Rain didn’t dampen the KHQA Do or Die All-Star Bowl on Friday night, allowing the annual gathering of some of the area’s top football players to enjoy the spotlight.

The McDonald’s/Herald-Whig Classic captured the area’s attention two weeks ago, drawing one of the largest crowds in the history of the event to Quincy University’s Pepsi Arena.

The seventh annual Illinois vs. Missouri Senior Softball Salute, scheduled for July 4 at Harry Phillips Field, always draws a crowd. With so many standouts taking part this year — the Palmyra seniors won three state titles during their high school careers — another big crowd is expected.

So why isn’t there an all-star baseball game?

That’s a question I’ve been asked multiple times in the last few weeks. It’s one I don’t have an answer for. Maybe it’s time to come up with an answer and find a way to give a talented group of athletes another reason to come together to celebrate a great game.

Michael Lafferty sizzled.

Zach Nichols dazzled.

Jordan Cawthon simply won.

They were three of the stars of the 2010 high school baseball season, which we wrapped up this weekend with the unveiling of the Player and Coach of the Year and the all-area teams.

With this spring in the books, it’s never too early to take a peek at what might be in store for next season.

Let’s start with the players …

Position to watch: Third base.

Illini West’s Jack Carlisle and Pittsfield’s Brad Hamilton were two of the best at the hot corner this spring, and they have another year to go. Same can be said for the two-headed corner infield monster Quincy Notre Dame employs with Kramer Barnes and Luke Stamerjohn.

It is arguably the deepest position heading into next season and could produce one or more Player of the Year candidates.

The Don’t-Overlook-Me-for-POY-Consideration Player

Skyler Jameson might have been overlooked by some this past season after losing a pair of nip-and-tuck pitching duels with Macon’s Austin Clapp. However, the Mark Twain catcher is the complete package. He hits. He throws. He does it all. The Tigers are coming off their best season in school history, and even with a new coach, things could get better.

Others to consider

The top five players who will be in the running for Player of the Year consideration next year will be … Jameson, Quincy Notre Dame outfielder Daniel Weiman, Illini West third baseman Jack Carlisle, Palmyra shortstop Austin Hinkle and Pittsfield utility player Gavin Bogan.

Storylines

What will we be talking about when March gets here and teams are preparing for their season openers?

The biggest news will be at Quincy High School, where the Blue Devils are looking for a replacement for Randy Mettemeyer, who resigned after eight seasons at the helm. There’s some talent to work with, but the Blue Devils may struggle until the new coach puts his stamp on the program.

QND returns a lineup capable of challenging for a deep state tournament push. The Raiders lose only one player — senior left-hander Lance Peters — from a team that won 20 games and came up short in the regional championship game. Don’t expect that to happen again.

Can Pittsfield end the regional jinx? The Saukees have won 20 or more games four times in the last six seasons, including winning 29 games in 2009 and 32 this past season, but they haven’t won a regional since 2004. It’s time for that to change.

United States soccer fans show their spirit before the World Cup game against Slovenia. (AP Photo)

Anthony Longo, who played soccer at Quincy Notre Dame and the University of Illinois-Springfield, will offer his take on the World Cup throughout the month-long tournament. Check out Longo’s views and opinions on the games, the players and the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup by visiting this blog daily.

Germany vs. Serbia

Anthony Longo will bring some local perspective to the World Cup.

The first of two games today that were heavily influenced by poor officiating. The referee looked to put on a show, and there were yellow cards flying from the very beginning. After 20 minutes, four players were in the book, and 15 minutes later he sent a player off for his second yellow. Germany’s Miroslav Klose was sent off completely unjustly, and it put Germany in a bad position for the rest of the game. Milan Jovanovich put Serbia ahead in the 38th minute, and the game ended with that same score. Lukas Podolski was denied on a penalty kick late in the game with the Serbian goalie making a big save. Germany looked to seal up the top spot in their group today, and this loss puts the group back up for grabs. Depending on the Australia-Ghana game, Germany could be looking at goal differential to decide who wins the group.

