Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team wraps up second straight SEC title
Published 10:28 pm Monday, February 16, 2015
Lyle-Pacelli’s Brooke Walter tries to get a steal from Grand Meadow’s Annika Arndorfer in Pacelli Gym Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team had to sweat it out, but it completed its second straight season without a conference loss as it wrapped up its second straight Southeast Conference title with a 51-41 win over Grand Meadow in Pacelli Gym Monday.
The No. 10 ranked Athletics (20-3 overall, 18-0 SEC) have won three straight SEC West titles.
Grand Meado’s Rachel Oehlke handles the ball in Pacelli Gym Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
GM (17-8 overall, 16-3 SEC) had pulled to within 33-31 when Rio Landers converted a 3-point play with 11:17 left in the game, but LP scored the next seven points and the Larks never got closer than nine the rest of the way.
“I think we got Grand Meadow’s best shot tonight. Give Grand Meadow credit,” LP head coach Justin Morris said. “Those kids played hard, they played with heart and they played with fire. Give Ryan [Queensland] credit. He had his kids playing tonight and they wanted it.”
LP freshman point guard Brooke Walter, who had 10 points, six assists, three rebounds and four steals, picked up her third foul with 1:47 left in the first half, but she played most of the second half without fouling again. Walter said she had to take a more passive approach, but she was able to impact the game by spreading the ball out to her teammates.
“It’s hard to stay aggressive with three fouls and you kind of calm down a little. I had to guard away from the ball,” Walter said.
LP forced 29 GM turnovers, but the Athletics had 21 turnovers of their own. LP junior Sarah Holtz picked up most of the slack for her team as she poured in 25 points, 12 rebounds and five steals. Holtz said the Superlarks came out with energy and the Athletics had to match it.
“They really played well tonight and they had a lot of heart,” she said. “They were definitely ready to play tonight, but in the end we found a way to battle back. I think it shows our determination.”
Grand Meadow’s Allison Gehling is guarded by Lyle-Pacelli’s Madison Truckenmiller in Pacelli Gym Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Morris credited Holtz with igniting LP in a time of need.
“You can’t ask for anything more than what Sarah Holtz gave tonight. Effort, focus and energy,” Morris said. “Sarah Holtz tonight was the best player on the floor and without Sarah Holtz it might have been a different story. She’s a great kid who I couldn’t be more proud of and she’s the straw that stirs the drink for us right now.”
GM 19 22 — 41
LP 25 26 — 51
LP scoring: Sarah Holtz, 25; Brooke Walter, 10; Madison Truckenmiller, 8; Courtney Walter, 5; Bethany Strouf, 2; Kendal Truckenmiller, 1; free throws: 46 percent (6-for-13); rebounds: 39 (Holtz, 12); turnovers: 21
GM scoring: Rachel Oehlke, 12; Jordyn Glynn, 7; Jamie Stevens, 6; Rio Landers, 6; Allison Gehling, 5; Brittanie Winfield, 5; free throws: 55 percent (6-for-11); rebounds: 38 (Landers, 9); turnovers: 29
