With the regular season set to end in a couple of weeks, the focus for many local high school girls basketball teams begins to turn toward regional play. 

The IHSA should announce postseason pairings soon for the path to the state tournament, which takes place March 3-5 at Redbird Arena in Normal. 

One of the teams trying to get better every day in an effort to make state is Waterloo. At 21-4, the Bulldogs are making history for the program. 

On Saturday, Waterloo won 51-4 over Valmeyer. Sam Lindhorst scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds. Liv Colson added 15 points and three steals and Norah Gum contributed 11 points and three steals.

On Thursday, the Bulldogs won 62-41 at Wesclin. Waterloo led 20-5 after the first quarter and 32-14 at halftime. 

Lindhorst continued her solid play with 25 points – including 5-for-6 from three-point range. Gum added 19 points, 10 rebounds and six steals.

Gum leads Waterloo this season at 17.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Lindhorst is averaging 13 points and nearly four steals per contest. Both are juniors.

Waterloo has a busy slate of upcoming games, hosting Mascoutah on Thursday and then playing Saturday at Carterville, Monday at Father McGivney and Tuesday at Chester.

A game supposed to be played Jan. 25 against Gibault was canceled due to a lack of officials. 

One team on an upward trajectory is Columbia. The Eagles (14-11) have won four straight games. 

On Monday, Columbia won 50-30 over Wesclin. The Eagles pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Warriors to the tune of 31-18.

Jordan Holten, a 5-foot-10 freshman, led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Emily Holmes, a junior, added 10 points and four steals. Taylor Holten, a 6-foot-tall senior, added eight points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

On Thursday, Columbia posted a 42-20 victory at Dupo. The Eagles led 31-3 at halftime. Karsen Jany, a junior who leads the Eagles in scoring this season at 14.1 points per game, netted 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Taylor Holten added nine points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.

The Eagles play Thursday at Salem and host Freeburg on Monday. 

Dupo (14-8) rebounded from the loss to Columbia to win 54-23 over O’Fallon First Baptist on Monday. The Tigers led 20-6 after the first quarter and 36-10 at halftime. 

Octavia Heidelberg, a senior, scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the Tigers. Alexia Lewis added 10 points, six steals and five assists.

Heidelberg is averaging 15 points, 12.3 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game this season. 

Dupo plays Thursday at Lebanon, Monday at Steeleville and Tuesday at Maryville Christian.

Gibault (7-14) lost 65-22 to Father McGivney last Wednesday. The Hawks trailed 26-2 at halftime. 

On Thursday, Gibault turned in a 66-35 win over Valmeyer. 

The Hawks, led by Kailynne Small’s 17 points per game,  play Tuesday at Marquette.

Valmeyer (3-9) followed the loss to Gibault with a 56-45 defeat at the hands of Red Bud on Monday. 

Brooke Miller is averaging 16 points per game and Ariana Gibbs is scoring 12 points a game for the Pirates, who hosted New Athens on Tuesday, play Thursday at Marissa and host Lebanon on Monday.