Hornettes Defeat Okawville
Paige Kasten dribbles downcourt to set up the Hornettes offense during the Hornettes 27-17 win over the visiting Okawville Rockets
Janie Holle puts up a contested jumper over two Okawville defenders during the Hornettes non-conference win over Okawville.
After defeating Belleville Althoff to stay alive in the Mascoutah Girls Basketball Invitational Tournament, the Hornettes were not able to keep their tournament run alive, as they fell to the Mater Dei Knights 36-41, on December 29. The Hornettes then got back on the winning track, when they took on Okawville to start off the new year on January 2.
The Hornettes fell behind early against the Knights in the Hornettes last game of the Mascoutah Girls Basketball Invitational and could not come back, falling by a score of 36-41. A close game throughout, the Hornettes could not take the lead against the Knights, as they trailed 12-15 after the first quarter. The Hornettes relied on the three point shot in the first quarter, as they hit four in the opening stanza of the game. Rachael Kell led the Hornettes in the first with two three pointers in the first quarter. Mackenzie McFeron and Sophie Heck each connected from behind the three-point line in the first as well.
The Hornettes were able to keep the game close in the second quarter, but the Knights were able to extend their lead to five points before halftime. At halftime, the Hornettes trailed 16-21 to Mater Dei. Coming out of halftime, the Hornettes were able to cut into the Knights' lead, but Nashville still trailed by four points going into the fourth. The Hornettes were not able to come back in the fourth, as the Knights outscored Nashville 15-14 in the final stanza. The Hornettes dropped the game 36-41.
The Hornettes were led in the game by McFeron with 14 points. Kell was second on the team with six points followed by Paige Kasten and Heck with five points apiece. Janie Holle chipped in four points and Karly Stanowski added two points to round out the scoring for Nashville.
The Hornettes then started the new year off against Washington County rival, Okawville on January 2. A low-scoring game throughout, the Hornettes used big second, and third quarters, to defeat the Lady Rockets 27-17. After trailing by two after the first quarter, the Hornettes dominated the next two quarters. The Hornettes outscored Okawville 14-5 in the second quarter alone, led by nine points by Holle. McFeron added three points, and Kasten two points in the quarter to give Nashville a 16-9 lead at halftime.
The third quarter also belonged to the Hornettes, as they held the Lady Rockets scoreless in the quarter, outscoring them 6-0. The third quarter gamve Nashville a commanding 22-9 lead going into the final stanza. Okawville did not go down without a fight, as the Lady Rockets were able to outscore the Hornettes in the quarter. The Lady Rockets could not come all the way back, as Nashville took the game 27-17.
Leading all scorers in the game was Nashville's Holle, who scored 10 points. Nine of Holle's points came in the second quarter, when the Hornettes took the lead for good. McFeron added eight points for Nashville followed by Kasten with six points, and Stanowski scored three points.
