Carterville trailed 19-14 late in the first half but used a 6-0 spurt to take a 20-19 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Lady Lions brought that momentum back to the floor in the third quarter scoring the first eight points to extend the lead to nine. The run eventually totaled 18-3 going back to the second quarter as Carterville built a 32-22 lead.

The Lady Shoes closed within six late in the third, but future Saluki Jeniah Thompson buried a three-pointer to give Carterville a 37-28 lead heading to the fourth.

That lead grew to as many as 11, but Teutopolis made a furious rally to cut Carterville’s advantage to three. Sophomore Alecia Doyle hit one of two free throws with 13.9 seconds to play giving the Lady Lions a four-point cushion. The Lady Shoes scored with six seconds left but did not have any timeouts left, and Carterville held on for the history-making win–setting off a wild celebration.

Doyle led Carterville with 17 points. Thompson and fellow senior Megan Barton added 16 apiece. T-town’s Lexie Niebrugge led all scorers with 18. Olivia Niemerg and Kaitlyn Schumacher scored 13 each for the Lady Shoes.

Carterville improves to 31-2 and will now face Chicago Marshall in the second 2A semifinal Friday night at 7:15 at Redbird Arena in Normal. Pleasant Plains will face Riverdale in the first semi at 5:30.