02-25-09
MOUNDS MERIDIAN CLASS 1A REGIONAL
MOUNDS MERIDIAN 73, CENTURY 61
The host and top-seeded Bobcats advanced to Friday’s regional title game with a 12-point win over the Centurions.

Isiah Jones led the Cats with 14-points – including nine in the second quarter when MM outmanned Century 31-18 to take control of the game.

Edreco Amos and Randle Hite added 13-apiece in the win.

Jacob Wyatt and Chris Baker close their seasons with 19 and 18-points respectively for Century

The Centurions closed their season at 13-16 while Mounds Meridian (25-3) will hook up with either Cairo or Shawnee on Friday night. Those two will play on Thursday night in the other semifinal game.

GOREVILLE CLASS 1A REGIONAL
CARRIER MILLS 44, HARDIN COUNTY 37
HC tried a stall tactic in the contest and it nearly worked.

But the Cougars ultimately didn’t hit enough shots as Carrier Mills – the top-seeded team – advanced to Friday night’s regional title contest.

Coach Robert Bell’s Cougars won the opening tap and held the ball the entire first quarter before missing a shot with a few seconds to go.

Carrier Mills’ Dallas Beeding scored the quarters only points, as it was 2-0 at the end of one.

CM outscored HC 9-1 in the second quarter to make the halftime scoreboard read 11-1.

Coach Mark Motsinger’s club put up a 17-8 run in the third quarter and led 28-9 heading into the final quarter.

Hardin County hit six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to make it interesting but CM held on for the win.

Jordan Miller topped CM (24-4) with 16-points while Luke Morgan added 10.

Carrier Mills nailed 15-of-18 free throws – including 11-of-12 in the fourth quarter.

Jimmy Barnard scored 11 to pace HC (14-12) while Taylor Joiner added nine.

GOREVILLE 83, CRAB ORCHARD 61
The Blackcats (12-16) rolled into the regional final with Lee Sopczak leading five Goreville players in double-figures with the relatively easy win.

Sopczak scored 21-points and hit three 3-pointers as Coach Todd Tripp’s troupe blitzed the Trojans with a 25-7 first quarter on the way to the win.

Brandon Potocki added 14-points to the totals while Tyler Shadowens chipped home 12.

Two other players – Martin Powell and Casey Rautenstrauch – scored 11-each.

Crab Orchard saw its season end at 16-12 with Adam Perry leading all scorers with 23.

A.J. Hutchins scored 12-points and Ben Kissing added eight.

Goreville hit 9-of-11 free throws in the fourth quarter for the win.

Goreville and Carrier Mills will square off on Friday night.

ALBION EDWARDS COUNTY CLASS 1A REGIONAL
RED HILL 59, CISNE 42
The Salukis – the regional’s top-seed – advanced with a double-digit win over a team that it had lost to two weeks ago on the road.

Trevor Albertson powered Coach Bryan Havill’s team (14-10) with 19-points while Matt Wirth with 16.

Cisne closed its campaign with Ronnie Hyder leading the Lions (19-9) with 17-points while senior Trent Simpson added 10.

Red Hill held Cisne’s Hayden Byars to just seven points and closed the contest out with 12 made free throws in the final quarter.

Red Hill will play the winner of the Thursday night North Clay/Clay City showdown on Friday night.

TOLEDO CUMBERLAND CLASS 1A REGIONAL
STEWARDSON-STRASBURG 62, OBLONG 34
The Comets blasted the Panthers in the first semifinal of the evening at Cumberland.

Josh Tabbert torched Oblong with 23-points while Jaden Widdersheim added 19 - 13 in the first half - as S-S built a 34-19 lead.

Coach Mike Wilson’s team was 17-of-24 from the foul line in the contest and coasted home in the second half with the win.

For the second season in a row – Stew-Stras (17-11) will play in a regional title game.

Oblong (13-14) folded its tent with Drew Morecraft scoring 11-points.

NEOGA 37, CUMBERLAND 35
Coach Jason Hansen’s team has reached the title game of the Cumberland Regional at the expense of the host club.

The Indians (17-11) hit enough free throws (4-of-7) in the final quarter for the victory.

Cody Boarman scored nine points to top Neoga while Dalton Sowers led the Pirates with 12.

Neoga’s Austin Robinson and Zach Letizia combined to hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final :19 to post a victory that sets up a rematch of a regular season battle with Stew-Stras.

Neoga beat S-S 76-57 on February 17.

This time it is for a regional title.

