By Eric Stock

HEYWORTH – As someone who grew up in Heyworth, George Van Winkle knows how big it is to take a Heyworth Hornets team to the state finals.

However, the Hornets coach was still blown away by the outpouring of support he saw when his team clinched its first ever berth to the Class 1A semifinals with a 7-2 win over Ottawa-Marquette in the Super Sectional at Illinois Wesleyan on Monday.

“This being my first experience of making it this distance, I had no idea all the excitement it was going to generate,” Van Winkle said. “I kind of hoped that, but you never know that until you get there.”

The team was escorted back into town with a fire truck parade after its Super Sectional win.

The Hornets will take on Goreville in the Class 1A semifinals at Eastside Centre in East Peoria at 12:15 p.m. Friday. The winner will play the winner of the Hardin Calhoun vs. Princeville winner on Saturday.

Van Winkle has six upperclassmen from the 2015 team that came within one win of getting to state. He said his team was inspired to get it done this year.

“The seniors have been very focused, they were obviously upset they didn’t make it to state two years ago,” Van Winkle said. “It’s been a major focus since then.”

Heyworth High School’s only state title game in volleyball in 2011. Van Winkle said he hopes his program can build on the school’s athletic success.

“I grew up in this community and things like this were a pipe dream for us, back in the day,” Van Winkle said. “I think it would just be a big thing for us.”

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].