By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (February 8, 2025) – Evergreen senior forward Ella Burgermeister doesn’t score a lot. In fact, she usually doesn’t even start.
However, in her last regular season home game on Senior Day, Burgermeister had the best day of her career, as she chalked up 16 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, to blow open a tight game and give the Vikings a 48-34 win over Fayette.
Evergreen finishes the season 12-10 and hosts Fairview in a Division VI Sectional Final on Saturday February 15th. Fayette ends at 10-11 and also plays at home in a Division VII Sectional Final on the same day against North Central.
“Fayette is a hardworking team and kudos to them,” Evergreen coach Brittaney Cymbolin said. “We just struggled all day to find our rhythm.”
“We struggled to get a good shot off, but Ella stepped in and did the little things. She ran the floor correctly, got us some quick buckets from just working hard in transition and taking the ball to the hoop.”
Kennedy Emmitt gave Evergreen a 7-3 lead midway through the first quarter with a jumper and a corner three-pointer.
Fayette got the next seven as Addison Schang hit from outside the arc, Zoie Brown stuck back an Eagle miss, and Schang had a steal for a basket with 1:01 left to make it 10-7.
That gap grew to 17-12 late in the second on Mesa Gorsuch’ bucket and a parade of trips to the foul line that netted 3/6 free throws.
Emmitt’s basket and 2/2 from the stripe brought Evergreen back to a 17-17 tie at the half. It took just 15 ticks into the third for Evergreen to take the lead for keeps.
Bailey Lumbrezer drained one from deep behind the arc to make it 20-17. After Burgermeister’s 2/2 at the foul line was offset by Kelsie Storrs’ jumper, Kyla Risner hit from long range to boost the Vikings up 25-17.
Storrs’ triple and Schang’s basket got Fayette within a possession, but Emmitt stuck another from deep to get the Vikings a 28-22 advantage.
Storrs two free throws got Fayette back to 30-26 with three seconds on the clock heading into the fourth.
Enter Burgermeister. The 5’6 senior got inside 34 seconds into the fourth, then 45 seconds later drained a triple to extend the lead to 35-26.
Kennedy Kunkle scored twice from the key midway through the last quarter to slice the margin to 38-32 but Burgermeister again got loose for a hoop and drained a top of the key triple to give the Vikings their biggest lead, which turned out to be the last score of the day.
“Especially in the fourth quarter we talked about staying low and playing fundamental defense,” Cymbolin explained of the Vikings 18-8 fourth quarter. “I think they did a good job stopping the drive when we needed to.”
Emmitt added 13 to Burgermeister’s big day to lead Evergreen. Storrs had 12 to pace Fayette.
FAYETTE (34) – Schang 8; Mitchell 2; Storrs 12; Gorsuch 3; Fetterman 0; Brown 4; Kunkle 3; Totals: 10-2-8 – 34
EVERGREEN (48) – Risner 4; Manz 7; Lumbrezer 4; Vaculik 4; Gleckler 0; K. Emmitt 13; Burgermeister 16; A. Emmitt 0; Totals: 11-6-8 – 48
FHS 10 7 9 8 – 34
EHS 9 8 13 18 – 48