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Incarnate Word Academy, RG Win Class Four, District Six
By Jim Wieners
There were more differences than similarities between Incarnate Word Academy, an All-Girls Catholic School, and Riverview Gardens High School other than private and public but both these schools have at least one thing in common, winning Class Four, District Six Basketball at Normandy High School’s Viking Hall.
Incarnate Word’s district title was their seventh in a row and their 27th district or regional title since 1974. IWA has won three state titles in a row (all in Class Four), five in their last six years and seven overall since 1995. The Red Knights won Class Five titles in 2006, 2010 and 2011 while the 1995 title was in Class 3A.
Riverview Gardens Boys district title was the Rams’ first since 1998 and it was their ninth district or regional title since 1966. Their most successful season was in 1992, three years before IWAs first state title, when the Rams capped off their first and so far only state title with a 68-62 title game win over Raytown South after trailing 51-31 to start the fourth quarter. Riverview’s Girls have not won districts or regionals.
There were two common teams that both Incarnate and Riverview won at Viking Hall, Soldan International Studies on Feb. 29 and Jennings on March 4. Wins by top-seeded IWA were more lopsided as the Red Knights routed Soldan 54-18 and Jennings 69-21. Riverview rolled past Soldan 76-58 then edged out top-seeded Jennings by one point, 51-50, as the Rams avenged a 65-55 loss at Jennings on Jan 7.
The 2015 portion of the season was a less than impressive. IWA, without the now University of Connecticut player Naphessa Collier, was 5-4 in 2015 losing their first game against a Missouri high school since the 2012 Class Five Semifinals to Columbia-Rock Bridge. The Red Knights lost two games in the Visitation Academy Christmas Tournament (Ursuline Academy 49-45 and Francis Howell 58-36).
Riverview was 4-8 in 2015 but was 2-6 in two tournaments played in Illinois (Washington Nov. 25-28 and Collinsville Dec. 28-30).
It has been a hot 2016 especially for IWA after their loss to Francis Howell — their worst loss since losing 68-44 Dec. 28, 2000 to Parkway West in the Visitation Christmas Tournament final. The district title game win over Jennings was the Red Knights 18th win in a row after losing to Howell. After losing Jan. 7 the Riverview win over Jennings in the rematch was their 12th in their last 14 games,. It was their sixth in a row and it would have been 14 in a row if it were not for a pair of two-point Suburban XII Conference North Division losses to McCluer North (59-57 Jan. 21) and Hazelwood Central (64-62 Feb. 4).
On March 8 at Parkway West IWA (23-4) played Clyde C. Miller Career Academy while Riverview (16-11) played Vashon in the Sectionals. On Saturday, March 12 in the Quarterfinals at Francis Howell IWA or Miller plays St. Charles High or Warrenton at 1 p.m while Riverview or Vashon plays St. Charles West or Kirksville at 2:45. The State Semifinals-Finals are March 18-19 at M.U.
