Devils Trounce the Panthers
Senior Blue Devil Jenna Hunter (#23) drives to the basket. –Photo by JIm Piacentini.
By Dennis Bowling
The usually composed Manteno Panthers had the tall order of trying to slay the giant Class 2A power Peotone, but the Panthers became unraveled. They made 25 first half turnovers, which led to their demise on January 19.
The Blue Devils junior Madison Schroeder, a 5’-11” guard and two-sport standout, registered a team high 10 points, as well as six rebounds, to help Peotone beat Manteno, 49-18, in an Illinois Central Eight Conference rival contest in Peotone.
With the win, Peotone is still perfect at 19-0 overall, 9-0 and in first place in the conference, and has won 27 conference games in a row.
Panther Coach Bethany Stritar summarized just what happened against the Blue Devils. “We did not get enough shots at the basket,” she said. “Their trapping pressure defense hurt us, although we were able to settle down at half time. We just could not find the opportunity to score a basket.”
At the close of the first quarter, the Blue Devils owned a 15-6 lead thanks to Mady Kibelkis’ jump shot basket.
In the second quarter, the Blue Devils offense went into high gear and were able to outscore the Panthers by a 15-2 count, which enabled them to own a 30-8 half time advantage.
In the second, Peotone’s Jenna Hunter (8 points, 12 rebounds) made consecutive buckets for a 19-6 lead. A Schroeder jump shot basket increased the lead to 21-6. Kibelkis was fouled attempting to make a trey basket, then made one-of-three free throws for a 22-8 lead.
Abigail Chenoweth’s bucket made it 24-8. While Hunter was double teamed, she was able to successfully make a bucket to push the Peotone advantage to 26-8. Schroeder’s pair of free throws followed and pushed the margin to 28-8. Addie Graffeo’s (9 points) basket closed out the stanza with a 30-8 Peotone lead.
“We have been working on our pressure defense,” Hunter said. “We were able to put pressure on the ball, and that made us play better.”
“Manteno was just playing nervous,” she continued, “and that made us confident.”
Kibelkis feels Manteno is a rival, but the bigger ones are against ICE rivals Herscher and Beecher. “They are big rivalries, and we were very confident against them,” she said. “They had butter fingers and weren’t able to handle the ball.”
“Jenna played very well,” she noted. “She did a good job of finishing around the basket and had some good moves, too.”
For the Panthers, Macy Iwanus had 2 points and 3 rebounds, Kylie Saathoff finished with 2 points and 6 rebounds, Katherine Gaffney recorded 2 points and 4 rebounds, and Sara Schmidt finished with 3 points and 4 rebounds. Ava Peterson also added 2 points and 3 rebounds.
In the junior varsity game, Manteno beat Peotone, 26-20. Manteno’s Emily Horath had 7 points, while Lila Prindeville and Ava Peterson each finished with 5. Peotone’s Alyssa Lattz and Emma Orzel each also had 5 points, with Mallory Schroeder adding 4 for the Blue Devils.
Illinois News
National News
Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.
