Saints boys going for two titles?
When Bloomington Central Catholic and top-seed Minonk Fieldcrest tip off in the final game on Thursday evening, they’ll be going for the 2009 boys 1A/2A tournament crown. A Fieldcrest win would give the Knights their first State Farm Holiday Classic championship. A Saint win would give Central Catholic its third Holiday Classic title – all in the past four years – and would also give the Saints the unofficial title of the winningest team in tournament history. With three wins thus far this year, Central Catholic is 56-41 all-time in Holiday Classic tournament play. Normal U-High is 56-50 after going 1-3 this year.

Saints girls seeking a repeat performance The girls 1A/2A State Farm Holiday Classic championship is a rematch of the 2008 title game – top-seed Bloomington Central Catholic and No. 2 seed Brimfield. Last year, the Saints beat the Indians 60-36. A win on Thursday afternoon would give the Saints its third tournament title, eighth straight tournament win and 46th straight regular season victory. Brimfield hopes to end those streaks behind the play of Division 1 signees Paige Spietz (Missouri) and Kelsey Herridge (Army).

City showdown
On Dec. 10, Springfield High handed Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin a 20-point defeat. Thursday afternoon, the two face off again, this time for the girls 3A/4A Holiday Classic title. Springfield’s lone loss on the year is to Peoria Richwoods, whom Sacred Heart-Griffin beat to reach Thursday’s final.

Comfortable surroundings
With an 88-point semifinal performance, Rockton Hononegah earned its place in its third consecutive boys 3A/4A championship game. The Indians won its only title two years ago, and lost in last year’s final to Normal Community but has appeared in five of the last seven championship games. This year, the Indians face tournament newcomer – and defending state champion – Champaign Centennial. In an oddity, Hononegah has now appeared in the championship game of every odd year – 2003, 2005, 2007 and now 2009 – since it returned to Bloomington-Normal in 2002.

Tournament records

• Keelan Prince of Rock Island Alleman made his first three free throws Wednesday, giving him 19 consecutive FTs made. Prince then missed on his 20th attempt and finished 20-of-21 overall. The 19 straight FTs breaks a record from 1999 (Ben Lee, Olympia, 17).
• Rock Island Alleman’s girls team set two free throw shooting records. In four games, the Pioneers made 76 free throws in 111 attempts. Both are records. The previous mark for free throws made by one team in the tournament was Galesburg girls (70 in 2000). The previous mark for free throw attempts was Geneseo, which shot 102 in 2004.

Milestone
Congratulations to Bloomington High senior Teasha Harris, who surpassed the 1,000 career point mark in the Purple Raiders loss to Normal West.