Pictured at right, Gibault’s Catherine Deterding (right) goes up for the jump ball against Columbia’s Madelyne Juenger earlier this season. (John Spytek photo)

Although there were no regional titles to be had on the local high school girls basketball scene this season, the Waterloo, Columbia, Gibault, Valmeyer and Dupo hoops squads put forth maximum effort in area gyms this winter.

Here’s a look at this year’s Republic-Times All-Local Girls Basketball Team.

FIRST TEAM
Taylor Augustine, Waterloo. Augustine finished her career as the second-leading scorer in Waterloo High School girls hoops history. The senior averaged 11 points per game this season, including 76 percent free-throw shooting. She scored her 1,000th career point Jan. 21 in a win at Valmeyer.
Madelyne Juenger, Columbia. Juenger led the Eagles to a share of the Cahokia Conference crown this season, averaging 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.19 blocks per game. The senior was named MVP of the Candy Cane Classic at Gibault, which the Eagles won.

Waterloo senior Taylor Augustine led the Bulldogs in scoring at 11 points per game this season, including 76 percent shooting from the free-throw line. She scored her 1,000th career point Jan. 21 at Valmeyer. (Alan Dooley photo)

Catherine Deterding, Gibault. Another senior, Deterding led the Hawks in scoring at 9.1 points per game. She also pulled down seven rebounds per game this season.
Kat Finnerty, Waterloo. Finnerty added to the senior leadership of Bulldogs teammate Augustine this season, averaging 10 points, eight rebounds and one block per game.
Sophia Bonaldi, Columbia. This sophomore showed flashes of hoops stardom this season for the Eagles, averaging 9.5 points and 2.62 steals per game. The future looks bright for Bonaldi.

SECOND TEAM
Bethany Brinkman, Valmeyer. This senior led the Pirates in most categories, including scoring at 8.3 points per game. She added nearly four rebounds per game and 1.4 steals per game.
Courtney Weilbacher, Columbia. An athletic senior, Weilbacher provided court leadership for the Eagles this season, averaging 8.1 points and four rebounds per game.
Morgan Ladyman, Gibault. Ladyman averaged 6.4 points per game for the Hawks this season, including 38 percent shooting from three-point range. She made a school record nine three-pointers during a game in January.
Ashlyn Wightman, Gibault. The first of two freshmen on the R-T All-Local Second Team, Wightman averaged 7.3 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game for the Hawks.
Mariah Jones, Dupo. Another freshman, Jones provides hope for the future of Tigers girls hoops. She averaged 5.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season.

HONORABLE MENTION
Blair Wittenbrink (Columbia), Mollie Zeisset (Waterloo), Sydney Luedeman (Waterloo), Johanna Franke (Valmeyer), Blair Brady (Valmeyer), Emmi Stuart (Gibault), Whitney Edwards (Columbia)