Eighth grade Hornets win conference tourney
By Caleigh Parsley
Thursday, Jan. 4
Seventh Grade
Tuscola-33; St. Matts-31
Boston Broady-2 points; Will Cowan-3 points; Hunter Branca-4 points; Colton Musgrave-6 points; Mason Jones-8 points; Easton Cunningham-9 points
Eighth Grade
Tuscola-53; St. Matts-19
James Parsley-2 points; Haven Hatfield-2 points; Rajan Patel-2 points; Thomas Brown-4 points; Caden Baer-6 points; Pat Pierce-6 points; Peyton Armstrong-10 points; Jalen Quinn-21 points
JHOC Tournament
Saturday, Jan. 6
Seventh Grade
Tuscola-47; Bement-6
Robert Fancher-2 points; Easton Cunningham-2 points; Ben Hornaday-4 points; Grant Kaufman-4 points; Mason Jones-6 points; Will Cowan-6 points; Chris Boyd-6 points; Jordan Sanchez-8 points; Boston Broady-9 points
EP-24; Villa Grove-33
Easton Cunningham-7 points; Mason Jones-6 points; Colton Musgrave-5 points; Hunter Branca-4 points; Boston Broady-2 points
Saturday, Jan. 6
Eighth Grade
Tuscola-48; Bement-0
Caden Baer-2 points; Thomas Brown-2 points; James Parsley-4 points; Haven Hatfield-4 points; Riley Nolan-6 points; Pat Pierce-8 points; Peyton Armstrong-10 points; Jalen Quinn-12 points
Thursday, Jan. 11
EP-37; Arcola-26
The eighth grade team topped Cerro Gordo 42-15 to punch their ticket to the championship game where the came away with the title after a 37-26 win over Arcola.
Peyton Armstrong had two points, Haven Hatfield added five, and James Parsley tallied 11 points; and Jalen Quinn posted 19 points.
“We have been playing really well after break,” Coach Dustin Dees said. “Our emphasis is always on defense, and it is showing. In our last four games we have held our opponents to 15 a game on average. That is where we are the strongest right now. We were dialed in during the JHOC Tournament, and it showed. Winning conference for our kids is special, and it checks off one of our preseason goals.
“Our kids have been working so hard, and it has been so much fun everyday at practice,” Dees continued. “We are excited going into this next week with big games against Decatur Our Lady of Lourdes (which was canceled Monday night due to weather) and Sullivan before Regionals.”