PHS honors girls basketball team at awards banquet

PINCKNEYVILLE - Lady Panthers Basketball concluded its 2018-19 season with an awards banquet at PCHS Thursday, March 8. Head Coach Alan Engelhardt highlighted the team's resilience in the 18-12 campaign that included a share of the West Frankfort Mid-Winter Tournament title and signature wins over state-ranked Hamilton County and highly-touted Sesser-Valier.

Senior Megan Breslin earned team MVP honors. She was the only All-Conference selection and was All-Tournament at Nashville, Benton, and West Frankfort. Kiya Hagene and Sarah Breslin are the other graduating seniors from the squad. Other award winners were junior Haliegh Kling-Best Defensive and sophomore Payton Morgan-Most Improved.

The Lady Panthers made a midseason change from an open, fast-break style, scoring over 50 points in nine of their first 12 games to a team that scored 50 only one time over the last 18 games as they used a more deliberate high-low post style of offense after leading scorer (15.5 ppg) sophomore Kenzie Rushing had a season-ending injury in Game 12.

Rushing's return, along with team-leading rebounder, sophomore Bella Pasquino, freshman Lily Tanner, Morgan, Kling, and a solid core of juniors Aubrey Bruns and Elaine Shaneyfelt, and sophomore Lily Britt also help the hopeful look for next season.

Coach Ryan Bruns' JV team completed an undefeated 17-0 season, highlighted by strong wins over Nashville and Carterville near the end of the season. JV award winners are MVP Lily Britt, Best Defensive Taylor Kurtz, and Most Improved Molly Doerflein.