IHSA CLASS 1A STATE SEMIFINAL

Calhoun and its opponent struggle for a ball on Friday in the state semifinal contest. (Tourney photos by Angie Kizer, Unlimited Imprints))CALHOUN 49, IROQUOIS WEST 36: Emma Baalman had 19 points and 16 rebounds as Hardin-Calhoun reached the IHSA Class 1A Girls Basketball Championship final with a 49-36 win over Iroquois West at Normal's Redbird Arena Friday afternoon.

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The Warriors will face Moweaqua Central A&M, 56-52 winners over Prophetstown in the first semifinal, at 2 p.m. Saturday for the state championship. The game will be televised (via Comcast Sports Network Chicago) on Charter Communications Regional Sports channel 224 and streamed on-line at IHSA.tv via the NFHS website; the stream is free, but you must subscribe to it; there is no charge for a subscription.

Hardin (32-2 after winning its 28th game in a row) scored its first seven points from the free-throw line, getting its first field goal with 1:31 left in the first term. The Raiders (28-4) took a 10-9 lead at quarter time and led by as much as six in the second period, but the Warriors rallied and took a 29-26 lead at halftime.

The game remained tight through the last change (Hardin led 34-30 at three-quarter time), but a 15-point final quarter allowed the Warriors to run home winners.

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Kassidy Klocke added 13 points for Hardin in reaching its first-ever state basketball final; the Warriors had 52 rebounds, setting a state record for most rebounds in a tournament game. Elena Sanchez led the Raiders with 10 points.

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