By JOHN ROARK

John.roark@register-news.com

BRIDGEPORT — In one rapid-fire motion, Woodlawn High School boys basketball coach Shane Witzel whirled Casey Hammond around in his arms Friday night.

Which was about all the emotion that remained in the Cardinals’ arsenal after 36 minutes of Class 1A sectional championship madness.

After taking every possible dagger from a never-say-die Cumberland squad, Witzel’s Cardinals somehow, some way, earned a return trip to the Elite Eight with a pulsating 61-60 overtime victory against the Pirates at Red Hill High School.

Woodlawn’s gritty victory — its 20th in a row — catapults the Cardinals (26-5) into Tuesday’s 7:30 p.m. Salem Super-Sectional against Sesser-Valier (23-9), which stunned once-beaten Meridian Friday for the Eldorado sectional title. “Both teams had opportunities to win,” Witzel said. “Fortunately we did enough. It was definitely a classic game and it’s a shame someone has to lose that.”

Cumberland, which finished second in the Class 2A dominated Little Illini Conference, forced the Cardinals to play from behind for all of 13 minutes, 40 seconds in the middle portion of the game.

Using a staunch man-to-man defense, the Pirates kept Hammond, Woodlawn’s leading scorer, in check all night. And it was the step-up play of fellow senior Kirk Dunbar that made all the difference.

Dunbar hit for 13 points, including two key shots down the stretch, the last being a 3-pointer with 2:15 remaining that gave the Cardinals the lead for good. But it was hardly enough breathing room.

In a game that saw 13 lead changes and four ties, the Cardinals wiped away a 25-23 halftime deficit by finally getting ahead 32-31 on a basket from Christian McNeil at 2:56 of the third period, all part of an 11-2 rally that put the Cardinals ahead 38-33 after three periods.

Cumberland, producing its own big plays, would not allow Woodlawn to get away in the fourth quarter despite struggling with its own shooting.

Though making just 6 of 24 3-point attempts, the treys the Pirates did drop each came at critical moments.

Silas Gabal dropped the first one with 4:45 remaining, tying the game at 44-all.

Dunbar gave the Cardinals the lead right back at 3:23, but Gabal’s circus-shot three-point play following a Reed Draper steal put Cumberland right back ahead 47-46.

Dawson Verhines, who led the Cardinals with 20 points, scored at 1:54, making it 48-47 Woodlawn, then Cumberland survived two Woodlawn chances to extend the lead from point-blank range.

Cumberland called timeout at 1:05, then set up a play for Joey Matteson to convert from the lane at 35.6 seconds, giving the Pirates their last lead of regulation, 49-48.

Dunbar then scored in traffic off the left side at 14.4 and was fouled, but he missed the ensuing free throw. With Woodlawn leading just 50-49, things were apparently in hand when Verhines rebounded a missed shot and was fouled at 10.3 seconds. But even though Verhines made both free throws, the Pirates had a chance to tie at 52-49.

And that, the Pirates did.

Draper got a 3-point try off against a closing Verhines, the ball banking in off the left wing with 2 seconds left, sending the game into overtime at 52-all.

Overtime had even more suspense.

Cole Miller gave Cumberland its last lead of the night with a free throw at 2:38, after he was fouled on a backdoor play.

Dunbar then drained the 3-pointer that gave the Cardinals the lead for good. Cumberland’s inability to hit free throws down the stretch — the Pirates made only one shot in their final four two-shot opportunities — enabled Woodlawn to extend its lead.

Verhines hit four straight foul shots to put the Cardinals ahead 59-54 with 1:04 left, and Hammond added one at 48.8 seconds to make it 60-54.

The Cardinals held on despite Draper hitting two 3-pointers in the final 45 seconds. Verhines hit one last free throw to put 61 on the board.

Draper hit a 3-pointer at 21.4 seconds, making it 61-60, then Cumberland fouled Verhines at 14.6 seconds. Verhines missed both shots, and the Pirates rebouned and called timeout.

The Pirates worked the ball to Draper, who drove the left side and missed a wide-open layup. Josh Wiggs grabbed the missed shot, was fouled and missed both free throws. However, Gabal walked before he could get a final try off from the center line, and the Cardinals’ bench and the stands erupted.

“It had to be a fun game for the fans to watch,” Witzel said. “The end of the game was just kids making big plays after big plays.”

Cumberland coach Justin Roedl said that Draper may have missed a key shot, but quickly diffused the significance of the play.

“No one feels worse than him,” Roedl said of Draper. “But we don’t get within a point if he doesn’t hit those 3-pointers, nor do we get into overtime if he doesn’t make the 3-pointer at the horn.”

Verhines finished with 20 points, Dunbar adding 13, Wiggs 12. Cumberland was led by Draper’s 21 points, Gabal kicking in 12.

The Cardinals will knock heads for the third time this season against S-V.

The teams split the previous two meetings, and Woodlawn’s last loss was to the Red Devils in the Dec. 30 third-place game of the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament, then returned the favor in January with a 20-point win.

“Both those games mean nothing now,” Witzel said. “This is the postseason.”



Red Hill Class 1A sectional

championship

Woodlawn 61, Cumberland 60 OT



Woodlawn 15 10 13 14 9-61

Cumberland 13 14 6 19 8-60

WOODLAWN (26-5)

Dunbar 6-7 0-1 13, Verhines 6-10 7-10 20, McNeil 3-5 0-0 6, Hammond 3-9

1-2 7, Wiggs 5-6 2-4 12, Cavender 1-1 0-0 3, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals

24-38 10-17 61

CUMBERLAND (24-8)

Gabal 5-18 0-0 12, Matteson 3-7 22- 8, Miller 3-7 2-4 8, Draper 7-14 3-3

21, McMehan 2-5 4-6 8, CoCalen 0-2 0-0 0, ClCalen 1-1 1-2 3, Taschner 0-2

0-0 0, Parker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-56 12-17 60

3-point goals – Woodlawn 3-4 (Dunbar 1-1, Verhines 1-1, Hammond 0-1,

Cavender 1-1), Cumberland 6-24 (Gabal 2-12, Miller 0-2, Draper 4-8,

McMehan 0-1, CoCelan 0-1). Rebounds – Woodlawn 31 (Wiggs 9), Cumberland 24

(McMehan 9). Turnovers – Woodlawn 10, Cumberland 17. Team fouls – Woodlawn

20, Cumberland 20. Fouled out – McNeil, Matteson