Here are some of the highlights from last week’s district tournaments involving area teams.
Whitfield’s Torrence Watson scored 44 points to lead the Warriors past Hancock 76-47 in the Class 3, District 4 championship game at Valley Park. The 6’5” Watson is one of the top scorers in the St. Louis metro area.
Northwest Academy won its first boys’ district championship when it defeated Lutheran North 81-45 in the Class 3, District 6 tournament at Orchard Farm. Junior forward Jamarr Williams scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Hornets while high-flying junior guard Wilshon Warren added 24 points. The Hornets have been bolstered by the addition of McCluer High transfer Ryan Warren, who is one of the top point guards in the metro area at nearly 20 points a game
Cardinal Ritter pulled off the boys’ and girls’ double as both teams won Class 3, District 5 championships at Vashon last week. The boys defeated Maplewood 52-42 as sophomore guard Malek Davis scored a game-high 20 points. The girls defeated Metro 39-31 as forward DeAnna Wilson had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Lutheran North’s girls won its first district title in a decade as it defeated North Tech 62-44 in the Class 3, District 6 tournament at Orchard Farm. The Crusaders trailed by 18 points in the first half before staging a big rally and wearing down the Golden Eagles in the fourth quarter. Sophomore forward Jordyn Brown scored a game-high 18 points while forward Heaven Davis added 15 points.
Whitfield’s girls joined the boys in the championship winner’s circle last Saturday as they defeated Principia 70-57 to take the Class 3, District 4 title at Valley Park. The Warriors got 17 points from Catalina Cuevas and 16 points from Aijha Blackwell and Nia Griffin. It is the third consecutive district championship for the Warriors.
Small School State Quarterfinals on tap
The sectional playoffs for Class 1,2 and 3 schools were held on Wednesday night. The winners of those games advanced to the state quarterfinals which will be held on Saturday. The winners of those area Class 3 sectional games will play their quarterfinal games at Farmington and Warrenton. The boys’ games will begin at 1 p.m. with the girls’ games following at 2:45 p.m. The winners of those quarterfinals games will advance to the Final Four of the state tournament, which will be held at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Large School Sectionals are next week
The district tournaments for Class 4 and 5 schools will wrap with championship game on Friday night. Each of those district champions will advance to next week’s sectional playoffs. The Class 4 district champions from the area will compete in sectional competition next Tuesday night at Farmington, Parkway West, Kirkwood and Francis Howell Central. The boys’ games will begin at 6 p.m. with the girls’ games to follow at 7:45 p.m.
The Illinois Boys 4A postseason will get underway this week with its regional playoffs. Metro east area teams will be playing in regionals at Granite City and Belleville East. Edwardsville is the team to beat at Granite City while East St. Louis, Belleville West, Belleville East and Althoff will battle for the title at Belleville East. The championship games for both regionals are scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m. The winners will meet next Tuesday in the semifinals of the Ottawa Sectional, which will be held in the metro east area at a site yet to be determined.
