The Adel-DeSoto-Minburn Girls Basketball season comes to an end, after a hard fought battle with Carlisle, and bid farewell to two seniors.

The ADM Tigers began the Class 4A Region 8 Quarterfinal on the road in Carlisle last night. The two team, both representing the Raccoon Valley Conference, faced off twice this season, with the Wildcats getting wins on both occasions (60-49 and 69-44). ADM Head Coach Jacob Cleveland told Raccoon Valley Radio that it is hard to beat a team three times.

Wednesday night was the third meeting between the squads in Carlisle and the Wildcats started fast with Sophomore Macy Comito scoring the first seven points, as they led 7-0 in the beginning minutes. Carlisle stayed hot as they held a 19-2 advantage after the first. The Wildcats would stretch it to a 19-point lead (27-8) in the second quarter before the Tigers began to chip away at the deficit. ADM won the quarter 18-13, but still trailed 32-20 at halftime.

Comito, who captured 22 of Carlisle’s 32 points in the first half, started the third quarter slow, but then exploded with a few deep threes and the Wildcats pushed the lead back into double digits as they took a 46-33 lead into the final quarter. Comito appeared that she would single-handily put the Tigers away as Carlisle went up 51-37, but ADM show resiliency as Sophomore Madelyn Roundcount scored buckets on three consecutive possesessions to inch closer at 51-44. A three pointer from Sophomore Lauren Hagedorn pulled ADM within four (51-47) before Kira Fisk and Comito hit back to back jumpers to regain a 55-47 advantage with two minutes left.

Junior Kelli Storck got position down low scoring on two straight possessions then Junior Aniston Tollari’s layup crept ADM to trail by two (55-53) with 25 seconds left. A foul by the Tigers gave Carlisle side out of bounds with 12 seconds to go. On the inbound, Comito caught the ball in the front court and had to give it up as she was falling into the backcourt that led to a tie-up, and jump ball that went ADM’s way. The Tigers had one more shot to tie or win the game with 8.5 left. The ball was inbounded to Tollari then ripped over to Storck on the left wing for a wide open three that came up just short, and would’ve given the Tigers the win. Time expired as the Wildcats celebrated and left ADM with heartbreak as seniors Aubrey Winter and Cecilia Gardiner poured out all the emotions in their final high school basketball game.

Carlisle’s Comito was unstoppable, scoring a game/season high of 39 points. Sophomore Mallie Stoner finished with six (6), and Natalie Ramsey contributed with four (4). On ADM’s side, Roundcount tallied 17 points, followed by Tollari’s 13, and Storck’s 11. Winter finished with three (3) and Gardiner did not score.

Carlisle qualifies to the Class 4A Region 8 Semifinal as they will face Norwalk on the road this Saturday at 7pm.

ADM graduates Seniors Aubrey Winter and Cecelia Gardiner (pictured above). The Tigers conclude the 2023-2024 season 7-15 overall (4-12 Raccoon Valley Conference).