With three games left in the regular season, the Belleville West boys basketball team is on the verge of clinching the school's first Southwestern Conference title since 2003-04.
But those remaining three games are against O'Fallon, Alton and Collinsville. And with the way the conference has played out this season, none of the games are gimmes.
The Maroons (17-5 overall) are in front of the two-horse race with a 10-1 mark, one game ahead of defending champion O'Fallon (18-5, 9-2). West hosts O'Fallon at 7:30 p.m. Friday and can clinch a tie for the league crown with a win. The Maroons finish league play hosting Alton on Feb. 22 and at Collinsville on Feb. 25.
Besides West, O'Fallon will host Edwardsville (Feb. 22) and East St. Louis (Feb. 25) to close out its season.
"It's a great feeling, being a part of the conference race," Maroons coach Joe Muniz said. "We basically control our own destiny. We've got to take care of our business. Whatever happens, happens. Thus far, we've done what we've needed to do."
Two years ago when West (10-4) ended third behind co-champs Edwardsville and Belleville East (both 11-3), the Maroons needed help to get to the top. It never happened.
This year, that's not been the case. The Maroons, who are 17-5 and ranked No. 5 in the STLhighschoolsports.com large-schools rankings and No. 8 in the Class 4A state poll, have handled just about everything thrown their way.
They have only two losses in 2011 (to O'Fallon 66-56 on Jan. 4; and 80-71 in overtime to Althoff last Saturday). While the loss to Althoff broke a 10-game winning streak, it won't take away from what could happen Friday.
"At this time of the season, you want to be playing for something," Muniz said. "We are. I don't feel the pressure, and I don't think the kids do either."
Six-foot-three senior forward Kane Sweeney leads the team in scoring (17.8), rebounding (5.0) and assists (2.1). It's not only Sweeney who provides the lift.
Add senior guard Dylan Chatman (14.1 ppg), sophomore forward Nick Van Osdale (11.4), junior forward Michael Schmidt (8.1) and the combination of junior center Kendall Smith (5.2) and junior forwards Jaylon Owens (4.6) and Jaret Jones (3.1) and opposing teams can't sit on one player.
"There's a little bit of pressure there," Sweeney said. "It's something we haven't been through before. We've played against some of the best competition in the area, and we've been successful with it. I think we just need to go out there and take care of business and have fun. "That's the main key. If we have fun and play our game, we should be fine."
Warriors Upset
There is no truth to the rumor that reports of Granite City's stunning 59-47 triumph at Edwardsville last Friday was a misprint.
Marcus Mason poured in 19 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, and teammates Perry Grimes added 15 points and Justin Ike 10 as Granite improved to 10-12 overall and 1-10 in the league.
The win broke a 27-game conference losing streak dating to Feb. 20, 2009, when the Warriors topped Collinsville 46-45. The victory over Edwardsville came on the heels of a near-miss victory against Alton (49-46) on Feb. 4.
"When you come that close. ... the week between the Alton and Edwardsville game, we were able to stay focused and keep believing in ourselves," Granite coach Steve Roustio said. "And, it paid off. What's so nice about this. ... if you tell the kids to keep working, keep working, you're going to reap the benefits. When it happens, they become more trustful of what you're telling 'em."
East, Edwardsville tops in girls regionals
Belleville East is the No. 1 seed (its first since the 2006-07 season) in the Class 4A O'Fallon Regional, and Edwardsville is top-seeded in the Alton Regional, each of which begin Tuesday night.
East (14-12) takes on No. 4 East St. Louis (11-11) at 6 p.m., and No. 2 Belleville West (18-11) tangles with host and No. 3 seed O'Fallon (16-12) at 8:10 p.m. The winners play for the title at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Meanwhile, Edwardsville (27-2) tips off with host Alton (0-26) at 6 p.m. Tuesday, while Granite City (19-10) and Collinsville (10-15) play at 8:10 p.m.
"I don't know that these girls feel much pressure," East coach Andrea Seipp said of her team's lofty seed. "We approach it as it should be, with confidence. Every game that we play, we should expect to win."
O'Fallon and Edwardsville boys No. 1 regional picks
The boys Class 4A regionals will be at West and Collinsville.
The semifinals at West take place on March 1 (O'Fallon and East St. Louis at 7:30) and March 2 (Belleville West and Belleville East at 7:30), while Collinsville's semifinals are March 1 (Edwardsville vs. Granite City at 6 p.m., and Alton and Collinsville at 8:10 p.m.). The finals for both regionals will be March 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Goodman is champion
A perfect game in the morning session helped O'Fallon senior Natalie Goodman win the Illinois High School Association girls state individual bowling title last Saturday afternoon at Cherry Bowl in Rockford.
Goodman, a lefthander who is headed to Vanderbilt, finished with 2,867 pins, 109 in front of runner-up Jodi Gawlik of Schamburg (2,758). It was Goodman's first state title and the first for the school.
Goodman, who was in second place heading into Saturday's final six games, rolled a 300 in her last game of the morning round when she recorded a 799 series. She also had games of 234 and 265. She followed that up with a 682 series in the afternoon -- 218, 237 and 227 -- for a six-game total of 1,481.
"I really felt good, and I knew I had to step it up," Goodman said by phone. "It was pretty exciting, and I liked having the pressure."
The 300 game was the first that counted for Goodman. She had rolled two other perfect games in practice.
"About halfway through the game I realized it," she said. "I just had to stay calm and stay confident the rest of the way."