Fact of the day: Lukas Podolski’s penalty kick was the first one missed by a German player in regulation time in World Cup history. Entering this match, German players were 10 for 10 on penalty kicks.

U.S. vs. Slovenia

Another game, another horrible call ruining the outcome.

In 2002, Germany’s Torsten Frings handles the ball on the goal line off a U.S. corner. No penalty kick is given and Frings goes unpunished without any card. In 2006, Oguchi Onyewu is whistled for a foul against Ghana for essentially being “too big.” Ghana is awarded a terrible penalty kick, and puts the U.S. down 2-1 and eliminating them in the group stage. In 2010, Maurice Edu is whistled for a phantom foul against Slovenia and a clearly good goal that would have capped a U.S. comeback is called back. When will it ever improve?

Now, the U.S. put themselves in a tough spot from the very beginning. The referee was not to blame for that. Slovenia went ahead in the 13th minute because of some poor defending by the United States. After a couple very close chances, Slovenia countered and went up by two goals in the 43rd minute. Now I would have loved to have heard the halftime talk that Bob Bradley gave because the U.S. came out swinging. Landon Donovan drew the U.S. within one goal in the 48th minute, and had many more chances to even the score. Finally in the 82nd minute, Michael Bradley gave the fans something to cheer for and evened the score at 2-2. In the dying minutes of the game, the U.S. was given a free kick. Landon Donovan played a great ball and it was finished wonderfully by Maurice Edu. However, due to the referee’s incompetence, he called Edu for a foul and the goal was called back. Nevermind the two Slovenia players that were bear hugging Jozy Altidore and Steve Cherundolo right in front of him that were clearly legit penalty kick calls. The game ended in a 2-2 draw and kept the hopes alive for the United States.

Referee Koman Coulibaly proved to be a momentum killer throughout the entire game for both teams. Because he was constantly blowing the whistle, neither team could really get into the flow of the game. He clearly wasn’t good enough for this level of game, and the two teams suffered because of this. Every time the United States got a free kick, it was immediately whistled dead because of a phantom foul by the United States. The same never happened on a Slovenia free kick. Also, the referee said there would be 3 minutes of stoppage time. The United States was denied three points today, and instead of leading the group going into the last game, they will be waiting on results and will need a little bit of luck to qualify for the next round.

England vs. Algeria

Good result for the United States. Although it would have been better for Algeria to win, we will take it. The game had very little action, and it ended in a 0-0 draw. Not the performance the English would have liked, but maybe it’s a bit of good karma for the United States.

No matter what happened in the England game, USA’s jobs still stays the same, they need to win. If the U.S. wins, that would put them at five points, with at least a +1 goal differential, possibly more depending on how much they win by. Now for the other game: If England wins, they would have five points as well with at least a +1 goal differential. That would make both the USA and England leapfrog Slovenia and it would go down to goal differential to see who wins the group. If they lose, they are done and Slovenia will win the group with USA coming in second. If they tie and USA wins, USA and Slovenia will be tied on five points each, and it would go to goal differential and England would be out. If both games tie, Slovenia would win the group, with USA and England fighting for second. As long as USA doesn’t tie 0-0 and England doesn’t tie 2-2, USA would win the group. If England ties by more than 2 than the USA, England will win the group. It’s a complicated situation indeed, and if there was a competent referee, USA would be sitting very pretty right now.

Thought of the day

Instant replay must be developed for soccer. Too many times games are ruined by poor officiating, and nothing ever happens. That is the problem with soccer. Coulibaly ruined a World Cup soccer game and he will not be reprimanded. He is not even required by FIFA to give a statement about what happened. That is wrong. There has to be a checks and balance system for referees. Instead, the U.S. suffers from his poor display. It would be very simple to institute replay into a soccer game. How many times do we see a play happen live, and seconds later we see a replay of what happened. There is no reason that it can’t be used to help improve the game. FIFA claims that the “human error” is a part of the game and it “adds beauty” to the games. I think everyone who watch today’s game can agree that there is no “beauty” to what happened, and it very easily could have been made right. The technology is there for a reason; let’s put it to good use.

