March 09, 2025
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A look at sectional championship games over the years

By Kevin Hieronymus
Hall coach Eric Bryant addresses his team during a timeout in 1997-98 state tournament play in Peoria.

Hall coach Eric Bryant addresses his team during a timeout in 1997-98 state tournament play in Peoria. He directed his Hustlin' Hall Red Devils to sectional championships in 1991, 1997 and 1998 as well as DePue in 1980. (Shaw Local News Network file photo)

Here’s a look at sectional championship game scores for Bureau County schools as researched by BCR Sports Editor Kevin Hieronymus. Princeton will make its 13th sectional finals appearance Friday night dating back to 1936, winning six of first nine, but losing its last three.

1936 - Fulton 41, Princeton 29

1941 - Streator 34, Hall 32

1944 - Marseilles 37, St. Bede 35

1950 - Kewanee 57, DePue 50

1951 - Odell St. Paul 57, DePue 53

1952 - Ottawa 59, DePue 53 (Little Giants turned back in third straight finals appearance)

1954 - Princeton 54, Ottawa 46 (Tigers become first Bureau County team to reach state, then the Sweet 16; Joe Ruklick had 20 points, Fred Boher 16, Lew Flinn 13)

1955 - Princeton 48, Streator 37 (Dick Hult had 19 points, Flinn 11 as Tigers return to state, placing 4th)

1958 - Ottawa 70, Tiskilwa 65 (Chuck Sash leads Indians with 28 points)

1973 - Toluca 62, St. Bede 58-Class A

1974 - Hall 55, Wethersfield 49-Class A (Red Devils win first sectional, Steve Hochstatter scores 16 points, Tom Jaskowiak 12, Rollie Himes 12. Bob Jiles' Red Devils did not play a single home game that season as Red Devil Gymnasium was under construction)

1975 - Western 51, Wenona 50-Class A (Chips Giovanine’s undefeated Rams go on to state, Bobby Sprowls has 21 points)

1976 - Western 62, Roanoke-Benson 61-Class A (Rams return to state undefeated, Kevin Anglin scores 16 points, Ron Nielson 12)

1980 - DePue 68, Wethersfield 67-Class A (Eric Bryant’s Little Giants win first and only sectional at Princeton; Rick Resetich scores 34 points)

1983 - Tiskilwa 62, Mendota 61-Class A (Bob Prusator’s Indians win first sectional and would advance to state; Bill Moretz has 20 points, Tom Schertz 17)

1985 - Ohio 81, St. Bede 60-Class A (Bulldogs win first sectional behind its “Thunder (Brad Bickett 26) and Lightning” duo (Lance Harris 27); Bruins had stunned state-ranked Princeton in regional finals)

1986 - Ohio 61, Newark 59-Class A (Lloyd Johnson’s Bulldogs repeat as sectional champions and would go on to place 2nd at state; Harris nets 24 points, Bickett 23)

1988 - Sandwich 75, Hall 49-Class A

1991 - Hall 78, Yorkville 60-Class A (Red Devils reign on their home floor)

1992 - Princeton 54, Mendota 53-Class A (Jeff Ohlson sinks game-winning free throw to give Roger Lowe’s Tigers first sectional title for PHS in 37 years; Matt McDonald nets 26)

1994 - Princeton 60, Stark County 58-Class A (Dan Marquis stole the ball back each time after missing three free throws to preserve Bruce Placek’s Tigers' sectional title on their home court)

1995 - Yorkville 73, Princeton 70-Class A (Foxes win in third overtime on last-second 3-pointer on a deflected pass; Foxes also hit 3 at buzzer to send game into OT)

1997 - Hall 71, Indian Creek 48-Class A (Eric Bryant “Jr.” scores 22 points for his dad’s Devils who would go on to the state finals)

1998 - Hall 102, Bureau Valley 45-Class A (Hall keeps hustling atop the 1A rankings behind Class A Player of the Year Shawn Jeppson’s 22 points; Red Devils would finish as state runner-up again)

1999 - Plano 64, Hall 40-Class A (Reapers end Red Devils' sectional run)

2000 - Bureau Valley 60, Winnebago 59-Class A (Brad Bickett’s Storm survive in overtime, led by Justin Yepsen’s 17 points)

2001 - Bureau Valley 59, Stillman Valley 48-Class A (Storm repeat as sectional champions at Somonauk, Reuben Slock has 21 points, 8 rebounds)

2002 - Bureau Valley 52, Princeton 41-Class A (The Storm rally at the Storm Cellar behind the late shooting of Phil Endress (16 points) to keep their sectional streak alive and go on to earn third straight third-place finish at State)

2003 - Princeton 63, Rockford Christian Life 32-Class A

2004 - Peoria Christian 68, Hall 65-Class A (Russ Witte takes Hall to finals in first year as coach)

2005 - Eureka 66, Bureau Valley 60-Class A (At Princeton)

2009 - Princeton 71, Manual 65-2A (Jesse Brandt’s Tigers shock former 4-time state champ at Chillicothe in one of PHS' biggest wins in school history)

2010 - Winnebago 70, Princeton 54-2A

2019 - Bureau Valley 56, Newman 49-2A (Jason Marquis’ Storm overcome 18-10 deficit to overtake the Comets)

2023 - Rockridge 64, Princeton 46-2A (Rockets end Tigers’ season that saw them ranked No. 1 in state for most of season)

2024 - Byron 59, Princeton 43-2A

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