M-SJHS girls’ basketball to play for IESA Sectional Championship

By Fred Kroner

For the fourth consecutive year that the IESA has conducted postseason tournaments in girls’ basketball for junior high schools, Mahomet-Seymour’s seventh-grade squad won a regional championship.

The Bulldogs continued the streak on Tuesday (Nov. 23), gaining revenge for a regular-season loss to Champaign Edison by topping the top-seeded Comets 25-19 in the M-S gymnasium.

Courtney Fonte scored a team-high 11 points and Hannah Martin added nine points for the Bulldogs, who were the No. 2 seed.

M-S’ halftime lead was a scant 13-12, but the Bulldogs expanded their margin by holding Edison scoreless in the third quarter to take a 19-12 edge into the final stanza.

When the Comets pulled within two points several times in the last quarter, the Bulldogs’ offense responded by increasing the margin once again.

M-S has a 22-3 season record with a seven-game winning streak which it will put on the line on Wednesday (Dec. 1) in Taylorville against Taylorville (22-2) in the IESA Class 4A sectional championship game.

After finishing the regular season with a win at St. Joseph, the M-S seventh-grade girls’ basketball team won twice at home to start the IESA postseason.

M-S defeated St. Joseph 22-5 behind a 10-point performance from Martin. Fonte chipped in with seven points.

The Bulldogs won twice on Saturday (Nov. 20) to reach the regional title game.

In the quarterfinals, M-S handled Champaign Franklin, 38-8. Breckyn Hess led the way with eight points. Martin and Fonte landed six points each.

The semifinal showdown with Urbana provided a thrilling conclusion.

M-S had to rally after falling behind 8-2 at halftime and 13-7 entering the final quarter.

Martin hit eight of her 11 points in the final frame, helping to spark the comeback.

Fonte drained a jump shot with 55 seconds to play, cutting the M-S deficit to 17-15. After getting a defensive stop, Martin nailed 2-of-2 free throws at the 30-second mark, creating a tie.

The Bulldogs’ full-court press forced a 10-second call on the ensuing Urbana possession with 17.9 seconds remaining.

With nine seconds to play, Fonte drained a 15-foot shot from the corner to create the final 19-17 score.

In each of its first three postseason tournament games, M-S has had a different scoring leader: Hess, Martin and Fonte.

Meanwhile, the Bulldog eighth-graders overpowered St. Joseph, 28-10. Erin Dallas hit 10 points and Ava Yeakel contributed six points.

The eighth-graders are 21-1 with an 18-game winning streak and start postseason play at home on Tuesday (Nov. 30) against Champaign Franklin. M-S is the No. 1 seed.