Anthony Longo, who played soccer at Quincy Notre Dame and the University of Illinois-Springfield, will offer his take on the World Cup throughout the month-long tournament. Check out Longo’s views and opinions on the games, the players and the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup by visiting this blog daily.

Nigeria vs. Greece

Anthony Longo will bring some local perspective to the World Cup.

Kalu Uche put Nigeria up 16 minutes into the game, but Greece was able to go ahead off two unanswered goals scored by Dimitrios Salpindingis in the 44th minute and Vasileios Torosidis in the 71st. Greece heavily outshot Nigeria, and it wasn’t until they went behind did they start to go all out on the offensive. After mounting pressure by Nigeria, Greece was able to hold on and pick up a vital 3 points. A 2-1 victory by Greece puts Nigeria out of the tournament. With two games played and 0 points, Nigeria will have only pride to play for next game.

Fact of the day: This was Greece’s first ever win at a World Cup final. They were the European champions in 2004, but haven’t been able to pick up a win at a World Cup.

Argentina vs. Korea Republic

Argentina finally found its goal scoring ability, and put on a show against Korea Republic. After an own goal by the Koreans, Gonzalo Higuain put them up by two. Lee Chung Yong was able to put the Koreans on the scoreboard in the dying seconds of the first half. However, Gonzalo Higuain scored two more goals in the second half to put Argentina up by three, and also scored the first hat-trick of this World Cup. Depending on goal differential, Argentina looks like they will win Group B. As for second, it will go down to the last game. Argentina will have to take on Greece, and Korea Republic will play Nigeria. If both teams win or tie, it will go down to goal differential. If both teams tie, they will also be level on goal differential, which means it will come down to goals scored. If both teams win or tie by the same score, that would put Korea Republic in the finals. No matter the case, next week’s game will be ones to watch.

Fact of the day: Gonzalo Higuain’s hat-trick today was also the first one scored in the last two World Cups. No player recorded a hat-trick in 2006.

France vs. Mexico

In what proved to be a pivotal match for both teams in this group, only one of them decided to show up. Mexico was by far the better team and dominated throughout the game. Once again, a team with so much talent and players who are on clubs in the best leagues in the world couldn’t play together and their World Cup looks like it will end after three games. Recent Manchester United signee put Mexico up in the second half, and longtime Mexico hero Cuauhtemoc Blanco put the game away with a penalty kick late in the half. The winner of this group will come down to the last game with Mexico and Uruguay facing off. If either wins, they will take first in the group. If they tie, they will both be square on points, with Uruguay holding the slight edge on goal differential, therefore taking the group. If one team were to lose, the winner of the France vs. South Africa game could have an outside shot to steal second place. Here is where it gets confusing. If Mexico loses and gets shut out, France would have to win by 5 or South Africa would have to win by 5. If Uruguay loses and gets shut out, France would have to win by 5 or South Africa would have to win by 6.

U.S. vs. Slovenia

This is a must win for the United States. With Slovenia winning its first game, they are sitting atop the group with three points. Should they tie, it would give the United States two points, leaving them down by two points to Slovenia, and could be down by two points to England as well if they win. In that case, they would have to win against Algeria, and be hoping for an England win against Slovenia. A loss would not mathematically eliminate the United States, but it would put their advancement in doubt.

The Herald-Whig will unveil the all-area softball and baseball teams and its annual Player and Coach of the Year honors in this weekend’s editions.

The all-area softball team, which includes players from Missouri’s fall season and Illinois’ spring season, will be highlighted in Saturday’s paper. The all-area baseball team will follow in Sunday’s paper.

