Teutopolis Seventh Graders State Champs; Dieterich Loses Title Game by Five

The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes are the state champions of Class 7-3A junior high boys basketball.

Teutopolis won the championship game of the 3A State Tournament 54-41 over Burr Ridge Middle School at Wenona Fieldcrest.  It's the third seventh grade state championship for T-Town in the past four seasons.

T-town edged out to a 9-7 opening quarter lead but had a 20-8 second period run. However, the Chieftains came roaring back in the third quarter, outscoring the Wooden Shoes 19-9. A layup at the buzzer for Burr Ridge cut the lead to 38-34.

Another layup, this one by Korvante Davis at the start of the fourth quarter, cut the lead to just two. But two free throws and a rebound basket by T-town got the lead back to six at 42-36. A three-pointer by the Chieftains pulled them back within 42-39 with 4:15 left in the game. However from that point on it was all Wooden Shoes as they outscored Burr Ridge 12-2 the rest of the game.

Lee Hardiek and Collin Funneman each scored 16 points to pace the Teutopolis championship win.  The Shoes close out the campaign with a 24-5 record.

A Welcome Home is set for Sunday for the team for the players and managers.  Here's the schedule:

1:45pm--Fire truck ride and parade through Teutopolis

2:15pm--Return to Teutopolis Junior High School for a brief ceremony

2:40pm--Cake and punch reception

Class 7-3A State Tournament

Championship

Teutopolis          9    20      9    16    --    54

Burr Ridge          7      8    19      7    --    41

Teutopolis -- Goeckner 9, Kremer 3,  Hardiek 16, Jansen 0, Deters 4, Funneman 16, Dust 6

Burr Ridge -- Phillips 2, Brown 23, Davis 16

Class 7-1A State Tournament

Dieterich made a valiant fourth quarter comeback, but fell 45-40 to Annawan in the 7-1A state championship game at St. Joseph Middle School.

This one was Braves early on as Annawan sprinted out to an 8-1 lead in the opening quarter. With just under 50 seconds to go in the second quarter and trailing by 14, the Roadrunners made back-to-back threes to end the half cutting it to 21-13. After halftime  Dieterich picked up where it left off sinking another three to pull within 21-16. At this point the Braves outscored Dieterich 10-4 to close out the period.

However every time Annawan was on the verge of pulling away, the Roadrunners produced clutch buckets. Dieterich lit up the scoreboard late in the final quarter to pull within two. But free throws by Ben Buresh with 10 seconds left iced the game and title for  Annawan.

Callaway Campton scored nine points and Paul Thoele and Tyler Higgs each scored eight points to lead Dieterich. The Roadrunners finish the season with a 22-3 record.

A Welcome Home is planned for the Dieterich seventh grade squad Sunday starting at 1 p.m. in the school cafeteria.

There will be more details Friday morning.

Class 1A State Tournament

Championship

Dieterich            4      9      7    20    --    40

Annawan         10    11    10    14    --    45

Dieterich -- Flach 6, Bloemer 4,  Schmidt 1, Thoele 8, Radloff 4, Campton 9, Higgs 8

Annawan -- Shaw 18, Landwehr 8, Vanopdorp 2, Buresh 15, Weathersby 2