ALAH falls just short in regional semifinals, 41-40 to WSS

By Editor | February 19, 2026 |

By Mike Monahan

MT. PULASKI – The Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond girls basketball team, one that lost its first seven games of the season and was 1-9 at one time fell just short in the IHSA Class 1A regional semifinals Monday. The Knights led on three different occasions in the game where the largest lead was seven points, lost 41-40 to WSS (Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg). The Hatchets, coached by Brian Lee, are guaranteed of finishing at .500 at the least as the 14-13 team plays for the regional title against 28-1 Mt. Pulaski Thursday at 6 p.m.

WSS 41, Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 40

Arthur trailed 10-6 after the opening quarter and trailed 13-6 after a WSS three-pointer. Back-to-back three-pointers by Anna Rawlins, one of just two seniors on the team with the other being DusteeRose Gregory. The other trey was by Morgan Casteel. WSS led 21-18 when Rawlinis hit another three-pointer and a pair of free throws by Casteel put the Knights ahead for the first time, 23-21. The Hatchets tied the game at the half.

In the second half WSS continued to play its 1-2-2 zone and ALAH played the same and eventually pressed the Hatchets.

Arthur took its largest lead of the game on a three-pointer by Rawlins for a 28-25 advantage. Arthur still led 29-28 after Casteel made one of two free throws with 4:45 left in the third. WSS reeled off eight unanswered points, including two three-pointers, the final one by Kendra Hayes at the buzzer to give them a 36-29 lead heading into the final quarter.

Arthur kept fighting for the lead and trailed just 40-38 with 3:10 left after a basket by Rylie Ward. The Knights went 1-for-7 (.143) from the field after that, but the defense kept them within one possession the rest of the game. Hayes made one of two free throws with 32.4 seconds left for a 41-38 lead. That turned out to be the winning point. Annabelle Vanaussdoll made a shot as the clock read 0:00 to make it a one-point margin. The Knights were 1-of-6 in the final 1:21 from the field and had a good three-pointer from the top of the key on their final possession, but it missed.

Casteel led the Knights with 17 points,while Rawlins had 15 as the two accounted for 80 percent of the scoring.

The two teams played December 20, 2025 in the Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond Knights Classic with ALAH winning 40-37.

Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 49, Okaw Valley 25

Casteel and Rawlins scored 16 and 13 points respectively to lead the Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond girls basketball team to a 49-25 Lincoln Prairie Conference and regular season finale.

The Knights started strong with a 19-5 lead after the first eight minutes and led 25-13 at the half. ALAH outscored the Lady Timberwolves, who fell to 11-15 and finished 4-5 in the LPC, good for seventh place, 24-12 in the second half.

Arthur won despite shooting 29 percent from the field, but they were 7-of-22 (32 percent) from three-point range to help them to the win. Casteel led the team in rebounds with eight.

The Knights, who finished the season going 8-3, finished 14-16 under first year coach Hannah Morfey.

Regional semifinals Monday WSS vs. ALAH

ALAH 6 17 6 11–40

WSS 10 13 13 5–41

ARTHUR LOVINGTON ATWOOD HAMMOND: Casteel 6-3-17, Rawlins 5-0-15, Ward 3-0-6, Vanausdoll 1-0-2, Totals 14-3-40

3-point goals: Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 7 (Rawlins 5, Casteel 2)

Okaw Valley at ALAH

Okaw Valley 5 8 8 4–25

ALAH 19 6 13 11–49

ARTHUR LOVINGTON ATWOOD HAMMOND: Vanausdoll 2-0-6, Casteel 6-2-16, Monts 1-2-4, Ward 1-0-2, Reel 1-1-3, Ponder 1-0-2, Simpson 1-0-2, Rawlins 5-0-13, Gregory 0-1-1, Totals 18-6-49

3-point goals: Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 7-22 ..318, Total field goals: Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 18-62.290. Free throws: Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 6-12 .500. Rebounds: Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 34 (Casteel 8), Turnovers: Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond 10

IHSA Class 1A regional at Mt. Pulaski

(seeds and records in parentheses through Feb. 14)

February 14

Neoga 43, Cerro Gordo/Bement (9, 11-19) 33 at Neoga Elementary

WSS 52, Central A&M (12, 4-23) 47

February 16 at Mt. Pulaski

Mt. Pulaski (1, 27-1) 72, Neoga (7, finished 12-18) 27

WSS 41, Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond (4, finished 14-16) 40

Thursday

Game 5: Mt. Pulaski (1, 28-1) vs. WSS (5, 14-13) 6 p.m. regional championship. Winner advances to the Argenta-Oreana Sectional vs. winner of Tri-County (Hume) regional, Feb. 24, 6 p.m.

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