The Civic Memorial Eagles (30-2) soared over Effingham Tuesday with a 50-30 win in the first game of the 3A girls sectional in Carbondale.
The Eagles used a 17-0 run from the middle of the first quarter into the second quarter to give them a 29-13 halftime lead. With a 37-13 lead early in the third quarter, CM used defensive pressure to gain control throughout the game.
“Getting that thirtieth win is huge for our program is huge for our program and these girls; it kind of puts us in uncharted territory,” CM coach Johnathon Denney said. “But we want to get to 31 now.”
The 2013-14 Eagles now have the school’s record for wins, besting last year’s record of 24 games.
Senior Megan Trost had 14 points to lead the way for the Eagles, while freshman Allie Troeckler had 12 points and senior Lindsey Fencel had 11.
CM will play sectional host Carbondale in the sectional championship game on Thursday at 7 p.m. A victory there would give CM its first sectional title in school history in basketball and move them into the super-sectionals Monday in Decatur.
“Carbondale has got some athleticism, but we think we can expose some of their weaknesses that tend to favor our strengths,” Denney said. “I don’t how well they’re going to handle full court pressure; we think we can get after they’re ball handlers quite a bit, but we have to do a good job and keep their athletes off the boards.”