Game 110
(3/2/10)
Lewistown vs. Brimfield (Boy's Basketball)
IHSA Class 1A B-PC Sectional
Lewistown was a team that I just talked up a storm about at the beginning of the season, and throughout the first half of this year. The Indians were my favorite to come out of the western Illinois part of the state and reach Carver Arena and the state finals for a third consecutive year after a fourth place finish (2007-08) and a third place trophy (2008-09).
The team lost just one game, on their home floor to Southeastern, before the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. There is always heated discussion leading up to this tournament as to who should have received a top seed (they seed the top four of the 16-team field). I argued vehemently for Lewistown, even bringing the fact that this team a year ago had two losses coming into the tournament.
Lewistown flopped at Western Illinois University, playing a tough opening round game against Brown County, losing in overtime, then beat Monmouth-Roseville, but was stunned by Barry Western in the consolation semifinals. A Western team that arrived five minutes before tipoff and went straight from the bus to the locker room and started the game.
Then throughout the second half of the season, Lewistown had a rocky road with questionable losses to Abingdon and Knoxville. By this time, I had given up on my Lewistown state finals prediction, and had proclaimed my prediction in the afternoon that Brimfield would knock off Lewistown 52-48.
This Sectional is being hosted by Bushnell-Prairie City, where a lot of my allegiances lie. This is where I received my first "real" season in broadcasting, when I covered the B-PC Spartans basketball team in 2003-04 and the subsequent season, and where my message board handle derived from, "bpcbroadcaster".
As I pulled into B-PC High School from the west side, taking the Walnut Grove Blacktop as my shortcut from Route 67, I noticed barricades blocking the parking lot where I normally park, which is next to the pass gate. I gave B-PC Athletic Director Stan Prentice a ring on his cell phone, and asked where I could park, and he directed me to park it right next to the barricade, since the buses had not arrived yet and would be pulling in there.
It was about 5:45 when I strolled into the gates, hardly a soul was around, just a few tournament workers and some track and field athletes and baseball players that were just wrapping up practice. Day number two of practice for the spring athletes.
Speaking of baseball, Spartans head coach Dave Arnold headed my way and talked about the baseball team in their second day. He is hoping for the warmup we should be getting over the next few days, and looking ahead to getting outside next week, possibly. "Arnie" also said that he has 27 baseball players out this spring, which is a higher number than he had anticipated.
After getting unpacked and set up, the next radio team came strolling in. Our sister station from Canton (WBYS/WCDD) had Leon Groover and Bob Wagner posting up in covering Lewistown. Both gentleman, and I use that term loosely, LOL, were decked out in red Lewistown Indians shirts. We talked about how Lewistown was playing, and they both said that the Indians had been playing really well lately, though free throw shooting has been a struggle all season.
Not too much later, Jim Taylor from WRMJ posted his spot next to us on press row. It was a motley crew with Jim and Mercer County head basketball coach Brian Hutton, providing color commentary for the broadcast.
With just minutes away from the start of the three-point shootout, a commotion was heard over by the Lewistown student section. Once I looked over, I saw a lot of commotion with a crowd, but couldn't quite make out what exactly was happening. Several B-PC teachers/administrators made a bee line to diffuse the situation. From what I gathered after the game, two students got into a fight, while the dad of one was involved. I was told by someone in charge of crowd control that the adult took a swing at the student. Not sure if he connected, or if that really happened. It was an ugly situation that got even uglier when the student, being refrained (and on the playing floor), screamed out, "Bring it on," followed by an obscenity that George Carlin would say you can't use on television. The adult fan was escorted out of the gym, and order was restored. All parties involved were from the same school.
Prior to the game, I met Kelsey Herridge's dad. She was an All-Stater for the Brimfield girl's basketball team, and wanted to thank me for covering a few of their games. I also spoke briefly with Dick Brown, the Avon Athletic Director. He was also involved in the sorting out of the situation.
Lewistown jumped out to a quick start, dominating Brimfield early on taking a 17-8 lead after the first quarter. Kevin Battefeld, Zack Rilea, and Joseph Jugovic each scored four points in the frame. They continued to put it on Brimfield in the second quarter, leading 31-15 at halftime.
The key to Lewistown's game in the first half was not just winning the rebounding battle, but completely dominating it. Lewistown was also able to capitalize on Brimfield's turnovers. Both teams were nearly even in turnovers, but Brimfield did not capitalize.
It was a different story in the third quarter. Brimfield jumped early, and finally did take care of scoring off of Lewistown's mistakes. They outscored Lewistown 20-9 in the quarter. They entered the second half down by 16 points, and were able to manage to close the gap to just six points midway through the third, and had posession. Brimfield was able to only get as close as five points in the second half, before Lewistown ran away with it in the fourth quarter.
Lewistown outscored Brimfield 20-9 in the fourth quarter, and coverted (6-9) free throws in the final eight minutes. Lewistown held on for the 60-44 win and would move on to their third consecutive Sectional championship game. The victorious Indians received a very balanced scoring attack, led by Ian Simpson's 13 points, followed by Kevin Battefeld with 12 points, and both Quinton Hatfill and Joseph Jugovic with 10 points a piece. Brimfield was paced by Jake Spietz's 14 points, and Ethan Westart's 13 points. With the loss, Brimfield wrapped up the campaign at (29-3), but claimed their first Regional Championship since the 1978-79 season when the Indians made the Elite Eight.
The gym in Bushnell was packed, to near capacity, and it was warm. This may have been the hottest gym I have been in this season. A very close second would be games at Monmouth-Roseville, when the Titans hosted Macomb on "White Out Night", and Sherrard on Senior Night.
I talked with B-PC boy's basketball coach Matt Colston and football coach John McCormick after the game briefly, as well as Kim Rench who heads up the Student Council at the school. Each year, Kim asks me to provide the P.A. announcing of the annual Powder Puff football game during Homecoming Week.
Congratulations to Lewistown head coach Brad Hatfill, for winning his 300th game as a head coach! Hatfill has amassed 156 of those wins at Lewistown. He picked up that first career victory while at tiny Newman during the 1987-88 season. He spent four seasons guiding the Newman Redskins. That school deactivated in 1994, and students now attend Hume Shiloh. Hatfill's next coaching stop was at Peotone for the 1990-91 season, and stayed there for a total of four years, followed by a two-year stint at Casey-Westfield before taking over the reigns of the Lewistown program for the 2002-03 season.
The Quest File Notes
Game 110
Date: 3/2/10
Result: The Indians win! Lewistown beats Brimfield in a battle of Indians, 60-44
Miles: 45
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