12/26/2022
BY JACK BULLOCK
SESSER - On Monday night in the fourth quarter of the first day of the 41st annual Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament the New Athens Yellow Jackets had squandered all of a 12 point first half lead and appeared headed for the consolation bracket.

Sesser-Valier rallied in the second half for a six point advantage with just under a minute left in the fourth quarter.

It's a good thing that Coach Conrad Widdersheim has a veteran scorer who has been clutch in big games before for NA.

Six-three senior forward Gannon Birkner stepped up and rallied his team.

Birkner scored the game's final seven points.

In that run he hit a shot in the lane with :13 left to give the Yellow Jackets a 43-42 lead.

New Athens survived a final attempt by the hosts to move into the championship part of the bracket.

Birkner finished his night with 22 points, including the last 12 points for his club in the fourth quarter.

The senior cut into the lead with a pair of free throws and following a couple of missed charity tosses at the other end of the floor, Birkner struck again.

He grabbed a rebound and put up a shot in the paint while being fouled with :24.0 remaining.

His free throw narrowed the Red Devils lead to just 42-41.

After a timeout, the Yellow Jackets were in a full-court press where senior Owen Tolson made a steal that set up the final Birkner play after a timeout.

“It's no big secret we have to go through Gannon to have success. We did a good job of that in the first half but in the third quarter we did not,” said Coach Widdersheim. “The boys didn't do a good enough job getting him the ball but I challenged Gannon to try and get himself open. Finally in the fourth quarter we got him the ball and had some success.”

The Birkner bucket sent Sesser-Valier to the consolation bracket at the SVHT for the first time since 2004.

The Red Devils had way too many turnovers and missed opportunities as they are now 3-6 on the season.

Besides Birkner, the Yellow Jackets' other scorers were sophomore Isaiah Lintker with seven points, including a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter.

Tolsen and junior Ethan Range added five points each.

Sesser-Valier was led by 6-2 junior Colt Packer with 14 points.

Freshman Kyan Short added 13 for the Red Devils, senior Carson Hoffard pitched in eight and senior Blake Menser added four.

New Athens put together its first run of the game in the first quarter.

Trailing 6-5 in the early going, the Yellow Jackets held S-V without a point for nearly seven minutes.

A 13-0 run featured a 3-pointer from Range and points in the lane from senior Andrew Wynn.

Birkner's first points on the inside closed the first frame at 14-6 NA.

Points from Lintker on a rebound and Tolson on a fast break score on an assist from Birkner made it 18-6 with 5:37 left in the half.

Sesser-Valier did get some points before intermission with Short hitting one of his three 3-pointers and Packer hitting 5-of-8 free throws thanks to some first half foul issues from the Yellow Jackets.

With Birkner scoring on a rebound basket and a drive down the middle of the lane from Wynn, Coach Widdersheim and his group went to the half up 24-14.

The best stretch for the Red Devils came in the third quarter and into the final stanza.

After nine first half turnovers, S-V had just one to begin the second half.

Scores by Packer and Hoffard to start the third quarter were followed up by consecutive 3-point bombs by Short and junior guard Wyatt Loucks

A back-door cut to the basket by Short on an assist from senior Gabe Gunter cut the Red Devils' deficit to just 28-27 heading into the fourth.

Sesser-Valier put together a 7-0 run to take its largest advantage.

A free throw from Menser and two more long distance shots from Packer and Short for a 40-34 lead with just over two minutes left.

However Birkner put together his own run and the Red Devils added five more turnovers in the quarter, including the errant throw in that gave New Athens back to ball to set up Birkner for the eventual game-winner.

Neither team shot the ball with consistency as Sesser-Valier ended up just 13-of-35 from the floor, 5-of-15 from the arc.

The Yellow Jackets closed with a 17-of-44 performance, just 3-of-15 from the 3-point line.

The two clubs; S-V (15) and NA (16) combined for 31 turnovers.

New Athens out-boarded the Red Devils 29-22.

Coach Widdersheim's club moves into the quarterfinals with a game against third-seeded DuQuoin, an easy 84-26 winner over Elverado.

