Here are the 10 Peoria-area girls basketball teams headed to the 2024 IHSA sectionals
The 2024 Illinois High School Association girls basketball regional championships were Thursday and Friday around the state of Illinois. Here are the teams from the Peoria area that won regional championships and advance to sectional semifinals next week.
2024 IHSA girls basketball brackets: Peoria-area postseason schedules, scores and pairings
CLASS 1A
Illini Bluffs
How they won: Sixth-ranked Illini Bluffs beat host Mendon Unity 54-31 in the regional title game on Thursday night. The top-seeded Tigers won their seventh game in a row behind a 28-point effort from Lily Luczkowiak. Annabelle Fortin chipped in eight. This is IB's first regional title since 2020 and 18th visit to the sectional in program history.
What's next: Illini Bluffs (28-4) vs. Annawan (24-6), 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Bushnell Sectional semifinal.
IB girls 🏀 Regional Champs 54-31 vs Mendon Unity. Girls effort & hustle was 💯. So proud of how they played. Really 🔒’d it down on DEF in 2nd half. Few days to improve. Continuing to take it 1 game @ a time. PROCESS>product @KurtPegler @hoijim @ib327athletics @AdamDuvall pic.twitter.com/xtCCcDD134
— Jim Belville (@CoachBelville) February 16, 2024
Peoria Heights
How they won: Peoria Heights ended a 32-year drought by beating Midland, 52-29, for the Flanagan-Cornell Regional title on Friday. The Patriots last won a regional plaque in 1992 as a Class A school. Emily Dana paced Heights 20 points, while Anna Foster added 12 and Janessa Wallace chipped in 10 for the Heights, which have won are riding its fourth win streak this season of at least five games.
What's next: Peoria Heights (26-6) vs. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (22-9), 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Colfax Ridgeview Sectional semifinal.
Heights girls make history winning regional championship 52-29 over a very good Midland team! Much respect to what coach has done for the Timberwolves. @KurtPegler @hoijim @pmc3_83 @AdamDuvall pic.twitter.com/N6X5qh7I8e
— Derek Scott (@Dscottph325) February 17, 2024
Lewistown
How they won: Lewistown spurred an upset over second-seeded Havana to win its own regional championship, 50-34, on Friday night. A balanced scoring attack with three players in double-figures — Landry Smith (12 points), Makenna Johnson (12 points) and Joley McLaughlin (11 points) — helped the five-seed Indians win their first regional title since a 2020 state runner-up finish.
What's next: Lewistown (19-13) vs. Abingdon-Avon (25-7), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Bushnell-Prairie City Sectional semifinal.
Ltown GBB (19-13) wins a Regional Title over Havana 50-34.
Smith 12pt 6rb 3ast 6st
M Johnson 12pt 2rb@joleymac 11pt 8rb 2ast
Kruzan 8pt 10rb 2ast
Wiegand 7pt 4rb 5ast 2st@AdamDuvall @voice0354 @mbix1962 @prcsports1 @ibcacoaches pic.twitter.com/iaD6DLKCUs— Joey McLaughlin (@jmclaughlin17) February 17, 2024
Abingdon-Avon
How they won: Sixth-seed Abingdon-Avon came back from double digits in second-half to beat fourth-seeded Wethersfield, 46-40, at the Princeville Regional on Friday night. After being down eight at halftime, the Tornadoes took the lead late in the fourth quarter. Freshman Kennedy Quinn scored 18 points for A-Town, which is playing in a sectional for the first time since 2015.
What's next: Abingdon-Avon (25-7) vs. Lewistown (19-13), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Bushnell-Prairie City Sectional semifinal.
St. Bede
How they won: Second-seed St. Bede led wire-to-wire in beating Amboy, 50-39, in the Ottawa Marquette Regional title on Friday night. Ali Bosnich scored a team-high nine points, Lily McClain added eight, and Savannah Bray scored seven off the bench. The Bruins, who have won 15 games in a row, are regional champs for the first time since 2020.
What's next: St. Bede vs. (26-7) vs. Chicago Morgan Park Academy (26-4), 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Gardner-South Wilmington Sectional semifinals.
