IESA Headlines

2012 Seventh Grade IESA Girls Basketball State Finals Tip-Off Saturday

In what will mark the seventh time in Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) history, four champions will be crowned in the Seventh Grade Girls State Basketball Tournament series. Competition in the Class 1A, Class 2A, Class 3A and Class 4A State Final Tournaments begins Saturday (December 1) and concludes the following Thursday (December 6) at four sites.

Class 1A will be played at Normal Chiddix Junior High School, with Class 2A tipping-off at LeRoy High School. Assumption Central A & M Middle School will be the home for Class 3A action while Normal Parkside Junior High School rounds things out hosting Class 4A.

The time schedule for all four tournaments will be the same. Quarterfinals will be played Saturday with the first of four games beginning at 10:00 a.m. The four quarterfinal winners will meet in semifinal games late Saturday afternoon with the first of two games set to begin at 5:00 p.m. Third place and championship games will be played Thursday, December 6 with the third place game set for 6:00 p.m. and the championship game scheduled for 7:30.

Any changes in the playing status of each of the four tournaments will be posted on the IESA Web Site at www.iesa.org as each tournament progresses. Results will be posted on the web site after each game.

The price of admission Saturday is $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for seniors (62 and over) and students (K-8) and is good for all games Saturday. Children younger than kindergarten are admitted free. Fans attending the games Saturday will receive a wristband that is to be worn all day and will be used for entry into that respective state final site only throughout the day. It will not be honored at any other 7th grade state final site. The price of admission for the third place and championship game session Thursday will be $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for seniors and students (K-8). Children younger than kindergarten again are admitted free.

This year marks the 34th year that the IESA has been conducting girls basketball, as the ever-growing activity made its debut within the Association back in 1979. Only one-class of competition existed then. That was until 1986, when separate state series were conducted for seventh graders and eighth graders for the first time. From 1990-2005 there were Class A and Class AA state series for both seventh grade and eighth grade, with the current four class system beginning in 2006.

Complete pairings for each state final, plus the FanZone, can be found at www.iesa.org. Click on the Girls Basketball line in the orange box at the top of the IESA Web Site Home Page.

Here is a look at each of the four 2012 Seventh Grade State Final Tournaments:

Class 1A

The first quarterfinal matchup of the day showcases two newcomers to the Class 1A State Tournament, as the unbeaten Wolverines (16-0) of Lincoln West Lincoln-Broadwell take on the Lady Hawks of Crescent City (12-10). Game two pits a pair of 20 win teams against each other in Findlay Okaw Valley (20-4) and Tonica (20-3), as the Braves return to the state series following a 4th place finish a season ago. The 1:00 pm game is a showdown between two teams with a combined 1-loss in Danville Schlarman (18-0) and Peoria Limestone Walters (20-1). Capping off the quarterfinal contests is a matchup between two teams with plenty of state tournament experience. Both Jacksonville Our Savior (16-7) and Sigel St. Michael's (18-3) will be making their fourth 7-1A State appearance since 2006 when they do battle at 2:30pm.

Class 2A

Returning to the 7-2A State Tournament for the fourth time in five years, Springfield Christ the King (16-6) is hoping to capture their first state title since 2009. To do so, the Cougars will first have to survive a quarterfinal matchup against the Wildcats of Kinderhook Western (13-4), who will be making their first appearance since 2007. Winchester, at an impressive 25-0, is looking to join an exclusive list of teams to go wire-to-wire and finish a season unbeaten. Standing in their way are the Eagles of Bismarck-Henning (11-13) in game two of the quarterfinals. Altamont (20-4) is back in the 7-2A State Tournament after a three year absence, as they'll usher in Princeville (21-2) for the first time in game three. Finally, the afternoon of quarterfinal action rounds out in a matchup of team's with identical records. Bloomington Holy Trinity (18-2) returns for a third straight year hoping to knock off newcomer Marseilles ES (18-2).

Class 3A

Based on record alone, the Class 3A tournament appears to be as strong and deep as any with no team suffering more than five losses on the season. Getting things going early will be the Bombers of Brownstown (16-5) up against the 2007 7-3A State Champion Eureka Hornets (21-1). Paris Mayo (16-4) takes its 5-1 all-time Class 3A record up against the Trojans of Auburn JHS (17-5) in game two of the quarterfinals. Monticello (25-0), one of two unbeaten in Class 3A, will have their hands full early with a 19-3 Dunlap Valley squad poised to make some noise in their first ever state tournament appearance. Last but not least, after a quick exit a year ago, the Eagles of Crest Hill Richland (20-0) wrap up the quarterfinal round as they clash with 19-3 Paxton-Buckley-Loda.

Class 4A

In what will mark the most experienced class of the day, Class 4A holds claim to six former state qualifiers and one state champion. Mokena (20-3) and Ottawa Shepherd (19-6) tipoff the morning as this quarterfinal matchup is sure to be a memorable one. In what is set to be the battle of the Liberties, New Lenox Liberty (15-9) draws unbeaten Edwardsville Liberty (25-0) in game two. These two teams lay claim to two of the past three third place finishes in Class 4A. Morton Junior High School may be foreign to the state tournament, but their record of 24-0 says they're ready to make an impact. Welcoming the Junior Potters to the big dance will be the Spartans of Chicago Heights Washington (12-3) in game three of the afternoon. Finally, Chatham Glenwood (20-4) and their four 7-4A state appearances rumble with newcomer Urbana Middle School (17-7) in the last quarterfinal matchup of the day.