Sesser-Valier will play Elverado in the consolation bracket on Tuesday at 6:30 pm.

“This is a big win. A tough game against Sesser-Valier, a program that has been very good in the four-class system. We're excited to be in the winner's bracket and get a chance at DuQuoin,” said Coach Widdersheim. “Since I started here we have had some struggles but we have to beat good teams and in whatever tournament we're in we have to find a way to get wins and it does feel good to finally earn a win here at Sesser-Valier.”

Sesser-Valier (42) – Loucks 0 1 0-0 3, Gunter 0 0 0-0 0, Hoffard 3 0 2-3 8, K. Short 1 3 2-2 13, Packer 3 1 5-11 14, B. Short 0 0 0-0 0, Menser 1 0 2-4 4.
2FG-8, 3FG-5, FT-11-20, PF-15.
New Athens (43) – Lintker 2 1 0-1 7, Mazarego 0 0 0-0 0, Wynn 2 0 0-2 4, Afeldt 0 0 0-0 0, Tolsen 1 1 0-0 5, Range 0 1 2-3 5, Birkner 9 0 4-4 22.
2FG-14, 3FG-3, FT-6-10, PF-21.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.

Elverado (26) – Kimmel 2 0 0-0 4, Wright 0 0 0-0 0, Duerton 0 0 0-2 0, Valerius 1 0 0-0 2, Roberts 1 0 0-0 2, Castleman 0 0 0-0 0, Jones 1 1 0-0 5, Shirley 0 0 0-0 0, Crew 0 3 0-0 9, Holder 2 0 0-0 4.
2FG-6, 3FG-4, FT-0-2, PF-10.
DuQuoin (84) – Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, Green 2 0 0-0 4, Hugya 3 3 0-2 15, Woody 4 0 0-0 8, Howerton 4 0 2-4 10, Maynor 1 2 0-0 8, Bauman 1 0 3-4 5, DeMarie 1 0 0-4 2, Wilmington 2 0 0-0 4, Smith 5 0 1-3 11, Cornett 4 0 0-0 8, Jones 1 1 0-0 5, Winters 1 0 0-0 2, Eaton 0 0 0-0 0, Hanks 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-30, 3FG-6, FT-6-17, PF-10.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.

Coach Scott Burzynski saw his club improve to 6-4 on the season with the win over the Spartans in the sixth game of the day.

Senior Connor Mowery scored 19 of his team-high 26 points in the second half, including three third quarter 3-pointers, as JC advanced to face Altamont on Tuesday.

Six-eight senior Laith Hoxworth tossed in 23 points, which featured 9-of-10 free throws.

Mowery was also good toeing the line (8-of-9) as the Tribe was a collective 20-of-27 at the charity stripe.

AJ Butler added eight points and Logan Hunter scored six in the win.

Waltonville and head coach Anthony Lowery head to the consolation side despite 18 points from freshman Kyle Cooper and 16 points from junior Seth Karns.

The Spartans (4-6) will face Century on Tuesday.

Waltonville (62) – Cooper 6 2 0-0 18, Kretz 0 0 0-0 0, Devor 1 1 1-2 6, Peterson 3 0 3-6 9, Karns 4 2 2-4 16, Klingler 0 0 0-0 0, Reynolds 0 0 0-0 0, Steward 3 0 4-7 10.
2FG-17, 3FG-5, FT-10-19, PF-19.
Johnston City (75) – Watson 1 0 0-0 2 Dover 1 0 2-4 4, Causey 1 1 0-0 5, McCoy 0 0 0-0 0, Butler 1 2 0-2 8, Watts 0 0 0-0 0, Mowery 3 4 8-9 26, Rice 0 0 0-0 0, Fort 0 0 1-2 1, Sanders 0 0 0-0 0, Hoxworth 7 0 9-10 23, Murrah 0 0 0-0 0, Hunter 3 0 0-0 6.
2FG-17, 3FG-7, FT-20-27, PF-19.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.

A 28-7 first quarter snowballed into a 59-9 halftime lead.

Coach John Niebrugge saw his squad move to 7-3 on the season with the victory as they move into the quarterfinals.

