Fans Pack the Gym, Comets Pack the Win Column!

PEORIA HEIGHTS — The St. Thomas Comets put on a show Monday night in front of an electric home crowd during Pack the Gym night, sweeping all three games against Bartonville Oak Grove in a thrilling evening of basketball. The stands were full, the student section was loud, and the Comets gave their fans plenty to cheer about.

7th Grade Girls: Comets Cruise, 28–17

The night tipped off with the 7th grade girls taking control early and never letting up in a 28–17 win behind strong all-around play from Jo Campbell, Imogen Scherer, and Zoey Young.

Campbell came out firing with 10 points in the first half, setting the tone offensively. Scherer was a force on the boards and tallied a season-high 8 points, while Young added 10 points of her own in another gritty, high-energy performance on both ends of the floor.

8th Grade Girls: Comets Rally Together After Injury, Win 28–8

The 8th grade Comets faced a tough test both physically and emotionally, playing their first game without team leader Lexi Dinh, who suffered a knee injury last week. But rather than falter, the team rose to the occasion in a commanding 28–8 victory and one of their most complete games of the season.

Morghan James led the scoring with 13 points, attacking the rim and controlling the pace. Sixth grader Jo Campbell stepped up once again, adding 11 points and steadying the offense with efficient shooting. Mazzy Parry battled in the paint all night, scoring 2 points and holding her own against a physical Oak Grove frontcourt, while Natalie Braet ran the point efficiently and chipped in 2 points.

5th/6th Grade Girls: Young Comets Close the Sweep, 18–6

The combined 5th and 6th grade Comets capped off the night with an impressive 18–6 win, feeding off the crowd’s excitement—especially the boisterous 5th grade boys in the student section.

Sixth grader Frankie Scherer was unstoppable on offense with a season-high 14 points, scoring from all over the floor—on fast breaks, in the paint, and from mid-range. Fellow sixth grader Teresa Arriaga's relentless on-ball pressure and gritty effort disrupted Oak Grove’s guards all night and helped fuel several fast-break opportunities for St. Thomas. Fifth graders, Lily Tamburro and Penelope Siever, contributed to the winning effort as well with 2 points each in the fourth quarter to seal the win for the Comets.  

St. Thomas returns to action on Tuesday night when the 5th, 7th, and 8th grade Comets host Peoria Christian at home. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m.