Ironmen set for sectional showdown against Pekin

Inkspot Staff • Feb 24, 2025

The Ironmen girls basketball team took home a fourth straight regional title after handling the Rock Island Rocks on the road. Now, they head to the sectional semis looking to continue their playoff push. Image Courtesty of: Community Athletics department

Community looks to extend its postseason run Tuesday night as the Ironmen (27-6) take on the Pekin Dragons (18-13) in the IHSA Class 4A Alton Sectional Semifinals at 7 p.m. at Normal West.

The Ironmen enter the matchup fresh off their fourth consecutive regional title, a 64-30 rout over Rock Island. Pekin advanced with a 49-44 upset of Minooka.

Tuesday’s game is a rematch of the teams’ Dec. 19 meeting, when Community battled back for a 49-46 win over the Dragons.

In that contest, the Ironmen built a seven-point lead early in the second quarter before Pekin clawed back, outscoring Community in the second and third quarters to take a 37-35 lead into the final period. The Ironmen responded with their most efficient shooting stretch of the night, hitting 71.4% from the field in the fourth quarter while converting three of six free throws to close out the win.

Three Ironmen scored in double figures—A’Meah Lester led with 14 points, Rayna Powers added 12, and Kenna Malinowski had 10. Marco Reynolds contributed nine.

Pekin’s offense was paced by Ava Stocke, who drained 4-of-8 from beyond the arc en route to 18 points, while Zoe Kormah added 10.

For Community to secure a spot in the sectional championship, a few key factors will be crucial.

Defensive rebounding will be vital in limiting second-chance opportunities, particularly against Kormah, who grabbed a game-high 11 boards in December’s matchup. The Ironmen must also contain Stocke from long range, as her outside shooting helped the Dragons erase a nearly double-digit deficit in the teams’ last meeting.

Offensively, Community will need to rely on shooting efficiency—their recipe for success this season—while minimizing turnovers, especially against a Pekin team that has proven its ability to close out tight contests.

With a sectional final berth on the line, execution will be key in what promises to be a hard-fought battle.

The winner of Tuesday’s game will advance to Thursday’s sectional championship in Alton, facing either O’Fallon or Alton.

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Inkspot Staff

Stories published under “Inkspot Staff” are unattributed to a single reporter because they: have been produced through a collaborative staff effort; individual staff member contribution is not easily distinguishable; they are the product of an in-class activity or lesson; and/or the story was disseminated from announcements or press releases.