Bulldogs wins fifth regional championship in school history
By Fred Kroner
Forty-five years ago, the girls’ basketball program was initiated at Mahomet-Seymour High School.
It took until Year 2 for the program to win a game.
It took until Year 4 for the school to have a winning record.
It took until Year 9 for M-S to win a regional championship.
It took until Year 10 for the Bulldogs to reach the 20-win mark for a season.
In Year 45 – the current 2021-22 season – M-S is establishing a new standard of excellence.
Coach Garret Risley’s team won the fifth regional championship in school history on Friday (Feb. 18), overpowering Bloomington 53-37 at Normal West High School in a Class 3A regional.
The victory raised the M-S school record for wins in a season to 28, three more than the previous mark.
Savannah Orgeron paced the Bulldogs’ offense, pouring in a team-high 17 points.
Nichole Taylor totaled 11 points and seven rebounds while Ivie Juarez posted nine points and eight rebounds.
Cayla Koerner and Durbin Thomas each finished with seven points. Thomas had three steals, one behind team-leader Abigail Bunting.
M-S zoomed into a 19-4 lead after one quarter and expanded the margin to 35-13 at halftime.
The other years that M-S has captured regional crowns are 2005, 1993, 1989 and 1987.
M-S (28-4) puts its 13-game winning streak on the line on Tuesday (Feb. 22) against Rochester in the semifinals of the Lincoln Class 3A Sectional.
