Peotone Grinds Out 39-29 Victory Over Coal City with Strong Second Half Defense

After a tightly contested first half that saw the scoreboard deadlocked, Peotone tightened its defensive intensity to pull away from Coal City, securing a hard-fought 39-29 victory.

The game began as a defensive stalemate, with both squads matching each other point-for-point. The first quarter ended knotted at 8-8, and the second quarter mirrored that intensity, sending the teams into the halftime locker room tied at 18-18.

The dynamic changed in the third quarter. Peotone’s defense began to stifle the Coal City attack, holding the visitors to just six points in the frame while taking a slim 27-24 lead. The home team widened the gap in the final eight minutes, outscoring Coal City 12-5 to seal the double-digit win.

Senior Peyton Bisping led the offensive charge for Peotone, finishing as the only player in double figures with 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting. She was a perfect 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Senior M. Schroeder chipped in 6 points, including one of the team’s only three-pointers, while freshmen Payton Pape and junior Payton Schnelle added 5 and 4 points, respectively.

While the scoring was balanced, Peotone won the game on the glass and in the passing lanes. Junior Callie Weiss was a force in the paint, pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. Senior Addison Brandau added 8 boards, contributing to a team total of 40 rebounds.

Defensively, Peotone disrupted Coal City throughout the night, tallying 11 steals. Schroeder and freshman G. Pagliarulo led the defensive effort with three steals apiece. Despite shooting just 26 percent from the floor as a team, Peotone’s ability to limit Coal City’s second-chance opportunities and force turnovers proved to be the difference.

Game Summary

Score by Quarters

Individual Statistics

• SCORING: Peyton Bisping 12, M. Schroeder 6, Payton Pape 5, Payton Schnelle 4, Addison Brandau 4, Callie Weiss 3, Olivia Moe 2, G. Pagliarulo 2, Emma Orzel 1.

• REBOUNDING: Callie Weiss 11, Addison Brandau 8, Olivia Moe 5, Payton Schnelle 5, M. Schroeder 4, Payton Pape 3, G. Pagliarulo 2, K. Bettenhausen 1.

• THREE-POINT SHOOTING: M. Schroeder 1.

• DEFENSE: M. Schroeder 3 Steals, G. Pagliarulo 3 Steals, Olivia Moe 2 Steals, Addison Brandau 2 Steals.