12/25/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - Holiday tournament season is upon is.

Multiple games at multiple times of the day.

Teams, officials and fans traveling the magnificent miles to be a part of this great sport.

So let's take a quick look at what has happened so far and a thumbnail sketch of the Christmas Holiday Tournament season.

At Sesser-Valier, if the seedings hold out, you will see a rematch of last season's title game between eventual champion Goreville and runner up Waltonville.

The Spartans are 10-0 so far and have quality wins over Mounds Meridian, a team that defeated Waltonville twice last season, Woodlawn, Marissa/Coulterville and Red Hill.

All of whom have winning records so far in 2024-25.

Goreville sits at 8-1 with a 72-64 loss to unbeaten 2A Benton as the only blemish.

They only have one win (Harrisburg) over a team with a winning record and the path will be much thornier the rest of the season.

A Blackcats/Spartans battle could happen Saturday night, a rematch of last season's 66-59 win.

Goreville will matchup against 2A Red Bud in the first round on Thursday.

Waltonville will face Sesser-Valier in the first round finale Thursday night.

Altamont and Marissa/Coulterville will round out the top four seeds in the 43rd annual event.

The Indians (3-5) have struggled early this season with a young team for Coach John Niebrugge and the Meteors are 7-2 with losses to Waltonville and Steeleville on the slate for second-year coach Matt Reuss.

DuQuoin, the fifth-seed, and sixth-seeded New Athens are not without a shot at the title.

The Indians have faced a tough schedule and are just 2-6 and New Athens (7-3) has wins over Webber Township and Waterloo Gibault while also taking 8-1 Steeleville into overtime before losing 69-68.

At Eldorado the three-time defending champion Herrin Tigers are primed for a big week as they sit at 9-1 on the season after big wins at Murphysboro and at home against Freeburg to close the first half of the season.

A four-win week for Herrin and head coach Sayler Shurtz would secure the program's fourth EHT in-a-row, which would tie Harrisburg for the most consecutive championships in succession in the history of the 60th annual tourney.

Carterville is the #2 seed and Vienna is #3.

The Lions (4-4) hold a win over the Eagles (7-2) but have dropped three-consecutive contests heading into the event.

Vienna won its own Thanksgiving Tournament and have won three-consecutive games heading into the EHT.

Harrisburg is the #4 seed this week and the Bulldogs are 6-3 with narrow losses to Benton, Goreville and 3A Marion on the resume heading into a Thursday game against red hot Edwards County.

The Lions are 11-3 after winning the Wayne City Holiday Tournament last week and are on a seven-game win streak.

Massac County, Carmi-White County, Fairfield and Hamilton County round out the top eight slots at the EHT.

The Foxes have a 9-1 mark but they only have played three teams with winning marks, losing to Webber Township while beating both Fairfield and Edwards County.

The Mules (5-5) posted an upset win over 1A ranked Casey-Westfield last weekend and have faced a tough schedule with losses to Teutopolis, Vincennes (IN.) Lincoln, Ham Co., unbeaten Waltonville and Newton.

The Patriots have just a 3-6 mark heading into the tournament and they broke a five-game losing skid with a win last week against Anna-Jonesboro.

The Bulldogs have dropped three-straight games heading into the EHT but have played against four teams that have at least eight victories so far.

Anna-Jonesboro, the first round opposition for Hamilton County, isn't without a shot at advancing.

The Wildcats (3-6) have faced the toughest schedule in the field heading in.

At Vandalia the 52nd annual tournamentbegins Thursday with 10 teams in two pools in a "meat-grinding" five games in four day event.

Having a day off on Sunday will have the final games on Monday.

The field looks balanced as the top seed is Greenville.

The Comets are 6-4 with their best win coming against Centralia CORL.

The losses are to Pinckneyville, Wesclin, Southwestern and 1A Woodlawn.

The number four-seed is Nokomis in Pool A with Greenville.

The Redskins are 7-4 but lost their final two games before the Christmas break to Pana and New Berlin.

