THE ROAD TO NORMAL: Early Start for Du Quoin, Elverado

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The 2008-2009 "Road to Normal" starts on the opening night of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Tournament series for a pair of local girls basketball teams.

Monday night, at Sesser-Valier's Class 1A Regional, Elverado (3-21) plays the host Sesser-Valier/Waltonville squad in the second of two quarterfinal games.

Tip-off is set for 8 o'clock.

The tourney begins as #4 seed Galatia faces off against fifth-rated Wayne City at 6 p.m.

Elverado is seeded sixth and S-V/W third.

"It's a tough draw for us, no doubt about that," Lady Falcons coach Lance Bedar admitted. "Sesser's beaten us pretty good twice."

In two previous Black Diamond Conference West Division meetings, the Lady Red Devils won by convincing margins.

The Elverado vs. S-V/W winner advances to play Tuesday against #2 Webber Township.

Woodlawn was tabbed as the #1 seed.

Sesser-Valier's regional champ moves into next week's sectional at Edwards County.

In Class 2A, Du Quoin's young Lady Indians (1-21) enter tourney play on a 21-game losing skid and tangle with Zeigler-Royalton/Christopher at 6 p.m. Monday.

The Lady Tornadoes beat Du Quoin 74-44 January 14 and feature three-time All-Stater Lauren Mitchell.

Du Quoin or Z-R-C would then take on top-seeded West Frankfort on Tuesday.

Pinckneyville, 19-7, is rated second behind Frankfort and drew the other tournament bye. They enter post season on a five-game win streak.

The Lady Panthers await Monday's second game survivor, Benton or Johnston City. That game would be at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

"The West Frankfort regional will be quite a test for us," PCHS coah Alan Engelhardt said.

"Frankfort is very big and physical with Johnston City an athletic group. Z-R-C has the best player in the regional-and maybe the south-in Lauren Mitchell, " Engelhardt said.

" And you know, Du Quoin and Benton are going to bust their tails to play hard and play like they have nothing at all to lose. I think we can cause everyone a lot of trouble with our pressure defense. We just need to work on the offensive end to sustain the success we have been having lately."