Win Streak Helps Hononegah Hover Near Top

By Chris Johnson, REPORTER

 The Hononegah Lady Indians improved to 7-1 following a 78-50 win over the Jefferson Lady J-Hawks. Jordan King scored 15 points to pace the Lady Indians. Julia Burns scored nine as Byron and Matuska chipped-in ten apiece. Hononegah took control after the opening tip. Jefferson scored six points in the period. Hononegah scored three times that and moved into the second quarter with a double-digit advantage, 18-6. The Lady J-Hawks almost kept pace with the Lady Indians in the opening minutes leading to the half. Jefferson found ways around the Hononegah defense. They relied on star individual performances. Only two players scored for the Lady J-Hawks in the period. But, they made a difference for the hosts. Hononegah added to its lead with the 20-point period, but barely won the quarter. Jefferson knocked down 16 points. At the half, the Lady Indians were in control, but not running away just yet. The halftime 16 point edge, 38-22, soon improved for Hononegah. Into the third quarter Jefferson discovered what Belvidere and Belvidere North have already learned. It is difficult to slow the Hononegah attack. The Lady Indians outscored Jefferson 28-9 in the third period and cruised into the final minutes, up by 35.

With relief appearances being made into the final frame, the Lady Indians were held to just twelve points scored. However, the scoring was distributed equally, as the new group of Lady Indians’ contributors shared the responsibilities. The shots were falling. Of the points scored in the final minutes for Hononegah, all had to be earned from the field. None of the points were tallied, courtesy of the charity stripe. It was a team effort. Four players scored for Hononegah in the fourth.

Jefferson won the period 19-12 but could not come back from the deficit that they had been forced into. Hononegah moved to 7-1 with the 78-50 final. The Lady Indians moved into the Jefferson game with momentum, following a 32-point win over Belvidere North on Friday, Dec. 2, 74-42. The Conference loss to Rockford Boylan earlier this season has been the only setback so far, and with many NIC-10 matches waiting, the Lady Indians find themselves in a strong position.

The Charger-Komaromy Classic hosted by Dundee-Crown High School awaits Hononegah before the year comes to a close. Matches against Rockford Auburn and Harlem will already be in the books by the end of this week. Tournament games in Sterling open the final days before Christmas as the Lady Indians know their schedule will be full.

With a 7-1 record heading into the Tuesday, Dec. 13 game at home against Auburn, the Lady Indians find themselves prepared to work through their playbook, as they stand against teams from across central Illinois in the Sterling Invitational, beginning this Saturday, Dec. 17. Matches against Sterling, Moline, Peoria Richwood and Naperville Central still await the Lady Indians before they prepare to head to Dundee Crown High School and game play in the Komaromy-Classic to close the 2016 portion of their winter sports season.