Pekin girls roll the dice, pick up win over Highland

RIVERSIDE — In the game of basketball, sometimes one needs to take chances. On Tuesday night in Riverside, Pekin coach Davis Eidahl took one that a lot wouldn’t, and it paid off.

Star post Kerrigan Pope picked up a fourth foul early in the third quarter, one that would normally send a player to the bench for at least the rest of the period, but Eidahl rolled the dice, kept her in, and it led to a 56-52 victory.

That win was led by none other than Pope, who not only lasted almost to the final buzzer, but hit the biggest shots of the game. Trailing 48-46 with one minute left, she tied the game up on an offensive rebound put back, got fouled and then eventually secured another offensive board that led to a converted 3-point play.

Pope’s last-minute, five-point run took the Panthers from a two-point deficit to a three-point lead, and Highland could never make up the difference.

“My philosophy has always been to leave them in,” Eidahl said. “If I take them out for seven or eight minutes, that's seven or eight minutes of not playing them.”

Pope wound up scoring 11 points in the second half, and 20 overall to lead the Panthers.

“This was good for us tonight,” Eidahl said. “It was only Kerrigan's second conference game, so we're trying to get used to playing with her.”

Taylor Gambell scored 13 points for the Panthers before fouling out herself. Sarah Eubanks knocked down a couple of third-quarter 3-pointers to finish with six. Emma Phillips and Claire Roth each had five. Makenzie Dahlstrom and Sabrina Reneker finished with three, and Taylor Sylvester had one.

Dani Laughlin led the Highland charge. The Huskies’ sharpshooter scored 18 points on the night, 10 of which came in the second half. Sarah Burton finished with 13 points, and Abbi Stransky had 11.

Jessica Kraus scored six points for the Huskies. Emma Soukup and Katelyn Waters each had two.

The Huskies found themselves in some foul trouble as well, as both Burton and Soukup picked up five, but it was their failure to make Pope’s first four hurt, that eventually led to their demise.

“It was just frustrating because we didn't attack her,” said Highland head coach Jody Fink. “We went away from her.”

Pekin moved to 3-6 overall and 2-5 in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division with the win. Highland fell to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the North.

“We haven't had the best season,” Eidahl said. ‘But they've worked hard and we're starting to turn it around.“