Arcola Surprises Neoga For Regional Title, Other Regional Scores

CASEY -- Neoga High School's outstanding season came to a sudden close Thursday evening as Arcola handed the Indians a 52-36 loss in the Class 1A Casey-Westfield Girls Basketball Regional championship.

Neoga edged out to a 9-8 opening quarter lead but Arcola came back to lead 22-19 at halftime behind the scoring of Taylor Edwards who knocked in a three-pointer to put the Purple Riders within striking distance. She came back with two more three-pointers and pushed the Riders ahead at the half.

E.C. Thies knocked in a basket to pull the Indians within 22-21 starting the third quarter. But the Riders went on a 7-0 run to lead 29-21. Neoga came back once again to pull within 29-23 going into the final period.

Then it was all Arcola in the final quarter as the Riders knocked in 10 of the first 11 points and the game was put into the win column.

Neoga had beaten Arcola earlier in the season 39-27 but the major factor this time around was Edwards return for Arcola from an injury she suffered during the volleyball season. She missed the first 14 games of the basketball season. She finished with 26 points while Fishel tallied 11.

Neoga was led by Madison Butler with 11 and Thies with 10. The Indians finished at 25-4 on the season with a record number of victories.

Arcola advances to the St. Anthony Sectional against Palestine/Hutsonville at 7 p.m. Monday. In a Tuesday game, St. Anthony will take on Moweaqua Central A&M at 7. The winners advance to the sectional championship Thursday at 7 p.m.

Class 1A Casey-Westfield Regional

ARCOLA (52)

Budd 3-3 -- 9, Johns 1-0 -- 2, Fishel 2-6 -- 11, Montgomery 1-2 -- 4, Edwards 7-9 -- 26, Spelman 0-0 -- 0, Hohn 0-0 -- 0, Abernathy 0-0 -- 0, Fulton 0-0 -- 0, Karmazinas 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 14 FG, 20 FT.

NEOGA (36)

Butler 5-0 -- 11, Ott 1-2 -- 4, Thies 4-1 -- 10, Hotze 0-0 -- 0, Foy 3-0 -- 9, Morrison 0-0 -- 0, Miah 0-0 -- 0, Roderick 0-0 -- 0, Banning 0-0 -- 0, Struthers 0-0 -- 0, Dryden 0-0 -- 0,  Ewing 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 14 FG, 3 FT.

Arcola            8    14    7    23    --    52

Neoga            9    10    4    13    --    36

3-point FG -- Arcola 4 (Edwards 3, Fishel 1), Neoga 5 (Roy 3, Butler 1, Thies 1).

Class 1A Palestine/Hutsonville Regional

Host Palestine/Hutsonville captured the championship of its own regional Thursday evening.

Palestine/Hutsonville downed Oblong 55-37. The squad will now advance to the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional, taking on Arcola at 7 p.m. Monday.

Class 2A Robinson Regional

Flora captured the championship of the Robinson Regional Thursday evening.

The Wolves handed Marshall a 55-41 loss for the title. Flora now advances to its own sectional where it will take on McLeansboro at 6 p.m. Monday. In the second game Monday, Teutopolis faces Monticello at 7:30 p.m.

The winners advance to the championship game scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m.

 Class 1A Moweaqua Central A&M Regional

The host squad picked up its own regional championship Thursday evening.

Central A&M downed Nokomis 49-33 and will advance to the St. Anthony Sectional against St. Anthony at 7 p.m. Tuesday.