Wolverines punch their ticket to State!

[January 31, 2023]  The West Lincoln-Broadwell Wolverines won the Sectional 4 Championship over Bloomington Cornerstone 39-23 on Monday night in Greenview.

With the win the Wolverines punched their ticket to the 2023 7th Grade Class 1A State Tournament in East Peoria this coming weekend.

On Monday night in Greenview the Wolverines found themselves down 6-4 in the first quarter, with Henry Stoltzenburg and Grant Hayes providing the only baskets for WLB.

The Wolverines made a comeback in the second quarter, with Kruz Froebe and Stoltzenburg leading the charge. Both Froebe and Stoltzenburg scored field goals and the two were clutch at the free throw line. Froebe was 4-for-4 in the quarter while Stoltzenburg was 2-for-2 from the line. At the half WLB was on top 14-12.

The best was yet to come in the second half. The Wolverines held Bloomington Cornerstone to just two points in the third quarter. Meanwhile the Wolverines cranked their offense into high gear. Froebe, Stoltzenburg, Hayes and Griffen Cross each made two-point field goals in the quarter and then it was Froebe sinking a free throw. Froebe would go on to connect for two 3s later in the quarter and give the Wolverines a dominating 29-14 lead.

The big shot of the fourth quarter was a three by Maddox Whiteman. The remaining WLB offense was made by way of the free throw line. The team sank seven free throws down the stretch and put away Bloomington Cornerstone by a final score of 39-23.

Kruz Froebe led all scorers with 17 points. He was 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

Henry Stoltzenburg tallied 10 points for the Wolverines.

WLB Coach Curtis Conrady provided some postgame comments about the comeback.

“We were down 4-6 at the end of the first quarter,” said Conrady. “Cornerstone scored 10 unanswered points in the first half making the score 10-4. Cornerstone packed their 2-3 defense which made it hard for WLB to get their offense going in the first 10 minutes of the game. West Lincoln-Broadwell changed their defense to full court defense to try and get some easy baskets in transition. We ended the second quarter on a 10-2 run. WLB outscored Cornerstone 15-2 in the third quarter. Cornerstone couldn’t handle the full court pressure and WLB took advantage of it.”

WLB (24-3) will play Newton St. Thomas (20-5) on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. at the East Peoria Central Junior High School.

The winner will advance in the state tournament and play at 6:30 p.m. later that night.

Congratulations, Wolverines!

Fun Fact provided by Kamdin Horn’s mom, Kimberly:

Four of our 7th grade starters have older brothers that went to State in Junior High. Kameron Whiteman and Kaden Froebe went to State in 8th grade for WLB. Blake Horn went to State in 7th grade and WLB won State that year. That same year Drew Hayes took his Hartem team (with younger brother Brett) to State as well.

In addition, Kamdin Horn and Grant Hayes have two brothers on this year’s Lincoln Railers basketball team, Blake Horn and Drew Hayes. While Kruz Froebe and Maddox Whiteman have sisters on the 25-0 Lady Railers basketball team.

The love of basketball runs deep in those WLB families.

Scoring

WLB 39
Kruz Froebe 17
Henry Stoltzenburg 10
Grant Hayes 4
Kamdin Horn 3
Maddox Whiteman 3
Griffen Cross 2

Bloomington Cornerstone 23
Hughes 7
Murukas 6
Knapp 5
Maxwell 3
Anderson 2

Teena Lowery

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