Effingham, Teutopolis Advance to Junior High Girls State Basketball Tourneys

Effingham and Teutopolis were the only local schools to advance to state tournaments in girls junior high seventh-grade basketball after both teams won sectional championships Wednesday evening.

Class 7-4A Tolono Unity Sectional

Effingham stepped out to a 10-5 opening quarter lead on Danville Southview. Danville Southview came roaring back with a 14-5 second period run to lead 19-15 at halftime.

The Mustangs still trailed 29-24 going into the final quarter then pushed into high gear for a 12-3 run to pull out the 36-32 victory.

Special thanks to Tim Weis for the photos

Fearday tallied 14 and Buscher 12 for the winners who improve to 21-1 on the season.

The Mustangs head to State Tournament play at Normal Parkside Junior High School Saturday and will face Bethalto Trimpe (14-3) at 1 p.m. In other games Saturday, Taylorville faces Chicago Heights Washington at 10 a.m. followed by Minooka agianst Canton Ingersoll at 11:30 and Lockport Oak Prairie facing Frankfort Summit Hill at 2:30 p.m.

The winners advance to face each other at 5 and 6:30 p.m. The losers then square off for third place Thursday, December 12 while the winners meet for the state title at 7:30.

Tolono Unity Sectional

Effingham                            10      5      9    12    --    36

Danville Southview            5    14    10      3    --    32

Effingham -- Fearday 14, Buscher 12, Weis 8, Fox 2

Danville Southview -- Newell 9, Gouard 10, Woods 13

Class 7-3A Cumberland Sectional

Teutopolis easily handled Edwards County (Albion) in taking the championship of the Cumberland Sectional Wednesday evening.

T-town took a 2-0 first quarter lead and led 18-3 at halftime. The Wooden Booties went on for a 23-9 win over Edwards County.

Olivia Niemerg led T-town with eight points. The Booties improve to 21-3 and will head to the Class 7-3A State Tournament Saturday at Auburn High School. T-town will face Watseka Glenn Raymond (17-0) at 1 p.m. In other games, Hillsboro takes on Lockport Kelvin Grove at 10 a.m. followed by Tuscola East Prairie against Dunlap Valley at 11:30 and Glasford Illini Bluffs against Pleasant Plains at 2:30 p.m.

The winners meet at 5 and 6:30 p.m. then the losers from those two games will play for third place at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 12 while the winners meet for the state title at 7:30.

Cumberland Sectional

Edwards County          0      3    4    2    --      9

Teutopolis                    2    16    1    4    --    23

Edwards County -- Nelson 3, Schmittler 6

Teutopolis -- Niemerg 8, Frey 5, Niebrugge 2, Mette 5, Grimes 2, Deters 1

Class 7-1A Pana Sacred Heart Sectional

Pana Sacred Heart defeated Effingham Sacred Heart to win the championship of its own sectional. No score was reported.

Pana Sacred Heart advances to the Class 7-1A State Tournament with a 15-2 record and will meet Bourbonnais Maternity BVW (10-3) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Normal Chiddix Junior High School.

Class 7-2A Effingham St. Anthony Sectional

Assumption Central A&M defeated Oblong to win the St. Anthony Sectional Wednesday evening. No score was reported.

Assumption Central A&M will  now host the Class 7-2A State Tournament Saturday. The homestanders, who are 21-3 on the season, will now meet Bloomington Holy Trinity (24-0) at 1 p.m.