AFFTON – Freshman Adelyn Abernathy is not a main scoring option for the Jackson girls basketball team.
But with the Indians stuck in a scoreless drought for over six minutes, and their once comfortable lead evaporating, the Jackson reserve took it upon herself to become an offensive force.
Abernathy drained two key baskets in the fourth quarter to propel Jackson to a 47-37 victory over rival Cor Jesu to capture the Class 6 District 1 championship Friday at Cor Jesu Academy.
Jackson (26-1), whose only loss this season came to final four-bound Principia, advanced to play Marquette (22-4) in a Class 6 quarterfinal at 6 p.m. Friday, March 13 at Fox High School in Arnold.
With the win, Jackson avenged back-to-back district championship losses to Cor Jesu, including last season when the Indians entered the game as the No. 1 seed with an identical 25-1 record.
“I know (Cor Jesu) said in a previous article that they were the underdogs, but they got us the last two years, so we went in with an underdog mindset,” Jackson coach Angela Fulton said. “We felt like the cards were stacked against us – the long bus rides to St. Louis since last Friday, their home floor advantage, but we had the mentality to play to win and not play, not to lose.”
That play-to-win mentality helped Jackson build a commanding 40-24 lead midway through the third quarter, but a run-and-double defense employed by Cor Jesu chased the Jackson ball handlers all over the court. It forced the Indians into hurried shots, turnovers, and a scoring drought of over six minutes.
“We tried to get them to speed up and make quick decisions. Our girls sold out on everything,” Cor Jesu coach Andrew Althage said.
Jackson stopped scoring, but Cor Jesu senior Lauren Ortwerth did not. She converted a physical, three-point play, drained a pair of free throws, and when she banked in a Maddie DiMaria lob pass, Cor Jesu completed a 9-0 run of its own to trim the deficit to 40-33 with 5:06 remaining. Ortwerth led the Chargers with 19 points.
“When they went on their run, we had two options – let them continue, or battle through it,” Fulton said.
Abernathy became the gladiator.
With leading scorer Kate Deck hounded by defensive maven DiMaria, and second leading scorer Lauren Dorey pressured in the post by Ortwerth, Abernathy found the space and courage to change the Indians’ fortunes.
She dribbled baseline and delivered a smooth floater over Ortwerth to break the Jackson scoring drought. After Ortwerth sliced the deficit to 43-37, Abernathy converted a tough layup in transition to provide the Indians additional breathing room.
“I may have looked relaxed, but I was definitely freaking out,” Abernathy said of her fourth quarter excellence. She added a beautiful pass to Dorey that resulted in free throws in the final minute.
If Jackson felt nervous about possible déjà vu, it did not show in the first half. Trailing 17-15, Dorey led the Indians on an explosive 15-0 run. She swished a right wing three and followed it with a silky spin move to earn three points the old-fashioned way on the next possession.
Addison Henderson delivered her own spinning three-point play, and when Deck drained a transition 3, Jackson opened a 30-17 lead in the blink of an eye.
“We had so much motivation, so much confidence, so much fight, and we brought that energy out of the locker room,” said Dorey, who scored 10 of her 13 points in the first half.
Senior Jayla Smith scored twice in the paint early in the third quarter, and senior Lilly Watkins excelled at doubling Ortwerth from the weak side.
“We had two seniors out there that I thought led us very well. Our composure was huge,” Fulton said.
And when the shots stopped falling, Jackson did not let it impact its defense, which continued to force turnovers and keep Cor Jesu off the offensive glass.
“We take pride in our defense and that never changed,” Dorey said.
And that stifling defense, along with clutch shots by Abernathy, allowed Jackson to cross the elusive finish line.
“It’s such an awesome, rewarding feeling,” Dorey said. “We’ve put in so much work this season to be where we are right now. We still have more to do, but we’re going to enjoy every moment of this.”
For Cor Jesu, while a run of consecutive final four appearances comes to an end, the impact of the seniors’ accomplishments will continue.
“I told the seniors, ‘You have left such a legacy. You built the standard that this program will have for years to come,’” Althage said. “I couldn’t be prouder.”
For a photo gallery from this game, and from girls basketball games throughout the season, visit: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/2023-24-Girls-Basketball/Girls-Basketball-2025-26