Girls basketball: Once it takes lead, Polo never lets go in regional final win over Amboy

Marcos don’t trail in final three quarters to claim first regional crown since 2008

Polo players Courtney Grobe (11), Sydnei Rahn (34), Madison Glawe (13), Lindee Poper (33) and Camrynn Jones celebrate their 1A regional championship as they run off the court Friday night in Amboy.

AMBOY – With the defense collapsing on Polo senior center Lindee Poper in the paint, the Marcos knew one of their shooters would have to step up in Friday night’s Class 1A Amboy Regional final.

Turns out Sydnei Rahn’s baseline jumper was the secret weapon.

The junior nailed four shots from virtually the same spot in the first 10 minutes of the game, then hit a big 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to help send Polo to a 49-43 win over Amboy.

It’s Polo’s first regional title in girls basketball since 2008, and something Poper and her fellow seniors have been eyeing since a loss in the regional title game last season in Shabbona.

“It’s rewarding, because last year was tough. We knew it hadn’t been done in a long time, and we knew we had the girls to do it, and we did it,” Poper said. “It hasn’t really even sunk in yet, but it’s just amazing.”

Rahn was the key early on, as she scored 11 points in the first 9:16 of the game. Her third baseline jumper of the first quarter gave the Marcos (18-11) a 12-6 lead, then her next one just over a minute into the second period made it 16-13.

“To be honest, I just threw it up there hoping it would go in, because I just shoot and don’t think about it too much, usually,” said Rahn, who finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a steal. “I’m glad they were going in, because everyone was on Lindee, so I’m glad we could get some shots on the outside and put them in, and then start the game hot and get the lead.”

After Amboy pulled within 22-20 late in the first half, Rahn hit two free throws, then Poper scored inside with 0.9 seconds left before the break to make it 25-20 at halftime.

The Marcos never trailed in the second half. Elly Jones hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter, and Addison Pertell added another as Amboy (24-5) kept in contact, but could never quite get over the hump.

Polo's Lindee Poper (left) and Amboy's Emily Sachs fight for a rebound during Friday night's Class 1A Amboy Regional final.

The Clippers had their chances. They outrebounded Polo 43-36, and that included a whopping 25 offensive rebounds. But Amboy managed just 12 points off those offensive boards, and nine of those came on 3-pointers as the Clippers couldn’t consistently penetrate against Polo’s defense.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well again from 3, and we kept asking them to drive all the way instead of just to 7 or 8 feet,” said Amboy coach Mike McCracken, whose team shot just 23.7% (14 for 59) from the field – including 28.6% (8 for 28) from 3 – and 38.9% (7 for 18) from the free-throw line.

The Marcos switched defensive looks between a couple of different zones and sprinkled in the occasional man-to-man, and pressured the ball with a half-court trap for much of the second half. Even with all the second-, third- and sometimes fourth-chance opportunities for Amboy, Polo managed to make things difficult.

“I think we just played our normal defense, and we had to keep up the intensity on every possession and try to get the boards,” Poper said. “We just played our hearts out.”

“I think we do well in all of our defenses, so it’s pretty easy to change things up and still be aggressive,” Rahn added. “Our coach just kept saying that we needed to box out and get the rebound, because they were getting way too many shots up, and a lot of second and third chances.”

“That was just effort from the girls,” coach Jason Grobe said. “We try to preach to give them one shot and get the ball back, but they were getting two or three looks. We were just feisty, and did what we had to do to win.”

Amboy's Elly Jones (3) drives toward the basket while being defended by Polo's Lindee Poper (33) and Courtney Grobe (11) during the Class 1A Amboy Regional final Friday night.

Poper scored a putback late in the third quarter, then Rahn hit two more free throws to start the fourth. Tyrah Vaessen hit a 3 for the Clippers, which Polo’s Camrynn Jones answered with a basket. Pertell then scored in the lane, but a lob pass to Poper from Rahn made it 42-37 Polo, then Rahn got open in the corner and nailed a 3 for a 45-37 lead with 3:31 to play.

“We knew they were going to probably come down on me, so our guards were ready to shoot – and obviously Sydnei was hitting shots all night,” said Poper, who had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds to go with four blocked shots. “She just kept shooting it, and it was going in.”

“It was huge,” Grobe added. “We were preaching that someone else has to step up because they’re going to try to take Lindee out – and they pretty much did. But Sydnei had the game of her career; I told her parents, ‘I don’t know where that was at, but I’m glad it came out tonight.’”

Elly Jones hit a free throw, then Pertell scored a layup off a cut down the lane on an inbounds play to make it 45-40, then after a few empty possession by both teams, Elly Jones dribbled up the court and stepped into a 3 from the right wing to make it 45-43 with 52 seconds left.

“We definitely gave it all we had. This was a big game, and being at home with our home crowd and everyone there for us, it was really great to see,” said Elly Jones, who had 25 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists. “We just gave everything we had tonight, which is what we needed to do.”

Amboy's Elly Jones (3) secures a rebound as Polo's Courtney Grobe (11), Sydnei Rahn (34) and Camrynn Jones (4) look on during their 1A regional final Friday night in Amboy.

But Rahn hit two free throws, Courtney Grobe added another, and Camrynn Jones hit a final foul shot with 8.8 seconds left as the Marcos held on.

Camrynn Jones had six points, three assists, two rebounds, two blocks and a steal, and Courtney Grobe and Madison Glawe both finished with three points, four rebounds and three assists for Polo, which shot 35.9% (14 for 39) from the field, 18.2% (2 for 11) from 3-point range, and 73.1% (19 for 26) from the free-throw line.

Pertell had 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal for Amboy, while Vaessen had five rebounds and five assists to go with her 3-pointer. Kiera Karlson scored two points, Maeve Larson grabbed six rebounds, and the Clippers’ lone senior Courtney Ortgiesen finished with one point, five rebounds, an assist and a steal while playing through foul trouble.

“Everyone’s obviously devastated, which is good because it shows how much we care about this,” Elly Jones said. “It was a great experience, and we’re going to come back next year ready to play. We’re going to be a force.”

“We’re proud. We never thought we could get 24 wins out of this group, and we did,” McCracken said. “But we didn’t play the way we needed to play tonight.”

Polo's Annalise Stamm (10) holds the game ball while Lindee Poper (33) holds up the regional championship plaque Friday night in Amboy. The Marcos won their first regional title since 2008.
Ty Reynolds

Ty Reynolds

Ty is the Sports Editor at Sauk Valley Media, and has covered sports in the Sauk Valley for more than two decades.