Vashon, Incarnate Word girls earn wins in Webster Winter Challenge semifinals

Vashon, IWA will meet in championship game on Saturday

WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. – Two of Missouri's top girls basketball teams will meet on Saturday in the championship game of the Webster Winter Challenge at Webster Groves High School.

Vashon (16-4), the top-ranked team in Class 4 in the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association poll, will face undefeated Incarnate Word (19-0), the No. 1 team in the MBCA Class 6 rankings.

Incarnate Word, which is ranked sixth in the SBLive Power 25 national girls basketball rankings, has won 87 straight games, including the past two Webster Winter Challenge titles.

The Wolverines and Red Knights will play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Webster Groves High School. 

Vashon 58, Rock Bridge 49: Junior guard Janyla Bush, a Missouri State commit, scored 13 of her game-high 27 points in the first quarter to get the Wolverines off to a hot start on Friday night.

“She got going early," Vashon coach John Albert said. "I’ve just been telling her to get more aggressive and more assertive in the offense. 'I know you want to pass it, but sometimes when you come off that screen or you get a chance and you’re on an island with someone, just play basketball. Don’t look for me but just go ahead and hoop.'”

Chantrel Clayton added 16 points, while Rachel Jones added eight. Vashon led 23-9 after one quarter and 32-14 at halftime and the Wolverines were able to withstand a late comeback attempt by the Bruins.

“It’s definitely a good win for us," Albert said. "Part of it is we played them four or five years ago, five years ago I think, and it was 92-9 or something like that. For me truthfully as a coach I’ve had some teams that were not so great and I have a team now that’s over the hump and we’re much more talented. It feels good.”

That game, played on Dec. 7, 2018, was even worse than Albert remembered. Rock Bridge defeated Vashon 97-9.

Freshman center Jayda Porter led Rock Bridge with 22 points on Friday, while sophomore guard Mari Miller added 12 before fouling out.

Incarnate Word 67, Lift For Life 29: After a bit of a slow start the Red Knights outscored the Hawks 18-6 to close out the first quarter. 

IWA used a strong second quarter to take a commanding 40-14 lead into halftime and then pulled away from there for the Red Knights' 87th consecutive victory. 

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Webster Winter Challenge semifinals

Photos from Nate Latsch