Hawks Take Down Hornets to Win Class 1A State Title

Saturday was Championship Day in Champaign as four teams would be crowned as Illinois' State Champions. The Class 1A title game featured Gibault Catholic and Scales Mound.

The Gibault Catholic Hawks had an impressive semifinal tilt beating Cornerstone Christian 70-46. The Scales Mound Hornets got their offense going in the second half after a slow start against Tuscola, winning 40-27.

The first half was a tale of two quarters. The Hawks, led by senior Kaden Augustine and junior Gavin Kesler, started the game on a 14-2 run and led 19-5 after the quarter. Then junior guard Thomas Hereau led the Hornets to a comeback in the second quarter, and the Hornets trailed by 2 at the half while outscoring the Hawks 18-6 in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, Hereau and Augustine traded threes back and forth through the first five and a half minutes. It was all Hawks after that as Gavin Kesler, Hudson Blank, and company pulled away in the final 10-plus minutes, and beat the Hornets 65-45. The Hawks outscored the Hornets 20-6 in the final quarter, and ended the game on a 10-0 run.

Senior Kaden Augustine led the Hawks with 24 points and 3 rebounds. 6-3 Gavin Kesler had 18 points and 7 rebounds. Hudson Blank had 15 points, including 3 threes. Point guard Kameron Hanvy had 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Hornets junior guard Thomas Hereau led with 24 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and was 5/6 from three. 6-8 senior Dylan Slavenburg had 8 points and 2 assists off the bench for the Hornets.

The Hawks finish the season 32-7 and the Hornets finish the season at 33-6