The high school Winter season is in high-visibility mode. Boys and girls basketball, wrestling, swimming and diving, all have the finish line in view. In high school basketball the theme remains the Original March Madness: One and done, frantic finishes, all prevail. The term March Madness was started by the Illinois High School Association in 1943. The girls Class 3A and 4A remaining teams in the upcoming weekend will be in State tournament play. Geneva High School, Montini, and Glenbard South are among the final teams.
• Wrestling took center stage last weekend. Aurora Christian High School, in its second year with a wrestling program, beat the school’s boys basketball team to the State championship drive with a Class 1A dual meet championship. The eight-school meet last weekend in Bloomington produced these final scores for Aurora Christian head coach Justin Pearch with victories over Hope Academy, 66-9; over coal City, 36-20; and over Vandalia in the championship match, 48-18.
• In the largest class, 3A, Montini was the State champion, which included a 55-10 victory over Marmion, over Providence, 47-29, and over Oak Park-River Forest, 43-29. Marmion defeated Sandburg last week in the sectional to advance to the State meet, 42-24.
• In State boys swimming last weekend, New Trier took first place with 161 points. Other top teams included Hinsdale Central in third place; Marmion tied for sixth place with Neuqua Valley and St. Charles North, Waubonsie Valley in ninth place, St. Charles East in 10th place and Naperville North in 12th place.
• In boys basketball, West Aurora High School prevailed in Friday’s East-West game, 60-41, even though it was a struggle in the first half. “I thought East played us very well,” said West head coach Brian Johnson. “They work hard from the tip through the final horn. The atmosphere was electric and we had to fight for the win. I’m please with how well we are playing together as a team. I’m happy with our senior leadership.”
• East Aurora ended its season against surging Yorkville in Monday’s 46-37 defeat.
• Camron Donatlan leads West Aurora in scoring average with 18.6 points per game. Jared Crutcher, 6-5 with a seven-foot wingspan, leads West Aurora in rebounds with 220 and with blocked shots with 86. Damian Virgen is third in scoring and leads in floor burns with hustle.
• Glenbard South girls head coach on prospects of playing athletic Peoria Richwoods in a State semifinal game: “We have to bore them to sleep (with a deliberate pace) to have a chance to win.” In spite of objections, it is still basketball.