March 2, 2013
Two Appearances, Two Titles for Evansville Mater Dei in Class 2A
The Evansville Mater Dei Wildcats, after discovering the joy of a Class 2A championship in their first state finals appearance a year ago, resolved to do it again. Mission accomplished.
The Wildcats repeated as champions by toppling the Eastern (Greentown) Comets, 62-42, in the 2013 girls finals. A familiar cast of team leaders contributed for Mater Dei, led by 18 points and a 2A title-game-record 17 rebounds from Tori Schickel. In the 2012 final, Schickel totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds in the Wildcats' 56-52 overtime victory over Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
Mater Dei, ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A ICGSA poll, grabbed a 13-5 lead after one quarter and never trailed. The Wildcats used their size advantage to outrebound Eastern, 43-28. They also held the Comets to 16-of-55 shooting (29.1 percent).
Beth Fischer had 14 points for Mater Dei. For Eastern, Brittany Neeley had 16 points and Allison Oyler scored 12. Bethany Neeley and Taylor Holliday each grabbed nine rebounds for the Comets.
Coach Steve Goans' Mater Dei squad finished 28-2. Coach Jeremy Dexter's sixth-ranked Comets, who were making their first state finals appearance, ended at 22-4.
Listen: Evansville Mater Dei Coach Steve Goans | Eastern (Greentown) Coach Jeremy Dexter
Brittany Neeley named Roy Mental Attitude Award Winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Brittany Neeley of Eastern High School as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A Girls Basketball.
The award is presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.
Neeley ranks second in her senior class with a 4.5 GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spanish Club, Key Club and Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD). She is the school’s all-time leading scorer in girls basketball, is a three-time state finalist in track and field and a two-time state finalist in cross country.
She is the daughter of Jill Pursifull of Greentown and will attend Indiana University where she’ll run track and cross country for the Hoosiers.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to Eastern High School in the name of Neeley.
The award is named in honor of the former IHSAA assistant commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999.