Six-three junior Dillan Elam led the way with 15 points followed by senior Mason Robinson with 13 and senior Avery Jahraus with 12.

Kaiden Miller, Wyatt Phillips and Kienon Eirhart added nine, eight and seven points in the victory.

Century (4-7) was led by senior Matt Nale and senior Kobe Moore-Rushing with four points each.

Altamont will face Johnston City in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 5 pm.

The Centurions will face Waltonville at 3:30 pm.

Century (21) – Kissner 1 0 0-1 2, Nale 1 0 2-2 4, Perez 0 0 0-0 0, Skaggs 1 0 1-2 3, Neal 0 0 1-2 1, Rushing 2 0 0-0 4, Stuart 1 0 0-0 2, Dunning 0 0 0-0 0, Crain 0 1 0-0 3, Wright 0 0 0-0 0, Dillow 0 0 2-2 2, Soloman 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-6, 3FG-1, FT-6-9, PF-10.
Altamont (80) – Hammer 0 0 0-0 0, Stuemke 2 0 0-0 4, Davis 0 1 0-0 3, Phillips 1 2 0-0 8, Alec Jahraus 0 0 0-0 0, E. Miller 0 0 2-2 2, Elam 3 3 0-1 15, Avery Jahraus 3 2 0-0 12. Robinson 3 1 4-5 13, McManaway 0 0 0-0 0, Roedl 0 0 0-0 0, Cornett 3 0 0-0 6, Eirhart 3 0 1-2 7, Kollmann 0 0 1-2 1, K. Miller 4 0 1-2 9.
2FG-22, 3FG-9, FT-9-14, PF-12.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.

Coach Jordan Beckley got four double-digit scoring performances in the win for the 9-1 squad.

Junior guard Zach Bodeker paced the Bulldogs with 20 points, including four of the teams' seven made 3-pointers.

Six-three senior Ethan Willis added 15 points in the win while freshman Robert Greer added in 13.

Senior Brayden Henry finished with 11 as Sparta cruised out to a 45-18 halftime lead.

Zeigler-Royalton (1-11) had three kids score in the contest.

Junior guard Chase VanHoorebeke (16), senior Talon Mills (15) and sophomore River Freeman (eight) scored for Coach Jimmy Stevens.

Sparta will face Christopher in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 1:30 pm.

Z-R will face Marissa/Coulterville on the consolation side of the bracket at noon.

Zeigler-Royalton (39) – Bambo 0 0 0 0-0 0, VonHoorebeke 4 1 5-5 16, Bense 0 0 0-0 0, Longwell 0 0 0-0 0, Tucker 0 0 0-0 0, Mills 3 3 0-1 15, Goodman 0 0 0-0 0, Freeman 2 0 4-4 8, McKinney 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-9, 3FG-4, FT-9-10, PF-10.
Sparta (83) – Brown 0 0 0-0 0, Greer 5 0 3-3 13, Lanton 1 1 0-0 5, Pillers 3 1 0-0 9, Loesing 3 0 0-2 6, Wesbecher 1 0 0-2 2, Dotson 1 0 0-0 2, Bodecker 4 4 0-1 20, Henry 5 0 1-2 11, Willis 4 1 4-5 15.
2FG-27, 3FG-7, FT-8-15, PF-15.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.

Senior Trey Cole paced Christopher (4-5) with 16 points and sophomore Carson Hobbs stepped up with 14 in the victory for head coach Eric Stallman's squad.

Junior Scout Hudgens added nine points in the low scoring affair.

Marissa/Coulterville (6-4) got 13 markers from senior Garett Harrell and 11 from senior Chase Hurst.

Senior Landon Schmersahl added nine for Coach Scott Wine's club who will play Zeigler-Royalton in the consolation quarterfinals on Tuesday.

The Bearcats will tackle top-seed Sparta on Tuesday.

