Behind 16 points from sophomore Hunter Shaw, and 12 points each from sophomore Ryan Dabney and senior Connor Bankus, the Milan Wildcats defeated the LaPlata Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon, 53-49, to win the Class 2, District 7 title.
The game, played at Schuyler County High School in Queen City, was broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3 and tight throughout, with Milan able to outlast LaPlata for the second time this season. Trevor Pipes led the Bulldogs with a game-high 20 points, with LaPlata ending it season with a mark of 22-6.
For Milan, now 26-2 and headed for Mexico High School on Wednesday night to play the District 8 champion Harrisburg Bulldogs (7:45 PM / KTTN FM 92.3), the final minute of regulation was where the game against LaPlata was won, with Shaw hitting two clutch free throws with approximately 10 seconds left on the clock. Those shots gave the GRC East champion Wildcats a crucial two-possession four-point lead.
In other high school district championship games involving area teams on Saturday:
In Class 1 girls………
Worth County 51, North Harrison 46 (OT)
North Andrew 58, King City 47
Mound City 41, Jefferson 22
In Class 1 boys…………….
Worth County 67, Mercer 49
North Andrew 49, St. Joseph Christian 41
Mound City 44, Jefferson 37 (OT)
In Class 2 girls……………
Northeast (Cairo) 51, Marceline 39
Mid-Buchanan 69, Stanberry 57
In Class 2 boys………………..
Mid-Buchanan 58, Plattsburg 49
In Class 3 girls……………..
Penney (Hamilton) 68, Trenton 66 (OT)
In Class 3 boys………………..
Maryville 62, Penney (Hamilton) 52