Published on March 1, 2026 8:29 pm
Last Updated on March 2, 2026 6:30 am
BY DUSTIN WHITE
ROBINSON — Most members of the Teutopolis High School boys basketball program were yet to be born the last time the Wooden Shoes failed to win a regional title 17 years ago. That wasn’t about to change Friday night at the Class 2A Robinson Regional, where T-town’s stifling defensive effort carried it to a 61-40 championship game victory over Newton.
It took some time for T-town (29-3) to get going on the offensive side of the ball, but the Shoes began turning defense into offense during the second quarter and outscored the Eagles (17-14) by a 21-7 margin to carry a 28-16 edge into halftime. That lead never dwindled and Teutopolis was hoisting the 16th consecutive regional plaque the program has earned and its 39th overall.
Seven of Newton’s 18 turnovers occurred during that second period, while T-town only gave it up once over the same stretch and also converted its only three-pointers of the night during those eight minutes — one from Isaac McWhorter and one far less likely attempt from Jason Kreke, who did the rest of his scoring in the paint or at the free throw line.
Gavin Addis tallied 12 of his team-high 17 during the second half and was 9-for-10 from the foul stripe on a night during which the rest of his Wooden Shoe teammates were a collective 10-for-17. Landyn Thoele finished the evening with 14 and Kreke ended up with 13.
For Newton, senior leading scorer Kody Bergbower did his best to keep the Eagles in it with 23 points — including perfect 7-for-7 free throw shooting and two of his team’s trio of three-point baskets — but coach Troy Bierman’s squad was largely not allowed to run much offense or get the looks it wanted because T-town’s depth and physicality carried the night.
Drake Wolf, another senior, finished with eight points for Newton. Lance Volk and Alex Gier also wrapped up their Eagle careers.
T-town coach Chet Reeder presided over his eighth straight regional title since taking over the post for the 2018-19 season and the program’s 16th in a row. You have to go back to the 2008-09 campaign to find a year the Shoes didn’t win regional hardware (excepting the 2020-21 COVID season which did not feature an IHSA postseason).
There are still more streaks for the Shoes to attempt to keep alive, however.
Teutopolis, the top-seeded team in its sub-sectional and the No. 1 in the state according to Aaron Britton of NestoHoops as well as the final Associated press poll, will attempt to win its fifth straight sectional title when it travels to Monticello this week, beginning with a 6:30 p.m. Tuesday semifinal against Warrensburg-Latham.
The Cardinals (29-4) cruised through the St. Joseph-Ogden Regional with a 67-48 win over Pana in the semifinals and 63-44 handling of third-seeded St. Joseph-Ogden in the championship.
T-town ended Warrensburg’s season a year ago 37-35 in overtime at the title game of the Tolono Unity Sectional. Speaking of Tolono, the Rockets (30-2) are the No. 1 seed from the other side of the sectional and will play third-seeded Fairfield (20-11) in a Wednesday semifinal at Monticello. Unity’s only two losses this season were both to Teutopolis. The championship game is Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Class 2A Robinson Regional
Championship
NEWTON (40)
Harris 0-0 — 0, H. Mulvey 1-0 — 2, K. Bergbower 7-7 — 23, C. Mulvey 0-0 — 0, Volk 2-0 — 4, Ulm 0-0 — 0, Oldham 1-1 — 3, Gier 0-0 — 0, D. Wolf 3-1 — 8. TOTALS 14 FG, 9 FT.
TEUTOPOLIS (61)
McWhorter 2-2 — 7, Jo. Probst 0-1 — 1, Kreke 4-4 — 13, Pals 0-0 — 0, Ja. Probst 1-1 — 3, L. Buening 2-0 — 4, G. Buening 1-0 — 2, Lustig 0-0 — 0, Addis 4-9 — 17, Thoele 6-2 — 14, Worman 0-0 — 0, Weidner 0-0 — 0, Niebrugge 0-0 — 0, Kocher 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 20 FG, 19 FT.
Newton 9 7 15 9 — 40
Teutopolis 7 21 19 14 — 61
3-Point FG — Newton 3 (K. Bergbower 2, D. Wolf), Teutopolis 2 (McWhorter, Kreke).