The Road to Rend Lake: Warriors Finish Strong
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Another banner season for the Du Quoin (Middle School) Boys Basketball team
ended with an impressive victory Wednesday night.
<span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204);" id="lw_1235192591_0" class="yshortcuts">The Warriors</span> defeated <span id="lw_1235192591_1" class="yshortcuts">Casey Junior High School</span> of Mt. Vernon 48-41 in the
third place game of the Southern Illinois <span id="lw_1235192591_2" class="yshortcuts">Junior High School Athletic
Association</span> (SIJHSAA) Class L State Tournament, securing their 20th win and
bringing a final four trophy for the fourth time in six years.
"What a fitting end to a great season," DMS coach Ryan Heape said. "Twenty
wins is huge for any group but especially in junior high. Its hard to let
them go, but watching them in high school is going to be fun."
An 18-8 second quarter blitz‹highlighted by the long distance shooting of
Daulton Beltz, Nate Boss and Brenden Fred‹helped the Warriors (20-4)
breakaway from Mt. Vernon after a sluggish start.
The game was knotted 6-6 following the first quarter before a three-ball by
Fred put Du Quoin ahead to stay.
Late in the half, Beltz came off the bench to connect twice from downtown. A
buzzer-beater from the deep left corner as the period ended pushed DMS ahead
26-14.
Du Quoin's double-digit lead lasted until the mid-stages of the final frame,
when Mt. Vernon came to life. Boss drove to the basket for a 41-34 lead, but
the Junior Rams pulled within 42-38 at the 1:45 mark following a basket by
standout guard Tyler Mitchell.
A basket from Austin Mansker and four consecutive foul tosses by Boss and
Fred accounted for the final Warrior points and kept Mt. Vernon at bay.
Deeja Cole battled the taller Junior Rams inside and finished with a
game-high seven rebounds and four blocked shots before fouling out. Mansker
had six assists and five steals, while also swatting away a pair of shots.
Boss scored a team-best 14 points with Mansker netting 11 and Beltz eight.
Cole had six and Fred added five. Shayne Baxter's solid <span id="lw_1235192591_3" class="yshortcuts">floor game</span> off the
bench included four assists.
The constant DMS pressure defense created a dozen steals, deflected 13
Junior Rams passes and forced 23 turnovers.
Mansker - Du Quoin's defensive ace - recorded nine deflections.
"Personally I just want to thank these kids for their efforts," Heape said.
"They have been so much fun to coach, teach and spend time with. Watching
them play has been pretty special. These kids deserve everything they have
accomplished this year, considering how hard they work and how unselfish
they are."
Du Quoin again filled its side‹and then some‹of Waugh Gymnasium for
Wednesday's season finale. That despite home freshman-sophomore basketball games, along with "<span id="lw_1235192591_4" class="yshortcuts">Du Quoin Night</span> "at <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204);" id="lw_1235192591_5" class="yshortcuts">John A. Logan College</span>, being held simultaniously.
"Its really obvious these kids have a tremendous amount of respect for the
support they get from the community," Heape concluded.
"We as a program at DMS owe a huge <span id="lw_1235192591_6" class="yshortcuts">debt of gratitude</span> to the parents of these
kids for raising such a remarkable group of young men."
Heape also handed out special thanks to seventh grade coach and varsity
assistant <span id="lw_1235192591_7" class="yshortcuts">Jason James</span>.
The 2008-2009 Warriors roster included Shayne Baxter, Jonah Spencer, Jacob
O'Rourke, Thomas Hamlin, Haeden Sweetin, Austin Mansker, <span id="lw_1235192591_8" class="yshortcuts">John Erwin</span>, Daulton
Beltz, Tim Cochran, Brenden Fred, Daulton Donoghue, Nate Boss, <span id="lw_1235192591_9" class="yshortcuts">Travis
Chapman</span>, Deeja Cole, Garrett Dorsey, Spencer Cook and Camden Youngman.
Du Quoin 48, Mt. Vernon 41
DMS (20-4): Mansker 5 1-2 11, Boss 4 (1) 3-5 14, Cole 1 2-2 6, Chapman 1 0-0
2, Fred 0 (1) 2-2 5, Beltz 1 (2) 0-0 8, Baxter 1 0-0 2, Spencer 0 0-0 0,
O'Rourke 0 0-0 0, Hamlin 0 0-0 0, Sweetin 0 0-0 0, Erwin 0 0-0 0, Cochran 0
0-0 0, Dongohue 0 0-0 0, Dorsey 0 0-0 0.
Totals 14-33 (4-9) 8-11 48.
Mt. Vernon: Mitchell 7 5-5 19, L. Thomas 0 (3) 3-4 12, Liddell 1 4-8 6,
Young 0 1-2 1, Cantley 1 0-0 2, Jefferson 0 2-2 2, C. Thomas 1 0-0 2. Totals
10 (3) 15-21 41.
DMS 8 18 9 13‹48
Casey 6 8 11 16‹41
Three-pointers: DMS 4 (Beltz 2, Boss, Fred). Mt. Vernon 3 (L. Thomas 3).
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