Althoff’s free throw at the 3:30 mark of the opening period started the 20-0 run that turned the game into a rout. Ella Niebrugge and Ohnesorge hit three-pointers to make it a 13-2 advantage when the quarter ended.
Schaefer then opened the second period with another three. Marissa Allie followed with a pair of free throws, Schaefer hit a charity toss, Niebrugge scored five straight points, including another from long range, and freshman Sidney Donaldson converted a turnover into a basket that gave EHS a commanding 26-2 cushion.
Charleston’s Ellie Long hit a three in the final seconds to snap the nearly 12-minute scoring drought, making it 26-5 at halftime.
“We were coming off a rough week, so it was almost nice to have a game like this,” Schafer noted. “We got off to a bit of a slow start, but overall, I was pleased with how we played. It gave us a chance to work on a couple things, like our half-court trap. We might need to use that sometime later this season.
“I was glad to see all four seniors contribute,” the veteran coach added. “We have worked on our chemistry and our rotation all year long. I was glad all the seniors got to play a little more than usual and I was glad our younger kids got to play as well.”
The domination continued in the second half. Schaefer knocked down two more three-pointers and Ohnesorge also hit from behind the arc as the buzzer sounded, capping a 17-4 run in the third quarter that expanded the margin to 43-9.
Schaefer was the only player to reach double figures with 10 points, but the Lady Hearts featured a balanced scoring attack. Niebrugge had eight, while Ohnesorge scored seven and Madison Mapes, Althoff, Phillips and Donaldson each added six.
Effingham was 19-for-56 from the floor, a 34 percent clip. The Lady Hearts were 7-for-20 from long range and 6-for-12 from the foul line. They owned a 28-15 rebounding edge and forced the Lady Trojans into 24 turnovers, while committing just three.
The Lady Hearts improved to 17-10 on the season and 4-6 in the Apollo Conference.
“Getting our 17th win was pretty good,” Schafer said. “Nobody expected us to have 17 wins this season. And we’re not done.
“These girls have continued to work hard and our chemistry has just gotten better and better,” Schafer added. “Sometimes I wonder where our points will come from, but I never question our effort. They play together; they play for each other. Our chemistry is the key.”
Weather-permitting, Effingham will play at home Friday night against Lincoln. If that game gets cancelled, the Lady Hearts will play Lincoln Monday night. There will be only a varsity game and it will begin at 6 p.m.
