The Eureka Lady Tornadoes put together a dominant three-game run at the War on 54 Tournament, showcasing their defensive intensity and depth en route to a championship title. Traveling east to Iola, Eureka opened tournament play with a gritty first-round win over Anderson County, followed by a convincing second-round victory against league rival Humboldt, before saving their most complete performance for the championship game against Colony- Crest. Eureka went 3-0 to claim the championship title.
vs Anderson County The Eureka Lady Tornadoes traveled east to Iola to open play in the War on 54 Tournament, taking on the Anderson County Bulldogs in the first round.
Both teams struggled to find the basket early, with nearly two minutes ticking off before the first points were scored. Eureka gen-erated quality looks but couldn’t get shots to fall, while Anderson County finally broke the ice at the six-minute mark. Senior Brenna Rucker quickly answered with a three-pointer, and the Lady Tornadoes finished the quarter strong, closing on a 6–0 run to take a 13–5 lead after one.
Elle Coulter opened the second quarter with a three, but scoring remained hard to come by for Eureka, which managed just seven points in the period. The Lady Tornado defense was stout, holding Anderson County scoreless for six straight minutes, though the Bulldogs closed the half with a late 6–0 run. Eureka still carried a 20–11 advantage into halftime.
The Tornadoes found their rhythm after the break, opening the third quarter with an inside touch to Alaina Westerman for an easy bucket. The lid finally came off offensively as Eureka shot a blistering 75 percent from the field in the period, outscoring Anderson County 16–7. The fourth quarter was played at a slower pace, but Eureka remained in control throughout, pulling away for a 43–24 victory.
Rucker led all scorers with 20 points and posted another double-double with 11 steals, while also grabbing eight rebounds and recording a block. Lydia Mason and Hannah Perrier each added six points, Coulter scored four, Britta Mongeau chipped in three, and Arabella Shepherd and Westerman finished with two points each.
vs Humboldt- round 2 In the second round of the War on 54 Tournament, the Eureka Lady Tornadoes squared off with league foe, Humboldt Cubs. The two teams met before Christmas, with Eureka claiming a 64–39 home victory, and the rematch followed a similar script as the Lady Tornadoes pulled away in the second half for a 57–32 win.
Sophomore sensation, Shepherd, opened the scoring with a three-pointer off a Rucker assist, but Humboldt came out aggressive, attacking the Tornado defense and edging Eureka by one, 12-13, after one quarter. The second period featured back-and-forth play, and the teams headed into halftime tied.
Momentum shifted quickly in the third quarter. Humboldt opened the half with possession, but Eureka’s defense immediately took control. Westerman sparked the run with a steal that led to a Rucker turnaround jumper. On the very next possession, Westerman jumped another passing lane, setting up a Coulter breakaway layup. Rucker then made it three straight steals for the Lady Tornadoes, finishing the sequence with a layup off an assist from Shepherd. The flurry of defensive stops ignited an 18–5 quarter for Eureka, turning a halftime tie into a commanding 41–28 lead. The Lady Tornadoes slammed the door in the fourth, holding the Cubs to just four points while scoring 16 of their own to put the game out of reach.
Rucker and Shepherd led Eureka in double figures with 19 and 10 points, respectively. Coulter added eight, Mongeau and Sydney Lindamood each scored five, Perrier had four, and McKenna McDonald, Milly Koop, and Mason finished with two points apiece.
With the win, Eureka advanced to the championship game of the War on 54 Tournament.
vs Colony-Crest In the championship game of the War on 54 Tournament, the Eureka Lady Tornadoes matched up with the Colony-Crest Lancers, and from the opening minutes it was clear Eureka had saved its best performance for last.
Crest won the opening tip, but that would be one of the few positives for the Lancers. The Lady Tornadoes came out with a renewed sense of urgency, setting the tone early when Mongeau jumped a passing lane for a steal and breakaway layup. Eureka’s pressure defense continued to create turnovers, which quickly turned into transition baskets. Crest point guard Beckman worked to keep her team within reach, but Eureka’s do-itall guard Rucker took over the quarter, outscoring the Lancers by herself, 11–7, to give the Lady Tornadoes an early edge, 17-7.
The onslaught continued in the second quarter as Eureka caught fire offensively, shooting 8-of-13 from the field and pouring in 22 points. The Tornado defense was equally dominant, forcing 27 turnovers in the game and limiting Crest to just seven points in the period. Rucker knocked down two three-pointers, while Mason added another from deep to ignite the run. Eureka carried a commanding 39–14 lead into halftime.
Crest showed resilience coming out of the break, matching Eureka pointfor- point with 14 in the third quarter, but the Lady Tornadoes were not to be denied. Eureka shifted its focus inside, working the ball to Westerman and Rucker for points in the paint. Tournament threepoint shooting champion Mongeau drilled another triple, and Shepherd followed with one of her own to keep the momentum firmly on Eureka’s side.
The Lady Tornadoes closed the game with a strong defensive fourth quarter, outscoring Crest 12–5 to secure the championship and improve their season record to a perfect 13–0.
Rucker led all scorers with 31 points while also pulling down 10 rebounds and collecting four steals. Mongeau finished with 12 points and three steals, Coulter added six, Mason scored five, Lindamood had four, Shepherd chipped in three, and Koop and Westerman each added two points. Shepherd dished out a team-high eight assists, while Perrier grabbed six rebounds.
Up Next
The Tornadoes return home this week, with action against Caney on Tuesday and Fredonia on Friday, for the winter royalty event.
