Warriors special

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B1 Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Hardin, IllinoisSportSCalhoun News-Herald

Best Season EverCalhoun girls celebrate

SportS B2Hardin, IllinoisWednesday, March 4, 2015 Calhoun News-Herald

Michael Weaver/Calhoun News-Herald

Cassidy Klocke looks to get past a Central A&M defender in the Class 1A State Final Saturday in Normal. Calhoun lost, 51-41.

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Calhoun fans cheer on the Lady Warriors Friday against Iroquois West in the State Semifinals. Calhoun won, 49-36.Your #1 source for local sports

Calhoun trio leads Lady Warriors to NormalBy KorY Carpenter

Calhoun News-HeraldThree things stood out when look-

ing back at the 2014-15 Calhoun Lady Warriors season: a school of 171 students produced three of the tallest, most tal-ented players at their respective positions in the state of Illinois, let alone the 1A Class.

There was somehow a 1A team capa-ble of beating them in the postseason, and all three players will return for an encore next season.

Sophomore Grace Baalman and junior Emma Baalman stand 6-foot-2 and 6-foot-1, respectively, and helped form one of the best post defenses in the class.

Junior Kassidy Klocke is a 6-foot guard who used her size to hound players on the perimeter while keeping defenses

honest with her shooting prowess, aver-aging 11.4 points per game.

“Kassidy has probably the highest bas-ketball I.Q. of any player I have,” head coach Aaron Baalman said after Klocke scored 20 points to help Cahoun beat Civic Memorial on Jan. 31. “The ball nor-mally finds her when we need a big shot and she normally knocks it down.”

Coach Baalman has talked about how imperative getting the ball into the

post was this season, and he was often impressed with Klocke’s ability to do so.

The inside duo helped lead Calhoun to a 32-3 final record and its best finish in school history, thanks to a team-high 17 points and nine rebounds per game from Emma Baalman.

Grace was not far behind, averaging 17 points and eight rebounds per contest.

The Lady Warriors won the Alton Tipoff Classic, Jerseyville Holiday Classic,

Carrollton Lady Hawk Invitational, Carrollton Regional, Okawville Sectional, Salem Super-Sectional, and the Class 1A state semifinal showdown with Iroquois West in Normal.

They led Steelville 50-4 at halftime of their Super-Sectional game.

They set an IHSA record with 52 rebounds against Iroquois West in the state semifinals.

And after losing to Southwestern – a Class 2A school – and Quincy Notre Dame – a Class 3A school – in November, Calhoun went on a 26-game winning streak that spanned three months and included a revenge win over Southwestern in the Jerseyville Holiday Classic Dec. 30.

Grace Baalman was named to the Associated Press Class 1A All-State Team and Emma Baalman was an Honorable

Mention selection, while Klocke scored 24 points in the Final Four in Redbird Arena over the weekend.

Aaron Baalman believed the lack of experience heading into the postseason hurt his team in the championship game loss to Central A&M. The 10,200 seat Redbird arena was a far cry from the small gymnasiums in Hardin, Brussels, or Carrollton.

“Running out of that tunnel was an unbelievable experience,” Grace Baalman said. “It was something I will never for-get.”

Next season the lights shining into that tunnel might not seem so bright; the stage not quite so big.

And for the Calhoun trio that gave the school its best postseason run of all-time, this season’s run might end up being a preview of bigger things to come.

“running out of that tunnel was an unbelievable expe-rience.”

Grace BaalmanCalhoun sophomore forward


Emma Baalman puts up a shot against Central A&M in the Class 1A State Final Saturday in Normal. Calhoun lost, 51-41.


Grace Baalman maneuvers for a shot against Central A&M in the Class 1A State Final Saturday in Normal. Calhoun lost, 51-41.


The Calhoun girls basketball team takes the floor before playing Iroquois West in the Class 1A State Semifinalss Calhoun won, 49-36.

B3Hardin, IllinoisWednesday, March 4, 2015 Calhoun News-HeraldSPORTS


Madison Lehr gets introduced before taking on Iroquios West in the Class 1A State Semifinals Saturday in Normal. Calhoun won, 49-36.


Courtney Holland and Becca Oswald go after a loose ball against Iroquios West in the Class 1A State Semifinals Saturday in Normal. Calhoun won, 49-36.

Calhoun girls come up short in state championshipBy Kory CArpeNter

Calhoun News-HeraldAfter figuring out a way to win every game since

late November, the Calhoun Lady Warriors were not able to overcome a late Central A&M run Saturday afternoon in the Class 1A title game on the campus of Illinois State University, losing 51-41.

Calhoun had defeated Iroquois West in the semi-final, 49-36, while setting a 1A state record with 52 rebounds. Emma Baalman led the Lady Warriors with 16 rebounds, Grace Baalman grabbed 13, and Kassidy Klocke secured seven.

Calhoun tried to duplicate its winning effort 24 hours later against Central A&M, but to no avail.

It was Calhoun’s first loss against a Class 1A oppo-nent all season.

Central A&M started the game doing what it needed to do, pushing the tempo before Calhoun could set up its defense.

“One of our keys was getting back on defense,” head coach Aaron Baalman said after the game. “You couldn’t let them get into transition.”

Both teams traded buckets for most of the first quarter and the game was tied at 17 after eight minutes.

The tempo in the second quarter slowed to a pace

more fitting to Calhoun’s style, and the Warriors led 27-25 at halftime.

“We gave them a couple of easy buckets in the first quarter,” coach Baalman said. “But I thought we did a good job getting back after the first few minutes.”