Also, check back here Sunday for my observations on the prep baseball season and a look ahead to what next year might hold in store.

Anthony Longo, who played soccer at Quincy Notre Dame and the University of Illinois-Springfield, will offer his take on the World Cup throughout the month-long tournament. Check out Longo’s views and opinions on the games, the players and the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup by visiting this blog daily.

Spain vs. Switzerland

Anthony Longo will bring some local perspective to the World Cup.

Easily the biggest upset of the tournament so far. The Swiss handed Spain their second defeat in 50 games and showed the rest of the teams how to play against the Spanish. The Swiss were able to keep their defense compact in the middle and not let Spain’s superstar forwards — Fernando Torres and David Villa — run all over them. The Spanish were unable to finish the many crosses that they had during the game and could not break down the tight defense of the Swiss on the ground. Gelson Fernandes put the Swiss up in the 52nd minute, and they never looked back after that. Although the Spanish had many chances, sending two shots off the crossbar, they weren’t able to pull even.

South Africa vs. Uruguay

After a successful first game, the Africans were looking for that to carry over to their second game. However, the same team did not show up. South Africa did not come out with the same intensity it had the first game, and instead held back and played in a more defensive mode. After going down on a Diego Forlan goal, I expected them to go on the offensive. Instead, they seemed to lose faith in themselves. After a penalty kick by Forlan and a ridiculous red card to their goalie, all hope was lost in a comeback. Alvaro Pereira put in the final dagger, and the South Africans’ World Cup appears to be over.

The most intriguing game tomorrow will be France vs. Mexico. After both teams drew in their opening round, they will both be looking to get three points from this encounter. Should both teams tie again, it will come down to the final games in the round, and it could get interesting. With South Africa eliminated, nothing is more dangerous than having to play a team with nothing to lose. That will be the challenge that France will be up against. Mexico could hold the advantage having to play Uruguay who is all but through with a plus-3 goal differential.  Either way, tomorrow’s game will be one to watch.

First Round Observations

Team to beat: Germany

After putting a beating on Australia, the Germans looked to be invincible. Great offensive firepower, they were able to put four different players on the score sheet. However, the next two games should prove to be a tougher test having to play Ghana and Serbia.

Biggest Disappointment: Australia

Having a very successful World Cup in 2006, making it to the second round before being eliminated by Italy on a questionable penalty kick in stoppage time, they were looking to build on it. After a very successful qualifying campaign, they came into this World Cup full of confidence. However, they looked old and slow, and had very little on offense. After having their biggest scoring threat suspended, it will take a miracle for them to get them back on track.

Biggest Surprise: South Korea

The Koreans put on an impressive attacking display against Greece and were unfortunate to not have a higher goal count. Although they played a team that plays highly defensive, it will be interesting to see what kind of a force they are in the next two games.

Most ridiculous story of the World Cup so far: Click here to find out.

Goal Count: 28

Anthony Longo, who played soccer at Quincy Notre Dame and the University of Illinois-Springfield, will offer his take on the World Cup throughout the month-long tournament. Check out Longo’s views and opinions on the games, the players and the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup by visiting this blog daily.

New Zealand vs. Slovakia

Anthony Longo will bring some local perspective to the World Cup.

Not much was suspected of this game, with both teams not having a real chance to make an impact in the tournament. However, it turned out to be one of the more exciting games in the first round. Slovakia pulled ahead with a goal in the opening minutes of the second half, but the action was back and forth. It wasn’t until the dying seconds of the game that it became worth watching. With New Zealand going for broke, it was a desperation cross that led to the tying goal. Winston Reid’s header gave New Zealand a valuable point that could come up huge near the end of the qualifying round.

