The Newton Lady Eagles opened Little Illini Conference play at home Thursday night, putting together a gritty four-quarter performance before ultimately falling to the Paris Lady Tigers, 62–55. Newton started strong, led early, and never backed down, but Paris’ explosive 27-point second quarter proved to be the difference.
Newton now sits at 4–2 overall and 0–1 in LIC play and will look to rebound Monday when they travel to Edwards County.
A Strong Start, a Tough Second Quarter
The Lady Eagles came out confident, winning the first quarter 13–6 behind steady guard play and efficient scoring around the rim. But Paris’ offense ignited in the second frame, hitting from deep and converting at the free-throw line to outscore Newton 27–18 and take the lead into halftime.
Newton matched Paris nearly point-for-point in the second half, but Paris’ ability to generate perimeter scoring—finishing with 10 made threes—helped them hold the advantage.
Lady Eagles Offensive Leaders
Junior guard Grace Schumacher delivered another consistent performance, finishing with 15 points on a balanced inside-out night.
Sophomore Alani Bergbower stepped up with a season-best offensive outing, also scoring 15 points, including two three-pointers.
Sophomore forward Maddie Brummer added 9 points, working effectively in the paint, while junior Allie Hermann contributed 8 points.
Juniors Claire Probst and senior Izzy Meinhart each scored 4 points.
Rebounding & Hustle Stats
Newton controlled the boards for much of the night:
- Claire Probst – 6 rebounds
- Allie Hermann – 5 rebounds
- Alani Bergbower – 5 rebounds
- Maddie Brummer – 4 rebounds
- Izzy Meinhart – 4 rebounds
Defensively, Grace Schumacher led the team with 3 steals, while Probst, Schumacher, and Hermann each tallied 2 assists to fuel Newton’s offense.
PARIS 62, NEWTON 55 — BOX SCORE
Quarter Scores
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 6 | 27 | 15 | 14 | 62 |
| Newton | 13 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 55 |
Paris Scoring
- Bicknell – 23
- Camp – 17
- Keys – 9
- K. Young – 8
- Landsaw – 2
- Coombes – 2
- J. Young – 1
Team totals: 7 two-point FGs, 10 three-point FGs, 18–27 FT
Newton Scoring
- Grace Schumacher – 15
- Alani Bergbower – 15
- Maddie Brummer – 9
- Allie Hermann – 8
- Claire Probst – 4
- Izzy Meinhart – 4
Team totals: 19 two-point FGs, 2 three-point FGs, 11–15 FT
JV GAME
Paris 44, Newton 25
Scoring for Newton JV:
- Brooke Gentry – 8
- Maddie Brummer – 8
- Nora Kistner – 4
- Ava Duncan – 2
- Layla Kuhl – 2
- Emma Schumacher – 1
