Dynamic Duo
Pana’s Allie Schoonover out-scored Annawan’s Celina VanHyfte 33-31, but it’s VanHyfte’s Bravettes who are moving on to their second Holiday Classic semifinal in four years. Annawan outlasted Pana 55-48…in a game in which Schoonover and VanHyfte combined for 62 percent of the games points. The 64 points scored between the two sharpshooters is the highest combined by opposing players in the same game in girls tournament play, eclipsing the 63 points combined scored by Olney East Richland’s Brittany Johnson and Kankakee Bishop MacNamara’s Jennifer Juergens in 2005. Van Hyfte has 59 points combined in the two games, which raises her career total to 210 points in 10 career Holiday Classic games.
Soaring Saints
A night after scoring 72 in a 50-point win, the Central Catholic Saints girls squad amassed 81 points in an 81-59 victory over Brimfield. The win gives the Saints their sixth straight semifinal appearance. Since 2007, Central Catholic has only lost twice at the Classic – last year to El Paso-Gridley in the 2011 title game and in 2007 to Rochester in that year’s championship game. Ironically, the Saints were on pace to meet El Paso-Gridley in this year’s semis until – yes, Rochester – knocked off the previous unbeaten Titans. The Central Catholic/Rochester semi will be the Rockets first semifinal appearance since they won it all in 2007.
Central Catholic also has 42 career wins (42-17) at the Holiday Classic, which ties Rock Island Alleman (42-19) for most in girls tournament play heading into Friday’s action.
Cue the Rocky theme
Rock Island’s boys and girls both made it to the semifinals after the boys knocked off defending tournament champion Normal Community and the girls kept their perfect season alive with a thrilling two-point win over Morton. Both teams are trying to make their first State Farm Holiday Classic title game. The Rocky boys made the semis last in 2010 before losing to Peoria Notre Dame. Rocky’s girls had never made a semifinal in nine previous Holiday Classic appearances.
Hardware going to new places
At least finalist in both the boys small school and large school bracket will be appearing in its first State Farm Holiday Classic title game. Rock Island faces Chicago North Lawndale in one semifinal – and, while Rocky has two previous semifinal appearances (both losses in the semis), the Phoenix had never started 2-0 at the Holiday Classic. In small school play, tournament newcomer Rockford Lutheran is in the semis in its debut appearance, and Lutheran will match up against Providence St. Mel, which is making its first semifinal appearance in its fourth Holiday Classic.
Perfect string
Over the past few years, you can pencil in Springfield and Champaign Centennial in the large school girls semifinals. That’s no different this year as Springfield will make its fourth straight trip in four tries, while Centennial is making its third semifinal appearance in its third year in the tournament. Ironically, the two have never faced each other in the semifinals, but they will Friday night.
Going six for six?
From 2001-2004, Quincy Notre Dame appeared in the Holiday Classic championship game, winning titles in 2002 and 2004. Last year, the Raiders won the title. This year, the top seed is making a strong defense of its title, by making another semifinal – this time against Minonk Fieldcrest, which is making its third trip to the semis in four years. Heading into Friday night’s match-up, QND has never lost a Holiday Classic semifinal game (5-0 in semis overall).
