Teutopolis: Eighth Grade Girls State Champion; Welcome Home Scheduled

Teutopolis has been crowned the Class 8-3A girls basketball state champion.

The Wooden Shoes captured the championship Thursday night with a 32-13 win over Monticello in a game played at Warrensburg-Latham High School.

The outcome was scarcely ever in doubt.  T-Town took a 12-3 lead at the end of the first quarter and then outscored Monticello 7-2 in the second quarter to lead 19-5 at halftime.  The Shoes outpointed the Sages 8-5 in the third period to extend their lead to 27-10 before outscoring Monticello 5-3 in the final quarter to seal the victory.

Teutopolis finished the season with a 27-1 record and achieved the school's second eighth-grade state championship, having also won it all in 2009.

Shelby Thompson scored 12 points to pace Teutopolis. Raegan Drees scored six points, while Jamie Sandschafer, Jessica Drees and Lexie Kaufman each scored four points each.  Marianna Hemmen completed the scoring with two points.

The Shoes faced Monticello who is coached by a Teutopolis graduate and former player. Shelly (Rentfrow) Beery graduated from Teutopolis in 1991 and coaches the seventh and eighth grade girls squads at Monticello. Last week she coached the seventh-grade squad to a state title.

Also, Altamont fell in the Class 8-2A State Tournament Saturday to Bloomington Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity is coached by 1986 Teutopolis High School graduate Lisa Schumacher who grew up in Sigel and played on the 1986 girls team that won state. Holy Trinity played for the state champoinship and fell to Mount Olive 25-22.

And in Class 8-1A, another former Teutopolis player, Gina Campbell, is an assistant coach at Atwood-Hammond. Campbell graduated in 2005 and played basketball for the Shoes. Atwood-Hammond defeated Rantoul St. Malachy 28-22 to win the state championship.

Welcome Home

A Welcome Home Reception will be held for the T-town team and managers Sunday, December 16.

At 1:45 p.m. the team will ride on the fire truck and parade through Teutopolis. At 2:15 p.m. they will return to Teutopolis Junior High School for a brief ceremony. At 2:40 there will be a cake and punch reception.

Class 8-3A State Tournament

Championship Game

Teutopolis          12    7    8    5    --    32

Monticello            3    2    5    3    --    13

Teutopolis -- Hemmen 2, Kaufman 4, Sandschafer 4, J. Drees 4, R. Drees 6, Thompson 12

Monticello -- Miller 3, Graham 2, McPike 4, Reeder 2, Lockmiller 2