The Final Four of the Class 4 state tournament in Columbia last weekend turned out to be a coronation of two of the most storied programs in the Show-Me State, the Vashon boys and the Incarnate Word Academy girls.
Both teams added to their championship legacies by winning state titles at the Mizzou Arena on the campus of the University of Missouri. Vashon defeated Bolivar 44-32 to win its 10th state championship. Incarnate Word defeated St. Pius X 59-37 to win its record eighth state championship.
After surviving a tough road to get to the Final Four with victories over St. Mary’s and Sikeston in the sectionals and quarterfinals, Vashon was able to repeat as state champions with a couple of comfortable victories. In the semifinals on Friday, the Wolverines defeated Kearney 58-42. Vashon finished the season with a 28-3 record.
Senior guard Daniel “Peanut” Farris finished his stellar career with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists in the championship game against Bolivar. Senior guard Koray Gilbert and junior forward Joseph Reece added eight points while 6’8″ senior Levi Stockard had a team-high seven rebounds. It was Gilbert’s back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second quarter that gave Vashon an 18-8 lead that broke the game open. The Wolverines were not seriously threatened after that point.
In the victory over Kearney in the semifinals, the Wolverines had a balanced scoring attack with Farris and Stockard leading the way with 14 points each, Gilbert with 11 points, Reece with 10 points and senior guard Casey Cody-Jackson with nine. The starting five accounted for all five of Vashon’s 58 points.
The state championship means the end of a glorious era for the senior class of Farris, Stockard, Cody-Jackson, Gilbert, Darien Huntley and Tromon Weston. Collectively, this group has been a part of four consecutive Final Four teams and a couple of state championships.
“We’re going to enjoy this championship right now,” said Vashon coach Tony Irons. “To know that their careers with us have come to an end is kind of emotional. For them, there is no other way for them to finish their careers with a state championship.”
In the girls’ Final Four, Incarnate Word displayed their defensive dominance by holding their two opponents to a combined 61 points. In their victory over St. Pius X in the championship game, the Red Knights held St. Pius to just 16 points in the second half. In their semifinal win over Carl Junction, the Red Knights held their opponent to just 24 points, including two points in the first half and no field goals.
Junior guard Sonya Morris scored a game-high 17 points in the state championship game to lead Incarnate Word. Sophomore Kiki Britzmann had 10 points while guard Marisa Warren added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists. Junior Nakayla Jackson-Morris scored 11 points in IWA’s victory over Carl Junction. Britzmann scored 10 points while senior guard Naomi Johnson added eight points. Incarnate Word finished the season with a 28-4 record.
Parkway Central’s boys brought home a fourth-place trophy from the Class 4 state tournament. The Colts were defeated by Bolivar 63-41 in the state semifinals and then by Kearney 50-40 in the third-place game. Junior guard Deandre Campbell led Parkway Central with 16 points in both games. The Colts finished the season with a 23-10 record.
