Junior High Roundup: DMS boys stay in league title hunt
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Playing the final home game of retiring coach David Lewis' career, Du Quoin (Middle School) finished its girls basketball regular season with a 6-16 record Monday night.
The Lady Warriors dropped a 43-24 decision against Sparta (Middle School) and play host Trico Thursday night as the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) Class L Region III Regional begins.
In Junior Southwestern Egyptian Conference (Jr. SWEC) play, DMS finished 2-9. A game against rival Pinckneyville last week was canceled because of snow.
Bailie Caldwell scored seven points for the Lady Warriors with Hailey Stewart and Abby Myers each netting six points. Katrina Whitley added four.
Myers, Stewart, Whitley, Caldwell, Ashanti Warren, Lela Copelan and Morgan Dennis were honored in Eighth Grade Night ceremonies prior to the game, along with Lewis.
In the seventh grade battle, Du Quoin (13-5, 8-3) ended a strong season with a 15-13 loss to Sparta.
Amanda Atteberry (four) and Jacqueline Harsy (three) were the top DMS scorers.
Lewis has coached DMS girls basketball for the past 17 seasons and also guided the program for seven other years (1982-89).
After spending four season as Lady Warriors softball coach (1984-88), he also coached girls track (1993-2002) and has been the boys track coach since 2002.
JUNIOR PANTHERS ROMP
Pinckneyville (Junior High SchooL) blanked Chester (Grade School) in the opening quarter en route to a 52-9 boys victory Monday night.
PJHS had just one double figure scorer-Chase Lazenby with 15-but 10 other players managed at least one point.
The Junior Panthers were up at the first two quarter-stops by margins of 14-0 and 30-4.
PJHS also won the seventh grade game.
WARRIORS STAY ALIVE
Assuring itself of a top seed in regional play later this month, DMS (11-3) won at Sparta (Middle School) Monday night, 57-50.
The Warriors burned the nets for 63% shooting (27-for-41) and placed three scorers-Spencer Cook, Matt Galik and Will Galik in double figures.
Cook led the way with 14 points and seven rebounds. M. Galik had 12 points and five steals with W. Galik scoring 10 points. Cook recorded a team-best seven assists.
"Our shot selection and patience are getting better," Warriors coach Ryan Heape said. "Thursday is a must win for us (vs. Murphysboro) if we want any shot at winning the conference."
DMS is currently 6-2 in league play and hosts Murphysboro Thursday.
DMS' seventh grade squad (13-1, 7-1) rolled along Monday, zipping past Sparta 32-17 in the preliminary game.
AJ Smith (eight points) and Noah Campbell (seven points) were scoring leaders with Matthew Galik recording seven steals.
Will Galik added six points, three assists and four steals.
Jacob Wright (five) was tops in rebounds.
"Offensively were struggling," said DMS coach Jacob Emling. "But our defense kept us in the game."