Published on December 31, 2025 8:36 am
Last Updated on December 31, 2025 8:44 am
By MILLIE LANGE
The finals are set for the Effingham;/Teutopolis Christmas Classic for boys area high school basketball teams.
Teutopolis will be playing for the championship against Tolono Unity at 2:30 p.m. today in the Main Gym at Effingham High School.
The Wooden Shoes captured two victories Tuesday. The Shoes defeated Oregon 70-36.
T-town ran out to a 35-21 halftime lead and controlled the second half.
Three players hit double digits for the Shoes as 10 players scored. Gavin Addis led with 13 points on five field goals, two of those three-pointers, and a free throw. Landyn Thoele chipped in with 11 while Gavin Buening added 10.
The second game was much closer as the Shoes edged Centennial 76-74 in overtime.
T-town moved into a 20-17 opening quarter lead and led 40-32 at halftime. But Centennial mounted a comeback with a 21-11 third quarter to lead 53-51. T-town came back to tie the score with a 17-15 final period.
T-town then had an 8-6 run in overtime for the win.
Kendal Mette led with 15 points while Thoele added 14, Addis 13 and Joey Probst 12.
St. Anthony fell to Centennial in its first game Tuesday, 58-41.
The Bulldogs moved into an 18-16 halftime lead but Centennial had a 14-8 third period and outdistanced St. Anthony 28-15 in the final quarter.
The Bulldogs had two players in double figures. Miles Waldhoff led with 14 points on four field goals and four free throws. Jonny Gannaway added 11. Freddie Jansen led in rebounds with 11.
The Bulldogs then edged Oregon 59-57 with an outstanding final quarter.
Oregon ran out to a 20-9 opening quarter lead and led 28-23 at halftime. Oregon then seemed to put the game away with a 23-11 third period to lead 51-34.
But here came the Bulldogs. St. Anthony went on a 25-6 run to pull out the two-point victory.
Aiden Lauritzen led the way with 17 points on eight field goals and one three-pointer. Jansen chipped in with 16 and Keenan Griffith added 10. Lauritzen and Jansen pulled down six rebounds each.
St. Anthony will meet Lutheran North at 10 a.m. for fifth place in the Main Gym at EHS.
Effingham was a 65-32 winner in its first game Tuesday over Central A&M.
The Hearts moved into a 16-9 opening quarter lead and led 33-18 at halftime. EHS controlled the second half.
Jake Niebrugge hit five field goals for 10 points while Jude Traub connected on three field goals, one from three-point range, and was three of five at the line, also for 10 points.
Fourteen players scored in the contest for the Hearts.
Mattoon then handed EHS a 55-48 loss.
The Green Wave moved into a 21-15 opening quarter lead. The Hearts fought back in the third quarter to pull within 37-36 but Mattoon regrouped and had an 18-12 final quarter for the win.
Cannon Bockhorn led the way with 13 points on five field goals, three of those from beyond the arc. Jenner Pals added 11. Jake Niebrugge led in rebounds with five.
Effingham will face Newton at 11:30 a.m. for 11th place in the Auxiliary Gym at EHS.
Newton went 1-1 on Tuesday. The Eagles won over Pleasant Plains by a 55-46 tally.
The Eagles ran out to an 18-4 opening quarter lead and led 23-12 at halftime. Pleasant Plains had a 34-32 second half edge but couldn’t make up the deficit.
Newton’s Hayden Mulvey scored 18 points on six field goals, five of those from three-point range, and one free throw. Kody Bergbower chipped in with 17 points.
In their second contest of the day, the Eagles fell to Chicago Brooks, 54-51.
Newton led 12-11 after the opening quarter and 20-17 at halftime.
Brooks came back with a 22-13 third period to lead 39-33 going into the final quarter. Newton came back with an 18-15 run only to fall short.
Bergbower led the way with 20 points on seven field goals, one a three-pointer, and connected on five free throws. Mulvey chipped in with 13 points.
Newton will now face Effingham at 11:30 a.m. for 11th place in the Auxiliary Gym at EHS.
In other games Tuesday, Chicago Brooks 64, Charleston 52; Mattoon 57, Dixon 49; Lawrenceville 73, Lutheran North 68; Tolono Unity 79, Belvidere 69 in overtime; Lutheran North 66, Belvidere 44, Pleasant Plains 48, Charleston 45 and Dixon 65, Central A&M 54.