Christopher (48) – Janello 1 1 0-0 5, C. Cole 0 0 2-3 2, Hobbs 3 2 2-2 14, T. Cole 5 1 3-5 16, Hudgens 2 1 2-4 9, Freeman 1 0 0-0 2.
2FG-12, 3FG-5, FT-9-14, PF-9.
Marissa/Coulterville (44) - Portz 2 0 0-0 4, Charleston 2 0 1-3 5, Hurst 3 1 2-2 11, Harrell 6 0 1-1 13, Middendorf 1 0 0-0 2, Schmersahl 0 3 0-0 9.
2FG-14, 3FG-4, FT-4-6, PF-12.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.

Thirteen different Goreville players scored points as a 24-8 first quarter and a 25-12 third period pushed the club into the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

A trio of senior guard Ian Sopczak, junior Drake Moss and senior Ethan Lingle each scored 10 points in the win.

Senior Marquavion Cleaves and junior Duncan Rhoads added six points apiece.

Junior Hunter Francis scored five points along with Levi Damon, Conner Craig and Cole Tripp who each added four points.

Evan Holm hit a third quarter 3-point for his points while Tyler Suits, Evan Moore, and Drake Buffington each hit a field goal for two points each.

Cobden (4-8) under first year head coach Karl Sweitzer was led by 6-6 senior Tyler Franklin with 12 points and Matthew Howell with eight.

Senior Brady Bundren added six.

Cobden (29) – Bundren 2 0 2-2 6, Mitchell Howell 1 0 0-0 2, Matthew Howell 1 2 0-0 8, Eagle 0 0 0-0 0, Franklin 2 2 2-4 12, Quertermous 0 0 0-2 0, Roberts 0 0 0-1 0, Funes 0 0 1-2 1.
2FG-6, 3FG-4, FT-5-11, PF-7.
Goreville (68) – Moss 2 2 0-0 10, Lingle 2 2 0-0 10, Holm 0 1 0-0 3, Tripp 1 0 2-2 4, Suits 1 0 0-0 2, Moore 1 0 0-0 2, Buffington 1 0 0-0 2, Craig 0 1 1-2 4, Sopczak 2 2 0-0 10, Francis 1 1 0-0 5, Cleaves 3 0 0-2 6, Damon 2 0 0-2 4, Rhoads 3 0 0-0 6.
2FG-19, 3FG-8, FT-3-8, PF-14.
Fouled Out – None
Technical Fouls – None.

Twelve different players scored for RB as Coach Dane Walter's crew improved to 8-4 on the season with the victory.

Senior guard Drew Grohmann topped the chart with 14 points and junior forward Owen Liefer and senior forward Nick Gantner added 10 points each in the rout.

Junior forward Sam Easter (seven) along with senior forward Devin Hall (six) and senior guard Noah Gantner (six) had good mornings for the Musketeers.

Thompsonville saw its mark slip to 2-8 on the year with the defeat.

Coach Kevin Smith got 11 points from senior guard Hunter Lindhorst as only four Tigers scored in the loss.

Red Bud will play the number-five seed Goreville on Tuesday morning at 10:30 am while Thompsonville and Cobden will play at 9 am in the consolation bracket.

Thompsonville (24) – H. Lindhorst 4 1 0-2 11, Summers 0 0 0-0 0, Mullins 2 0 1-1 5, Sandy 0 1 0-0 3, Casteel 0 0 0-0 0, Williams 0 0 0-0 0, Clem 0 1 0-2 3, Herron 0 0 0-0 0, Parrish 0 0 0-0 0, Pond 0 0 0-0 0, Reagan 0 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Rash 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-6, 3FG-3, FT-1-5, PF-3.
Red Bud (71) – Hall 3 0 0-0 6, Liefer 5 0 0-0 10, Grohmann 4 2 0-0 14, Moll 0 0 0-0 0, Shemwell 0 1 0-0 3, Nick Gantner 5 0 0-0 10, Noah Gantner 3 0 0-0 6, Dressel 1 1 0-0 5, Wagner 1 0 0-0 2, Easter 2 1 0-0 7, Sterberg 2 0 0-0 4, Schwartzkopf 1 0 0-0 2, Krebs 1 0 0-0 2.
2FG-20, 3FG-5, FT-0-0, PF-13.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.