Portugal vs. Ivory Coast

With two of the heavyweights in Group G facing off against each other, there were high hopes for a goal fest and non-stop action. However, the exact opposite occurred. The two teams clearly came out playing for a tie, and the only real threatening chance in the first half came off a Cristiano Ronaldo shot that hit the post. In the second half, Didier Drogba made his anticipated debut, and was hesitant as soon as he stepped on the field. He made sure to avoid any sort of contact to avoid hitting his broken arm, and when he slid in to finish a shot, he made sure to fall on his good arm. Although these two teams made the right choice strategically, it was incredibly hard to watch and all-around disappointing display.

Brazil vs. Korea DPR

In what I expected to be a blowout, the Koreans put up an impressive display and gave all Brazil they wanted into the second half. Brazil took the lead off a mishit ball by center back Maicon, in which he swears up and down was a shot. You be the judge. (Editor’s Note: We were going to link to the video of the goal on YouTube, but the clip has been blocked by FIFA.)

Elano scored arguably the most impressive goal of the World Cup to make the score 2-0 and all
looked lost for the Koreans. However, a Ji Yun Nam goal in the 89th minute kept things interesting until the final whistle.

Thoughts on Brazil vs Korea DPR

Kaka is hands down the most disappointing player of the World Cup so far. The 80-plus million dollar man did little to impact the game, and turned the ball over far too much. If Brazil wants to go anywhere in this Cup, he will have to shake off this poor effort and be the leader of the team.

Ivory Coast and Portugal should bring their best against Korea DPR. Skill wise, Brazil is the best team in this group, and they had a difficult time. Korea was able to not only defend well, but also get many chances on the offensive side of the ball. If any team wants to progress through to the next round, they can’t look past this squad.

Thought of the day

If you watch or listen to sports talk shows, they rarely give love to soccer. Although it is taking huge strides, it’s not quite a mainstream sport yet. One of the main complaints during this World Cup is the lack of action during the opening games. Most people don’t understand why the games can end in a tie, while the later games go into penalty kicks. It’s not rocket science people. Plain and simple, it’s a tournament. If you look at any sort of tournament with groups, you will see the same thing. There will be ties, deal with it. The opening round games are what adds beauty to this competition. There is strategy to every game that is played. You have to take your chances when you have them, and bunker down when you need to. Until the last group games and the knockout stages, you won’t see teams go all out for a goal or the free-flowing soccer that people expect to see from a tournament with the 32 best teams in the world. That time will come.

Goal Count: 23

Paraguay's Antolin Alcaraz, middle, celebrates with a fellow team member after scoring off a restart, as Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, reacts to the Italians falling behind 1-0. (AP Photo)

Anthony Longo, who played soccer at Quincy Notre Dame and the University of Illinois-Springfield, will offer his take on the World Cup throughout the month-long tournament. Check out Longo’s views and opinions on the games, the players and the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup by visiting this blog daily.

Netherlands vs. Denmark

No real surprises in this one. The favorites to win the group looked in control the whole time, although Denmark had some dangerous flashes of their own. Netherlands caught a break in the opening moments in the second half with an own goal by the Danes. After a cross, Daniel Agger tried clearing the ball on a header, only to have it hit off his own defender and into the goal. The edition of Netherlands young gun Eljero Elia gave the Dutch new life and was able to grab an assist on a Dirk Kuyt goal.

Anthony Longo will bring some local perspective to the World Cup.

Cameroon vs. Japan

This game gave us the first real upset of the tournament. Cameroon came into the tournament as a favorite pick to be the first African nation to get past the quarterfinals. Well, after a Keisuke Honda goal late in the first half, their road just became much more difficult. The Cameroon offense struggled up until that point, and by the time they turned the pressure on, it was too late to make a difference. With their only real threatening chance coming late in the second half, they were denied by the crossbar.

