UTICA – Centerburg’s Amelia Smith, a senior on the girls basketball team, couldn’t contain her emotion after the Trojans defeated Utica 47-30 in non-league play in their regular-season finale.
“I’m extremely sad,” she said fighting back tears. “It was a really great season. I got really close with all the girls and I’m really sad to see it end. But it was a great season.”
Centerburg showed signs of growing as a program a year after winning just one game.
Freshman Clara Johnson led the Trojans (6-15) with a double-double, 16 points and 10 rebounds. She also added a pair of steals. Smith was solid all around with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
“I was just trying to look for the open person and make smart decisions passing and shooting,” Smith said. “If I thought I was open to shoot, I took the shot.”
Centerburg coach Bo Glenn had to remind his seniors that there’s still one game left on the schedule — a first-round home matchup against Columbus Academy on Feb. 17 in the Division III district tournament. But he wasn’t going to let that get in the way against Utica.
“There was a lot of emotion with our senior class, knowing that this is their last regular-season game,” he said. “I haven’t been their head coach for four years — I have for three. Just watching their growth ... tonight was about them. They’re in (the locker room); they’re hurt. But we still got a game to play.”
“He’s right; it’s not over,” Smith added.
After a sluggish first quarter ended in a 6-6 tie, the Trojans scored 14 of the next 15 points and took a 22-9 lead into the locker room.
Utica came storming back in the third quarter and closed within three on a couple of occasions, but Centerburg led 30-25 heading into the fourth.
The Trojans held Utica to one field goal in the fourth quarter as they pulled away.
Rebecca Scholl had six points, six rebounds and two assists; Chloe Goulter had six rebounds, three helpers and a pair of steals; and Avery Tucker had four assists and three steals in the win.
Shawna Blake and Riley Thompson scored 10 points apiece to pace Utica (1-20). Blake added six rebounds, two assists and a couple of steals; and Thompson went for seven rebounds and three steals.
“Ms. Blake is one heck of a ballplayer,” Glenn said. “Our game plan was shrinking gaps and making her a passer. She can kill you getting into the paint. That was our game plan and we did a very good job of executing it.”
“He did that,” Utica coach Terry Logue said. “Until we have some of these young girls that are willing to shoot the ball when they’re open. We had that conversation at halftime with the sophomores. I told them, ‘If you’re open and you don’t shoot, you’re coming out of the game.’ Well, look what happened. We finally decided to shoot, and we made some shots (in the third quarter).”
Josie Mueller had four points, four rebounds and four steals; Bella Coulter had eight rebounds and Haden Walters had seven boards as Utica won the rebounding battle, 40-39.
“It’s been a growing experience,” Logue said of the season. “I think the girls are trying hard and practicing hard. We’re awfully young. Not making an excuse, but with COVID ... not having an offseason with a young group hurt us.”
