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COAL CITY – To say that the Coal City girls basketball team started out hot Monday night in a 52-33 Illinois Central Eight Conference win over Streator would be an understatement.
The Coalers (18-6, 9-1) scored the game’s first 25 points and finished the first quarter with a 28-6 lead on the strength of 11-of-20 shooting from the floor, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range. And it wasn’t just one or two players doing the damage. Seven Coal City players scored in the first quarter and eight of the 10 on the roster found the scoring column before the game was over.
“I don’t think we have had a quarter like that all year,” Coal City coach Brad Schmitt said. “We haven’t made six 3-pointers or scored 28 in a quarter. We wanted to get off to a good start tonight, and the girls certainly did that.
“What I liked about it was that everyone was involved. The defense was very good, and on offense, we moved the ball and found the open players.”
Jorie Tucker made a pair of 3-pointers to start the game before Emma Rodriguez, who led the Coalers with 13 points and six rebounds, scored a pair of baskets underneath. Following a steal and layup by Sydney Nelson, Becca Hall drained a 3-pointer. Larson then scored on a baseline drive before assisting on a Rodriguez bucket for a 19-0 lead. Kylee Kennell (10 points) and Laura Christopher (5 points) each hit a 3-pointer to put the Coalers ahead 25-0.
Streator (1-22, 0-10) finally got on the board on a three-point play by freshman Rhea Huey with 1:30 to play in the first quarter. Coal City answered with a 3-pointer by Riley Walker (5 points) before the Bulldogs ended the quarter with a free throw by Leah Krohe and a basket by Huey.
“The last few weeks we have been working on our shots,” Rodriguez said. “Everyone is more confident in themselves and each other. Everyone on the team contributes.
“It’s nice when I run the floor after a steal or rebound and my teammates look for me and find me. We have a strong bench, and that’s helpful when the starters need to get a rest. They also push us pretty hard in practice and it makes everyone better.”
Streator didn’t let the fast start by the Coalers get them down. Ava Gwaltney (game-high 14 points) started the second quarter with a basket and a 3-pointer to get the Bulldogs to within 28-11. Coal City ran off the next eight points, getting a pair of baskets by Rodriguez and one each by Tucker (8 points) and Kennell, before Krohe made a free throw to send Streator into halftime trailing 36-12.
The two teams played even in the third quarter, with Streator getting four points from Krohe (9 points) and Coal City getting four from Rodriguez, and the Coalers took a 44-20 lead into the fourth.
Coal City scored the first four points of the fourth, moving out to a 48-20 lead. However, Streator did not allow the running clock to be invoked as the Bulldogs scored the next 10 points. Gwaltney made back-to-back 3-pointers and Krohe added a basket and a pair of free throws, cutting the Coal City lead to 48-30.
“We did pretty well after the first quarter,” Streator coach Jacob Durdan said. “We know that Coal City could get hot shooting. I have to hand it to them, they run a strong offense and execute it very well.
“But our girls battled. We are a young team. Our core of starters is juniors, sophomores and a freshman. They are getting some great experience this year.
“There’s a lot we can build on from this game. Each game we are handling pressure better, and the girls are competing and scoring more. The record isn’t what we want, but we are scoring more points. We aren’t getting beat 50-10 like we did earlier in the year.”