Morris’ Landrie Callahan nets 1,000th career point in win over Reed-Custer

BRAIDWOOD — There is no doubt that Morris junior Landrie Callahan will remember her second game of the 2024-25 season.

That is because she scored her 1,000th career point in a 60-17 win over Reed-Custer in the Comet Classic on Tuesday, and it was the last point her team scored. What she might like to forget is how the game went for her in the early going.

Callahan, who finished with a game-high 22 points, was whistled for her second foul in the first three minutes of the game and was on the bench for the rest of the first half.

No matter, though, as her sister Layken and teammate Lily Hansen stepped to the forefront and took up the scoring duties with Landrie sidelined. Hansen scored 12 of her 16 points in the first half, while Layken Callahan had 11 of her 15 with her sister on the bench.

“I had two fouls in the first quarter last night, too,” Landrie Callahan said. “I had to sit a long time in that game, too. It was a nice feeling to watch my teammates build the lead and have other people on the floor that they could rely on scoring. We are a pretty good all-around team.

“It’s really nice having Lily underneath to score and get rebounds, because that lets me and Layken kind of move around the outside more, which is where we like to be.”

With Landrie Callahan on the bench, the 5-10 Hansen had free reign in the lane against the shorter Comets. Hansen scored 10 points in the first quarter, helping Morris (2-0) to a 17-7 lead at the first break.

“I just go out there and do my job,” Hansen said. “It’s amazing to have players like Landrie and Layken on the team, but I am really happy with the work the entire team has put in. It’s not just about themselves or their stats. The only things that matter are team things, like being 2-0 right now.

“I do what I am good at and let the other girls do what they are good at. We all pretty much know our roles and no one is trying to do too much.”

Hansen, who also had seven rebounds, notched her third putback basket of the night in the second quarter, and Layken Callahan converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the buzzer to send Morris into halftime with a 30-11 lead.

After holding the Comets (1-1) to 11 points in the first half, Morris increased the defensive pressure after intermission and started the third quarter on an 18-2 run, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers by Landrie Callahan, who did pick up her third foul but stayed in the game. Reed-Custer stopped the run with a basket by Alyssa Wollenzien, who led the team with eight points, but Morris took a 52-17 lead into the fourth quarter.

Landrie Callahan scored all eight points for Morris in the fourth, the final one coming on a free throw in the final minute.

“I thought Lily Hansen stepped up and played well when Landrie went to the bench,” Morris coach Mike Lutz said. “It was very nice to see us increase the lead while Landrie wasn’t playing. There are going to be times this year when she’s not on the floor, and the girls need to have that confidence that they can be OK.

“We were able to force a lot of turnovers with our defense, too. The girls are still fitting into their roles, but they are getting to know them and be comfortable.”

Reed-Custer was led by Wollenzien’s eight points, while Gwen Stewart had a team-high five rebounds.

“We were overmatched by their size,” Reed-Custer coach Shelby Zwolinski said. “Not only their size, but the athleticism of their big girls. We are not going to see a team like Morris the rest of the year.

“But, I am proud that it wasn’t a lack of effort that beat us tonight. Our girls kept working hard all the way to the final buzzer. These girls come out and battle every day and that’s all I ask.”