St. Joe Dispatches Webster Groves With The Greatest Of Ease

Webster Groves basketball coach Patti Perkins told her coaches at halftime: “If we continue to play the way we are playing, we won’t beat anybody. And the way St. Joseph’s (Academy) is playing, they would beat Missouri’s men’s team.

Maybe not quite that, but the Angels of St. Joe put on a first-half shooting clinic that was amazing to everyone in the stands at St. Louis U. High Thursday afternoon.

The Angels scorched the nets at a record setting pace, scoring the first 17 points of the game. Twice Perkins called for time outs, trying to stem the tide. None of it worked. The Angel built up a steady lead that bulged as high as 41 points, 62-21. The Angels toyed with the Statesmen and liberally subbed, en-route to a 76-34 win, their 27th of the season. The Angels are 23-5 advancing to the Class 5, District 2 finals Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. versus Ursuline Academy, winners over Nerinx Hall.

St. Joe’s top three players Sydney Stipanovich, twins Maddie and Morgan Stock combined for a robust 52 total points. Maddie Stock had 20 points, including four-three points. Stipanovich scored 19 points, 14 in the first half. Morgan Stock had 13 and Erin Nelson left the game early with 9 points.

The Angels were relentless, scoring effortlessly from three-point range and easy layups that sometimes went almost uncontested.

The Angels knew things were going their way when the smallest player on the floor Emmie Haring hauled down a defensive rebound.

“We were really excited playing this game,” said Haring. “We got into our transition game easily.” Haring marveled at the shots from the Stocks. “They were just on fire,” she said.

Julie Matheny was excited about the lopsided victory. “I was nervous,especially at this time of the year.” Matheny doesn’t have to mention to her team, it’s one and done from this point on. “Our players don’t want to see this season end any time soon.”

Coaching 13 years, Matheny pronounces this the best shooting team in history, rattling off several stars who might debate that point.

Matheny naturally wouldn’t take sides in predicting the other semifinal winner. “Both (Ursuline and Nerinx) have fire in their bellies, we’ll have our hands full with either of them.

Webster, which was never ever in the game finished 19-9 for the season. Outgoing senior Jordan Thompson topped Webster with 13 points. “She hated to see the season end, but she’s ready to move on,” said Perkins. “However, I’m still really proud of our team.” said Perkins.