Auburn (10-1) and Greenville are the other two defeats. None of the victories have been against teams over .500.

Shelbyville is seeded second and boast a 5-2 mark with one victory over winning team New Berlin, and other triumphs over Pana, Mattoon, Okaw Valley and Sullivan.

The host Vandals are the number three in the field and have lost four-straight games and are 4-7.

A win over South Central is the only impressive triumph (winning record) and the last three defeats were against 8-1 Carlyle, 10-1 Auburn and 9-2 Staunton.

The sleeper team in the field is six-seed Cumberland as the Pirates are coming off of a St. Elmo Holiday Tournament championship week and are 5-5 overall with the best wins coming against Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, Hillsboro and Newton.

Fifth-seed Pana is one of the few teams in the state that doesn't play in an early season tournament and are 3-4 heading to the VHT.

Winners in their last two games (Nokomis, Carlinville) the Panthers should have a say this week.

At Dieterich the host Movin' Maroons are looking for their second title in as many years as the top-seed in their own pool at tournament number 38 in the history for head coach Brent Bohnhoff and his program.

If it all pans out Arcola (9-1) and the host will hook up Saturday night in the finale.

The Purple Riders lost Saturday to Lawrenceville in their first defeat of the season and the nine wins have come against just two teams above .500 for Coach Greg Gisinger.

Dieterich has played a tougher schedule with their loses coming to Casey-Westfield and Effingham St. Anthony, both of whom are state-ranked.

Both Red Hill and Grayville from the Midland Trail Conference sport winning marks heading into the tournament and are not without a chance to spoil things for the top two.

The Salukis hold a win over the Bison in league play and are 7-5 overall compared to 7-4 for Grayville.

South Central (7-2) has triumphs over Woodlawn and Altamont and the defeats came against 2A Vandalia and 1A Glen Carbon Father McGivney.

The 66th annual Freeburg/Columbia Holiday Tournament features highly touted 8-2 Columbia, who have defeats to Montgomery County (MO.) and Breese Central.

The Eagles have wins over Nashville, Wesclin, Mater Dei and 3A Triad as quality victories.

The co-host Midgets have just a 3-6 mark but have played some good teams with defeats coming against Alton Marquette, Staunton, Roxana (twice), 3A Waterloo and 3A Herrin.

Waterloo is 10-2 heading into the tournament and are in Pool B, opposite of Columbia, which could make for an interesting title game that will be played on Sunday.

Alton Marquette has a 6-6 mark with losses against some good teams that are at least .500 on the season; unbeaten Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran, Belleville Althoff, Mater Dei, Roxana and Civic Memorial.

Civic Memorial is in Pool A with Columbia and are at 5-5 heading to the tournament having lost its last two contests to Waterloo and Highland.

Staunton is the top-seed at the 58th annual Carlinville Holiday Tournament as the Bulldogs have a 9-2 record so far for Coach Ty Laux.

The only two defeats came against 3A Centralia and 2A Rochester.

Staunton has won its last three games, including a 65-53 win at Hardin Calhoun on Saturday.

The Warriors are the two-seed at the CHT this week in a bracketed event have struggled this season with just a 4-4 mark against a strong schedule heading to the event.

Losses are to defending 1A state champion West Central, Greenfield/Northwestern (twice), and Staunton.

Calhoun is the defending tournament champions with a win over Litchfield last December in the title game.

The Purple Panthers are the three-seed at 5-5 with a 49-48 win over North Mac in their last game.

The have lost to unbeaten Jacksonville Routt, Auburn, Edinburg/South Fork, 3A Highland and 3A Jerseyville.

Carlinville and Hillsboro are the fourth and fifth seeds respectively heading into the first round.

Carlinville is just 3-6 and have dropped their last two contests (Pana, Jacksonville Routt) heading to hosting the tournament.

Wins over Carrollton and North Greene are teams with winning marks.

