Another first-quarter outburst helps QND girls win third straight game

November 28, 2021 | By David Adam, MRN Editor

Quincy Notre Dame's Abbey Schreacke goes through four Warrenton defenders on her way to the basket during Saturday night's game at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — The second verse was the same as the first.

Twenty-four hours after using a 17-point run to close the first quarter and take command in a victory over Belleville Althoff, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team scored 20 consecutive points to close the first quarter on its way to a 51-25 victory over Warrenton (Mo.) on Saturday night during the Gully Transportation Shootout at the Pit.

The Raiders have opened the season with victories in their first three games. Junior Abbey Schreacke had 29 points against Warrenton and is averaging 28 points per game. Junior Blair Eftink scored 16 points on Saturday, and she is averaging 20 points per game.

The rest of the roster, however, combined for just two baskets on Saturday — one each from reserves Laela Hernandez-Jones and Lindsey Fischer.

Raiders coach Eric Orne gave his team a grade of B for its performance during the first week of the season. He would like to see the rest of the squad become more comfortable taking their share of the scoring load.

“We just need some people to get a break,” Orne said. “A couple balls that Lia Quintero put up were good shots. They just didn’t go in. Sage (Stratton) had some good looks to go in yesterday. But we need more balance right now.

“Abbey’s special, so it’s kind of hard to get away from that sometimes.”

Schreacke scored 17 points in the first quarter. She started the 20-point run with a three-point play off an offensive rebound, added four free throws and then closed the run with three baskets in the lane.

Two free throws by Eftink to start the second quarter stretched the run to 22 consecutive points before Garniesha Love split two free throws for Warrenton with 6:50 left to play in the second quarter.

Warrenton closed to within 27-10, but the Raiders responded with seven consecutive points and led 34-11 at the intermission.

“We need to take care of the ball more, and we’re still trying to get other people scoring,” Schreacke said. “We need Lia, Sage and Eryn (Cornwell) to get some more buckets for us. Then we’d be pretty good.

“But three and oh sounds pretty good to me.”