Junior High All-Star Game to Feature Local Players

Washington County will be well-represented at Rend Lake College’s 2019 Southern Illinois Premier Junior High All-Star Classic, February 23 – 24 at Waugh Gym in Ina.

Following state championships for the girls’ basketball teams from Okawville Junior High and Immanuel Lutheran/Trinity-St. John, several team members will be among the top players in southern Illinois on the roster.

On the Class S 8th grade will be Briley Rhodes, Ellie Frederking and Jordyn Heckert from Okawville Grade School, as well as Megan Rennegarbe from ILS/TSJ.

Junior Lady Rockets Alayna Kraus, Dylan Benson and Madisyn Wienstroer were also named to the Class S Girls 7th grade squad.

Fresh off one of its best seasons in school history, Oakdale Grade School will send several players to the Class S Boys teams: Carter Schoenherr and Cameron Diecker will be on the 8th grade team and Ty Schoenherr will play in the 7th grade game.

Nashville Grade School also had several players named to the Class M Girls teams. Hope Liszewski, Daci Finke and Korbi Rhine were named to the 8th grade squad, and Kendall Donato and Taylor Birkner will be 7th grade all-stars.

This is the second year Warriors Head Coach Tommy Holder has hosted the games to “provide an opportunity for players to enjoy one more memory of playing junior high basketball on a big stage.”

Player nominations started in November. All schools in the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) were asked to nominate five players from their class, in each the 7th and 8th grade divisions, with up to two from their own team.

Holder explained that, in a few cases, a school has more than two representatives due to players being nominated by opponent coaches.

Each player selected will receive a Southern Illinois Premier Jr. High All-Star Classic tee-shirt. RLC will host practices on Feb. 16 — girls from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and boys from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — at which time teams will be picked.