For the first time in seven years, the Six Rivers Conference held the Crossover Challenge in girls’ basketball, but just like old times the East Division came out on top in the highly-competitive series after defending their home courts by winning four of the seven head-to-head match-ups against their Western Division counterparts in games held on Friday, Jan. 26.
    The East improved its record to 6-1-1 all-time during the Challenge and holds a 34-24 edge in overall record during the event.
    In the spotlight games of the night, the #1-ranked and unbeaten Black Hawk Warriors defeated Potosi, 71-48, to lead the East, while #10-ranked Shullsburg downed Argyle, 48-37, for a key win for the West.
    Barneveld edged River Ridge, 40-36 in overtime, while Juda beat Belmont, 54-38, and Monticello topped Highland, 54-49, to lead the East to the victory and earn conference bragging rights for the year.
    Benton rallied to edge Albany, 58-54, and Cassville routed Pecatonica, 43-23, for the West’s other wins.
 Black Hawk 71, Potosi 48
    SOUTH WAYNE – Sophomore guard Hannah Butler scored 20 of her game-high 24 points in the first half to lift East leading Black Hawk out to a 46-25 halftime lead on West runner-up Potosi, and the Warriors (18-0 overall) rolled on to post a 71-48 victory over the visiting Chieftains (11-4).
    Potosi kept things close early, taking the lead twice and tying the game at 8-8 on a basket by Hannah Udelhoven four minutes into the game. However, H. Butler kicked off an 18-0 Warrior run with a three-point play, a 3-pointer and a layup, and the Warriors never looked back.
    Potosi’s Abby Kaiser scored back-to-back baskets with around 10 minutes remaining in the first half to get the Chieftains back within 14 at 26-12, but that would be as close as they would get as the hosts used scoring bursts of 7-0 and 9-0 to open up a 21-point halftime lead.
    “(Potosi) came in and they battled. There was no doubt about it that they came in ready to play,” said Black Hawk head coach Michael Flanagan. “We feel like our rotation right now is really strong.”
    The Chieftains got it no closer than 17 points in the second half as the Warriors cruised to their second win over Potosi this season.
    H. Butler added five rebounds, five steals and four assists along with her 24 points. Freshman Bailey Butler tallied 15 points, six rebounds and four steals, while sophomore Natalie Leuzinger chipped in with 13 points and five boards and freshman Kaylee Marty netted a career-high 11 points for the Warriors.
    Kaiser finished with 17 points for the Chieftains, who finished scoring a season-high 48 points against the Warriors’ defense. H. Udelhoven scored 14 and Amber Udelhoven added 10, while Sophie Langkamp pulled down 11 rebounds.
   
Potosi………….. 25   23 – 48
Black Hawk…… 46   25 – 71
   Potosi – Kaiser 17, Horner 3, A. Udelhoven 10, Langkamp 4, H. Udelhoven 14. Totals – 16  13-17  48.
   Black Hawk – Hannah Herbst 3, Natalie Leuzinger 13, Hannah Butler 24, Kaylee Marty 11, Bailey Butler 15, Sydney Delzer 5. Totals – 25  15-23  71.
   3-point goals– P 3 (A. Udelhoven 1, H. Udelhoven 2), BH 6 (Leuzinger 1, H. Butler 2, Marty 1, B. Butler 2). Total fouls– P 16, BH 16. Fouled out– P: Langkamp.

Shullsburg 48, Argyle 37
    ARGYLE – Senior center Brianna Leahy recorded her third triple-double of the season and the sixth of her career as she tallied 18 points, 20 rebounds and 11 blocked shots to lead the Lady Miners (15-2) to a 48-37 victory of the host Orioles (13-4).
    Shullburg fought its way to a 20-13 halftime lead, and then outscored the Orioles, 28-24, in the second half to extend the team’s winning streak to six games. The Miners went 18-of-30 at the foul line to close out the victory.
    “I thought that we started out well and got out to a large lead, but I think that we relaxed and allowed them to come back on us,” said Shullsburg head coach Nathan Russell. “I am proud of the ladies as they did not flinch when Argyle made a run. We closed out the game with solid run to earn the victory.”
    Senior Nicole Teutschmann sank three 3-pointers on her way to 12 points and she added four rebounds and two assists, while sophomore Reva Spillane scored seven points and freshman Layla Alt added five for the Miners.
    Kirsten Ostby led Argyle with 16 points, while Jena Saalsaa filled the stat book with nine points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots for the hosts.

Shullsburg…… 20   28 – 48
Argyle………… 13   24 – 37
    Shullsburg – Madison Russell 4, Reva Spillane 7, Calli Jerry 2, Nicole Teutschmann 12, Brianna Leahy 18, Layla Alt 5. Totals – 13  18-30  48.
    Argyle – Ostby 16, Lantz 8, Je. Saalsaa 9, Allison 4. Totals – 15  3-8  37.
    3-point goals– S 4 (Teutschmann 3, Leahy 1), A 4 (Ostby 4). Total fouls– S 9, A na. Fouled out– None.

Juda 52, Belmont 34
    JUDA – Hailey Kammerer and Maddie Roth scored 10 points apiece and Mackenzie Byrne chipped in with nine as the host Panthers used a balanced scoring attack to sink the Belmont Braves, 52-34, at JHS.
    The Panthers (5-11) built up a 26-14 lead by the halftime intermission, but the Braves (8-9) fought back to cut the deficit to 35-32 with 11 minutes remaining in the second half.
    Belmont had several chances to jump into the lead, however the team missed two layups and four free throws. Juda closed the game on a 17-2 scoring run to defeat the Braves for the first time since 2011.
    “It was a frustrating night. We didn’t move the ball well, made bad decisions passing the ball, and turned it over too many times. Almost all the girls had a tough night shooting as well, and we got in some foul trouble,” said Belmont head coach Alan Seabrooke.
    Junior Sadie Willborn hit a pair of 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 10 points to lead the Braves.
    “Sadie had a good game offensively. She has been shooting the ball well lately,” noted Seabrooke.
    The Panthers limited senior forward Briana Ernst to one field goal and just six points on the night, while junior guards Callie Wiegel and Abby Althaus added five points apiece for Belmont.
 
Belmont……. 14   20 – 34
Juda………… 26   26 – 52
    Belmont – Abby Althaus 5, Nicole Knebel 2, Kassandra Palzkill 4, Briana Ernst 6, Callie Wiegel 5, Sadie Willborn 10, Chelsey Douglas 2. Totals – 12  6-16  34.
    Juda – Byrne 9, Roth 10, Duecker 7, Powers 2, Golackson 6, Steinmann 6, Kesler 2, Kammerer 10. 18  12-20  52.
    3-point goals– B 4 (Althaus 1, Wiegel 1, Willborn 2), J 4 (Byrne 1, Roth 3). Total fouls– B 18, J 14. Fouled out– B: Palzkill.