PECATONICA— In a physical and hard-fought rematch, Eastland’s strong shooting and balanced offense helped the Cougars secure a 55-39 victory over Dakota in the Class 1A Pecatonica Sectional semifinal on Wednesday night. With the win, Eastland moves on to face top-ranked Pecatonica (33-2) in the championship game at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Balanced Attack Leads Eastland to Victory
Eastland (31-4), ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press Class 1A poll, relied on its depth, with four players scoring in double figures. Peyton Spears led the team with 18 points, while Parker Krogman added 14, Zy Haverland scored 12, and Adam Awender chipped in 11 while running the offense efficiently.
The Cougars started strong, jumping to a 9-3 lead and never allowing Dakota (27-6) to get within a possession for the rest of the game. Despite Dakota’s size advantage, Eastland stayed composed and executed its game plan.
“They’re bigger than us, they’re taller than us, and we knew it was always going to be physical,” Spears said. “I feel like we were ready for that.”
Defensive Pressure and Turnovers Make the Difference
The game was still close at halftime, with Eastland holding a 20-14 lead, but the Cougars turned up the defensive intensity in the second half. They forced 11 turnovers while committing just four themselves, creating extra scoring opportunities.
“We kept up the defense,” Spears said. “They had to get out of their zone, and that helped us keep getting downhill and get assisted shots.”
Spears hit three consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter to extend the lead to 33-19. By the end of the third, Eastland led 35-25 and carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, where they missed only one shot and outscored Dakota 20-14 to close out the win.
Coach Tyler Zumdahl credited his team’s defense for the victory.
“We knew it was going to be a tough, physical battle with their size, length, and physicality,” Zumdahl said. “I thought our guys did a good job matching that. Just really, really good fundamental team defense.”
Winning the turnover battle was another key factor.
“We took care of the ball really well,” Zumdahl added. “Down the stretch, we’ve been finding the open guy and making it hard for teams to guard us.”
For Dakota, Austin Stuckey led with 15 points, while Micah Schrader scored 8 and Brody Keeney and Cason Mayer each had 6.
Looking Ahead to the Sectional Championship Against Pecatonica
Eastland will now face Pecatonica for the sectional title for the second straight year. The two teams met twice earlier this season, with Pecatonica winning both matchups—67-36 in the first game and 63-55 in the second.
The Cougars know they need a better start this time.
“We failed to do that the last two times,” Spears said. “We need to keep up the defense and slow the game down.”
Krogman emphasized the importance of confidence.
“We’ve got to come out ready to go,” he said. “We’ve got to know that we can win this game if we play our best.”
Zumdahl outlined the keys to victory.
“We’re going to have to play well for four quarters,” he said. “We need to win the turnover battle, win the rebounding battle, and knock down shots. It’s going to have to be a complete game in every way.”
With a packed gym expected on Friday night, both teams will have strong fan support.
“Eastland always brings a good crowd,” Krogman said. “It doesn’t matter where. We always pack the stands. We like their court, so I don’t see that as too big an advantage.”
