The high school basketball postseason is in full swing, and one of the top programs in the area on both the boys and girls side is the Abingdon-Avon Tornadoes.
Everyone knew about the Tornadoes girls squad coming into the year. They are just one season removed from a super-sectional run and returned two key starters in leading scorer junior Kennedy Quinn along with her cousin and fellow junior, Kaydin Quinn.
The girls have absolutely lived up to the preseason hype, battling through one of the toughest non-conference schedules a 1A school can play and finishing the regular season at 24-5. The Tornadoes also captured both the LTC regular season and tournament titles.
A-Town continued their dominant run in regionals, rolling past ROWVA/Williamsfield 57-26 and then defeating Brimfield 48-31, marking a third consecutive regional title for Head Coach Brent Dugan and the Tornadoes.
The girls have now won 10 straight and will face another tough test tonight against 28-3 Brown County in the sectional semifinals. Abingdon-Avon Athletic Director Reid Kelso shares the message for the girls ahead of their matchup with the Hornets.
The sectional semifinal between A-Town and Brown County tips off at 6 p.m. in Bushnell. The winner will face either Illini Bluffs or Havana, who play at 7:30 following the conclusion of the Tornadoes game.
On the other side, the boys are making a historic run of their own. The Tornadoes currently sit at an impressive 29-3 and are on the brink of breaking school records. Along the way, they also captured both the LTC regular season and tournament championships.
A-Town opened postseason play with a regional quarterfinal matchup against ROWVA/Williamsfield and handled business 63-28. Now the Tornadoes turn their attention to a semifinal showdown with Illini Bluffs, one win away from reaching the regional championship, a game the Tornadoes have lost twice in the last two years.
Athletic Director Reid Kelso shares the path ahead for the boys.
The Tornadoes tip off against Illini Bluffs at 6 p.m. in Galva on Wednesday, as they look to advance to Friday’s regional championship.
For the full interview with Reid Kelso, go to the SPORTS PODCAST section.