The following games can be heard on the radio: fifth place game with St. Anthony vs. Lutheran North at 10 a.m. on KJ Country 102.3, the 11th place game with Effingham vs. Newton at 11:30 a.m. on 979XFM and the championship game with Teutopolis and Tolono Unity at 2:30 p.m. on 979XFM and livestreamed.
At Teutopolis High School
Game 11
PLEASANT PLAINS (46)
McDonald 0-0 — 0, Grisham 5-0 — 10, Scott 5-0 — 11, Johnson 7-4 — 21, Shultz 0-0 — 0, Smith 1-0 — 2, Schallenberg 0-0 — 0, Brady 1-0 — 2, Swartz 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 19 FG, 4 FT.
NEWTON (55)
Mulvey 6-1 — 18, Bergbower 6-4 — 17, E. Wolf 1-1 — 4, Volk 0-6 — 6, Oldham 3-0 — 6, D. Wolf 0-4 — 4. TOTALS 16 FG, 16 FT.
Pleasant Plains 4 8 13 21 — 46
Newton 18 5 14 18 — 55
3-point FG — Pleasant Plains 4 (Johnson 3, Scott 1), Newton 7 (Mulvey 5, Bergbower 1, E. Wolf 1).
Game 12
CENTRAL A&M (32)
Rhodes 0-2 — 2, Spinner 3-0 — 9, McLain 0-0 — 0, Sites 2-0 — 4, Pedigo 1-0 — 2, Stenger 1-0 — 3, Snow 0-0 — 0, Higgins 1-0 — 3, J. Snow 2-0 — 4, Sims 2-0 — 5. TOTALS 12 FG, 2 FT.
EFFINGHAM (65)
KInkelaar 0-0 — 0, Fearday 0-4 — 4, McDaniel 0-1 — 1, Niebrugge 5-0 — 10, Bockhorn 2-0 — 5, Pals 0-5 — 5, Gonzalez 2-0 — 4, Thompson 1-1 — 3, Buzzard 2-2 — 6, Bridges 3-0 — 7, Traub 3-3 — 10, Moser 1-0 — 2, Philips 2-0 — 4, Love 1-1 — 3, Warner 0-1 — 1. TOTALS 22 FG, 17 FT.
Central A&M 9 9 7 7 — 32
Effingham 16 17 19 13 — 65
3-point FG — Central A&M 6 (Spinner 3, Stenger 1, Higgins 1), Effingham 4 (Bockhorn 1, Thompson 1, Bridges 1, Traub 1).
Game 13
ST. ANTHONY (41)
Verdeyen 1-0 — 2, Waldhoff 4-4 — 14, Storm 0-0 — 0, Bierman 1-0 — 2, Lauritzen 2-0 — 4, Jansen 1-0 — 2, Griffith 1-4 — 6, Gannaway 4-2 — 11. TOTALS 14 FG, 10 FT.
CENTENNIAL (58)
Allen 5-0 — 13, Powell 1-0 — 2, Wilson 1-0 — 2, Leweandowski 3-4 — 11, Clark 11-1 — 26, Chapple 0-0 — 0, Nelson 1-2 — 4. TOTALS 22 FG, 7 FT.
St. Anthony 11 7 8 15 — 41
Centennial 9 7 14 28 — 58
3-point FG — St. Anthony 3 (Waldhoff 2, Gannaway 1), Centennial 7 (Allen 3, Clark 3, Lewandowski 1).
Game 15
TEUTOPOLIS (70)
McWhorter 1-0 — 3, Jo. Probst 2-0 — 4, Kreke 0-0 — 0, Pals 1-0 — 2, Ja. Probst 2-0 — 5, L. Buening 3-0 — 8, G. Buening 4-2 — 10, Mette 1-0 — 2, Lustig 0-0 — 0, Addis 5-1 — 13, Thoele 5-1 — 11, Worman 2-0 — 5, Weidner 3-1 — 7, Kocher 0-0 — 0, Niebrugge 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 29 FG, 5 FT.
OREGON (36)
Olalde 3-1 — 7, Ziller 0-2 — 2, O’Brien 2-3 — 7, Salsbury 2-1 — 6, Withers 0-0 — 0, Campos 1-0 — 2, Wallace 2-0 — 6, Manka 0-1 — 3, Peeling 1-0 — 2, Johnson 0-1 — 1. TOTALS 11 FG, 10 FT.
