From Bob Bowser:

On Monday, January 31st, Yellow Jackets Basketball traveled to Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, IL. to play St. Joe in the SIJHSAA Regional Championship ballgame.  It would be the third time in the first three years of the co-op for Allendale and St. Mary's boys basketball to be in the championship game of the Regional.  The first two years the Yellow Jackets would come away with the trophy.  Could they do it a third time, as St. Joe had defeated the Yellow Jackets earlier in the season at St. Joe?

In the first quarter, the Yellow Jackets would jump out on top 8-4 behind Rhett Andrews' four points, Brendan Bowser with 2 points, and Elliott Acree with two free throws for two points.  St. Joe would win the second quarter, but the Yellow Jackets still led 17-14 at halftime.  Rhett Andrews continued to lead the way for the Yellow Jackets in the second half, as he had 8 points at the break.  The third quarter was rough on the Yellow Jackets, as St. Joe took the lead 28-24.  Brady Porter had a big three-pointer in the quarter and Will Freeland had a bucket and two free throws for four points.  The Yellow Jackets were challenged at the break to finish the ballgame and they responded big time.  The Yellow Jackets outscored St. Joe 12-4 in the decisive quarter to win the game by the final score of 36-32.  Rhett Andrews and Elliott Acree did a bulk of the scoring in the quarter, but the biggest shots of the night came from Kasen Dulgar, as he hit 2 free throws down the stretch to put the Yellow Jackets in the lead for good.  The Yellow Jackets did it!!  They have completed the 3-peat for Regional Championships in three years.  Scoring for the Yellow Jackets were:  Rhett Andrews with 15 points, Elliott Acree with 7 points, Will Freeland with 6 points, Brady Porter with 4 points, Kasen Dulgar with 2 points, and Brendan Bowser with 2 points.  Here is the key for this ballclub, as I tell them all the time that layups, free throws, and defense win you ballgames.  Keep in mind, as a team, we have made less than 50% of our free throws on the season.  Tonight, we made 85% of our free throws (11-13) and held a good ballclub in St. Joe to 32 points.  The formula worked magically tonight.  

The Yellow Jackets are now 13-9 on the season.  Next up:  first round of the SIJHSAA State Tournament on Saturday at Pinckneyville, as we will take on Meridian at 12 pm.