No. 1 Lincoln Christian picked up one of the biggest regular season wins in recent years last week, when the Bulldogs traveled to Missouri and took down an out-of-state powerhouse.

Lincoln beat Staley (MO) 48-46 in the Bill Rowe Queen City Classic in Springfield, moving its record to 5-0 on the year.

Staley, one of the top programs in all of Missouri from the Kansas City metro, is ranked No. 2 in the state and is a top-60 team nationally.

Lincoln also had a huge win in the home opener last Tuesday, blowing out Metro Christian 93-16.

"What a week for our program," said Lincoln head coach Melody Stewart. "We opened on Tuesday with a strong win over Metro, then followed it up Friday night with a huge win against Staley, one of the top 5A teams in the state of Missouri. That Staley game was an absolute joy to coach. Every kid who stepped on the floor gave us quality minutes and made winning plays."

Lincoln has won 28 consecutive games dating back to last season when they brought home the program's first state title.

Stewart praised her bench for its play, highlighting the work shown in practice to deliver a good scout and also when called upon during game action.

"A big part of our success came from our bench, both before and during the game," Stewart said. "Our scout team did an outstanding job in practice preparing us for what we were going to see, and that work showed on the floor. On game night, that same group brought the energy you need to win on the road—engaged, loud, and fully invested in every possession."

The Bulldogs are back in action tonight at Rejoice Christian before playing in the Veterans Showcase at Memorial High School on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. against Booker T Washington.

"We'll look to carry that momentum into this week with two games ahead," Stewart said. "I'm excited to see this group continue to grow and build on a great start."

LINCOLN 93, METRO 16

The Bulldogs jumped out to a huge lead and rolled in Tuesday's home opener vs. Metro.

Lincoln led 26-4 after a quarter and 48-6 at halftime.

The Bulldogs shot 51% from the floor and held Metro to just 20% as a team.

Lincoln was 8-of-22 from three and had a 34-0 edge in fast break points.

Lincoln had 23 offensive rebounds for 17 second chance points and also had a 58-2 edge in paint scoring.

The Bulldogs forced an incredible 42 turnovers, turning into a 59-1 edge in points off of.

Lincoln also had a 38-20 advantage on the glass and assisted on 25 of 39 made baskets.

Senior Alexis Leyva had 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting to lead the Bulldogs. She also had seven boards, six assists and six steals to lead Lincoln in several categories.

Freshmen Laine Dooley also had 13 points, three rebounds and four steals on 5-of-7 shooting to lead Lincoln. She was also 3-of-3 from deep.

Senor Kayli Atkinson had 11 points and three steals, while fellow senior Maddi Stewart finished with nine points, four rebounds and three steals. 

Sophomore Niya Willoby had eight points and seven boards on 4-of-6 from the floor. Fellow classmate Azariah Woodruff had nine for Lincoln and also finished with nine deflections — a team high.

Lauren Still had eight points and four rebounds for the Bulldogs.

LINCOLN 48, STALEY (MO) 46

The Bulldogs got out to a big lead early and held on late in a big-time game in southwest Missouri on Friday night, getting a huge win over a highly-touted program.

Lincoln was tremendous defensively, holding Staley to just two 1st quarter points and leading 26-12 late in the 2nd quarter. 

"Offensively, we were extremely tough to guard," Stewart said. "Our balanced scoring made it nearly impossible to take away any one player, and that unselfishness showed up possession after possession."

"Even more impressive was our defense. As a unit, this was some of the best team defense I have ever been a part of as a coach—locked in, connected, and relentless. I couldn't be more proud of how our girls competed and trusted one another."

Lincoln led the entire way, even though Staley whittled down the lead throughout the second half.

The Bulldogs led by double-digits for most of the 3rd and into the early 4th, before Staley made a 15-4 run to get within a bucket late.

They had a chance to tie the game or win on the last possession, but Lincoln's defense held up, forcing an errant shot as the clock ran out.

Lincoln held Staley to just 38% from the floor and 23% from three.

The Bulldogs forced 16 turnovers and turned those into 13 points.

Stewart led the way with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Leyva was great again, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds and three steals in the win.

Junior Jayla Albert and Woodruff each had seven for Lincoln, while Atkinson had six.

Stewart was impressed with the Lincoln contingent that made the almost three hour trip and believed it made a difference down the stretch.

"Our crowd was outstanding as well. Thank you to the parents and fans who traveled to support us—your energy made a difference and helped turn a tough road environment into something special."


Photos by Lee Talley