Carterville Lions Split Their Games This Weekend

Photo: Southern Focus Photography

The Carterville Lions split a busy two-day stretch on December 12 and 13, picking up a big conference rivalry win before suffering their first loss of the season. The Lions opened SIRR Conference Ohio Division play with a road victory at Herrin on Friday night, then returned to action Saturday at the Illinois Get Down Shootout against Waltonville.

On Friday, Carterville earned a 71–61 win over the Herrin Tigers in a physical cross-county rivalry game. The Lions set the tone early and responded to every Herrin run, winning three of the four quarters. Colton Hawkins led all scorers with 24 points, matching his season high, while Maddox Gulley added 14 and Harper Lustenberger chipped in 13.

The win moved Carterville to 1–0 in conference play and kept the Lions unbeaten on the season.

Herrin stayed competitive throughout, but Carterville used a strong third quarter and steady fourth-quarter execution to pull away. The Lions showed poise in their first conference test, answering the Tigers’ energy with balanced scoring and timely stops. It marked Carterville’s first rivalry win of the season and reinforced the team’s ability to handle pressure on the road.

Less than 24 hours later, Carterville faced a tough challenge against Waltonville at the Illinois Get Down Shootout. A slow start proved costly, as the Lions managed just two points in the opening quarter and were unable to fully recover. Waltonville controlled the tempo throughout, handing Carterville a 53–37 loss and snapping the Lions’ unbeaten streak.

Despite the setback, Carterville remains in a strong early-season position at 6–1 overall.

The Lions return to action Friday, December 19, when they travel to Goreville to face the Blackcats, before opening the home portion of the schedule on Saturday. Carterville will host the Nashville Hornets in their first home game of the season, with an early tip-off scheduled for 4:30 PM at Carterville High School.