Bulldogs Advance To Sectional Championship With Victory

First . . . Effingham St. Anthony came out a 68-56 winner over Webber Township (Bluford).

Second . . . Brock Fearday hit a driving layup with 4:22 in the third quarter to break the all-time boys scoring record at St. Anthony that was held by Mike Wendte since 1970. Wendte's record was 1,663 points.

Third . . . The Bulldogs hit the 30-win mark for the first time since the 2016-17 season when they won the Class 1A State championship, finishing 30-5.

Fourth . . . Coach Cody Rincker, in his 11th season as head of the program, has 252 wins and only 91 losses.

Fifth . . .  St. Anthony will now face Tuscola at 7 p.m. Friday for the sectional championship and the right to head on to the Charleston Super-sectional at Eastern Illinois University's Lantz Arena Monday.

Webber Township actually held the opening quarter lead by a point, 12-11. Nathaniel Marlow connected for seven points and would be a thorn in St. Anthony's collective sides during the contest.

Marlow hit three baskets that included a three-pointer.

But that lead didn't last long. The Bulldogs came back in the second quarter as Brock Fearday and Ryan Schmidt produced the one-two scoring punch with eight and six points respectively. Fearday connected on three baskets and hit both free throws. St. Anthony went into the lockerroom leading 25-23.

The two teams played to a 17-17 third quarter as the Bulldogs continued to hold a two point lead.

B. Fearday's record breaking basket came after his first shot of the quarter missed but the second basket went in. He finished with an outstanding 12-point third period on two regular baskets, two three-pointers and two of three at the line.

The Bulldogs then put the game on ice with a 24-16 final period. B. Fearday added a three-pointer and hit four of four at the free throw line while Keenan Griffith scored eight points on two three-pointers and two of two at the line. Miles Waldhoff also added a three-pointer.

Four players hit double figures for St. Anthony. B Fearday finished with 29 on nine field goals, three from beyond the arc, and eight of nine at the line. Will Fearday and Schmidt tallied 13 each and Griffith finished with 10.

St. Anthony connected on 94.1 percent from the free throw line hitting 16 of 17. The Bulldogs were 45.8 percent from the field with 22 of 48.

Webber shot 37 percent from the field and were 71.4 percent at the line.

Webber Township was led by N. Marlow with 28 points on 10 field goals, three of those three-poitners, and five of five at the line.

Now the Bulldogs face Tuscola. The Warriors have a 26-8 record and have  played three National Trail Conference teams including Dieterich twice. They defeated the Maroons 59-54 on Feb. 15 and then won over the Maroons in the opening game of the sectional by a 74-65 count. They've also won over Neoga 72-34 and Altamont 60-41. They fell to Teutopolis 32-31 on Jan. 17.

Class 1A Red Hill (Bridgeport) Sectional

WEBBER TOWNSHIP (56)

Jones 0-0 -- 0, J. Marlow 4-1 -- 11, Dalby 1-4 -- 6, Moser 5-0 -- 11, Bigham 0-0 -- 0, Fulk 0-0 -- 0, N. Marlow 10-5 -- 28. TOTALS 20 FG, 10 FT.

ST. ANTHONY (68)

Gonazlez 0-0 -- 0,Waldhoff 1-0 -- 3, Vonderheide 0-0 -- 0, Griffith 3-2 -- 10, Gannaway 0-0 -- 0, W. Fearday 5-2 -- 13, Link 0-0 -- 0, Schmidt 4-4 -- 13, Wiedman 0-0 -- 0, B. Fearday 9-8 -- 29. TOTALS 22 FG, 16 FT.

Webber Township                 12    11    17    16    --    56

St. Anthony                           11    14    19    24    --    68

3-point FG -- Webber Township 6 (N. Marlow 3, J. Marlow 2, Moser 1), St. Anthony 8 (B. Fearday 3, Griffith 2, waldhoff 1, W. Fearday 1, Schmidt 1).