The 2012-13 Red Bud  Lady Musketeers and Columbia Eagles have made themselves this season’s most intriguing rivals in the local girls basketball scene.

Going into the Lebanon Holiday Tournament last week, the teams were even at 1-1 in the series against one another. With Red Bud snapping Columbia’s six game win streak just weeks into the beginning of the season the Eagles defeated the Musketeers by 12 points in the Gibault Candy Cane Classic championships mid-December.

The two teams met once again, in thrilling fashion, in the Lebanon Holiday Tournament championships two weekends ago in a low scoring game.

Red Bud (9-9, 1-4 in the Cahokia Conference) led 18-12 going into the locker room at halftime and would stay ahead of Columbia (14-4, 4-2) in a 38-24 victory. The Eagles outscored the Musketeers in just one quarter the entire game and held the Musketeers to the lowest spread these two teams have had in their meetings against one another so far this season.

The Eagles’ Kaylee Bastien and Savannah Wittenbrink led their team with eight points each, while Wittenbrink had five rebounds. Red Bud’s Ali Ringering also led her team with eight points. She had three steals and three assists on the day, as well. Her teammate Grace Richards had seven points and eight rebounds.

Columbia is currently third in the Cahokia Conference’s Mississippi Division standings, with Red Bud four wins back. Breese Central leads the division at 6-0.

Red Bud and Columbia are not set to see each other until Jan. 31. That is Columbia’s last game of the season and their senior night. The Eagles will be looking to split the series with the Musketeers.

In other girls holiday action…
The Valmeyer Lady Pirates (6-9, 2-4) took on Chester (3-8) in the Chester Holiday Tournament’s consolation championship game on Saturday. Valmeyer topped Chester 50-40.

This is the Pirates’ second year in a row taking home the consolation championship, according to coach Neil Siburt.

Valmeyer’s Hanna Weber led the team with 22 points, while teammate Paige Bangle had 14 points and six steals. Grace Nappier rounded out the top three scoring Pirates with 10 points.