The Bulldogs came, they saw and they conquered yet again.

The Waterloo High School girls basketball team steamrolled through the competition last week at the Red Bud Christmas Tournament, claiming a third tourney title on the season. 

The Bulldogs outscored their opponents 263-93 in the four games – a 54-13 win over Roxana, 83-39 victory over Wood River, a 73-15 blasting of Red Bud and 53-26 championship victory over Carlyle.

Waterloo’s Norah Gum was named tourney MVP after averaging 19 points per game. Teammates Sam Lindhorst and Liv Colson were selected to the all-tourney team.

On Monday, Waterloo returned to its home court in style with a 52-38 win over Monroe County rival Columbia. In the process, the Bulldogs set a new single-season wins record for the program with 18.

With first-year head coach Jake Schneider at the helm, the 2021-22 Bulldogs have won the most games in one season since the 2008-09 squad that went 16-9. 

Waterloo jetted out to a 15-1 lead after one quarter over the Eagles on Monday, sending the Bulldogs faithful into a frenzy. Columbia went on a 16-6 run in the second quarter to keep it close at halftime, but Waterloo ultimately pulled away.

Gum scored 18 points and Colson added 13 points for the ‘Dogs, who host Highland on Thursday.

Gum, a 6-foot-tall junior, is averaging 18 points, 9.1 rebounds and more than two steals per game on the season.

Lindhorst, also a junior, is averaging 12.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 4.05 steals per contest.

Colson, a sophomore, is averaging eight points, five rebounds and more than two steals per game.

Columbia (10-9) went 3-2 in the Red Bud tourney. 

The Eagles won 46-29 over Gibault and 57-34 over Marissa, but dropped a 45-43 contest to Althoff and 48-44 game to Carlyle before winning 55-29 over Red Bud to close out the tourney.

Karsen Jany, a junior, leads Columbia this season at 14.6 points per game. She also averages 5.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 35 percent from three-point range.

The Holten sisters, freshman Jordan and senior Taylor, are also key contributors for the Eagles. Jordan is averaging nearly 10 points and more than six rebounds per game. Taylor is averaging 8.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Columbia plays Thursday at Freeburg and hosts Breese Central on Tuesday. 

Gibault (6-13) has lost eight of its past nine games. The Hawks went 1-4 at the Red Bud tourney.

The lone victory came against Wood River, 47-29. Myah Ticer scored 15 points to lead Gibault. Kailynne Small added 12 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and five steals.

The Hawks lost games to Columbia, Althoff, Carlyle and Marissa at the tourney.

On Monday, the Hawks lost a non-tourney tilt against Althoff, 59-33. 

Gibault plays Thursday at Father McGivney. 

Small, a sophomore, is averaging 17.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.65 blocks per game to lead the Hawks this season.

Bri Baldridge, also a sophomore, is averaging 8.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

Dupo (8-6) went 1-2 in the Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School Tournament over the holidays. 

The Tigers won 42-29 over Bluford Webber to open tourney play. Octavia Heidelberg led the way with 12 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks for Dupo.

That win was followed by a 64-37 loss to Staunton and a 52-22 defeat at the hands of Greenville, however.

Alexis Curtis led Dupo scorers with 13 against Staunton. 

The Tigers committed 33 turnovers against Staunton and 26 turnovers against Greenville. 

Dupo hosts Steeleville on Thursday and Metro East Lutheran on Monday.

Heidelberg leads the Tigers at 14.3 points, 12 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game this season.

Valmeyer (3-7) has been idle since Dec. 20. The Pirates return to action Thursday at Lebanon.