Southwestern avenges regional loss to Carlinville

Southwestern avenged a defeat to Carlinville in last year’s regional with a 59-35 victory at Carlinville.

Carlinville nipped Southwestern 43-41 in the third game of the IHSA Class 2A Carlinville Regional in 2014.

Coach Jason Darr said he and his team vividly remembered the Feb. 25 loss to Carlinville in the regional and wanted to win this game in a big way.

“We didn’t want that feeling again,” Darr said recalling the regional loss. “This was a nice win. It was definitely as good as we have played defensively. We held them to 11 points in the first half. Our guys defensively are as good as anybody around here. So many players want to score and score, but these kids want to play defense.”

The Piasa Birds moved to 8-0 with the win and Darr said his team keeps playing hard and is doing all he asks as a coach.

“It was a team effort,” he said of the victory. “We are playing with emotion and want to be there. Tyler Rose, a 6-foot-6 center, led Southwestern with 16 points; Blake Lawson contributed 13 points and Justin Bailey had 10 points.

Southwestern led 20-3 at the end of the first quarter, 33-11 at the half, 47-21 at the end of three, then finished 59-35 at the final buzzer.

Carlinville coach Alan Cooper said Southwestern is a deep and good team this year.

“They get after you and stay with it,” he said of the Piasa Birds. “We are playing four seniors and three sophomores and a junior. We are now trying to find who is going to run the floor for us.”

Carlinville plays at Calhoun on Saturday night. Southwestern is back in action Tuesday at Staunton, then again Friday for an anticipated matchup with Jersey at Jersey. Saturday, Dec. 20, Southwestern will play in the Illinois College Shootout against Seymour.

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