Italy vs. Paraguay

Not the start that I was hoping for my second favorite team in the tournament. Although Paraguay is no pushover, they had defeated both Brazil and Argentina in qualifying and had led the South American qualifying region by 6 points at one point. I was expecting a win from the defending champs. Despite having most of the possession and controlling most of the game, Italy looked old and slow and had little creativity. Paraguay took advantage of the first chance they saw in the first half, scoring on a well-flighted free kick. Antolin Alcaraz’s header left Gianluigi Buffon standing still for a 1-0 lead. Italy caught a pretty lucky break in the second half when Paraguay’s goalie misjudged a corner and led to a Danielle De Rossi tap-in. Lucky or not, it was well deserved based on the flow of the play.

Thoughts on Italy

Riccardo Montolivo is no Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo, Italy’s main playmaker, is out with a calf injury and is desperately missed by the Italian offense.

Antonio Di Natale needs to be starting up top. Switching to the 4-4-2 was clearly the best formation for the Italians, and Di Natale with Gilardino would be a good combination Mauro Camoranesi was the lone bright spot on an ugly game. His entrance in the second half gave the Italians a breath of life and his contribution led to the corner on Italy’s goal.

If goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is seriously injured, Italy goes from being an outside contender to an incredible longshot. The Juventus standout is the main reason Italy won in 2006, and without him, Italy’s famous defense will have a gaping hole.

I bet coach Marcelo Lippi is regretting his roster choice right about now. Without Guiseppe Rossi, Antonia Cassano, Mario Ballotelli, and most famous Italian Francessco Totti, they showed no creative spark and it would be a long World Cup without them.

New Zealand vs. Slovakia

This could be a long game. By many accounts, New Zealand is predicted to be the worst team ever to make it to the World Cup. With Australia choosing to switch qualifying regions and going to the Asian region, it leaves a very weak Oceanic zone. Hopefully New Zealand can make an impact on these Finals and prove people wrong.

Prediction: 2-0 Slovakia

Ivory Coast vs. Portugal

This could be one of the most entertaining games of the World Cup. Portugal standout Cristiano Ronaldo will look to get his country off to a great start, but will have to get by a well-seasoned Ivory Coast, hopefully containing Didier Drogba.

Prediction: 3-2 Ivory Coast if Drogba plays; 2-1 Portugal if he doesn’t

Brazil vs. Korea DPR

Korea DPR is full of confidence, whether they are putting on a brave front or just completely ignorant of their actual abilities, it should make for a good show. Korea coach has guaranteed his teams advancement, and we will see if he will be eating those words tomorrow.

Prediction: 4-0 Brazil and a very embarrassed Korean coach

Fact of the day

Japan picked up their first ever win on foreign soil in a World Cup. Although making it to a few other Finals, they were often the team everyone padded their stats with. Their only other win came in 2002 when they were co-hosts with Korea. A well-deserved accomplishment for them.

Goal Count: 18

Anthony Longo, who played soccer at Quincy Notre Dame and the University of Illinois-Springfield, will offer his take on the World Cup throughout the month-long tournament. Check out Longo’s views and opinions on the games, the players and the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup by visiting this blog daily.

Day Two

Korea vs Greece

With question marks surrounding both games, it was difficult to say what kind of game this would be. North Korea answered all questions about their squad. Korea, led by Manchester United standout Park Ji-Sung, put on a great offensive performance. They took it to the Greeks for a full 90 minutes and were unfortunate to not win the game by more than two goals. Impressive opening game for the Koreans.

Anthony Longo will bring some local perspective to the World Cup.

Argentina vs. Nigeria

In what was expected to be a somewhat easy game for the Argentines, they made it much more difficult for themselves than it needed to be. Lionel Messi was able to show his true talents, but was unable to put the ball on frame and missed some easy chances that he is usually known for burying. Nigeria had plenty of counterattacks to try and level the score, and had a cross near the end of the game that should have been put away. Questions marks for me are the Argentine defense. Although Nigeria has a good squad, they allowed to many easy chances and that is the thing that will come back to haunt you when you play better teams in the knockout stages.

