Blog

By Jim Wieners

Lutheran North is playing in their sixth state semifinal in 33 years, their fourth in the last   11, all in Columbia.

Lutheran North (25-7) will be playing March 15 at the Hearnes Center, on the University of Missouri campus, in an 8:20 Class Three State Semifinal game against Kansas City-based Hogan Prep Academy Charter. The other semifinal, also at Hearnes, pits Charleston, whom Lutheran North defeated in the 2005 championship game, against Mount Vernon at 6:40. Lutheran North played at Hearnes in winning the 2002 title, took fourth place in 1980 and took second place to Malden in 1985.

The winners at Hearnes play March 17, 8:40, at Mizzou Arena for the Class Three title while the losers play March 16, 8:20, for third place at Mizzou Arena. Lutheran North won the 2005 title and was second to Maplewood-Richmond Heights in 2008 at Mizzou Arena.

Lutheran North won Class Three, District Six at Whitfield in West St. Louis County. LHSN pulled away from Metro (formerly ABC) League rival Principia, 61-49 on Feb. 28, pulled off a last-second win over host Whitfield, 62-59 on March 1, and held off Metro League rival John Burroughs, 62-59 on March 2.

Against Principia, Lutheran North sealed the win with a 22-14 fourth quarter as Anthony Virdure scored 21 points while James Mitchell pulled down 12 rebounds. Against Whitfield Virdure made 12 out of 15 shots for 31 points including a three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter to break a 59-59 tie. In their second win in three games against John Burroughs, a see-saw game throughout, Mitchell scored seven of his 19 points from the free throw line including a four out of four effort in the final 45 seconds to seal the district title.

In the March 7 Sectional game at St. Louis Community College-Meramec, Lutheran North held off Cardinal Ritter 70-67 before a near-capacity crowd. Lutheran North started with a 12-0 run in a 16-4 first quarter, saw Cardinal Ritter come back to tie the game at 29-29 with 5:50 in the third quarter.

Despite making 15 out of 34 free throws, Lutheran North managed to lead by 12 during the fourth quarter before Ritter’s pressure defense and missed LHSN free throws rallied to cut the Lion deficit to three, 70-67 with 8.8 seconds left, but time ran out and the last shot fell short.

Virdure scored 32 points while Glenn Bradford added 14 for the Crusaders. Cameron Biedscheid, who averages nearly 32 points for Ritter, was held to 25 after being triple-teamed at times while Ryan Hill added 20.

March 10 at Hannibal High LHSN won the quarterfinal game 61-51 over 2002 Class Three State runner up Elsberry, who was fourth in state last year. The Crusaders played without Mitchell who was suspended for the game after being ejected following a shoving match with Ritter’s Eric White. Lutheran North managed to take a 34-24 halftime lead while the second half was even at 27-27.

Four Crusaders scored in double figures with Virdure leading the way with 16 points, six steals and five assists. DaVante Harrell added 14 to go along with three blocks while Colbren Thompson (13) and Bradford (11) were the other double-figure scorers.