The prep boys 1a/2a State Final Fours will be played today along with their 3rd place games at the State Farm Center in Champaign, making it’s long awaited return after many successful years in Peoria. The day opens in 1a at 10 a.m. with 29-6 Steeleville taking on 23-13 Yorkville Christian. Don’t let the record fool you, the tournament favorite Mustangs have averaged beating their post season opponents in their 6 games by 44 with the closest being a 37 point win over Putnam County in the Woodland Sectional championship in spite an enrollment of just 64 students, but also with the advantage of being a private school. This is the first state tournament appearance for both teams.
The 2nd game at 11:45 will feature a Hoosier type story as Scales Mound enters at 35-2 with an enrollment of just over 70 students; the Hornets have turned in the best season in school history under head coach Erk Kudronowicz. The Northwest Upstate Illini Conference champs will take on 29-5 Liberty who enters with an enrollment of over twice as many students out of the West Central Conference. This is the 4th trip to State for Liberty with their most recent trip in 2016 winning 3rd place over Woodlawn in overtime. This is the first state appearance for Scales Mound.
The 2a semifinal will begin at 2:30 with 32-3 Monticello taking on 26-6 Taylor Rockridge. Monitcello is riding a 12-game winning streak since their last loss on January 25th to Fairbury Prairie Central. This is the 5th trip to state for Monticello, with their last being in 2017 and in 5 total state games in the program’s history, they are 0-5. Rockridge has reeled off 15 straight wins since their last loss to Waubonsie Valley on January 17th. This is their 3rd trip to sate. They beat Mater Dei for 3rd place in 2015 and the following year lost to St Joseph Ogden in the state championship.
In the final semifinal, the 27-4 Nashville Hornets are back at state after watching their football team make it all the way to the state title game this season. Nashville beat Breese Central 47-45 to win the Carterville Sectional and dominated Teutopolis in the SIU Super Sectional 44-18. The Hornets have a proud State tradition making their 12th appearance. In 2019, the Hornets lost in the state finals to Chicago Orr and also played for a state title in 7 of those appearances winning the big trophy in 1978 for the only time. They play DePaul College Prep out of the Chicago Catholic Conference. They knocked off Chicago Leo in the Joliet Central Super Sectional and are making the program’s 2nd appearance at state having won 3rd in 2019 over Peoria Manual in Class 3a.
The 3a/4a semifinals and 3rd place games will be held tomorrow. Sacred Heart Griffin plays St Ignatius College Prep followed by Simeon and Metamora in 3a. Then Whitney Young v. Barrington and Bolingbrook against Glenbard West in 4a.
