Blog

By Jim Wieners

Lutheran North lost to Kansas City-based Hogan Prep Academy Charter, 68-64 at the Hearnes Center on the University of Missouri Campus.

Since there were three classes competing in boys and girls basketball, half of the 12 semifinal games played on March 15 were at the Hearnes Center and the other half were played at Mizzou Arena. The third place games on March 16 and the championship games on March 17 were played at Mizzou Arena.

Lutheran North rebounded from their semifinal loss by rolling over Mount Vernon (Mo.), 61-43, for third place March 16 at Mizzou Arena. Hogan Prep, who won the 2011 Class Three State title, was unable to repeat March 17 at Mizzou Arena as they lost to Charleston, 79-73, in the championship game. Lutheran North finished with a 25-8 record.

The Lutheran North-Hogan Prep game was tied 17 times and the lead changed 17 times. Lutheran North led by no more than five points, 21-16 with 6:12 left in the first half on a James Mitchell free throw. Hogan Prep, who went ahead for good at 52-51 with 6:28 left in the fourth quarter on the second of two Amaad Wainwright free throws, led by no more than five in the game’s final minute. Hogan Prep outscored Lutheran North, 20-15 in the fourth quarter.

Lutheran North had the game’s top scorer in Anthony Virdure, who scored 23 points, 19 coming in the second half. Mitchell scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Four of the Hogan Prep starters scored in double figures with Wainwright leading the way with 20 points, 17 coming in the second half.

In the third place game, Mt. Vernon, in a low-scoring first half, led 19-17 at halftime but led by four twice during the first half.  Lutheran North took over the second half by outscoring Mt. Vernon 44-24 and the Crusaders, after the game was tied six times, went ahead for good, 23-21 with 5:42 left in the third quarter on a Virdure jumper. The Crusaders led by a much as 19 points, 58-39 with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter before Lutheran North Brent Rueter emptied his bench in the game’s final minute.

Virdure led all scorers with 31 points, 19 in the second half rout while Mitchell scored 16 of his 18 in the second half. Kaden Jones led Mt. Vernon with 11 points while Chandler Myers added 10.

State Wrestling

Eric Bowman, Ritenour, was the only Suburban North Conference wrestlers that won a state title, Feb. 18 at Mizzou Arena. By winning the Class Four title at 152 pounds Bowman (36-4) became the school’s 86th state champion, the first since 1998.

McCluer South-Berkeley, competing in Class Two, had three state medallists — John Williams (18-1, 120 Runner-Up), Wardell Morgan (35-13, fourth at 126) and Darrion Current (17-8, fifth at 220). McCluer North, competing in Class four, had two medallists, Darrell Pampkin (43-6, fourth at 126) and Gordon Phillips (41-16, sixth at 182) while McCluer had a Class Three Runner up in Johnathan Cain (220, 37-3). Other medallists include Daniel Vaughn, Hazelwood West (28-7, fifth in Class Four 285) and Akintunde Odunleye, Hazelwood East (36-9, sixth in Class Three 182).