QJHS eighth grade girls basketball team wins Class 4A state championship

NORMAL, Ill. — The Quincy Junior High School eighth grade girls basketball team won the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 4A state championship Thursday night, beating Danville North Ridge 40-26.

The Comets outscored the Ridge Runners 13-2 in the first quarter at Normal Parkside Junior High and led 20-6 at halftime.

Jada Brown went 10 of 11 from the free-throw line and led Quincy with 20 points. Myley Longcor added eight points and Cameran Byquist had seven.

The Comets (29-1) will have a championship celebration at 3:45 p.m. Friday in the upper gym at QJHS.

In the Class 2A championship at Havana High School, Paris Crestwood outscored Brown County 10-2 in the third quarter and finished off a 33-16 victory. The Hornets finished their season with a 25-3 record. No individual statistics were available.

In the Class 3A third-place game at Germantown Hills Middle School, Pittsfield beat Manteno 24-15 by limiting the Panthers to three points in each of the final three quarters. Reese Ramsey led the Lady Braves with eight points, and Sophie Gengler added six. Pittsfield finished with a 26-3 record.