Freeport, Richwoods reach 3A title game

NORMAL - Mariah Smith scored 15 points, and Katie Murphy added 13 as Peoria Richwoods dethroned defending champion Chicago Marshall 50-35 in a Class 3A girls basketball state semifinal Friday at Redbird Arena.

The Lady Knights (33-3) reached their first state championship game since 2005 and meet Freeport in today's 12:45 p.m. title game.

Trailing 6-0 early, Richwoods scored 11 unanswered points to establish control on the way to a 25-18 halftime lead. The Lady Knights led the Commandos by as many as 18 points in the second half.

Adrienne Godbjacold led Marshall (25-7) with 12 points, while Jasmine Poteete added 10. Marshall meets Springfield today at 11:45 a.m. in the third-place game.

Freeport 64, Springfield 43: Freeport captured a 64-43 semifinal victory over Springfield to earn a Class 3A championship berth for the second straight year.

Suporia Dickens scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Pretzels.

The Pretzels (31-3) , who fell to Chicago Marshall in last year's title game, meet Peoria Richwoods today for the title.

Freeport, which split a pair of games with Peoria Richwoods this season, never trailed and featured three other players in double figures, including forward Kelsey Hoefer (13), first-team all-stater Katie Norman (12) and forward Courtney Shiffer (11).

Dickens, a senior guard-forward, is a second-team all-stater.

Freshman Zahna Medley paced the Senators (29-4) with 15 points.