, Billy said. “Defensively she really gets it. She moves her feet well and I don’t have to worry about her fouling,” Billy said. “She just does a good job.”
Offensively the team showed patience when it needed to take care of the ball, Billy said. “I thought that was key,” Billy said. “If we get out there and we panic, and we lose our brains, there’s no hope for us.
Billy called the victory a big first step for the team. “I think the younger kids saw that they can handle the pressure and they’ve got to be relaxed and play their game,” Billy said.
Also scoring for the Kahoks were sophomore guard Carlee Mahan (6), sophomore forward Kassidy Smith (4) junior forward Jasmine Jackson (2), Frerker (2) and junior guard Paige Giacoletto (2).
Collinsville returns to action with a pair of games Friday. The Kahoks will play Triad at 10 a.m. and return to action for a 7 p.m. contest against Nashville.
