Peoria Journal Star Reports Ironmen Victory

NORMAL — Again and again, Alex Peacock drove right into the teeth of Chicago Simeon’s interior Tuesday, helping Normal Community to an upset it will savor for a long time.

Senior forward Peacock netted a game-high 25 points and led No. 5-ranked Normal to a 64-50 victory over No. 1 Chicago Simeon in the Class 4A Normal Supersectional at Redbird Arena.

It’s only the second time Normal has reached the state finals — the Ironmen finished fourth in 2010-11 — while Simeon fell short for the second straight season after its four-peat through 2013.

“This might be the biggest win in school history,” Normal coach Dave Witzig said, still on the floor as his team paraded the nets and the sectional title plaque in front of its raucous fans moments after Simeon was dispatched. “You can’t simulate (in practice) what Chicago Simeon does. We had a low-scoring game in the first half, and then we went right at (Simeon center and Nebraska recruit) Edward Morrow after that. We needed points, we needed guys to step up, and Alex (Peacock) and others did that.

“That fourth quarter, with so many free throws, seemed to take forever, but the pace actually favored us.”

Normal (32-1) went on a 12-point run in the third quarter as Peacock completed a layup-and-1, a 3-pointer and a jumper to help build a 31-22 lead.

Simeon, meanwhile, with its three senior stars in the lineup — Morrow (heading to Nebraska), DJ Williams (heading to Illinois) and Isaiah Moss (heading to Iowa) — went nine possessions without scoring over a stretch of 5:38.

Simeon fired up 15 3-pointers and made just one. The hole was dug for the 28-4 club.

“We’re afraid of no one, you have to take it right inside, right at ’em,” Peacock said. “Nobody thought we would be standing here like this. But we definitely believed we could win this game.”

Normal center Tyler Seibring had 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Peacock added nine rebounds.

Simeon got 11 points from Zach Norvell, while Williams had nine points, Moss six and Morrow seven, the latter adding five rebounds and four blocks.

“At this stage of the season anything can happen,” Simeon coach Robert Smith said. “We didn’t follow the game plan. That’s what happens when you don’t. On film, looking at (Normal) we could have gotten into the paint whenever we wanted to.”