Benton Rangers Open State Tournament Today v. Byron
The Benton Rangers open up their 2a State Tournament semifinal at the State Farm Center in Champaign at 3:45 this afternoon when they take on Byron. Benton enters at 31-3 with only one loss to a school from Illinois, and that was Olney on December 28th at the Duster Thomas. After losses to Pleasure Ridge and Winchester out of Kentucky, the Rangers have reeled off 17 in a row, including a Sectional finals win over top-ranked Breese Central. Coach Ron Winemiller is in his 15th year at Benton with 293 wins under his belt. The Rangers last trip to state was in 2003 when they lost to Cairo, and haven’t won a trophy since 92 when they brought home 3rd. In the Rangers 14th trip to state, they have never made the championship game.
They take on 30-2 Byron Tigers led by Ryan Tucker who averages 23 points per game making 84 three’s on the season. The Tigers are out of the Big Northern Conference and haven’t lost since February 5th to Beecher. This is Byron’s 2nd trip to State, losing in their opening game in 07 to Putnam County.
The winner of the game will play in Saturday’s finals at 1pm, with the loser bouncing right back tonight at 8:15 against the loser of the first semifinal between Williamsville and Phillips. The Phillips Wildcats are 23-9 out of the Chicago Public League and Williamsville is out of the Sangamon Conference with a record of 26-9.
1a State Semifinals Today In Champaign, Mounds Meridian Looks For 3rd Trip To A State Finals
The day at the State Farm Center begins in 1a. The Mounds Meridian Bobcats are 25-8 and winners of the Eastern Illinois University Super Sectional, knocking off Christ Our Rock. They are led by 3 in double figures, with Antonio Flenoid Jr leading the way at nearly 24 points per game. The only 2 trips Meridian has made state in their program’s history back in 1972 and again in 2015, they made the championship only to lose.
They take on the Eagles of Chicago Hope Academy. They enter at 29-7 out of the Chicago Prep Conference. They are led by a 3-headed offensive monster with Tyjuan Hunter scoring 18 points per game followed by Cam’ron Centeno at 16 and Josh Dillon another 15. This is their 2nd trip to state, as they finished 3rd in 2017, falling to St Anthony in their semifinal game.
The winner will advance to the Saturday title game at 11. The loser will play tonight at 6:30 against the loser of the 2nd semifinal featuring the 34-3 Winchester Cougars out of the Western Illinois Valley Conference taking on The Eagles of Aurora Christian who are 25-8 and out of the Chicagoland Christian Conference.
3a/4a State Semifinals Set For Friday
The 3a/4a State semifinals are tomorrow with the day starting with Mt. Zion and Chicago Mt Carmel at 9:30 followed by DePaul College Prep and Peoria Richwoods at 11:15.
Then at 2pm the 4a state semifinals with Palatine and Normal followed at 3:45 by Homewood Flossmoor and New Trier.
