This year the IHSA once again held their annual King of the Hill three-point competition after having it canceled last season due to COVID-19. This gives Illinois high school athletes the opportunity to showcase their hard work throughout their athletic careers and three-point shot accuracy. Each participant gets 15 balls and 45 seconds to make as many three-point attempts as possible. 

Four seniors from Okawville High school were given the opportunity to compete in the competition, Cole Wiedwilt, Wilson Welch, Levi Traub, and Ethan Riechmann. The boys shot in their first competition on February 22, at Woodlawn High School before the 1A Regional championship game.  Out of all the athletes, only the four who made the most baskets could advance to the Sectional competition the next week. Wilson Welch was the only Rocket who qualified for this with a total of 11 three-pointers made. 

Although the other senior boys did not get the Regional run they wanted or advance in the contest, they still put up an impressive performance. Riechmann made 8 during his round while  Wiedwilt and Traub made 3 and 2 respectively. 

On March 1 at the Okawville High School 1A Boys’ Basketball Sectional, Wilson Welch took the floor again in hopes of making it to the IHSA State Finals for the Country Financial King of the Hill competition. Welch made an impressive 9 shots, advancing him to Champaign to shoot on the University of Illinois floor. Alex Calverly from Edwards County joined the Rocket senior in this accomplishment.

While at the state competition, Wilson Welch made a total of 6 three-pointers and was recognized for being one of the top 15 sharpshooters in Illinois 1A basketball. “I honestly didn’t think it was possible to get as far as I did, but I’m proud that I was able to represent our school and community. It was also a great experience to be able to shoot at the University of Illinois,” said Welch. 

Although he did not make the top 4, the Okawville community could not be prouder to have Wilson represent our community at the State Finals. Welch continues, “None of this would have been possible without the support from my team and my community.”