Central A&M outscored Calhoun 13-4 in transi-tion, but Emma Baalman kept the Warriors close with a team-high 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting with 11

rebounds while playing all 32 minutes.Not long after Central A&M’s Taylor Jordan tied the

game at 27 early in the third quarter, Grace Baalman picked up her third and fourth fouls.

Aaron Baalman and the Calhoun fans were vis-ibly upset with the call on her fourth foul with three minutes left in the quarter, which came on a Calhoun out-of-bounds play underneath its basket and forced Grace to sit.

“It was an unfortunate call and it set us back a little bit as far as running our offense,” Aaron Baalman said. “But things like that happen.”

Things began to unravel briefly for the Warriors after the foul.

Calhoun committed three fouls on consecutive pos-sessions and Central A&M’s Abigail Hilton scored back-to-back layups in transition. Emma Baalman kept the Warriors in the game with four points in the final two minutes and the teams were tied at 36 heading into the fourth quarter.

The first possession of the fourth quarter looked like a bad omen for Calhoun when Kaley Hennings was fouled and made a circus shot that went high into the

air before falling in for two.Jennings scored on the following possession and

Central A&M took a four-point lead.Two Emma Baalman free-throws cut the Warriors

deficit to 40-38, but it would be as close as they would get.

Central A&M extended its lead to 45-39 with less than three minutes to play and Calhoun began looking to force turnovers.

“I told the girls to leave it on the floor,” Baalman said of his advice late in the game. “That’s all I could ask, and they did a great job of that.”

Central A&M hit most of its free-throws late in the game and held on for a 51-41 victory.

Klocke finished with 11 points, Grace Baalman scored six, and Sydney White finished with five.

Emma Baalman led all players with 11 rebounds, and the Warriors finished the season 32-3.

It was the furthest the Calhoun girls program has ever advanced in the postseason.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better program or com-munity to cheer on the girls today,” Aaron Baalman said. “The girls had a heck of a year.”

“I couldn’t have asked for a bet-ter program or community to cheer on the girls today.”

Aaron BaalmanCalhoun head coach

B4 Hardin, IllinoisWednesday, March 4, 2015 Calhoun News-Herald SPORTS

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Lady Warriors early favorites in 2015-16By Kory Carpenter

Calhoun News-HeraldIt is hard to imagine a Class 1A team with more

talent heading into next season than the Calhoun Lady Warriors.

There certainly will not be a team that brings back the experience Calhoun will have next season.

And this is after coming within a few minutes of winning the state championship this season.

If everyone returns who is supposed to return, Calhoun will have all five starters back.

Senior Becca Oswald, who came off the bench this season, will graduate.

But Sydney White, Jordan Holland, and Dana Hayn will all be back. And that is just the bench.

Emma Baalman and Grace Baalman formed one of the best – if not the best – front-courts in the state. Emma will be a senior, Grace just a junior.

Kassidy Klocke was one of the tallest guards in the state, as well. Listed at 6-foot, Klocke kept defenses honest when teams wanted to focus solely on control-ling the paint.

Courtney Holland and Madison Lehr got the ball into scorers’ hands while helping the Lady Warriors build one of the best defenses in their class.

That defense helped bring a rather inexperienced team all the way to Normal this season, falling a few buckets short of a championship.

“I think we just need to continue to work in the offseason,” head coach Aaron Baalman said after fall-ing to Central A&M in the state championship game

Saturday. “All year long our defense has improved and we have become one of the best defensive teams in our class.”

Anything can happen in the postseason. Depending

on how regional and sectional draws go, teams with high expectations can get stuck playing great teams early. Just ask Carrollton head coach Brian Madson, who called the Carrollton Regional Championship game last month a “state title game.”

But no matter how easy or tough of a draw Calhoun receives 11 months from now, the Lady Warriors will be expected to make a return to Normal.

“Not having the experience of playing in a state tournament showed a bit today,” Aaron Baalman said after Saturday’s loss.

That will not be the case in 2016.“It was a tough one to let go,” Baalman said. “We

will let this one sink in for a few weeks, but the girls are going to give their best in the offseason. We are going to improve and hopefully we can make a run next year.”

“We are going to improve and hopefully we can make a run next year.”

Aaron BaalmanCalhoun head coach


Courtney Holland looks to put up a shot against Iroquios West in the Class 1a State Semifinals Saturday in normal. Calhoun won, 49-36.


Sydney White turns the corner against Iroquios West in the Class 1A State Semifinals Saturday in Normal. Calhoun won, 49-36.

Congratulations Warriors!Calhoun

News-Herald


Allen Johnson speaks to the crowd that gathered to greet the Lady Warriors after returning from Normal Saturday night. Calhoun finished second in the state tournament.


Head coach Aaron Baalman talks to his players during a timeout against Iroquios West in the Class 1A State Semifinals Saturday in Normal. Calhoun won, 49-36.


the Calhoun Lady Warriors enjoy a meal over the weekend in normal. Calhoun finished second in the state tournament.


A young Warriors fans greets the team bus as Calhoun returns from Normal. Calhoun finished second in the state tournament.

310 S. County Rd PO Box 367Hardin, IL 62047

618-576-2345Michael Weaver/Calhoun News-Herald

Head coach Aaron Baalman looks on against Iroquios West in the Class 1A State Semifinals Saturday in Normal. Calhoun won, 49-36.


Grace Baalman and Sydney White go after a rebound against Iroquios West in the Class 1A State Semifinals Saturday in Normal. Calhoun won, 49-36.

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