EDWARDSVILLE - Alayna Kraus was the game's leading scorer and MVP with 20 points as Okawville scored 14 of the game's first 16 points in the first quarter en route to a 40-26 win over Edwardsville in the opening game of the Scott Credit Union Edwardsville Shootout Saturday afternoon at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
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It was the first time the Shootout had been played since 2019, with the 2020 edition being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Shootout cancelled because of a massive power outage caused by severe tornadoes the previous night that left Edwardsville High without electricity.
The Rockets led all the way through, leading after the first quarter 14-2, then held a 23-8 lead at halftime and 38-17 after three quarters. The Tigers were competitive all the way and outscored Okawville in the fourth quarter 9-4, with the Rockets getting the 40-26 win.
To go along with Kraus' 20 points, the Rockets had Megan Rennegarbe with seven points, Raelyn Obermeier hit for six points, Briley Rhodes scored five points and Madisyn Wienstroer had five points. Emerson Weller, who scored a career-high 24 points in the Tigers' win Thursday night over Belleville East, led Edwardsville with eight points, while Ellie Neath hit for seven points, Kaitlyn Morningstar scored six points, both Laney McFarland and Zay Hoover had two points each and Blakely Hockett scored a single point.
The Rockets remain undefeated at 8-0, while the Tigers go to 3-6 and play Lift For Life Academy of St. Louis Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m., then open the Visitation Academy Christmas Tournament Dec. 17 against Civic Memorial in a 5:30 p.m. tip-off and host Rochester in a make-up game on Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
In the other games of the Shootout, Belleville East defeated Columbia, Mo., Rock Bridge 61-54, Collinsville won over Ladue Horton Watkins 72-58, the Edwardsville boys defeated Mary Institute-Country Day of Ladue, Mo. 55-50, O'Fallon won over Carterville 52-46 and Chaminade College Prep Catholic of Creve Coeur, Mo. won over Peoria Notre Dame 55-31.
