GIRLS BASKETBALL: A bump in the road

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RIVERTON – Five days after winning a regional championship on its home floor, the Marquette Catholic girls basketball team had its biggest road trip of the season on Tuesday.

The Explorers made the 90-minute trip to Riverton to take on the Pleasant Plains Cardinals in the Class 2A sectional semifinals.

Unfortunately, Marquette left Riverton with a loss.

The Cardinals ended the Explorers' season by winning 45-23 and advanced to the sectional finals against the Auburn Trojans at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Marquette finished its season at 20-9, its first 20-win season in 18 years. The Explorers beat Southwestern in the Marquette Regional championship game on Thursday to earn a trip to Riverton, located 10 miles northeast of Springfield.

Marquette last won a sectional title in 2000, when it finished third in the Class A state tournament. It's the only sectional championship for the Alton school.

Pleasant Plains improved to 28-3. Like the Explorers, the Cardinals won a regional title on their home floor on Thursday as they came from behind to beat Williamsville in the championship game.

With Tuesday's win, Pleasant Plains earned the 22-minute trip back to Riverton on Thursday, looking to win its first sectional title since 2000. The Cardinals have won three sectional championships in their program history.

The Explorers' 23 points tied a season low that was set in their season opening game against Lebanon in the first round of the Columbia Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 13.

Marquette lost 54-23 to the Greyhounds, then bounced back to win 10 games in a row. The Explorers finished with their second straight winning season.

Pleasant Plains not only clinched its sixth straight winning season, but it also set a school record for most wins, breaking the old mark of 27 set in 2009.

The Cardinals will take an 11-game winning streak against Auburn, which beat Tri-City 45-36 in the other sectional semifinal on Tuesday. Pleasant Plains beat the Trojans twice during the regular season. Both teams play in the Sangamo Conference.

Defense was the key factor in the Cardinals' win over the Explorers. Pleasant Plains forced Marquette to make just 17 percent (6 for 35) of its shots.

The Explorers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, were held to just two field goals in the second half.

Marquette got off to great start, leading 6-2 midway in the first quarter after Peyton Kline nailed a pair of 3-pointers. But Pleasant Plains rallied with an 18-5 run that carried into the second quarter to take a 20-11 lead.

The Cardinals led 20-13 at halftime. They outscored the Explorers 15-2 in the third quarter.

Pleasant Plains also ended the high school basketball careers of six Marquette seniors – Kline, Lauren Fischer, Lila Snider, Taylor Aguirre, Regina Guehlstorf and Amanda Murray.

Kline finished with a team-high 9 points, all of them were in the first half. After making her first three shots, Kline went 0 for 5 in the second half. Kline hit 95 three-pointers this season.

Fischer, who recently signed a letter of intent to play soccer for the University of Evansville, finished with five points and 13 rebounds. She finished as the team's leading scorer at 12 points per game.

Snider, who scored 12 points in the Explorers' win over Southwestern in the regional final, was held to zero points on Tuesday.

Aguirre had four points and Guehlstorf scored two.

Also for the Explorers, Grace Dennis and Ellie Jacobs each hit a 3-pointer for the Explorers.

Ali Fraase and Anna Kannlakan each scored 10 points to lead Pleasant Plains.