LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Paris was home to not one, but two regional champions last week. Eighth-grade basketball teams from Mayo Middle School and Crestwood collected their plaques last week and advanced to play in separate IESA sectional contests on Monday, Feb. 10.
Despite hard-fought battles, Crestwood fell 39-28 to a tough Effingham St. Anthony team and the Redbirds fell to perennial powerhouse Teutopolis at home in a back-and-forth contest, 46-42. Mayo ends the season with a stellar 20-3 record. Crestwood, whose players fought sickness in the past couple of weeks, finishes with an outstanding 21-4.
While the evening did not end the way the Eagles or Redbirds wanted, the eighth-grade basketball teams returned home to proud coaches, families and a community that continues to cheer them on.
“I’m just super proud of these kids,” Mayo Coach Sean Nugent said following the sectional game. “We gave T-town everything they wanted; it just wasn't our night.”
Nugent described the players as “coachable, humble and hard workers.
“Super proud of this group of our kids. They battled through adversity all night and managed to play calm and cool down the stretch to pull out the win,” Nugent said. “Winning a (Class) 3A regional is not easy.”
Mayo had only won one 3A regional since 199—and that was in 2022. The Monday evening results create what the head coach proudly calls “a huge accomplishment.”
“This is a great group of kids who definitely deserve the success they are having. I'm proud to be their coach,” Nugent concluded.
Crestwood also received high remarks from their athletic director Sarah Mitchell.
“The Crestwood Eagles eighth-grade boys basketball team had an incredible season,” she said. “Their teamwork and determination paid off as they advanced to sectionals.”
Per Mitchell, the young players’ hard work and unity as a team led them to compete at a high level, making their school proud as they faced tough competition in the sectional tournament.
“St. Anthony brought the same skill and tenacity on Monday night,” Mitchell explained. “Our boys fought hard, but in the end, St. Anthony came out on top.”
Rebirds Round Up
Teutopolis 46, Mayo 42
The Redbirds battled until the end against a tough T-Town squad that entered the game 20-6.
Not only were the eighth graders regional champs, but the regular season LEI League champs.
The Redbirds were locked in defensively in the first half and shut down the Wooden Shoes’ two outstanding point guards who had combined for 33 points in a game against Mayo earlier this year.
Mayo jumped out to an 11-point halftime lead, taking a 21-20 advantage into the locker room.
“We talked about what was going to happen in the second half,” Coach Shawn Nugent said. “We knew they were going to turn up the pressure and they did. Their guards torched us in the second half.”
The Redbirds struggle with pressure, Nugent said, and although the players tried to push through, T-Town made a comeback to win the game.
“It was a physical game,” the Mayo coach said. “The officials let them play.”
Charlie Yarden led Mayo with 28 points. Charlie Sabens added 6 points while Zion Howard netted four points. Jorden Guillen and Brayden Broughton rounded out the scoring with two points each.
Mayo 44, Sullivan 32
The Mayo eighth graders overcame a loud home atmosphere against Sullivan on Thursday, Feb. 6, taking a 12-point win, 44-32 against the host team.
Sullivan hit two threes in the opening minutes of the game to go up 6-0 before the Redbirds went on a 15-2 run to take a 15-8 lead going into the second quarter. Mayo led 24-14 at halftime.
Sullivan came out in the third quarter on an 11-0 run and took a one-point lead before Mayo regained control and took a seven-point lead heading into the final quarter of play. The Redbirds increased the lead to 12-points by the end of the quarter to bring about the final score.
Charlie Yarden led the scoring for Mayo with 22 points.
Eagles Round Up
Effingham St. Anthony 39, Crestwood 28
The Crestwood Eagle eighth grade season came to an end Monday as they fell to Effingham St. Anthony 39-28 in the IESA Class 8-2A sectional at Hutsonville.
St. Anthony jumped out to an early lead 13-4. The Eagles outscored St. Anthony 7-4 in the second quarter to cut the Effingham lead to 17-11 at halftime.
St. Anthony outscored the Eagles 15-6 in the third quarter to take a commanding 32-17 lead heading into the final six minutes of play.
In the final quarter, the Eagles made a push, outscoring Effingham 11-7, but falling short, 39-28.
Marcus Hutchings ended his outstanding junior high career in basketball, scoring 14 points. Hutchings hit a three, five baskets and a free throw. Easton McNabb netted two threes for six points. Gage Englum added four points while Jesse Englebright scored four points, hitting a basket and 2 of 2 from the line.
Crestwood 51, Casey-Westfield 49
Crestwood advanced to the sectional with an exciting 51-49 win over Casey-Westfield on Thursday, Feb. 6.
“After not one but two overtimes the boys fought hard, giving the fans quite an exciting game. We are proud of the good sportsmanship that was shown last night by the team,” Crestwood Athletic Director Sarah Mitchell said.
Crestwood 53, Arcola 39
Crestwood’s eighth-grade boys basketball team reminded fans why they’re the top seed in their IESA Class 2A regional Tuesday, Feb. 4 by taking an easy 53-39 win over Arcola.
The Eagles built a lead before pulling away from Arcola in the fourth quarter to advance to the regional championship.
Marcus Hutchings led the charge for the Eagles with another high-powered performance, netting 26 points. Gage Englum was the next Eagle in the scorebook, picking up 8 points.
Jesse Englebright and Easton McNabb both tallied 6. Keegan Jewell and Will Dennis netted 5 and 2 points, respectively.