BENTON -- With a big lead produced by some stout defense, the Herrin Tigers were able to enjoy a little freedom on the offensive end Friday night in their 62-43 rout of SIRR Ohio Division rival Benton at Rich Herrin Gymnasium.

Carterville came up a bit short in its regular-season finale on the road against Sesser-Valier as the Red Devils came back for a 51-45 win to snap the Lions' four-game win streak.

DU QUOIN — The shots were there, they just weren't falling. And a team like Nashville wasn't about to give Herrin any second chances.

Nashville took advantage to build a lead, then torched the nets from the charity stripe for a 46-34 victory at Anders Gymnasium that advances the Hornettes to the Salem Super-Sectional after winning their sixth sectional title in the last 10 years.

DU QUOIN — As horrific as it looked, some things were going right for Herrin's girls basketball team in the first half against Breese Central despite scoring just 10 points and facing an uphill climb in order to make history rather than have it repeat.

VIENNA — Ryan Bonifield had 20 points and 11 rebounds as Carterville downed Vienna, 64-43, in a non-conference game Tuesday night.

ROBINSON -- Before the final session began at the Robinson Sectional, the Herrin Tigers had already advanced five wrestlers to the IHSA's Individual State Wrestling Tournament.

HERRIN -- A game full of clutch shots, frustrating misses, fouls and turnovers galore and the emotional attachments of Senior Night in addition to a fierce rivalry all came down to the frayed tip of the proverbial wire.

HERRIN -- The Herrin Tigers had a chance to make a big statement with Murphysboro on their home floor Friday night for an SIRR Ohio Division contest, a rematch of a tight contest won by the Red Devils in the second week of the season.

But instead it was Murphysboro proving a point with a convincing 68-48 rout of the Tigers at Memorial Gymnasium that improved the Red Devils' record to 22-2 overall and 7-0 in the Ohio, while Herrin dropped to 18-10 and an even 4-4 in the conference.

ROCKFORD -- Herrin junior Kristy Gualdoni bowled a perfect 300 game in her first set of frames in the first round of the IHSA's Girls State Bowling Finals which began Friday morning at Rockford's Cherry Bowl Lanes.

Gualdoni followed that with games of 226 and 232 for a monstrous 758 series in the opening session, which has featured another 300 game from Rockford Jefferson's Megan Buja.

MURPHYSBORO — Austyn Ridings was going to score points for her team somehow, some way.
Herrin's senior point guard wasn't finding much offensively in the conventional way against Carterville's defense Thursday night in their championship clash at the Murphysboro Class 2A Regional, but the Lady Lions couldn't stop her from scoring at the foul line.

MURPHYSBORO — Mollie Thomas drilled four 3-pointers in a first half that saw Carterville and Anna-Jonesboro combine to make 11 shots from beyond the arc Tuesday night in their semifinal meeting at the Murphysboro Class 2A Regional.

GOREVILLE — Herrin raced out of the gates quickly, scoring the game's first 10 points and dominating the first quarter en route to an 82-71 win over Goreville in a non-conference boys basketball game Tuesday.

CARTERVILLE — Ryan Bonifield pumped in 25 points, including a 10-for-12 performance at the foul line, to lead Carterville to a 61-51 win over Christopher in a Black Diamond West Division boys basketball game Tuesday night.

MURPHYSBORO -- Although overtaking rival Benton was part of the victory spoils, the Herrin Tigers wrestling team had much more on the line Saturday at the Murphysboro Class 1A Regional.

Herrin had three individual champions but more importantly advanced 11 wrestlers to next week's individual sectional in Robinson and compiled 190.5 points to win the regional's team championship and qualify for the team dual sectionals later this month.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE -- Kristy Gualdoni and her teammates kept moving to the right as necessary. Now they're moving on to the state finals.