Blog

By Jim Wieners

Hazelwood West will participate in the three-day, 13th annual Webster Classic Dec. 6-8. The Wildcats open the Webster Classic by playing the host Webster Groves Statesmen Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. The winner plays St. Louis University High, with former McCluer coach Erwin Claggett now running the Junior Billikens, or Marquette, from the Rockwood School District, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. while the loser plays earlier that day at 5:30.

The tournament closes Dec. 8 with games at 11 a.m. (seventh place), 12:30 (consolation final), 3 p.m. (third place) and 4:30 (championship). It will be over two weeks since Hazelwood West opened the season, Nov. 20, with a 57-24 home rout over Cleveland Naval Junior ROTC. Will Donegan scored eight points while Jared Perry pulled down 11 rebounds.

HAZELWOOD CENTRAL, McCLUER NORTH TAKE THIRD PLACE IN TOURNEYS — Hazelwood Central and McCluer North were among the teams to watch in the Suburban North Conference but both teams opened the season with third-place finishes in tournaments.

Last week Hazelwood Central took third place in the 46 Annual Jerry Boeckman Invitational at St. John Vianney for the second year in a row. Belleville (Ill.) West defeated Hazelwood Central for the second year in a row that sent the Hawks to the third-place game. The Maroons, who eventually won the tournament, won 75-61 by outscoring the Hawks 67-47 in the final three quarters. The Hawks opened and closed the Boeckman Invite by scoring a pair of 30-point victories, 85-55 over Farmington in the opening round and 72-42 over Eureka for third place.

Two weeks ago McCluer North avenged their only loss from last season to St. Francis Borgia with a 62-44 win in the Borgia Turkey Tournament for third place. That is because McCluer North lost in the semifinals to Washington High, 56-51, after opening the tournament Thanksgiving Eve with a 60-23 rout of St. Clair. Washington won the game by outscoring the Stars 15-8 in the fourth quarter after McCluer North led 43-41 through three quarters.

HAZELWOOD EAST, NORTH TECHNICAL TAKE CONSOLATION TITLES IN LINCOLN COUNTY — Hazelwood East and North Technical rebounded from close first-round losses to Fort Zumwalt District high schools by winning consolation titles last week at two high schools in southern Lincoln County, Troy-Buchanan and Winfield.

Hazelwood East opened the Troy Invitational with their first two games at Francis Howell High, in St. Charles County.  It began with a 65-61 loss to Fort Zumwalt South then rebounded with a 63-42 win at Francis Howell. East won the consolation final with a 67-61 win at Troy-Buchanan. Fort Zumwalt South took third place while Columbia-Hickman won the Troy Invite.

At Winfield Bank of Old Monroe Tip Off Classic North Tech rebounded from a 74-72 loss to eventual tournament champion Fort Zumwalt North by defeating Fort Zumwalt East, 59-55, and Union, 68-60. “We have potential to be a really good team,” said North Tech head coach Don Boyce.