ZEIGLER-ROYALTON CLASS 1A REGIONAL
SESSER-VALIER 52, ZEIGLER-ROYALTON 43
The Red Devils got an unexpected scoring lift as Antonio Smith scored 18-points to led S-V to the Z-R Regional title game.

Dane Eubanks chipped in 11-points while Justin Matyi added 10 for Coach Danny Kirk’s club that improved to 22-5 with the win.

The host Tornadoes were topped by Chase Fann with 14-points.

Tyler Mitchell was held to just two points – way below his season average as Sesser-Valier reached the title game on Friday against either Waltonville or NCOE.

ANNA-JONESBORO CLASS 2A REGIONAL
MASSAC COUNTY 67, CARTERVILLE 40
Byron Bailey led the 28-1 Patriots into the regional title game with the 26-points in a 27-point romp.

Coach Joe Hosman’s bunch led 22-8 at the first horn and put it in neutral the rest of the downhill ride.

Dustin Korte pitched in 18-points while Jarelle Johnson added 11.

Carterville (7-23) closed the book on the season with Ben Drust leading the Lions with 13 while Daniel Lingafelter added 11.

MURPHYSBORO 80, ANNA-JONESBORO 50
Five Red Devils scored in double-figures in the blowout win over A-J to improve the MHS mark to 18-9 for the season.

Dre Shean Payne scorched the Wildcats with 24-points while Nick Jones and Dylan Craig added 12-points each.

Chris Hampton and Eben Brooks scored 10 each.

Anna-Jonesboro senior Cody Hubble ended his prep basketball career with 21-points for Anna-Jonesboro (14-17).

CARLYLE CLASS 2A REGIONAL
BREESE CENTRAL 66, WESCLIN 51
The Cougars now have a date set with Nashville on Friday night after its win over Clinton County rival Wesclin.

David Wiegmann scored 15-points and Garrett Gaffner added 11 in the win.

Brandon Book notched 10-points for Coach Stan Eagleson’s 26-2 BC team.

This young Wesclin club (11-16) ended its year with 6-foot-6 sophomore Phil Kuntz scoring 25-points and freshman Alex Wilken adding 12.

Central led 34-15 at intermission and will now meet the Hornets for the second time this season.

Nashville beat Central 59-55 in overtime back at the Mater Dei Holiday Tournament.

ELDORADO CLASS 2A REGIONAL
HERRIN 58, WEST FRANKFORT 44
The Tigers are still rolling along after a slow start to the season as David Mallow pumped in 14-points to lead Herrin (15-16) to the win that will set up a Herrin/Harrisburg title tilt.

Joseph Hart added 10-points as eight Tigers scored in the contest.

West Frankfort (3-22) ended its season with Kendrick Simelton (15) and Patrick O’Keefe (12) leading the scoring.

HARRISBURG 71, ELDORADO 58
Harrisburg won the third game of the season between these two Saline County rivals after losing the first two.

The Bulldogs hit three 3-pointers in the opening quarter and led 21-8 at the first horn setting the tone of the game.

Reid Roper (1) and Roby Boatright (2) were the Dawgs that dialed long-distance in the first stanza.

Russell Rambert scored 18-points for HB and Cain Sheldon added 16 as eight players scored for Coach Randy Smithpeters.

Isaiah Cunningham closed his stellar career at Eldorado with 26-points while junior Cody Lane added 15 in the loss that ended the Eagles season at 22-9.

Harrisburg (18-10) will search for win number 20 along with a regional title on Friday night against Herrin – whom they split a pair of games this season.

HB won at home on December 12 – 77-74 and lost on the road at Herrin 62-60 on January 30.

CARMI-WHITE COUNTY CLASS 2A REGIONAL
FAIRFIELD 59, BENTON 36
The Mules continued their improbable run to a regional title with yet another win.

Benton was the victim on this night as Josh Read and Aaron Wallace tossed in 15 and 12 points in the 23-point upset over the top-seeded Rangers.

Coach Scott McElravy’s squad held Benton to just 12-first half points and then used a 22-point fourth quarter to advance.

Coach Matt Wynn’s Benton crew dropped its final mark to 10-20 while the Mules keep kicking at 11-19.

Tim Corn and Tyler Myers scored 11 and nine for Benton.

HAMILTON COUNTY 71, CARMI-WHITE COUNTY 48
The Foxes – the only team in the regional with a winning record at 21-9 – drilled the host team to move into title contention on Friday night.

Coach Curt Reed’s team placed three players in double-figures with Shelby Williams topping the chart with 19.

Seth Thomas added 17 and Jacob Denham added 11.

Carmi-White County senior guard Travis Williams closed out his hardwood tenure with a 28-point showing for the Bulldogs (12-16).