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By Jim Wieners

Hazelwood Central Boys and Girls Basketball teams are top seeds in the Class Five, District Two Tournaments at McCluer North High School, which opens Saturday, Feb. 24 and ends March 2.

Hazelwood Central Boys, Suburban XII Conference North Division Champions with a 5-0 record, took their 22-2 overall record home Feb. 20 to take on defending Class Five State Champion Webster Groves. Before opening district play on Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. the Hawks travel to Vashon High, Thursday, Feb. 22, for a 7 p.m. game against the defending Class Four Champion Wolverines. Hazelwood Central’s only losses are to Chicago-Orr Academy, which began their quest to repeating as Illinois Class 2A Champions by hosting their own Regional, and to Columbia-Rock Bridge, which has a 22-1 record.

Hazelwood Central, which plays Feb. 27, is awaiting the winner of Saturday’s 11:45 a.m. game between Pattonville and Francis Howell North. In addition, on Feb. 27, second-seeded and host McCluer North plays third-seeded Hazelwood West at 6:45. The Feb. 27 winners play March 2 at 6 p.m. for the right to play the District One Champions March 7, 7:45 at Jefferson College in Hillsboro.

Hazelwood Central was 4-0 in the Suburban XII North and 18-6 overall but that does not include games against Mary Institute Country Day School and Riverview Gardens, at press time, not knowing if those game were, or will be, made up. Otherwise, the Hawks won 14 in a row and 16 out of 17 after starting the season with a 2-5 record including a five-game losing streak after two wins. The First loss this season was to Edwardsville, Ill., which also had a win over Incarnate Word Academy, and the Tigers, Class 4A State Runner Up last year, took their 27-0 record to the Champaign Centennial Sectional Feb. 19 against Chatham Glenwood, with the winner playing for the Sectional title Thursday at 7p.m.

Hazelwood Central plays Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. against the winner of Saturday’s 10 a.m. game between Hazelwood West and Francis Howell North. Also, on Feb. 26 second-seed and host McCluer North battles against third-seeded Pattonville at 6:45. The Feb. 26 winners play March 1 for the right to play March 7, 6 p.m., against the District One Champions at Jefferson College.

   CLASS 5, DISTRICT 3 — Hazelwood East begins district play Saturday with a pair of play-in games at Ritenour High School’s Costillow Fieldhouse. The Spartan girls play Nerinx Hall Saturday at 11 a.m. and the winner plays top-seeded St. Joseph’s Academy Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. In addition, East boys play the host Huskies Saturday at 1 p.m. and the winner plays top seeded Chaminade Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.

In the games between the second and third-seeded teams, at 5:30 p.m. each day, Ladue-Horton Watkins plays Ritenour in the Girls Semifinal Feb. 26 while St. Louis University High plays Ladue-Horton Watkins in the Boys Semifinal Feb. 27. The Finals are March 1 for the Girls and March 2 for the Boys, both games start at 7 p.m. The District Three Champions meet the District Four Champions in the March 7 Sectional at Lindenwood University’s Robert Hyland Arena, St. Charles (Girls at 6 p.m., Boys at 7:45).

   CLASS 5 QUARTER–FINALS — The sectional winners from Lindenwood University return to Hyland Arena March 10 to battle the Jefferson College Sectional winners in a 1 p.m. girls’ game and a 2:45 boys’ game. Those winners head to State, March 15-17 at JQH Arena, Missouri State University in Springfield.

   STATE WRESTLING — at Mizzou Arena, University of Missouri, Columbia, Hazelwood East, junior Derron Funches took third place in Class Three at 285 pounds Funches lost in the semifinal to eventual state champion Adam Hitchcock, Neosho after winning his first two bouts but won the next two in extra time. Funches was second in District Two, at Hannibal, to Jonathon York, University City. At Francis Howell High, Hazelwood West senior Christian Brinkley won the Class Four, District Two 182-pound title.

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