Tri-Valley girls check off big box with first McLean County/HOIC Tournament title since 1999
- Jonathan Michel
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
BLOOMINGTON — None of Tri-Valley’s girls basketball players were alive the last time that the Vikings won a McLean County/Heart of Illinois Conference Tournament title.
That may make it seem like the Vikings have accomplished that feat recently, or that they’re a young team, but neither one of those are the case.
Head coach Brent Ward remembered Tri-Valley’s last title in 1999 as he was on the sidelines as an assistant under George Van Winkle. The tournament was not quite the 13-team beast that it is now, as the current version of the HOIC was not yet formed. In fact, Tri-Valley didn't win it completely on its own accord, as it was in a co-op with LeRoy at the time.
But the Vikings have now tamed the beast after moving past Fieldcrest, Heyworth and surviving a spirited run by defending champion Eureka on Saturday night in a 66-52 win at Illinois Wesleyan University's Shirk Center.
“It's been our goal to be here and just to get it done, for what we've been working on for so long, with all these girls is just really amazing,” Tri-Valley senior forward Addy Freihaut said. “And I just couldn't wish to do with any other girls and any other coaches.”
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