Game Balls: Top high school sports performances

Kenny Berry

The Granite City Warriors scored 20 points in the first quarter to put O’Fallon in a hole they could never dig themsevles out of Friday night in an early matchup of Southwestern Conference foes. Berry, a 6-2 senior, scored 10 of his game-high 18 points during the run. Berry ranks among St. Louis-area leaders with a 22.6 points-per-game average.

Michael Chism

Chism helped deliver the Valmeyer Pirates’ lone victory this season with a 30-point, 17-rebound effort Wednesday in a 52-45 win over Crossroads. Chism was 8-of-16 from the floor and sank 12 of 15 free throws.

Tarkus Ferguson and Keenen Young

Ferguson and Young combined for 35 points Saturday in a 79-60 victory over Mater Dei in the Crusaders’ home opener. Young had four of his five 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 17 points, sinking five of his seven 3-point tries. Ferguson, an Illinois-Chicago recruit, had 18 points and two 3-pointers.

Kaitlyn Fischer

Fischer hit the game-winning layup with two seconds remaining that sent shockwaves around the metro-east girls basketball scene and ended Edwardsville’s 89-game Southwestern Conference winnig streak. Fischer, averaging 14.2 points, had plenty to do with the streak-stopping as the junior scored 27 points and hit 13 of her 14 free throws. The Kahoks also got 15 points from Carlee Mahan while Edwardsville junior Division I recruit Makenzie Silve tossed in 25 points.

Noah Frederking

The hot-shooting junior did a lot of damage at the Carlyle Kaskaskian Classic last week while helping the Okawville Rockets to the tourney championship. Frederking had 25 points in a win over Carlyle, 16 on Thursday in a win over Flora, then poured in 24 points and hit 12-of-14 free throws Saturday in the championship win over Woodlawn. The Division I recruit is averaging 21 points during the Rockets’ 4-0 start.

Myriah Haywood and Ellisha Davis

This dynamic duo combined for 53 points as the Lancers defeated O’Fallon 73-62 in a Southwestern Conference game. Haywood, who scored a career-high 30 points in the win over the Panthers, also added 14 points in the Lancers win over Alton earlier in the week. The Lancers have won four games in a row and are 5-2 for the season.

Jonathan Holmes

Holmes, a senior, lit up the court against Nashville on Saturday in the title game of the Lebanon/Wesclin Thanksgiving Tournament, scoring a game-high 20 points and canning four 3-pointers as the Eagles improved to 3-0 with a 58-41 triumph over the Hornets, ranked third in the Class 2A state poll.

Jacob Rueter

The senior guard was on fire Friday in a 65-46 victory over Madison, scoring a season-high 24 points while draining five of his six 3-point shots. Rueter also hit seven of eigth free throws and handed out eight assists. Junior Trevor Davis (13 points, 19 rebounds) and senior Brian Deterding (17 points, 19 rebounds) also had monster games for the Hawks (5-1).

Kory Schaefer

Trailing East St. Louis by one point headed into the championship round of the 37th annual Civic Memorial Holiday Wrestling Tournament, the Waterloo Bulldogs rallied to the championship with a total of 159 points. Schaefer sealed it with a first-place finish in the 182-pound class, pinning three opponents along the way including Benton's Jourdan Garbo in the title match.

Oliver Stephen

Stephen, a junior sharpshooter, was one of three Tigers to finish with 14 points Friday as Edwardsville manhandled Collinsville 61-37 in the Southwestern Conference opener for both clubs. Stephen drained four 3-pointers to help the Tigers (3-2) pull away.

Lauren Lee and Carlee Mahan

These two long range bombers combined for eight of the Kahoks 11 3-point baskets in the win over Edwardsville. Mahan had 4 3-point baskets and 15 points, while Lee had four 3-point baskets and 12 points.

Makenzie Silvey

With three of the Tigers top four players in foul trouble, Silvey took over, scoring 25 points in Edwardsville’s two-point loss at Collinsville.

Sophie Thompson

The top player in the Mississippi Valley Conference, Thompson was in top form as she scored 23 points in the Knights 55-46 win at Mascoutah and 24 points in a 63-58 win on Thursday over Highland

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 2:14 PM with the headline "Game Balls: Top high school sports performances."