Teutopolis 19 16 17 18 — 70
Oregon 12 9 10 5 — 36
3-point FG — Teutopolis 7 (L. Buening 2, Addis 2, Probst 1, Worman 1), Oregon 4 (Wallace 2, Saslbury 1, Manka 1).
Game 17
NEWTON (51)
Mulvey 4-2 — 13, Bergbower 7-5 — 20, E. Wolf 0-0 — 0, Mulvey 0-0 — 0, Volk 2-0 — 4, Oldham 3-2 — 8, D. Wolf 3-0 — 6. TOTALS 19 FG, 9 FT.
CHICAGO BROOKS (54)
Arogundade 5-2 — 12, Curl 5-1 — 11, Hall 5-2 — 17, Moreland 0-0 — 0, Glover 2-2 — 6, Jo. Hester 1-0 — 2, Phillips 3-0 — 6, Brown 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 21 FG, 7 FT.
Newton 12 8 13 18 — 51
Chicago Brooks 11 6 22 15 — 54
3-point FG — Newton 4 (Mulvey 3, Bergbower 1), Chicago Brooks 5 (Hall 5).
Game 18
MATTOON (55)
Dundee 0-0 — 0, Hayes 3-0 — 7, Rice 2-0 — 4, Pearson 0-0 — 0, Wetzel 6-2 — 19, Grant 2-2 — 7, Middleton 2-0 — 4, Haacke 4-4 — 14. TOTALS 19 FG, 8 FT.
EFFINGHAM (48)
McDaniel 1-0 — 2, Fearday 0-0 — 0, Niebrugge 1-0 — 2, Bockhorn 5-0 — 13, Pals 5-0 — 11, Thompson 1-0 — 3, Buzzard 3-0 — 6, Traub 1-0 — 2, Phililps 4-0 — 8, Warner 0-1 — 1. TOTALS 21 FG, 1 FT.
Mattoon 21 9 7 18 — 55
Effingham 15 9 12 12 — 48
3-point FG — Mattoon 9 (Wetzel 5, Haacke 2, Grant 1, Hayes 1), Effingham 5 (Bockhorn 3, Pals 1, Thompson 1).
Game 20
OREGON (57)
Olalde 2-0 — 5, Ziller 1-0 — 2, O’Brien 5-3 — 13, Salsbury 2-2 — 6, Withers 1-0 — 2, Campos 4-2 — 11, Wallace 3-0 — 8, Johnson 4-1 — 11. TOTALS 22 FG, 8 FT.
ST. ANTHONY (59)
Verdeyen 1-1 — 3, Waldhoff 3-0 — 7, Bierman 1-0 — 2, Lauritzen 8-0 — 17, Jansen 7-1 — 16, Griffith 2-5 — 10, Gannaway 2-0 — 4. TOTALS 24 FG, 7 FT.
Oregon 20 8 23 6 — 57
St. Anthony 9 14 11 25 — 59
3-point FG — Oregon 5 (Johnson 2, Wallace 2, Campos 1, Salsbury 1, Olalde 1), St. Anthony 4 (Waldhoff 1, Lauritzen 1, Jansen 1, Griffith 1).
Game 23
Overtime
TEUTOPOLIS (76)
McWhorter 3-2 — 9, Jo. Probst 5-1 — 12, Kreke 1-0 — 2, Ja. Probst 2-0 — 5, L. Buening 0-1 — 1, G. Buening 1-0 — 2, Mette 5-0 — 15, Addis 4-4 — 13, Thoele 7-0 — 14, Worman 1-1 — 3. TOTALS 28 FG, 11 FT.
CENTENNIAL (74)
Allen 9-0 — 26, Powell 1-0 — 2, Wilson 0-1 — 1, Lewandowski 10-0 — 21, Clark 8-0 — 20, Hill 2-0 — 4. TOTALS 30 FG, 1 FT.
Teutopolis 20 20 11 17 8 — 76
Centennial 17 15 21 15 6 — 74
3-point FG — Teutopolis 9 (Mette 5, McWhorter 1, Jo. Probst 1, Ja. Probst 1, Addis 1), Centennial 13 (Allen 8, Clark 4, Lewandowski 1).