St. Bede (26-7) advances to the Gardner-South Wilmington Sectional on Tuesday pic.twitter.com/CjgrFE7gBB
— Kevin Chlum (@KevinRChlum) February 17, 2024
CLASS 2A
Peoria Notre Dame
How they won: Top-ranked PND overcame an early deficit to beat Sherrard, 66-33, at the Chillicothe Regional on Friday night. The Irish trailed by six in the first quarter before going on a 35-8 push to end the first half, taking a 39-18 lead into halftime. Mya Wardle (20 points) and Emy Wardle (12) points led the PND, which won their first regional title in 10 years. It was also coach Layne Langholf's first-ever postseason plaque.
What's next: PND (29-4) vs. Bloomington Central Catholic (26-6), 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Canton Sectional semifinal.
PND TO STATE? Can No. 1 Peoria Notre Dame win a girls basketball state title? Let's look at the path
No. 1 @PNDLadyIrish 66, Sherrard 33 Final
Mya Wardle scores 20, Em Wardle 12 and Kaitlin Cassidy adds 9 points and 7 rebounds
Irish win their first regional in 10 years, giving Layne Langholf his first as a coach#pjspreps pic.twitter.com/1i6ofjO7qP— Adam Duvall (@AdamDuvall) February 17, 2024
Deer Creek-Mackinaw
How they won: No. 8 Dee-Mack made it a clean sweep Thursday over Heart of Illinois Conference foe Downs Tri-Valley with a 57-38 victory in the Clinton Regional title game. The Chiefs, who set the school record for wins in a season, beat Tri-Valley for a third time this season, using double-digit scoring by Dalia Dejesus (19 points), Elise Hahn (12 points) and Lexi Cottingham (11 points).
What's next: Dee-Mack (31-2) vs. host Canton (25-8), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the sectional semifinal.
BACK-TO-BACK REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!! Chiefs survive and advance to Sectionals Tuesday at Canton. Go Chiefs!! ❤️🖤 pic.twitter.com/XyfoNITG5E
— DeeMack Lady Hoops (@DMladychiefs) February 16, 2024
Canton
How they won: Canton used its defense to beat Monmouth-Roseville, 67-35, in Thursday's Macomb Regional title game. The Little Giants held M-R to only 10 second-half points in winning their second regional in three years. Ava Wegner scored 19 points and set the single-season program record for 3-pointers (69) in a season. Jena Goforth chipped in 17, while Ella Demler added 13.
What's next: Host Canton (25-8) vs. Dee-Mack (31-2), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the sectional semifinal.
Regional Champs🏆!! Canton over M-R 67-35. Ava Wenger 19 pts and the record for most 3s in a season (69….). Jena Goforth 17 pts and Ella Demler 13 pts. Held M-R to 10 pts in the 2nd half. pic.twitter.com/v5cHVmRfVg
— Canton Little Giants GBB (@CantonLilGiants) February 16, 2024
IRISH TO STATE? Can No. 1 Peoria Notre Dame win a girls basketball state title?
CLASS 3A
Morton
How they won: Second-ranked Morton won its 10th game in a row, beating host and No. 7 Galesburg, 41-29, on Thursday in the regional championship. The Potters, who had beat Galesburg by 13 on Jan. 20, held the Silver Streaks to their lowest offensive output of the season. Isabella Hutchinson scored a game-high 15 points for Morton, whose last loss came against Washington on Jan. 10.
What's next: Morton (25-5) vs. Washington (23-6), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the East Peoria Sectional semifinal.
REGIONAL CHAMPS!!!! 🏆 #ChampionshipsAreCool pic.twitter.com/gvE88GHdHB
— PotterDomiNation (@LadyPottersHoop) February 16, 2024
Washington
How they won: No. 5 Washington beat rival Metamora for a third time this season, claiming a 67-53 title game victory in Thursday's Pontiac Regional. The Panthers are back in the sectional for a third successive year and have won 74 games in that span. Washington and sectional opponent Morton split the regular-season series.
What's next: Washington (23-6) vs. Morton (25-5), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the East Peoria Sectional semifinal.
2024 REGIONAL CHAMPS!! Washington 67 - Metamora 53 pic.twitter.com/KAViwtnWJD
— WCHS Girls Bball (@wchs_308gbb) February 16, 2024
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA girls basketball regional scores, sectional teams from Peoria