Resilient effort carries Central-Southeastern to second-half comeback, sectional championship

Central-Southeastern senior forward Lauren Miller carries the sectional championship plaque after the Panthers defeated Pleasant Plains 51-44 in overtime Thursday night in the Class 2A Waverly Sectional championship in Waverly, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

WAVERLY, Ill. — One of the first things Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long reminded his players at halftime Thursday night is they trailed by only six points. “He was right,” CSE senior forward Lauren Miller said. “We were only down six. For as bad as things had been, that had to mean something.” It…

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Seniors provide spark Central-Southeastern needs to blow out Staunton in sectional semifinals

Central-Southeastern guard Karly Peters sizes up the Staunton defense before attacking during the second half of Tuesday's Class 2A Waverly Sectional semifinal against Staunton in Waverly, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

WAVERLY, Ill. — The order in which the connection occurs — Miller to Peters or Peters to Miller — doesn’t seem to matter much. It’s lethal either way. Tuesday night, it ruined the Staunton girls basketball team’s chance to make amends for two consecutive postseason losses to Central-Southeastern before the Bulldogs even had the chance…

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Peters’ third quarter takeover, Miller’s late free throws propel Panthers to regional title

Central-Southeastern seniors Karly Peters, left, and Lauren Miller celebrate the Panthers' 45-41 win over Petersburg PORTA in Friday's Class 2A Illini West Regional championship game in Carthage, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

CARTHAGE, Ill. — Karly Peters heard Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long loud and clear. With the Panthers trailing Petersburg PORTA 25-23 at halftime of Friday’s Class 2A Illini West Regional title game, Long’s message to Peters was short but powerful. “I told her, ‘It’s go time. Let’s go,’” Long said. Much of that encouragement…

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‘I just kind of had my fingers crossed’: QND outlasts CSE as showdown comes down to final shot

A loose ball results in a scrum for possession during the first quarter of Tuesday night's battle between the Quincy Notre Dame and Central-Southeastern girls basketball teams in Camp Point, Ill. | Addi Zanger photo

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Karly Peters diplomatically handled the question of whether Tristan Pieper fouled her. “I don’t know,” said Peters, a senior guard on the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team. “I mean, I think so, but it doesn’t really matter now.” With Quincy Notre Dame leading CSE 37-34 and three seconds left in Tuesday’s West…

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Connection to JWCC coaching staff makes for logical transition for Panthers’ Peters

Central-Southeastern senior guard Karly Peters, who has committed to play at John Wood Community College next season, leads the Panthers into this week's State Farm Holiday Classic as the defending champion in the small school girls bracket. | Matt Schuckman photo

CAMP POINT, Ill. — It was a no-brainer for Karly Peters. The same goes for Ali Schwagmeyer-Belger. When Schwagmeyer-Belger was hired as the head coach of the John Wood Community College women’s basketball team in June, Peters’ decision on where to play college basketball became much easier. “I knew right when she got the job…

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CSE raises aggressiveness, intensity in third quarter to meet its standard in win over Illini West

Central-Southeastern senior guards Lauren Miller, left, and Karly Peters apply pressure to Illini West junior Lanie Housewright during Monday's game at Central High School in Camp Point, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Lexi Niekamp has only played eight games for the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team, but the freshman guard already understands the Panthers’ standard. Niekamp also knew that despite leading 27-13 at halftime against Illini West on Monday, the Panthers did not meet that standard for a significant portion of that first half,…

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Countdown to tipoff: Central-Southeastern’s goal is quite simple — finish season at Redbird Arena

Central-Southeastern senior Lauren Miller, who will play any spot on the floor, is hoping to lead the Panthers to the Class 2A state tournament and the opportunity to play in Redbird Arena. | Matt Schuckman photo

Coverage of the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is brought to you by: CAMP POINT, Ill. — Amidst the individual accolades and recognition, Lauren Miller has not fulfilled her ultimate quest. That goal seems well within reach for Miller and the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team. In 2023-24, Miller averaged 18.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 steals and…

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‘It was pretty impressive’: Panthers crank out 23 hits as offense never lets up against Crimsons

Camp Point Central's Emma Stephens delivers a pitch during Saturday's game against Jacksonville at The Backyard in Quincy.

QUINCY — A roller coaster. That was the only way Camp Point Central softball coach Brey Genenbacher could describe the Panthers’ 19-9 victory over Jacksonville on Saturday at The Backyard. “Moments of greatness followed by some troubles,” Genenbacher said. The moments of greatness included 23 hits, six extra-base hits, runs in five consecutive innings to…

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Peters’ free throws help CSE hold off Staunton’s fourth-quarter surge and reach sectional title game

The Central-Southeastern girls basketball players react to a Lauren Miller basket during Tuesday night's Class 2A sectional semifinal against Staunton in Beardstown, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Lauren Miller’s assessment was spot on. “We have to do better Thursday,” the Central-Southeastern junior forward said. The CSE girls basketball team escaped Tuesday night’s Class 2 sectional semifinal game with a hard-earned 56-50 victory over Staunton in front of about 600 fans at Beardstown High School. Central-Southeastern (28-2) advances to face…

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Central-Southeastern ratchets up defensive effort in second half to run away from Illini West

Central-Southeastern guard Karly Peters helped spark a 46-22 victory over Illini West on Monday night in Carthage, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CARTHAGE, Ill. — Karly Peters did not offer any excuses. Nor did she try to sugarcoat the first-half performance turned in by the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team. “We weren’t working hard enough on defense in the first half, but we kind of locked it down in the second half,” said Peters, a 5-foot-9 junior. That…

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