Saturday, March 22, 2025
The Beloit Lady Trojans defeated the Southwestern Heights Lady Mustangs, 67-49, Thursday, March 6, to advance to the substate final.
With its fifth consecutive win, Beloit improved to 13-8. The Lady Trojans will travel to Scott City, to play at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 8, for the contest to decide which team will go to the state tournament. Their opponent was Holcomb; the Lady Longhorns were 17-5.
On Thursday, the game of runs began with four almost perfect possessions for Beloit. They included four points, a rebound of the Lady Trojans’ first missed shot, plus a SW Heights turnover and foul.
Senior Addison Budke made a shot to give her team an early 2-0 lead. Senior Cassandra Thompson followed with two free throws and a basket. Budke added another putback nearly three minutes into the contest, pushing the edge to 8-0 before the hosts even attempted a shot.
After Southwestern Heights rebounded its first missed shot, the Lady Mustangs missed again, grabbing the rebound. Adeline Woods made a free throw before Thompson responded with a bucket, increasing the lead to 10-1 and prompting a timeout.
A three by the Lady Mustangs started a dominant stretch that lasted the following several minutes. Layla Kisner followed with another trey, and SW Heights’ resurgence continued.
After the hosts took a 14-10 edge, Budke made a free throw. The hosts added a basket to close the first quarter, leading 16-11. Kisner added a basket as the hosts’ surge continued.
The dominating stretch increased to 25-1, pushing the lead to 26-11. The visitors answered their second big spurt of the game. Starting with a free throw by freshman Landry Litton and a Budke basket, Beloit scored 15 of the last 16 points before intermission.
Litton made a pair from the line to narrow the gap to 27-26 at halftime. Sophomore Samantha Thompson’s trey to open the third quarter completed the 18-1 surge, putting Beloit ahead, 29-27.
For the only time in the contest, neither team went on a run throughout the third. Two ties and four lead changes ensued as neither team led by more than four in this stretch.
A three by the hosts tied the score at 43. Junior McKenna Channell hit a trey to complete the frame. Beloit led, 46-43, going to the fourth quarter.
The big shot started the contest’s final momentum shift. The Lady Trojans scored 21 of the next 22 points, with the 24-1 run giving them a 67-44 edge that secured the win. SW Heights scored the last five points to end Beloit’s 18-point victory.
Budke led Beloit with 21 points, while Cassandra Thompson added 14. Her sister Samantha had 9, McKenna Channell 8, while Wright, and Litton had 7 each; sophomore Reagan Cheney had 1. Kisner led the Lady Mustangs with 18 points.
Beloit Head Coach Keith Kresin expressed his pleasure with his team’s performance.
“It was a great team win,” he said. “We came out and executed extremely well.”
The coach was pleased with the performance of his players who were on the court before reserves entered in the final minute.
“All eight girls that played contributed,” said Kresin. “I can’t be more proud of the girls.”
He said that Budke’s passing makes her more effective than most girls with her height.
“She has that element,” said Kresin.
The coach said a repeat performance is crucial for his team to earn a berth in the state tournament.
“If we come out Saturday and play how we’re capable of playing, we’ve got a good shot of advancing,” said Kresin
