Pekin splits with Mediapolis

MEDIAPOLIS - The Pekin basketball teams went 1-1 at Mediapolis in Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division play on Tuesday night. The Panther boys battered the Bulldogs 63-34, and he girls lost 63-34 to the No. 7 (2A) Bullettes.

Pekin's boys team shut the Mediapolis offense down in the first half. The Panthers led 19-9 after one quarter and 37-11 at halftime.

Mediapolis stayed with Pekin much better in the second half, but the Panthers still outscored the Bulldogs 26-23 over the final two quarters.

The Pekin girls had their hands full, but they still gave the Bullettes quite the challenge in the first half. Mediapolis led 14-13 after the first quarter, and still held just a one-point lead in the final five minutes. Mediapolis pulled away in the final minutes of the first half, however, going on a 17-0 run to close it out.

The Panther girls were never able to climb back into the game after a cold stretch in the second quarter.

Emilee Linder led Pekin with 11 points on the night. Kerrigan Pope had 10. Erika Coleman scored eight. Sophie Wittrock had seven, and Sarah Eubanks had two.