Griffin and Raiford shine, but Comanches drop tough road game in Springfield

A dominant opening quarter gave Cahokia momentum, but Springfield flipped the game with a big second frame to win 67-62. Griffin and Raiford kept the Comanches close with strong two-way performances.

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SPRINGFIELD - For one electric quarter, the Cahokia Comanches looked unstoppable, building a commanding 16-point lead. But a devastating second-quarter swing proved too much to overcome, as Springfield High School roared back to hand Cahokia a heartbreaking 67-62 non-conference road loss last Friday night.

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The game turned on a dime in the second frame, where Springfield outscored the Comanches by nearly a 2-to-1 margin to erase the large deficit and take a 35-28 lead into halftime. Cahokia, showing resilience, spent the rest of the game chipping away. A valiant recovery effort kept the score close down the stretch, but the Comanches ultimately ran out of time, falling just short in the final minutes.

Senior leadership kept Cahokia in the fight. C'narri Griffin and Corrion Raiford shouldered the offensive load, each pouring in 18 points. Raiford completed a double-double by dominating the glass with 10 rebounds, while Griffin was a disruptive force on defense, leading the team with four steals and adding four assists.

Sophomore Douglas Edwards III provided key support with seven points. As a team, the Comanches posted strong effort stats with 28 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 steals, but could not find enough baskets to complete the comeback.

The loss drops Cahokia's early season record to 2-1 as they head into a grueling stretch of their five-game road swing. There is little time to dwell, as the team travels to face the Highland Bulldogs tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m., followed by a back-to-back game against the undefeated Belleville East Lancers (3-0) just 24 hours later.

Closing out the week, the Comanches head to Marion for the Wildcats' season opener on Friday before a three-day break from competition on the hardcourt.

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Balanced effort propels Central past Springfield Southeast

The Maroons shook off an early stumble by defeating Springfield Southeast 60-47 last Tuesday.

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CHAMPAIGN - After a season-opening stumble, the Champaign Central Maroons found their footing at home Tuesday night, using a stout defensive effort and balanced scoring to secure a 60-47 victory over the Springfield Southeast Spartans.

The win, which evened Central’s early season record at 1-1, was fueled by contributions across the roster. Junior Jeremy McCoy led all scorers with 18 points, while senior Cayden Love provided a pivotal two-way performance with 15 points, a team-high seven rebounds, and three steals. Sophomore L. Cooper Sutton rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points, adding six defensive rebounds to help Central control the glass with a 27-rebound team total.

That defensive energy was personified by Love and senior Jayden Means, who each recorded three steals as the Maroons consistently disrupted the Spartan offense. The effort marked a significant turnaround from a 48-39 home loss to Peoria Manual just two days prior.

The Maroons will look to build on this momentum as they hit the road for their next contest, a non-conference matchup against another Springfield foe. Central is scheduled to face Springfield High School (2-1) on December 3.

Box Score Highlights:

• Jeremy McCoy: 18 PTS
• Cayden Love: 15 PTS, 7 REB, 3 STL
• L. Cooper Sutton: 12 PTS, 6 DREB
• Team: 27 Total REB, 11 STL, 22 BLK

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