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GIRLS DISTRICT HOOPS: McAuley falls to Golden City in the district championship

By:
Lucas Davis

In a true seesaw battle, top-seeded Golden City outlasted fourth-seeded McAuley Catholic 38-36 to win the Class 1 District 5 championship on Saturday at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School. 

McAuley’s Kennedy DeRuy drives the baseline in the Warriors’ loss to Golden City on the district title game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

“They gave it everything they had inside and played with so much heart,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “I told them to leave everything on the floor because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and they did everything I asked them to do. They played tremendously on defensive. … Our girls really executed the game plan well. It was just a back-and-forth game between two teams that know each other well. … I really felt like whoever had the ball last was going to win that game. Unfortunately, it’s just once bounce, one roll, one foul from being a different story.”

THAT’S A WRAP

McAuley closes the season with a 18-11 record, making it to its fourth straight district title game. The Warriors graduate seniors Kennedy DeRuy, Avery Eminger and Kayleigh Teeter. Teeter (1,383 points) and DeRuy (1,379 points) are currently third and fourth on the Warriors’ all-time girls scoring list, respectively.

“I have been excited for this senior class since they came to team camp in seventh grade,” Howard said. “Once they got here, I couldn’t have asked for better leaders or role models on and off the court. … I love them to death and they’ve meant the world to me.”

McAuley’s Kloee Williamson eyes room to drive in the Warriors’ loss to Golden City on the district title game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

McAuley started the fourth quarter with a one-point advantage before Kloee Williamson pulled down an offensive rebound for a putback score, earned a steal and drew a foul on the next defensive possession and made the two subsequent free throws to give the Warriors a 39-34 lead with 30 seconds expired.

Golden City (22-5) answered with six straight points, four from Brooke Beerly, to take a 30-28 lead with 5:40 left.

Avery Gardner knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner with 4:34 on the clock to put McAuley in front 32-30 and DeRuy pushed the lead to three with free throws coming with 2:44 left in regulation. 

Beerly added an inside score with 90 seconds left to trim the lead to one before she pulled down an offensive rebound for a putback score with 16 seconds left to give Golden City a 37-36 advantage.

A game-tying shot was missed with less than 10 seconds to play at the other end, and Ahree Lutes added a free throw with 0.9 seconds left to push the lead to two.

McAuley’s Avery Eminger battles in the paint during the Warriors’ loss to Golden City in the district title game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

“This team has been through more adversity than any team I have ever coached,” Howard said. “There hasn’t been one game where we have had every player healthy. We have had multiple games with only six players with girls injured. One of our best players, our point guard, Kayleigh Teeter went out halfway through the year with a knee injury. That really made other girls have to step up, take charge and fill in voids they weren’t necessarily comfortable with. It took a while but we grew as a team and were trending in the right direction towards the end of the season. For them not to give up and keep battling and fighting through all of that adversity, I just love every single one of these girls.”

SCORING LEADERS

Kyndall Scott led Golden City with 10 points, while Beerly and Maggie Reed each finished with nine. Lutes had seven.

DeRuy and Lily Black each had 11 points to lead McAuley in scoring. Gardner had five, while Williamson and Eminger each finished with four.

UP NEXT

Golden City takes on District 6 champion Drexel in the Class 1 sectional tournament with a 6 p.m. matchup on March 1 at Webb City High School. 

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