Thinking of mourning teammate, Rockets claim regional title
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| Rock Falls players (left to right) Jordan Giddings, Cheyenne Burnett and Addesyn Nailor celebrate after winning the Class 2A Riverdale Regional on Friday in Port Byron. The Rockets beat host Riverdale 48-40. (Ryan Gaines/Shaw Media) |
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PORT BYRON – In mid-December, Rock Falls throttled Riverdale in Port Byron. In Friday’s regional championship between the two, it looked like it would be more of the same.
The top-seeded Rockets (19-10) started strong, built a big lead, then held off the charging Rams late in a 48-40 win in the Class 2A Riverdale Regional girls basketball championship.
Rock Falls advances to the Rock Falls Sectional, where it will host Rockford Lutheran (25-5) in a semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Lutheran defeated Rock Falls in both of their Big Northern West clashes, winning 56-25 on Nov. 29 at Rock Falls and 53-40 on Jan. 6 in Rockford.
The regional title is the Rockets’ first since 2005.
“This feels amazing,” said Rock Falls’ Cheyenne Burnett, who scored 10 points. “Sometimes we have a hard time finishing and handling the pressure. We knew this would be a tougher game than the first time.”
Back on Dec. 17, Rock Falls thumped the Rams 52-24. Friday, the Rockets jumped in front 9-1 and built a 14-point third-quarter lead before third-seeded Riverdale (24-6) fought back within four on its home floor.
But the Rockets were playing with a purpose, and were able to close it out.
“We wanted to do this for Aubree [Johnson]. Her grandpa died,” said Rock Falls junior Morgan Mammosser, who scored a team-high 11 points. “I never had any doubt in our team.”
Johnson, a junior guard on the team, was not at the game.
The Rams whittled the margin to 42-38 with 3:20 to play. The Rockets got away with missing eight straight free throws down the stretch, thanks in large part to terrific play on the defensive end.
Rock Falls got off to a terrific start, opening with a 9-1 tear in the first 4 minutes. Riverdale answered with a 10-0 burst to go up 11-9.
Trailing 13-12 early in the second quarter, the Rockets used a 14-3 blitz to go up by double digits, 26-16, with 1:52 left in the first half. Rock Falls sophomore Katie Olson was sensational in the second quarter, scoring all 10 of her points in the period.
Rock Falls looked to be in control when it led 35-21 with 4:45 left in the third quarter. Moments later, two free throws by Jordan Giddings, who scored nine of her 10 points in the second half, hit two free throws to give the Rockets a 37-24 advantage.
Rock Falls was stuck on 37 for the last 4:10 of the third quarter, but still led 37-28 going to the fourth quarter. As the Rockets continued to struggle, Riverdale kept chipping away – but Rock Falls held on in the end.
“It’s been a while,” Rockets coach Craig Mammosser said, thinking back to his team’s last regional championship. “We came out with a lot of intensity and did a great job on the defensive end and rebounding. We weathered the storm.”
Rams standout Hannah Nimrick and teammate Jess Corson had 13 points apiece, though Nimrick was just 5-for-17 from the field. Rock Falls employed two gimmick defenses – a triangle-and-two in the first half and a box-and-one in the second half – to limit Nimrick.
Star of the game: Morgan Mammosser, Rock Falls, team-high 11 points
Key performers: Jess Corson and Hannah Nimrick, Riverdale, 11 points apiece; Cheyenne Burnett, Jordan Giddings and Katie Olson, Rock Falls, 10 points apiece
Up next: Class 2A Rock Falls Sectional semifinal, Rock Falls vs. Rockford Lutheran, 7:30 p.m. Monday
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