High School Sports
Gillespie softball bounce back from loss with 3 consecutive wins
The Gillespie High School softball team picked up an 11-0 win against the Mater Dei Lady Knights on Monday, April 15.
Emma Gipson took home the win in the circle, allowing only two hits throughout five innings, striking out six. Lexie Caylor took the loss for Mater Dei. Caylor gave up four runs on two hits, striking out one and walking four.
Gillespie put 9 hits in the hit column. Sadie Sholtis was on fire at the plate, going 3 for 3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Ava Parish did her job perfectly in the leadoff spot, going 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored, a home run to center field, and a walk. Gipson went 2 for 2 with 1 RBI in the victory. Macie Wright, Wrigley Releford, and Delaney Taylor all picked up a hit in the game.
Gipson had another strong showing on Tuesday, April 16, leading Gillepsie to a 9 to 2 victory over Southwestern Piasa Bird. Gipson gave up 2 runs on 4 hits, striking out 10 batters over seven innings of work.
Wright proved to be a powerhouse at the plate going 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored, and a home run to left fielding during the fourth inning. Parish went 3 for 4 at the plate, driving in 2 RBIs and 1 run plated. Taylor showed up at the plate in the nine-hole going 3 for 4. Gipson, Reid, and Releford all had a multi-hit ball game. Laci Shuckenbrock collected a hit in the victory. Gillespie had a total of 16 hits and 8 RBIs on the night.
Gillespie steamrolled past the Greenfield/Northwestern Tigers on Wednesday, April 17, with a 15 to 3 victory.
Paxton Reid picked up the win for Gillespie in the circle, surrendering six hits and three runs over five innings, striking out eight batters. Frank took the loss for Greenfield/Northwestern.
Reid dominated the circle and the batter’s box, going 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs and a home run to left field. Parish, Bertagnolli, Gipson, and Taylor each put up 2 hits in the winning efforts. Sholtis, Reid, Wright, and Schuckenbrock, put a 1 in the hit column. Bertagnolli led Gillespie in RBIs knocking in three runs.
Gillespie will face off against the Lincolnwood Lady Lancers on Monday, April 22.
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On December 16, Gillespie played against Southwestern and dominated on the court. They secured an impressive 41-25 win.
Gillespie’s Amari Vickery played a crucial role in their offense in the first period, contributing 5 out of their 10 points. Sloane Brawner demonstrated range from behind the three-point line, extending their lead as they moved into the second period. Southwestern was able to muster up 7 points against Gillespie.
The defense really held strong in the second period of the game. It was a low-scoring affair, with only a total of 11 points scored by both teams. Gillespie managed to score 8 points, while Southwestern scored 3. Darr from Southwestern scored their only 3 points by shooting from beyond the arc. Vickery contributed 6 points for Gillespie, while Sadie Sholtis added two more to the scoreboard. Gillespie held the lead going into halftime with a score of 18 to 10.
After halftime, Gillespie’s Mia Brawner came out refreshed and had a strong offensive performance, scoring 9 out of Gillespie’s 11 points in the third period, while Maggie Heyen contributed the other two points. Southwestern managed to put up 8 points in an attempt to set the stage for a comeback against Gillespie. After three periods of play, Southwestern trailed behind with a score of 29 to 18.
Gillespie secured their victory during the fourth period by outscoring Southwestern 12 to 7. Vickery continued to impress with her offensive performance, contributing 6 points to extend their lead. Brawner also added 4 more points to her total for the game, while S. Brawner contributed an additional 2 points. Despite Stormer from Southwestern successfully scoring from behind the three-point line, it wasn’t enough to give them the lead.
Vickery and Brawner were the key players for Gillespie’s offense. Vickery scored a total of 17 points, while Brawner contributed 15 points to the team’s total.
Gillespie took home another win with a final score of 41 to 25.
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Gillespie stepped onto the court against Auburn on December 9th and came out on top, clinching a hard-fought 71-65 win.
Gillespie started off hot, racing to an early lead in the first period. By the end of the period, the scoreboard read 17-15 in their favor. Auburn’s relentless defense sent Gillespie to the free throw line a total of five times in the opening period. Gillespie capitalized on those opportunities, converting 5-of-10 attempts as a team.
The star of the show, however, was Amari Vickery, who shone brightly from the charity stripe, sinking an impressive 4-of-6 free throws. Vickery’s impact didn’t stop there – managing to find the net for an additional goal during the period, further cementing her status as a dominant force in Gillespie’s offense. Mia Brawner and Sadie Sholtis proved to be a dynamic duo, combining for 8 points to bolster Gillespie’s scoring efforts in the first period.
Auburn attempted to make a comeback during the second period, besting Gillespie 16 to 15. Addison Whatley was the driving force behind Auburn’s offense, pouring in 8 of their 16 points. Maggie Heyen, Delaney Taylor, and Sloane Brawner were the forces behind Gillespie’s offensive surge in the second period. Heyen poured in 7 points, while Taylor and S. Brawner demonstrated their shooting range from beyond the arc.
Gillespie clung to their narrow one-point lead as the teams headed into the second half of the nail-biter.
Gillespie’s M. Brawner took over the second half, pouring in 15 points to overwhelm Auburn. Vickery’s offensive onslaught kept on rolling, as she added 9 more points to Gillespie’s tally. Heyen, Sholtis, Taylor, and S. Brawner all contributed to their winning effort.
When the final buzzer sounded, Gillespie emerged victorious, 71-65.
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Gillespie overpowered Pawnee in their December 7th showdown, emerging with a 48-37 win.
To start off the game, offense on both sides was lacking, with both teams struggling to score. Pawnee held a narrow 7-6 lead. Despite the low-scoring affair, Gillespie’s Delaney Taylor and Maggie Heyen each earned a trip to the free throw line, converting 2-of-4 attempts collectively. Amari Vickery also managed to get a shot to fall for Gillespie. Taylor added another basket outside of her free throw makes to help Gillespie’s efforts.
Gillespie’s defense shone brightly in the second period, as they outscored Pawnee, 10-4. The scoring was spread across multiple players, with Amari Vickery, Lainey Edwards, Mia Brawner, and Heyen each finding the net during the stretch. To cap off the impressive team effort, Gillespie’s Sadie Sholtis stepped up and sank both of her free throw attempts.
Pawnee’s Manshelt and Brunner held their only points during the second period.
In the second half of the game, Gillespie’s offense really took off, racking up an impressive 32 points. Vickery and M. Brawner showcased their shooting skills, each sinking shots from long range. Vickery contributed 9 points during this period, while M. Brawner added 6. Kaia Vickery, along with Taylor, Sholtis, and Heyen, also made significant contributions to the scoring in the latter half. Meanwhile, Pawnee managed to put up 26 points during the same stretch.
Pawnee battled fiercely against Gillespie but ultimately fell behind, ending the game with a score of 48 to 37.