USA vs. England

Absolutely horrible start from the U.S. Even the first pass off the ball was short and almost led to a quick break in the opening seconds. Four minutes into the game Steven Gerrard was able to get through and finish a tap-in unmarked. The USA was nervous and the pressure from the months of build-up clearly had an effect on the team. The defense was sloppy and appeared to be in awe of the English offense. Instead of putting a body on Rooney or Heskey at the opening minutes of the game to send a message, they let them run through and have their way. After the goal, the U.S. settled down and was able to get many chances.

For the rest of the second half, they were able to keep the ball on the English half and take it to them. Now if you ever want to win a World Cup, you need a little bit of luck, and that’s exactly what the U.S. got. Clint Dempsey’s long-range shot was able to slip by Robert Green and tie up the game. Goalkeeper had been a questionable position for the English, and none of the three goalies they have are worth bragging about. If I was Robert Green, I would bring a pillow to the next game because he is going to need a way to stay comfortable on the bench.

In the second half it was more of an even game. It was obvious that England probably got an earful at halftime, and they came out with a lot of intensity. Both sides had chances, and Tim Howard was able to show his world-class caliber. The US was unfortunate to not take the lead with a Jozy Altidore strike, but was denied by the post.

All in all, it was a result that the United States should be happy about. A tie is never fun to watch, but it’s the group stages, every point is crucial. With Slovenia picking up three points in today’s game, they now lead the group. The US match against them will be vital to the US chances of winning the group. Algeria looks all but out, and will need a miracle against England to get their three points.

Game to watch

Italy vs Paraguay

Predictions

Netherlands vs Denmark — 2-0 Netherlands

Japan vs Cameroon — 2-1 Cameroon

Italy vs Paraguay — Italy 1-0

Goal Count: 9

The McDonald’s/Herald-Whig Classic is being played tonight at Quincy University’s Pepsi Arena. This is the 28th annual girls game and 27th annual boys game. In talking with area coaches and fans, most expect a tightly-contested girls game and Illinois to have the edge in the girls game.

It should be an entertaining night.

I will try to provide updates throughout the night, so check back if you want to know what’s happening with the showdowns between some of the area’s best talent.

• At halftime of the girls game, the teams are tied at 29 with Illinois scoring seven of the final nine points of the half. Central-Southeastern’s Dawn March leads Illinois with 12 points, having hit 4 of 7 3-pointers. The South Shelby duo of Jill Barry and Jenna Mueller lead Missouri with six points apiece.

• Illinois ran Missouri out of the gym in the second half, shooting 45.5 percent from the field thanks to its ability to score in transition, and snapped the Show-Me State’s two-game winning streak with a 67-51 victory. Karlee Gengenbacher and Dawn March led Illinois with 15 points apiece. Tori Niemann led Missouri with 12 points

• The MVPs of the girls game were Canton’s Tori Niemann for the Missouri side and Quincy Notre Dame’s Leigh McLaughlin for the Illinois side.

• The boys game has been a struggle through the first half. Illinois leads 37-32 at halftime despite shooting 29.3 percent from the field. The Land of Lincolners are 13 of 18 from the free throw line as Quincy Notre Dame’s Brennan Rakers went 7 of 7. Missouri is shooting 46.4 percent from the field, but the Show-Me Staters are being undone by turnovers. They’ve committed 21 turnovers with Illinois snagging 14 steals. The record for most steals in a game is 24, set by Illinois in 1997.

• Illinois is back on the winning side. After losing to Missouri last year for just the second time in Classic history, the Land of Lincoln got hot from the field in the second half and ran away with a 111-71 victory. Illinois, which went 0 of 14 from 3-point range in the first half, made11 of 15 treys in the second half. It is the second largest margin of victory in Classic history. In 1992, Illinois won 110-69. Illinois set a Classic record with 25 steals as Missouri committed 37 turnovers.

• The MVPs were Highland’s Cole Hetzler for Missouri and Southeastern’s Regan Bruenger for Illinois.