By Austin Duncan & Nick McClintock
The State Farm Holiday Class gathers high school basketball teams throughout the state of Illinois and pins each team against each other at four sites in Bloomington-Normal.
Large School Girls:
No. 3 Springfield 61, No. 14 Bloomington 51.
Springfield’s Montshianna Pulliam led all scorers with 17 while Sarah Cross and Kyra Webster added 13 points each, in Springfield’s win over the Purple Raiders at Normal Community High School. The Purple Raiders were led in scoring by Cozy O’Neal’s 14 points. BHS’ Ellie Weltha was the only other Raider to score in double figures adding 11. Bloomington will play Geneseo at 9:30 a.m. at the US Cellular Coliseum on Tuesday.
No. 7 Normal Community 68, No. 10 Mahomet-Seymour 45.
After trailing 26-21 at the half, NCHS used a 37-5 run in the second half to down the Bulldogs at NCHS. The Lady Iron’s Summer Stoewer and Kendall Sosa scored 23 and 20 points, respectively while Lauren Harrigan added 10 points in the team’s victory. Mahomet-Seymour’s Erin Lenschow scored a team high 17 points. NCHS improves to 7-6 on the season and will play No. 2 Rock Island at 2:30 p.m. at the US Cellular Coliseum on Tuesday.
Listen to postgame comments from NCHS head coach Marcus Mann here.
Small School Girls:
No. 6 Central Catholic 59, No. 11 Rock Falls 55.
CCHS used Sarah Brady’s team-high 16 points to take down Rock Falls in its first round game. Maddie Malinowski’s added 12 points while Lauren Shanks collected 10 points for the Saints. Rock Falls was led by Abbee Sigel who collected a game-high 30 points. CCHS advances to play No. 3 Annawan at 9 p.m. at NCHS.
Listen to postgame comments from CCHS head coach Debra Coffman here.
Small School Boys:
No. 14 Olympia 62, No. 3 Champaign St. Thomas More 59.
Olympia’s Thomas Hallestein was the only Spartan in double figures, leading all scorers with 25 points, in the teams upset victory over the No. 3 seed. Champaign St. Thomas More was led by David Horn’s 21 points, while Doug Wallen added 18 points in their team’s loss.
No.5 Central Catholic 78, No. 12 Peoria Christian 55.
Central Catholic advances to play No. 4 St.Joseph-Ogden at 6 p.m. at the Illinois Wesleyan Shirk Center on Tuesday.
Large School Boys:
No. 4 U-High 70, No. 13 Rockton-Hononegah 51.
The U-High Pioneers had four players in double figures and shot over 80-percent from the free throw line to secure its first round victory. U-High’s Jack Martin led all scorers with 14 points while Alex Morris, and Keondre Schumacher added 12 points each, and Perry Lim added 11 points. Rockton-Hononegah was led by Max Miller’s 13 points. Josh Donaldson added 10. U-High advances to play Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. the Normal West High School host site.
Listen to postgame comments from U-High head coach Bob Fitzgerald here.
No. 9 Normal Community 65, No. 8 Thornwood 56
Normal Community gets an upset victory over Thornwood, setting up a day 2 match-up with Wheaton-Warrenville South at Normal West High School. Three NCHS players went into double figures, with Ethan Pogge leading them all with 16 points.
Prince Walker led Thornwood with 16 points, as the Ironmen move on in the winner’s bracket.
All other Classic scores can be found here.
The Pontiac Holiday Tournament results are here.
The Pekin Holiday Tournament results are here.
