On Thursday, November 15, 2018, anticipation began to build for Morrison High School Senior Peyton Tegeler. The reason? She was on her way to “one of the goals she wanted to get,” stated he mother, Kim, prior to the Morrison Girls Basketball game against Rockridge, on Thursday, January 10, 2019. Peyton was determined to score 1000 career points. Her tally in November was 384, as the final Varsity Basketball season began with the Forreston[, IL,] Tournament. She had 616 points to go.
Kim stated her daughter began playing “basketball in the Rec Program at Southside School, during third of fourth grade. She played in Junior High.” Furthermore, she played for “the Sauk Valley Magic AAU team, after Freshman and Sophomore years.” Father Brad is a former Morrison High School player.
A knee injury limited play during her Freshman year. “The doctor only allowed her to play five minutes per half,” said her mother. Peyton sat out half of her Sophomore year. She was adding few points toward her goal.
By Thursday, January 3, the Senior walked onto the court for the home game against Orion. She inched closer to her goal.
Coach Kerry Grim told the Editor on Monday, January 7, she expected Tegeler to score her 1000th point before hometown fans, “on Thursday, January 10, against Rockridge. It could happen tonight against Sherrard.” Tegeler had needed 37 points to reach 1000, when she faced Sherrard on Monday. She scored 29.
So, with 992 in her possession, Tegeler faced an easy eight points to achieve a rare goal. Lakin Goodman was the last Fillie to surpass 1000 career points.
At Center Post, #30 Tegeler surpassed that number–as expected–on Thursday, January 10, before the Morrison fans, in the first quarter. She was fouled and scored 2. She was fouled and scored 1 of 2. She made a basket for 2. She was fouled and scored 2. She made a basket for 2 points, meeting her goal with one point to spare. As the quarter ended she made a basket, upping her total to 1003.
Jerry Lindsey took this photo that brought Peyton to-and-beyond her goal.
Play was halted to acknowledge this milestone. Coach Grim hugged her player. Fresh-Soph Coach Sonia Calhoun, at right, captured the moment. She had gotten red t-shirts printed with the digits 1 (Madison Shelton), 0 (Quinn James), 0 (Britney Sage), and 0 (Abbi Coons), for four of her players to wear at this moment in the stands. She also helped the girls create signs spelling PE, YT, ON, and the number 1000.
Other athletes were planning for Petton’s victory. On the evening prior to this game, Kolten Sage had an idea to honor Peyton’s upcoming achievement. He began texting six of his Football and Basketball player friends. “Where is the Paint the Town paint?” he asked. Apparently, the young men found it and used it to create a memorable message for Peyton. Left-to-right are Toby Troutman; Jevin Smith; Keegan Anderson; Kolten Sage; Gage Richmond; Beau Brackemeyer; Evan Wiebenga.
In the second quarter the Rockridge defense triple-teamed Tegeler. She was fouled and scored 1 of 2. The same thing occurred in the third quarter. During the fourth quarter, she was fouled and scored 1 of 2. She made two baskets for 4 points. She was fouled and scored 0 of 2. The game ended with a loss for Morrison, 64 to 41, but Peyton achieved a personal victory, with 1010 points made! Her final season with the Fillies includes five more contests; that number will surely grow.
Parents Brad and Kim Tegeler shared a gratifying moment after the game with their daughter. Earlier, Kim stated Peyton “plans to go to Clarke University in Dubuque[, IA.] She has accepted a verbal commitment” to play for the Pride team.