Classifieds
Area News
Peotone Police Blotter: April 18-22
Spread the love April 18 a Peotone Officer was dispatched to BP for the report of a traffic accident. Officer responded and spoke with involved parties, who relayed there were no injuries and minor damage. Parties advised they were going to exchange information and handle between themselves and did not wish for a police report.…
Legion Post 392 Fish Fry
Spread the lovePeotone American Legion Post 392 will host its last of the season monthly all-you-can-eat fish fry, on Saturday, May 11, from 4:30 to 6:30p.m. or until sold out. Tickets are $15 for either perch or catfish and include French fries, cole slaw, bread, and butter. Don’t forget delicious desserts, from the Legion Auxiliary,…
Peotone Library News
Spread the loveSummer Reading Program registration begins Monday, June 3, for all ages. Interested in being a sponsor – stop by or give us a call. The library now offers a monthly e-newsletter. Sign-up on the website at peotonelibrary.org. Then, at the bottom of the opening page, click on the Newsletter Signup box. Interested in…
Helping Hands Food Pantry
Spread the loveHelping Hands Food Pantry will be open to all area residents (including senior citizens and adults both with or without children who reside within the boundaries of the Peotone School District and are in need of food assistance) on Wednesdays, May 8 and 22, from 1 to 5:30 p.m., at the Community Presbyterian…
No More Potholes on Blue Devil Drive
Spread the loveBy Andrea Arens The meme is there’s two seasons in Illinois – winter and construction. That also will hold true for the Peotone School District but, unlike Chicago, many will appreciate the improvements. Blue Devil Drive, the street in front of the junior high that also provides access to the football field, baseball…
Peotone Police Blotter: April 12-16
Spread the loveApril 12: Peotone Police were dispatched to N. Railroad and E. North Streets for a report of a property damage vehicle accident. Peotone Police arrived on scene and confirmed no injury occurred. The responding officer spoke with the single driver involved, who advised while turning around he struck a parked vehicle. Owner of…
Peotone Library News
Spread the loveThe library now offers a monthly e-newsletter. Sign-up on the website at peotonelibrary.org. Then, at the bottom of the opening page, click on the Newsletter Signup box. Interested in the Homebound Delivery Program? Contact the Adult Services Department for more information and guidelines. Register for events on the website calendar or call the…
St. Agnes Students Raise Funds for Diaper Pantry
Spread the loveStudents at St. Agnes School in Chicago Heights raised $1,650 during their Lenten service project to purchase diapers for Franciscan Health Olympia Fields’ diaper pantry for new moms in need. The project, “For the Sake of New Life,” spanned two weeks during Lent, when students filled baby bottle banks with money they earned…
WCCHC Offering Primary Care Services in Monee
Spread the loveThe Will County Health Department and Community Health Center will begin offering primary care medical services at its Eastern Branch Office in Monee, 5601 W. Monee-Manhattan Road, beginning in April. Primary care services at the Eastern Branch office will be available from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., every Wednesday, effective immediately. Appointments are…
Moore Joins Federated Bank as AVP Community Banking Manager/Loan Officer
Spread the loveFederated Bank proudly announced the appointment of Shannon Moore as Assistant Vice President and Community Banking Manager, effective January 1. Bringing more than 15 years of extensive experience in the banking and mortgage lending industries, Moore is recognized for his exceptional leadership and commitment to community-focused banking solutions. Prior to joining Federated Bank,…
Franciscan Health Outpatient Therapy Hosting Fall Prevention Seminar
Spread the loveFranciscan Health Outpatient Therapy is hosting a free fall prevention seminar in Frankfort in May. The event will feature Franciscan Health Doctor of Physical Therapy Ramil Reyes and Franciscan Health Physical Therapy Assistant Mohamed Rashad, who will discuss how aging impacts musculoskeletal and balance systems, share tips on how to maintain an active…
Riverside Welcomes Kendree’a Hodges to Immediate Care Providers Team
Spread the loveRiverside Healthcare is pleased to welcome board-certified nurse practitioner Kendree’a Hodges, FNP-BC, to its team of immediate care providers. Hodges completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Capella University in Minneapolis and her Master of Science in Nursing at Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina. Immediate care is intended to provide care…
Join the Movement Against Sexual Violence: Clove Alliance Seeks Volunteers
Spread the loveClove Alliance, the leading organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual violence in the Kankakee region, is calling for community members to join its ranks as volunteers. The organization is gearing-up to provide comprehensive 40-hour Sexual Violence Crisis Intervention Training, commencing on April 29, at Clove Alliance’s main office, 1440 West Court Street…
Peotone Hires New Officer
Spread the loveBy Andrea Arens In a time when municipalities are struggling to fill their rosters, the Village of Peotone was lucky enough to swear in a new officer at the April 8 board meeting. Officer Daniel Napoli, a lifetime resident of Peotone, graduated from the police academy recently and was sworn in with his…