Hillsboro (6-6) started the campaign 0-3 before picking up wins over Flora, Okawville, Carlinville, Ramsey, Gillespie and St. Elmo/Brownstown.

At Pinckneyville the host Panthers are the top team in the lower bracket of the 16-team tournament.

The Panthers (9-1) only loss this season was at the Kaskaskian Classic championship game against host Carlyle.

Pinckneyville also has a recent win against Teutopolis at the Sullivan Shootout last Saturday.

Undefeated Benton (9-0) leads a strong upper bracket at the Duster Thomas Hoops' Classic.

Once beaten teams Carlyle and Murphysboro are also in the top part upper bracket where the eight teams are a combined 50-25.

The Indians lost to Wesclin in Cahokia Conference play after winning their own tournament along with their next four games.

Benton's first round opponent is 8-1 Steeleville, who has just a loss to Okawville along with wins over Carterville, Red Bud, Trico and Gibault to win the Trico Invitational Tournament.

Murphysboro lost a tough game at home to Herrin last week after seven-straight wins to open the year, including a tournament title coming at DuQuoin.

Woodlawn (6-3), Roxana (5-5) and Chester (5-7) all have quality wins on the resume.

Mounds Meridian is in the lower bracket with Pinckneyville and has an 8-3 mark with defeats coming to 2A Vienna, 1A Waltonville and 2A Murphysboro.

Olney Richland County (7-5), will need a good effort this season if they want to take home its third-consecutive top prize at Pinckneyville.

The Tigers have struggled with some good teams and had won four-straight games prior to losing to 1A power Effingham St. Anthony Monday night.

The discrepancy in the bracket is staggering.

The eight teams in the upper bracket have a combined won-loss record of 50-25.

The bottom bracket eight are 37-47.

At Breese Mater Dei the Mississippi Valley Conference is being represented by two quality teams.

Highland (6-5) and Mascoutah (5-4) are the top ones in Pool A and Pool B in the 12-team, four pool, event.

Breese Central, after a bit of a slow start due to the football team's playoff run, are back on track at 8-3. The three defeats came against 2A Belleville Althoff, 3A Champaign Central and 4A Belleville East.

They have wins over 1A Effingham St. Anthony, 2A and conference rival Columbia, 3A Centralia and 2A Auburn most recently as Coach Shubert will always have his teams ready for the holiday tournament.

The loaded field also has Wesclin (8-3) and Nashville (8-2) who are capable of getting to the final four.

The host Knights have a win over Highland and are in Pool D with unbeaten Metro-East Lutheran.

Two out of state teams from St. Louis (0-8 McCluer, 2-2 Orchard Farm) are also in the field along with Centralia CORL (4-6), Glen Carbon Father McGivney (5-6) and Waterloo Gibault (2-7).

Cobden, which started a tournament last winter, hosts an eight-team, bracketed small school event this week.

Defending champions Johnston City (3-6) will be tested by the field that includes 12-2 Century.

The Indians will open with host Cobden in the finale Thursday night while Century will play Zeigler-Royalton in the upper bracket.

The Centurions have two tournament championships so far this season with titles earned at both the Cobden Thanksgiving Tournament and the Dongola Christmas Tournament.

Cairo (5-6) has played some tough teams and have split two contests against JC.

Pope County (1-8) and Elverado (3-6) play in another of the first round contests while Egyptian (6-7) and Z-R (1-8) round out the field.

At Monticello a couple of ABV area teams participate, including two-time defending champion 10-0 Tuscola.

The Warriors didn't play in an early tournament but have seven road wins so far.

Neoga is just 2-7 this season. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (7-2), Oakwood (7-5), Ridgeview (5-2) and Clinton (6-5) are the top challengers along with 3-5 Monticello.

At the Kansas Tri-County Holiday Tournament Paris, Martinsville and Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg participate.

The Tigers are 5-6 so far this season while the Blue Streaks check in a 6-3.

The Hatchets are 6-5 after a second place finish at the St. Elmo Holiday Tournament.