Monday was all about stepping up for the Macomb High girls basketball team.
But the team’s 55-33 victory over Illinois Valley Central at Farmington High School was also about moving forward.
Macomb, the No. 7 sub-subsectional seed, improved to 19-11 on the season in winning the Illinois High School Association Class 2A Regional semifinal contest.
IVC, the No. 2 sub-sectional seed, saw its season end with a final record of 26-6.
The Grey Ghosts had won 16 of their last 17 games entering Monday’s semifinal.
“It was a big win for the program and a big win for the girls,” said MHS coach Justin Elbe. “But the girls know that there’s still work to do.”
“I knew we were going to play that hard,” he added. “I just didn’t know the result was going to be that big of a win for us.”
Though the final score looks one-sided, it was far from easy for the Bombers.
MHS led 10-5 when junior starter Aubrey Holthaus injured her left ankle at the 2:53 mark of the opening period.
She was helped off the floor and did not return the remainder of the game.
“Anytime you get one of your best players to go down it’s just such a question of what’s going to happen next. How are you going to respond to that,” said Elbe.
“The girls just really stepped up and responded well to it,” he added. “They just brought energy every second of every minute of every quarter.”
With Holthaus out, sophomore Brooklyn Lyles entered the picture.
“We’ve asked a lot of Brooklyn this year,” said Elbe. “But that’s what's good about her. She can play all five spots.”
Stepping in for Holthaus, Lyles scored eight points, all in the second half, while also adding three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
But there were plenty more heroics.
When Dakota Thorman picked up her second personal foul at the 5:10 mark of the second period, Destiny Monroe entered. She held down the post, recording four rebounds, a blocked shot and sank a pair of free throws for two points.
“That’s the epitome of our team,” said Elbe. “Somebody stepped up. There’s been time and time again where the next girl has been ready.”
“They’re doing the work in practice and they’re listening and paying attention,” he added. “They really want it and they’re competitors. They just want to compete.”
The Bombers flew out to an 18-7 lead after the initial period as Reese Watson connected for a pair of 3-pointers, while Holthaus and Sophie Wilson also added treys for MHS.
Macomb led 27-18 at halftime before IVC made a run to start the third quarter.
A 3-pointer by Taryn Johnigk at the 5:22 mark closed the IVC deficit to 29-23.
But Lyles answered with a trey for the Bombers on their next possession that made it 32-23 and Grey Ghosts would get no closer.
Macomb built a 40-25 advantage heading into the final eight minutes.
After sitting with foul trouble in the second period, Thorman scored eight points in the third quarter, while Lyles added five.
MHS maintained control down the stretch as Wilson went 6-of-6 from the free throw line, while Thorman was 2-for-2.
Wilson topped the Bombers with 15 points. She also had four assists and four steals.
Thorman finished with 14 points, 10 in the second half, while also notching three rebounds and two assists.
Jordan Hines had a season-low two points, but recorded six rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
“You can’t ask any more from your seniors than that,” said Elbe.
Watson reached double figures, finishing with 11 points, along with three rebounds and two steals.
Kayt Miller topped IVC with 10 points.
MHS finished with 16 turnovers, but forced IVC into 24 turnovers. The 33 points scored was also a season-low for the Grey Ghosts.
“Their press is top-notch,” said Elbe of IVC. “That’s how they won 26 games. For us to be able to withstand that without Aubrey in there is a real testament to the girls because it could go either way at that time.”
The victory propelled the Bombers into a regional final for the first time since 2008. MHS had lost its previous eight regional semifinal contests before Monday’s win.
The squad returned to Farmington Thursday to face PORTA/A-C Central (25-6) in the title contest.
The Bluejays, No. 3 sub-sectional seed, defeated No. 6 seed Canton (16-16) 48-43 in Monday’s second semifinal.
Thursday’s victor advances to Class 2A Sectional play Feb. 24 at Macomb.
Other regionals feeding into the Macomb Sectional include the following (sub-sectional seeds and season records are in parentheses): At Decatur St. Teresa (1) Downs Tri-Valley (27-2) vs. (4) Bloomington Central Catholic (17-12) At El Paso-Gridley (2) Clinton (28-4) vs. (3) Normal University High (17-14) At Hamilton (1) West Hancock (26-3) vs. (4) Eureka (20-8) Those regional finals were also scheduled to be played Thursday.
