WINCHESTER, Ill. — In a game defined by momentum swings, the top-seeded West Central Cougars outlasted the three-seed Springfield Calvary Saints in a Class 1A Regional Championship slugfest, winning 58-57 to claim their second consecutive regional title.

The game started with a bang as West Central opened on a 10-2 run, showcasing their dominance early. However, the Saints quickly countered with a 10-3 surge of their own, tying the game at 13-13 by the end of the first quarter.

As the second quarter got underway, the Cougars once again came out firing, stringing together a 9-2 run to take a 22-15 lead. But true to the back-and-forth nature of the contest, Springfield Calvary responded with an 8-3 stretch, trimming the deficit to just two at halftime, 25-23.

The third quarter saw both teams trading baskets in an electrifying display of offense. West Central poured in 21 points in the period, with Carson Brown scoring eight of his 15 points and Nick Hamilton knocking down two key three-pointers to propel the Cougars forward. Springfield Calvary kept pace, putting up 18 points, led by Luke Blackford, who scored 10 of his 18 in the quarter. Heading into the final frame, West Central held onto a slim 46-41 advantage.

With everything on the line, the Saints came out determined in the fourth quarter, starting with a 7-2 run to knot the game at 48-48. Antoine Hunter was instrumental in the surge, scoring seven of his 18 points in just minutes.

As the game reached its climax, the intensity heightened. With just 16.3 seconds remaining, Reese Huffman drilled a clutch three-pointer to give Springfield Calvary a one-point lead. The Cougars refused to back down. In the closing moments, Caden Meyer came up with a massive offensive rebound and putback, scoring two of his 15 points to put West Central ahead 58-57 with just 4.2 seconds left.

The Cougars held strong in the final seconds, securing a thrilling victory and keeping their hopes alive to defend their state title. Up next, West Central will face another top-seeded opponent, the Greenfield Tigers, in the sectional semifinal round at North Greene on Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m.