Westminster Christian advances to regional final

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Westminster Christian's Aaron Wiewel goes up for a shot against Mooseheart during Wednesday's regional game in Hinckley. | Mike Mantucca ~ For Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 28, 2012 10:19PM

Mooseheart was looking to surprise Westminster Christian’s during Wednesday’s Hinckley-Big Rock Class 1A Regional semifinal.

The two teams were meeting for the fourth time of the season and the Red Ramblers were looking to disrupt and keep the Warriors off balance by incorporating a triangle-and-two defense.

While the strategy made things difficult for the Warriors most of the evening, they had just enough offense to hold on for a 44-35 victory.

Westminster Christian (17-12) will face top seed Hinckley-Big Rock (23-6) in Friday’s regional championship at 7:30 p.m.

“We got just enough rebounds and our press gave us what we wanted in the first half,” said Westminster Christian coach Bruce Firchau, who won his 501st career game. “Colin (Brandon) was hitting shots early so we got to see the triangle-and-two. We got just enough out of our offense and it was a very good coaching move on their part.”

Mooseheart (13-17) fell behind 22-13 at the half, but scored the first two field goals of the second half to pull within 22-18.

“Being down nine at half, I was concerned. I felt we’d get blown out if we didn’t cut it to a bucket or two,” Mooseheart coach Ron Ahrens said. “We played a very nice second half and we knew we’d have to play good defensively to win.”

The Red Ramblers tied the game for the only time all evening when a putback from senior Jesse Mennis made it 30-30 with 5:46 remaining in the third quarter.

Mennis picked up his fourth foul 10 seconds later and it helped spark an 8-0 run by the Warriors.

Leading 31-30, the Warriors extended their lead to 33-30 on a fastbreak layup from Will Woodhouse. Then, after a defensive stop, Colin Brandon knocked down his third and final three-pointer of the night as his shot danced on the rim before falling.

“I think he had two or three bounce, bounce, bounces,” Firchau said. “I said to Colin that he ate just enough Cheerios to get those two in.”

Woodhouse, who drained six three-pointers in Tuesday’s win over Faith Lutheran, followed Brandon’s three-pointer with a steal and layup to put the Warriors up, 38-30, with 2:45 remaining.

“Coach stresses that defense is key to the game and that’s what happened there,” Woodhouse said. “You get loose balls and make layups like that and it’s just listening to coach and going out there and doing what he says.”

Brandon led the Warriors with 13 points, Josh Beachler added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Woodhouse finished with nine points.

No one from Mooseheart reached double figures in scoring. Peter Kurowski and Mennis led the Red Ramblers with nine points apiece. Mennis collected a game-high 12 rebounds as Mooseheart used a 38-22 rebounding edge to keep the game competitive.