The Class 1A Road to Peoria: Elverado's Season Ends at 1-27

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Sesser-Valier and Zeigler-Royalton advanced as regional play began at Zeigler Monday night. The Red Devils made quick work of Elverado, 76-38, while Zeigler took control early to knock off Christopher 60-45 in the nightcap.

The Devils and Tornadoes will meet in the semifinals on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.

Sesser 76, Elverado 38

T.J. Eubanks handled things from the perimeter and Justin Matyi ruled the lane as Sesser had no problem with Elverado.

Eubanks hit all four of his three-point shots in the first period and Matyi had six points in the paint as the Devils opened up a 23-12 lead after one period.

Coy Cobin hit a 3-pointer to pull the Falcons within 25-15 as the second period started, but an 8-0 run gave Sesser an insurmountable lead, all eight of the points coming from Matyi.

Kyle Kempfer hit a 3-pointer to stop the run and pull Elverado within 33-18, but Sesser closed the half on a 9-5 run to lead 42-23 at the break.

A 25-7 advantage by the Devils in the third period put the game on ice.

T. Eubanks hit two more 3-pointers in the quarter and Matyi and Antonio Smith combined for 10 points in the lane as Sesser pulled ahead 67-31 as the fourth period started.

T. Eubanks and Matyi had 20 points each to lead Sesser (21-5), with Smith scoring 12 and Kendall Gibson 10.

Teagan Armstrong had 11 and Kempfer 10 to lead the Falcons, who finished 1-27 for the year.

Z-R 60, Christopher 45

Shawn Menckowski scored a game-high 24 points - 18 in the second half - to go over 1,000 points in his career, but it wasn't enough as Zeigler took a big early lead and held on for a 60-45 win.

The Tornadoes started out hot, leading 16-7 after one period and 30-11 late in the first half, but the Bearcats closed to within single digits with less than two minutes left in the third period before Z-R pulled away for the win.

Eight players scored for Z-R in the first half and Zeigler jumped on top 11-2. Kyle Fitch and Tyler Mitchell had buckets to start the game, Jimmy Stevens hitting a 3-pointer to give Zeigler a 7-2 lead. Buckets from Hudson Vantrease and Chase Fann gave the Tornadoes the 11-2 advantage.

Jared Fourez hit a 3-pointer to pull Christopher within 11-5, but Z-R lead 16-7 after one quarter.

Fitch converted a three-point play as the second quarter began, starting a 16-4 run that gave Z-R a 32-11 lead. Fitch, Tyler Mitchell, Kyle Ingersoll and Kyle Ferguson had buckets in the run, with Jake Wawczak scoring five in the rally. Two of Wawczak's points came from the line after a technical was called on the Bearcats, the other three coming on an impossible three-point play that gave Z-R a 30-11 lead. Wawczak was fouled hard as he went in for a layup, somehow getting the ball of the glass for a hoop on the play.

Christopher closed the half on an 8-0 run to trail 34-19 at the break, Menckowski and J. Fourez had four points each in the run. Menckowski, needing 19 points for 1,000 was the focus of a diamond-and-one defense by the Tornadoes, and had just two points before hitting two buckets in the final 1:12 of the half.

Menckowski kept his offense going in the third period as the Bearcats got back in the game. The senior hit three 3-pointers and had 11 points in the period. Down 40-23, Menckowski hit three straight 3-pointers to pull Christopher within 42-32 with 1:56 left in the third period.

The Bearcats had a chance to get the lead to single digits on their next possession, but missed a jumper. J. Fourez made a great play, though, stealing the rebound out of Mitchell's hands and scoring to pull the Cats within 42-34 at quarter's end.

Mitchell scored the first two baskets of the fourth period, and Fitch added another plus a three-point play as Z-R used a 9-2 run to open up a 53-36 lead and put the game away.

Menckowski went over the 1,000 career-point mark with 3:47 left in the game, hitting two free throws.

Menckowski led all scorers with 24 points, J. Fourez adding 13 for the Bearcats.

Mitchell had 16, Fitch 14 for Z-R.

Action continues tonight at Zeigler Royalton, as second-seed Waltonville takes on Galatia at 6 p.m., while third-seeded NCOE plays Thompsonville at 8 p.m.

Elverado 12 11 8 7-38

Sesser 23 19 25 9-76

Elverado (1-27): Cobin 3 1-2 8, Kempfer 4 1-3 10, Armstrong 3 5-7 11, Porter 0 1-2 1, L.Stewart 1 0-3 2, Sandlin 2 1-2 6, Totals 13 9-19 38.

Sesser (21-5): D.Eubanks 1 2-3 4, DelBene 0 1-2 1, Pitchford 1 0-0 3, Gibson 4 2-2 10, Vandeckerhove 2 1-2 5, Vercellion 0 1-2 1, Matyi 9 2-5 20, T.Eubanks 7 0-0 20, Smith 6 0-2 12, Totals 30 9-18 76.

3-Pointers: Elverado 3 (Cobin, Kempf, Sandlin); Sesser-Valier 7 (T.Eubanks 6, Pitchford). Team Fouls: Elverado 15, Sesser-Valier 14.

Three-Point Showdown Advancers: T.J. Eubanks, Sesser; Dane Eubanks, Sesser; Kyle Kemper, Elverado; Dalton Hasty, Elverado

Christopher 7 12 15 11-45

Zeigler 16 18 8 18-60

Christopher (1-13): Menckowski 9 2-2 24, Greenwod 1 0-0 2, J.Fourez 5 2-2 13, Miklos 2 0-0 4, Harrison 1 0-0 2, Totals 18 4-6 45.

Zeigler (16-10): Vantrease 3 0-0 6, Fann 1 2-2 4, Fitch 6 2-5 14, Mitchell 7 2-3 16, Ingersoll 2 0-0 5, Ferguson 1 0-0 2, Wawczak 2 3-5 8, Stevens 1 0-0 3, Vreeland 1 0-0 2, Totals 24 9-15 60.

3-Pointers: Christopher 5 (Menckowski 4, J.Fourez); Zeigler-Royalton 3 (Ingersoll, Wawczak, Stevens). Team Fouls: Christopher 18, Zeigler-Royalton 14. Technical Fouls: J. Fourez

Three-Point Showdown Advancers: Kyle Ingersoll, Zeigler; Shawn Menckowski, Christopher; Dylan Arvai, Zeigler; Bradford Hargraves, Zeigler-Royalton