Another brick in the Wall: Junior center’s defensive work is backbone of regional title for Raiders

BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Pleasant Plains’ Zach Powell dribbled across the lane midway through the third quarter and tossed up a right-handed hook shot that Quincy Notre Dame’s Jake Wallingford got a fingertip on.

Powell grabbed the rebound, then went back up for a second shot — only for Wallingford to swat it into a group of Pleasant Plains cheerleaders.

Those two blocks were the signature moment of QND’s 48-37 victory on Friday night in the championship game of the Class 2A sectional at Beardstown High School. The Raiders (19-11) advance to the sectional at Stanford Olympia and will play Wednesday against Maroa-Forsyth, which defeated Normal University High 62-58 to win the regional at Maroa.

The regional title is the 33rd in QND history and the first for the Raiders since 2018.

Wallingford finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. However, it was his six blocked shots that were emblematic of Notre Dame’s defense Friday night. Plains was limited to 28 percent shooting (11 of 39). After scoring on their first possession of the fourth quarter, the Cardinals made only two more baskets. One of them was a desperation off-balance 3-pointer by Cooper Schallenberg with 17 seconds left.

Powell scored 25 in Wednesday’s semifinal victory against West Hancock, but he was limited to just two baskets in the first half and seven points overall.

“(Powell) went right all the time, so I knew that coming in,” Wallingford said. “I knew it was going to be a tough matchup, and it was, but I knew he went right every time. That helped.”

“I kind of thought going in whoever won that matchup would have a better chance of winning,” Pleasant Plains coach Alex Weber said. “You could tell early I thought we were a little bit rattled by (Wallingford). He definitely altered some things in there.”

“Jake’s been big for us the last three or four games,” Raiders coach Kevin Meyer said. “He’s really bought into kind of the defensive enforcer guy. He did a heck of a job Wednesday night when he shut out a guy (Illini West’s Max Richardson) who just had 28 points (in the regional opener). To do that tonight to Powell, it put doubt in Powell’s mind.”

The Raiders, who scored the first 12 points in Wednesday night’s regional semifinal against Illini West, opened Friday’s game by scoring the first nine points in 2 1/2 minutes.

“I was worried about the first few minutes of the game,” Weber said. “I thought it would take us a minute to get used to their athleticism, speed and strength. When you get down 9-0 just like that, it takes a lot of energy to get back.”

The Cardinals missed 14 of 20 shots in the first half and trailed 22-19 at halftime. However, a 10-2 run in the third quarter, capped by a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Evan Houser, put Pleasant Plains ahead 30-28 with 3:06 to play.

Braden Sheffield answered 30 seconds later with a driving basket. Each team was scoreless for the final 2 1/2 minutes. The score was tied 30-30 entering the fourth quarter.

“We were so confident, because I believe in my team,” Sheffield said.

“We were all like, ‘We are winning this game,’” said Stratton, who also scored 15 points. “Everyone’s been doubting us. We didn’t have the best finish during the regular season (losing four of their last eight games). A lot of people were doubting us, but we didn’t.

“We had them right where we wanted them.”

Wallingford scored in the lane to open the fourth quarter, and Powell tied the score again with two free throws. Plains then went scoreless for the next five possessions, while the Raiders attacked the basket. Two free throws by Sheffield, plus one each from Jake Hoyt and Wallingford, were followed by driving baskets by Wallingford and Sheffield to put QND ahead 40-32 with 2:40 to go.

A basket by Cooper Schallenberg gave the Cardinals life. The Raiders — a 63 percent free throw shooting team this season — made eight of 10 free throws in the final 1:22 to seal the victory.

“We’ve been working on (free throws) in practice,” Wallingford said. “We know it’s a key thing in the postseason to win games. We’re going to have to hit those late in games.”

The Raiders have allowed an average of 35.5 points in their last four games. That figure is 10 points below what they were allowing through the first 26 games.

“I told them this afternoon, ‘We’re going to come over, we’re going to win the first quarter,  we’re going to win this ball game, and you’re going to have a regional plaque,” Meyer said.

“It was a great battle. In the fourth quarter, we made some free throws. The right guys stepped up with confidence and knocked them down. That’s what you’re supposed to do in the postseason. Now we get to do it again on Wednesday.”