HINCKLEY – After winning the ninth regional in Amboy girls basketball history, the Lady Clippers were ready to test their muscle in the IHSA Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock Sectional.

The No. 2-seeded Lady Clippers won the semifinal, 54-26, against Morgan Park Academy on Tuesday, Feb. 25, before having their season come to its end with a 54-44 loss to Elgin St. Edward on Thursday, Feb. 26.

According to IHSA.org, Amboy has been in three regional championships, while Lady Clippers coach Mike McCracken says he thinks it’s the fourth or fifth sectional final for the program. Note, the site could be incorrect as it lists Amboy as the sectional winner in the 2018-19 season, but the bracket says they lost in a regional semifinal.

Amboy finishes the season 26-8, the Northwest Upstate Illinois Conference South Division champion, a regional champion, and a winner of a sectional semifinals.

Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock

Sectional Semifinal

Amboy 54, Morgan Park 26

Senior Emily Sachs was the star of the show as she recorded a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds as well as tallying an assist and a block.

“This was just a crazy game to be in,” Sachs said. “We feel good about winning the semifinal and we know we deserve to be here. We’ve been working hard all season.

“My coaches, Mike McCracken, Shauna Dinges, and Elizabeth Ortgiesen, love to work with me in the post during practices. They work with me on rebounding and dropping my foot in the post. I used to never do it and now my drop step is a go-to move.”

Amboy led throughout as it outscored Morgan Park 14-2 in the first, 11-8 in the second, 12-8 in the third, and 17-8 in the fourth quarter.

Junior Bella Yanos also had a double-double with 13 rebounds and 10 points, while senior Addison Pertell scored nine points, sophomore Alexa McKendry and junior Jillian Anderson had five points apiece, and senior Kenley Wilson and junior Ellie McLaughlin added two each.

“We did a great job of getting Emily the ball against Morgan Park. She had a double-double and I’m really happy for her,” McCracken said. “Sometimes she doesn’t meet people’s expectations because she is big. She did in this game. When you win by 18 and Tyrah Vaessen didn’t score, we needed a big game from Emily.

“Bella Yanos could have made more baskets. She isn’t as strong as Emily and it was tough on her at times. But everyone played their part in the victory.”

Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock

Sectional Championship

St. Edward 54, Amboy 44

The last time Amboy played St. Edward, the third game of the season, the Lady Clippers fell 55-27.

With the addition of Pertell, who was hurt in the first meeting, Amboy planned to win or have a better showing.

Victory wasn’t obtained but the game was close, tough, and aggressive through the entirety, which is something Amboy couldn’t say for the first meeting.

“I told the girls in the locker room, ‘They just made a lot of big shots.’ We battled the whole way,” McCracken said. “Our seven-point lead went by fast. We got hurt by the high-low in the second quarter. We cleaned it up a little bit, but they have a lot of great shooters.

“The press bothered us a lot the last time we played them, but it didn’t bother us too much in the sectional final. St. Edward knew they were in a game. We had them for a while, but we just couldn’t continue it.”

St. Edward led for only a minute in the first quarter and battled back and forth with Amboy for more than half of the second quarter before it was able to pull away.

Amboy led 20-13 at 5:33 in the second quarter.

Vaessen, McKendry, and Yanos each finished with nine points, while Vaessen hauled in 10 rebounds and committed thievery five times, and Sachs snagged nine.