By Steve Raymond

ET Sports Report

Survive and advance.

In the postseason, that’s the ultimate objective.

Yes, coaches want their team to play well.

But even more importantly, they want to play . . . again.

Did the Effingham Lady Hearts play well Thursday night?

In some phases – defense and rebounding – a resounding ‘yes.’

In other phases – shooting and turnovers – not so much.

But they will play . . . again.

The Lady Hearts led for the final 25 minutes of the game and by 14 points at one time.

But they had to withstand a furious comeback by Troy Triad, aided by Effingham’s inability to take care of the basketball.

The EHS girls then tallied the final 10 points of the game – mostly at the free throw line – to post a 50-38 victory in the championship game of the Troy Triad Class 3A Regional.

“This one has an extra special feeling,” said EHS coach Jeff Schafer, who has guided the team to two straight regional titles and 10 overall in his career. “First of all, it was a tough matchup against a good team. Plus, with the injuries we’re going through.”

Prior to 2014, the St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs had never won a regional tournament.

Now, 12 years later, they find themselves in the winner’s circle almost every year.

For the 9th time in those 12 years – and now four years in a row – the Lady Bulldogs will be making a trip to the sectional.

They made that happen Thursday night with a wire-to-wire 55-30 victory over Altamont in the championship game of the Class 1A Neoga Regional.

They now advance to the Arcola Sectional, where they will face Arcola. The Lady Purple Raiders advanced by defeating Tuscola, 58-57, in the championship game of the Tuscola Regional. The St. Anthony-Arcola contest is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

They will be joined by Decatur St. Teresa and Catlin (Salt Fork), who won the St. Teresa and Georgetown regionals respectively. Those two squads will play at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The Lady Bulldogs got off to a fast start against Altamont. Nancy Ruholl pumped in 11 points, as SAHS raced to a 15-3 lead. All three of the Lady Indians points were from free throws.

St. Anthony continued to stretch the lead. At halftime, the margin was 16 points, 29-13. And heading into the final eight minutes, the Lady Bulldogs were comfortably on top, 44-19.

Kylee Lurkins scored nine points for the Lady Indians, who ended their season at 13-19.

Ruholl finished with a game-high 20 points. Ady Rios scored eight and Addi Lauritzen and Lilly Gannaway both added six. Lauritzen also pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Lady Bulldogs, the state’s top-ranked Class 1A team, improved to 27-4.

The Mt. Zion Braves raced to a 21-5 lead, en route to a 55-24 win at home Thursday night over Effingham.

The win capped an undefeated 10-0 season and an Apollo Conference championship for the Braves.

Sammy Driscoll and Lyncoln Koester both knocked down a three-pointer and scored seven points in the opening period, helping Mt. Zion build the 16-point lead after just eight minutes. The hosts expanded the lead to 33-10 at halftime and 51-14 after three quarters.

Driscoll finished with 14 points for the Braves, who are 22-9 overall. Jacob Harvey, Andrew Tay and Koester were also in double figures, each scoring 11 points.

KJ Kellams had six points for Effingham.

The Heart finished their regular season with a 2-8 record in the conference and 7-24 overall.

They will open postseason play as the No. 9 seed in the Effingham Regional. They will play Monday at Charleston. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m.

The St. Anthony Bulldogs will enter postseason play with a No. 1 seed in the Class 1A Moweaqua (Central A&M) Regional.

St. Anthony’s first game, however, will be a home contest against Ramsey, seeded No. 16. That will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 24.

The regional championship will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, at Central A&M High School in Moweaqua.

The winner will advance to the Bridgeport Sectional. Winners of the Chrisman, Bluford (Webber) and Farina (South Central) regionals will also advance to the Bridgeport Sectional.

Here is the complete schedule for the Moweaqua (Central A&M) Regional:

Monday, Feb. 24

Game 1 – 6 p.m. – No. 16 Ramsey at No. 1 St. Anthony

Game 2 – 6 p.m. -- No. 7 Nokomis at No. 6 Windsor/Stew Stras

Game 3 – 6 p.m. – No. 13 Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City at No. 4 Arcola

Game 4 – 6 p.m. – No. 8 Moweaqua (Central A&M) at No. 5 Okaw Valley

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Game 5 – 6 p.m. – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Game 6 – 7:30 p.m. – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Friday, Feb. 28

Game 7 – 7 p.m. Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (championship)

The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes will be looking to keep their string of regional titles going when the postseason opens the week of February 24.

The Shoes – not counting the 2021 season when COVID prevented the postseason from being played – have won 14 consecutive regionals. And since the 2002 postseason, they have brought home the regional plaque 20 times in 22 years.

This year, T-Town will enter as the No. 2 seed in the Class 2A Fairfield Regional and play its first game on Wednesday, Feb. 26. They will play either Flora or Vandalia. Game time is set for 6 p.m.

The regional championship is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28

The winner will advance to the Tolono (Unity) Sectional, which will begin on Tuesday, March 4. Winners from the Paris, Westville and Macon (Meridian) regionals will also advance to the Tolono (Unity) Sectional.

Here is the complete schedule for the Fairfield Regional:

Monday, Feb. 24

Game 1 – 6 p.m. – No. 9 Flora at No. 8 Vandalia

Game 2 – 7 p.m. – No. 11 Mt. Carmel at No. 5 Fairfield

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Game 3 – 6 p.m. -- No. 2 Teutopolis vs. Winner Game 1

Game 4 – 7:30 p.m. – No. 3 Marshall vs. Winner Game 2

Friday, Feb. 28

Game 5 – 7 p.m. -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (championship)

The Effingham Hearts will enter postseason play, hosting a Class 3A regional.

The Hearts are seeded No. 9 and will play their first game on Monday, Feb. 24. But since it’s an opening-round contest, they play on the road, traveling to Charleston to face the Trojans, who are seeded No. 8. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.

The regional championship is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, at Effingham High School.

The winner will advance to the Marion Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, March 4. Regional winners from Carbondale, Highland and Waterloo will advance to the Marion Sectional.

Here is the complete schedule for the Effingham Regional.

Monday, Feb. 24

Game 1 – 6:30 p.m. – No. 9 Effingham at No. 8 Charleston

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Game 2 – 6 p.m. -- No. 1 Centralia vs. Winner Game 1

Game 3 – 7:30 p.m. – No. 4 Herrin vs. No. 7 Mattoon

Friday, Feb. 28

Game 4 – Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 (championship)

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