FRESNO – After getting off to a slow start this season, Immanuel girls varsity has started to fly in the right direction. On the second day of the Hoover High Holiday Classic, the Eagles hoped to capitalize off their previous win with another convincing victory against the host school, Hoover.
Immanuel delivered a knockout punch to Pioneer Valley with a resounding 74-14 victory. And their 67-26 victory against the Patriots on Dec. 13 at the Hoover Event Center proved that the Eagles are fully capable of packing quite a punch. With the victory, Immanuel evens their record at 3-3. As for Hoover, they got blown out for a second consecutive game.
Coming into the tournament, the Eagles tried to piece everything together with an incomplete roster that has plenty of talent. But now that Immanuel’s roster is full, things are starting to gel for the team at just the right time.
“Our first two games, we played with just six girls,” said Immanuel head coach Loren LeBeau. “So, this whole thing of playing with multiple girls, we’ve literally had two or three practices.”
In the first half, the Eagles jumped out to a quick 11-5 lead. After that, they went on a 9-2 run that left the Patriots dazed and confused, with the score 19-7. By the time Hoover scored again, with 3:30 left to play in the first half, the Eagles propelled their way to a 30-7 score.
In the second half, more stifling defense and quick offense allowed the Eagles to roost with a 45-13 lead. By the time Hoover mounted any type of resistance, the outcome proved inevitable.
For Immanuel, a complete game is the only game they play. The Eagles don’t just dominate on defense and struggle on offense. When both facets of their game are working, Immanuel can fend off any team with relentless pressure and movement.
Hoover found out the hard way just how tough it is to pluck the feathers off the Eagles when everything is clicking. From the opening tip, the Eagles applied constant, full court pressure on the Patriots. Hoover had no easy lanes bringing the ball up the court. And Immanuel’s double teams, at times suffocating, never let up.
As for the Eagles offense, they glided in perfect rhythm on the court. The ball movement, graceful and quick, had a certain elegance to it. And that movement on the court made their shot selection pinpoint on target.
“Well, I’m hoping that we’re known for our effort,” said LeBeau. “We’re picking up full court pressure, that’s kind of our style. That’s how we like to play.”
The Eagles had four players finish in double figures in points. Sophomore guard Jenna Goertzen led the way with 16 points; freshman China Moreno collected her 14 points both on the perimeter and driving inside the paint. Fellow freshman Kiera Thomas finished with 13 points.
But Ava Schletewitz’s 12 points made the biggest impact for Immanuel. The Patriots couldn’t box out Schletewitz for offensive rebounds that led to second chance points. And she resembled legendary Hall-of-Famer Cheryl Miller with her adept shooting touch from beyond 15 feet.
“Ava is the glue, great character, great work ethic,” said LeBeau. “So yeah, a lot of people are starting to recognize what she can do.”
The scary part about Immanuel is, they’re only going to get better. Since 2022, the Eagles have a record of 51-15 and a Central Section Division IV Section Championship.
And now that this roster is finally complete, the Eagles are ready to soar above the clouds.
“For sure, we’re a program on the rise,” said LeBeau. “We won the D-4 section last year, so we’re trying to give our girls the exposure of playing against the best. Now it’s just time to start getting some quality wins.”
