Vandals reach regional championship game

The Vandals have reached the regional championship game for the second straight season after defeating sixth-seeded Hillsboro, 62-52, on Wednesday.

No. 2 Vandalia will meet top-seeded Teutopolis at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Hillsboro High School. The Wooden Shoes defeated the Vandals earlier this season, when Vandalia allowed a big run in the third quarter after getting within two points.

Senior Chase Woolsey dunked to give Vandalia a 60-50 lead late in the fourth quarter that was a difference-maker in what at times had been a close game, with the Vandals' lead fluctuating between three and 15 points for much of the game.

Wade Cowger had a season-high 18 points to pace the offense, while senior Leyton Godoyo added 17, but that didn't come close to matching the game-high 30 points from Hillsboro sophomore Dylan Miller.

Chase Woolsey added 13 points, and Michael Wells had 10. Aaron Harter scored four.

Miller scored consistently throughout the game, including seven straight points in the first quarter and six straight points in the fourth quarter.

The game opened with Vandalia taking a 16-4 lead before Miller scored his seven points to cut the lead to five.

In the second period, the Vandals (15-12) used an 8-0 run to take a 27-13 lead, but the Hiltoppers (7-22) then went on an 11-2 scoring run to cut it back to five points.

Back-to-back steals for the Vandals on Hillsboro inbound passes completed an 8-0 run over the final 1:20 of the first half, giving them a 13-point halftime lead.

The Hiltoppers would cut the lead back to five in the third quarter, and eventually got within three points early in the fourth quarter.

But Hillsboro scored just three points in the final five minutes of the game, while the Vandals added eight points to seal the victory, which gives the Vandals 15 wins for the 11th time in the past 12 seasons.