Girls hoops teams get their feet wet

Columbia’s Sophia Bonaldi goes in for a layup in the championship game of the Columbia Tip-Off Classic against Greenville on Saturday. See more photos of Columbia’s game online by clicking here, or the Gibault vs. Roxana game online by clicking here. (Alan Dooley photo)

Despite some schedule alterations due to wintry weather, local high school girls basketball teams took to the courts last week in tournaments at Columbia and Dupo to begin the 2018-19 campaign.

All five local teams won at least one game, but none captured the top trophy.

Columbia and Gibault got their girls hoops seasons off to good starts in tournament action last Wednesday night. 

The Eagles opened with a 56-34 win over New Athens at the Columbia Tip-Off Classic. Sophia Bonaldi led Columbia with 13 points. 

However, Columbia lost 50-42 to Greenville on Saturday in the championship game of the Columbia Tip-Off Classic. 

Bonaldi and Lexi Touchette each scored 12 points for the Eagles, who hosted Jerseyville on Tuesday. 

Columbia (2-1) advanced to the tourney final with a 40-32 win over Triad on Friday night. Bonaldi scored 15 points to lead the Eagles.

Gibault posted a 39-22 victory over Madison at the Dupo Cat Classic last Wednesday in the team’s first game under new head coach Matt Blaskiewicz. Maddie Davis scored 14 points to lead the Hawks. 

Following a Friday night loss to Wood River, 59-29, Gibault dropped to 1-2 on the season with a 34-24 loss to Roxana in the third place game of the Dupo Cat Classic on Saturday. 

The contest was tied 15-15 at halftime, but poor shooting (19.6 percent from the floor) plagued the Hawks in the end. 

Ashlyn Wightman led Gibault with 11 points, six rebounds and six blocks. 

Gibault played at Dupo on Monday.

In other tourney action, Waterloo (1-2) lost to Marquette in a consolation game at Columbia on Saturday, 57-21. 

On Friday, the Bulldogs picked up their first win under new head coach Tim Augustine, 52-37 over Metro-East Lutheran. 

Aubrey Hubbard scored 20 points, Ali Scace added 10 points and Sarah Laskowski scored nine points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the win.

Last Tuesday, Waterloo dropped its season opener at the Columbia Tip-Off Classic, 35-32 to Lebanon. It was the first game for new Bulldogs head coach Tim Augustine.

Hubbard led the Bulldogs with 15 points, all coming from three-point range.

Waterloo’s next games are Monday at Jerseyville and Tuesday at home against Red Bud.

In Dupo, the host Tigers lost to Roxana last Tuesday night, 36-25. Octavia Heidelberg led Dupo with 10 points. 

Valmeyer also lost its tourney opener last Tuesday, 50-15 to Father McGivney.

Valmeyer dropped to 0-2 with a 50-34 loss to Dupo at the Cat Classic on Thursday. Tinleigh Jakimauskas scored 17 points to lead the Pirates.

On Saturday, Valmeyer picked up its first win under new head coach Tommy Smith, 32-31 over Madison in a consolation game. 

Jakimauskas again led the way for the Pirates with 16 points. Sierra Hohnbaum grabbed 10 rebounds for Valmeyer, who went 0-25 last season.

The Pirates hosted Red Bud on Tuesday night. 

Dupo finished tourney play with a 46-32 loss to Marissa. 

Heidelberg is the Tigers’ top scorer in the early going, averaging nearly 11 points per game. 

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Corey Saathoff

Corey is the editor of the Republic-Times. He has worked at the newspaper since 2004, and currently resides in Columbia. He is also the principal singer-songwriter and plays guitar in St. Louis area country-rock band The Trophy Mules.
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