Lady Jet Pioneer Conference 2010 Results
February 2, 4 & 5, 2010

Pioneer Conference Tournament

Tuesday, Feb. 2

Sterling Lady Jets took on the Omaha Brownell Talbot Lady Raiders in the first round of the Pioneer Conference Tournament.  Sterling jumped out to a first quarter lead of 13 – 8.  The second quarter was sluggish and rough for both teams.  The only basket of the quarter for the lady jets was a three point shot by senior Willow Hunt.  OBT outscored the lady jets in the quarter 9-8 and Sterling had a slim lead going into halftime, 21-17.  The third quarter was the complete opposite of the previous one.  Both teams were running up and down the court and making baskets.  OBT was led by junior Grace Bartels in the quarter with 7 points.  Sterling outscored the lady raiders, 17-15 and held a 38-32 lead going into the fourth.  The fourth quarter would come down to who made more plays and Sterling squeaked out a 46 – 43 victory.  Coach Cockerill stated, “ I was real proud of our young ladies.  It took some guts to hang on to the slim lead tonight.  Since we could not hit our free-throws in the fourth quarter we had to get some defensive stops, and we did.”

Sterling High School       13  8  17   8  46

Omaha Brownell Talbot   8  9  15  11 43

Sterling:

VanGroningen 14, Nieveen 11, Wenzl 5, Hunt 13, Magill 3

OBT:

Yapp 3, Barkley 3, M. Fowler 7, Mathews 8, R. Fowler 15, Bartels 

Thursday, Feb 4

Sterling vs FCSH

This looked on paper to be an interesting match up.  The tallest team in the conference versus the smallest team in the conference, something would have to give.  Size did play a factor in this one.  Both team came out offensively like they were running on high octane fuel.  The shooting was good during the first quarter for both teams.  FCSH took an 18 -14 lead after one quarter of play.  Then the lady irish took over the glass and the game.  Their height would play a major factor in the lady jets only scoring 15 points during the next three quarters.  FCSH switched to a 1-3-1 trapping zone and the sterling ladies were having trouble seeing over or around it.  Coach Cockerill said, “Their length caused us a lot of problems tonight.  It made us unsure of our actions, which then led us to slow down.  Our team is small and we don’t have the luxury of slowing it down and playing a post up game.  The lady irish also did a great job on the offensive boards in the first half.  I think they had 13 offensive rebounds that led to twelve second chance points.  We need to be better than we were tonight to play with FCSH.  The second half was much of the same as the second quarter.  The lady jets just could not get anything going and the irish were in full stride, scoring double digits in each quarter.  FCSH won 61-29.  Sterling will play for third place on Friday versus Nebraska City Lourdes.

Sterling High School     14    3    5   7    29

Falls City Sacred Heart18  16  14  13   61

Sterling:

VanGroningen 17, Nieveen 4, Wenzl 6, Hestermann 2

FCSH:

Chapple 2, Parrish 6, Severin 2, Magdantz 12, Malcolm 12, Hillyard 8, Landis 5, Olberding 14

Friday, Feb 5

Sterling vs. NCL

Sterling would get an opportunity to play for third place in the Pioneer Conference Tournament versus Nebraska City Lourdes.  This would be the third time that the two teams have met this year, with Sterling winning both.  NCL came out in the first quarter ready to play and jump on the lady jets early and often.  The jets spotted NCL to a 5 – 0 lead in the early goings of the game.  Then Sterling clawed its way back in to the quarter to cut the NCL lead to 9-11.  The second quarter played out about the same way.  NCL scored early and kept making a push to blow open a huge lead, but, with 3:29 left in the second quarter and trailing 22 – 14, the jets made their move.  Led by junior Courtney VanGroningen with her 3 baskets and two free-throw the score was tied at 22 going into halftime.  The third quarter the lady jets started to make their move.  They were attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line.  The score was 36-33 with time running down when senior Willow Hunt launched a 24 foot shot that went in at the buzzer to give her lady jets a six point cushion.  The final quarter came down to shooting free-throw and the lady jets were exceptional in the fourth, hitting 8 or 10 free-throws.  The final score was Sterling 56, Nebraska City Lourdes 40.  When asked about his girl’s performance tonight, coach Cockerill stated, “Third place finish is awesome.  These young ladies work so hard and truly deserve this recognition.  Some might have noticed we are a rather small and young team, but we are big in heart.  This is the highest I have had a team finish in the Pioneer Conference Tournament, so it is a special night for all of us.  I just thanked the ladies for getting me here.”  Sterling was led by Courtney VanGroningen, Willow Hunt and freshamn Jenna Nieveen, scoring 22, 12 and 12 respectively and each adding four steals a piece.  NCL was led by Haley Kreifels and her 13 points.  The lady jets will host Freeman on Tuesday, February 9^th.

Sterling High School       9   13   17  17   56

Nebraska City Lourdes 11  11   11    7   40

Sterling:

VanGroningen 22, Nieveen 12, Hunt 12, Magill 6, Hestermann 4

NCL:
Osovski 3, L. Heng 2, H. Kreifels 13, Morrison 7, BuBois 5, K. Kreifels 8,  E. Heng 2,