Rockets are Class IA IHSA State Champions!

Coach+Jon+Kraus+and+seniors+Payten+Harre+and+Caleb+Frederking+are+interviewed+by+the+media+after+their+big+win+over+Annawan.

Coach Jon Kraus and seniors Payten Harre and Caleb Frederking are interviewed by the media after their big win over Annawan.

Nick Rulevish

The State title came home to Okawville! The Rockets fought hard and ended up getting some clutch wins when they needed it most.

 

The Super-Sectional game in Jacksonville against Peoria Quest was by far the most stressful, emotional, and wildest games on the Rockets journey to State. There was no such thing as breathing room in this game. The game went into overtime twice! Two of Peoria’s five starters fouled out during the second overtime. Okawville’s Caleb Frederking fouled out as well in second overtime, Luke Hensler stepped up and took over making his final four free throws. He also ended the game with a clutch block in the final seconds of the game. The Rockets were up by one with only seconds left and Peoria’s guard took the ball down, drove towards the basket, and got rejected by Hensler. That sealed the game for the Rockets and also clinched their second chance to win State. The final score was 65-64. Luke Hensler was the player of the game.

 

In the first round of State the Rockets had to go through Goreville in order to have a chance at a State title. The Rockets went through them quite easily with an amazing victory. The final score was 48-33. The State championship was against the Okawville Rockets and the Annawan Braves. At halftime the game was all tied up at 24. Owen Landwehr was a pain in Okawville’s side and was really carrying the Braves. He ended the game with 20 total points. In the 3rd quarter Okawville’s Wyatt Krohne went off draining three after three. He wasn’t the only one that was on fire. Payten Harre was also shooting well. Annawan gave a good fight, but it wasn’t enough to fight off the Rockets powerful offense. The final score was 59-48. That was Okawville’s first ever State title.  The Rockets ended their season with a 12 game win streak. That’s not the only award that was given out though. Wyatt Krohne won the player of the game and the student section won the section showdown for the second year in a row. Congratulations to all the State Champs Okawville Rockets.