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By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Last year, it was awe and gratitude.
This year, the Norwood Pirates are going back there to win it all.
Norwood continued its quest for a boys’ basketball state championship, rallying late to beat College Heights Christian 53-48 on Saturday afternoon in a Class 2 quarterfinals thriller at Republic High School.
The victory sends Norwood to state for the second straight season. The Pirates had never been that far until their inaugural trip a year ago.
“Our community’s bought in and the kids have bought in,” said Norwood coach Shane Chadwell. “Last year, we had a taste of it. We were just happy to be there. The kids really wanted to go back this year. We bumped our schedule up to try to prepare for this and it’s worked.”
Norwood will play Bishop LeBlond (20-10 overall) on March 11 in the Class 2 state semifinals. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at JQH Arena.
Norwood, 29-1 overall and the top-ranked team in the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 2 state poll, doesn’t expect another case of big-stage jitters.
“Last year, going to the final four was a shock,” said Norwood senior Garret Davault, who scored a game-high 32. “This year, we were expecting to do this. It feels a lot different. It’s great to get it off our shoulders.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
“It’s special, but we’re not finished. We have to go win a state championship.”
Norwood’s season was in peril midway through the fourth quarter.
Trailing by three, the Pirates found an unlikely hero in freshman Peyton McDaris. He scored eight of his nine points in the final four minutes to keep Norwood alive.
“McDaris stepped up and hit some big free throws against Seymour to help us win a district championship,” Chadwell said. “Sometimes, freshmen don’t realize what’s on the line, which can be a good thing. We knew that in order to go back to the final four, our freshmen had to be big for us, and they’ve been big all year.”
A McDaris basket put Norwood ahead 49-48 with about 1:30 remaining. After a College Heights miss, McDaris sank two free throws – in a one-and-one situation – to push Norwood’s lead to 51-48 with 25 seconds left.
College Heights missed again on the other end and Davault made two free throws with 11 seconds remaining to seal it.
In a game full of lead changes, Norwood saved its best for last.
“What a game,” Chadwell said. “College Heights is a really good team and big all the way around – a lot bigger than us. But our kids found a way to win. We talk about ‘winning the day.’ We won the day.
“They live for these moments. When it’s a big moment, they rise to the occasion.”
Miller Long scored 17 to lead College Heights, which finished 24-5 overall.
The Cougars (ranked No. 5 in Class 2) had the best season in program history, winning back-to-back district titles and earning their first-ever state sectional win.
Norwood 53, College Heights Christian 48
College Heights 15 14 7 12 — 48
Norowod 15 13 10 15 — 53
College Heights Christian (24-5 overall) – Miller Long 17, Hagen Beck 10, Ethan Adel 7, Curtis Davenport 7, Ethan Meeks 7
Norwood (29-1 overall) – Garrett Davault 32, Peyton McDaris 9, Max McGowan 6, Noah Drake 3, Jacob Sinning 3
