Quincy Catholic, Brown County seventh grade boys teams claim sectional championships

QUINCY — Two area seventh grade boys basketball teams advanced to the elite eight of the Illinois Elementary School Association state tournament series by winning sectional championships Monday night.

Quincy Catholic held on to defeat Athens 35-29 in the Class 3A sectional title game at Warrensburg-Latham High School, while Brown County hammered West Prairie 54-18 to win the Class 2A sectional title game at Mendon Unity High School.

The Crusaders (17-5) will face Crest Hill-Richland (23-0) at 10 a.m. Saturday in the state quarterfinals at El Paso-Gridley High School. The Hornets (27-0) will face Decatur Montessori Academy of Peace (11-4) in the state quarterfinals at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Macon Meridian High School.

The semifinals in all classes will be played later Saturday with the championship and third-place games scheduled for next week.

Quincy Catholic never trailed, taking a 7-2 lead early in the first quarter and claiming a 15-11 lead at halftime. Kaden Marth scored all 10 of his team’s points in the third quarter, including the last two on a buzzer beater to give Quincy Catholic a 25-18 lead.

The Crusaders scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to take an 11-point lead, their biggest of the game. However, Athens (22-5) came back to within three points. Quincy Catholic held off the Warriors when Marth, Austin Genenbacher and Rowan Stegeman combined to make 4 of 6 free throws in the final 90 seconds.

Marth led the Crusaders with 19 points.