Established to recognize and award scholarships to eligible high school seniors who participated in this past year’s tournament, a selection committee of current and former educators chose the winners based on their leadership skills and academic performance. Applicants were also asked to demonstrate their experiences in student activities and community service, and required to submit an essay titled “How my high school sports experience helped prepare me for success in higher education.”

The 2012 Holiday Classic Scholarship awards go to (in alphabetical order):

• Brian Ehresman, El Paso-Gridley High School – Brian lettered in basketball all four years, earning numerous all-conference and all-area honors. He received both the DAR and SAR Good Citizenship Awards, was vice-president of the Key Club his junior year, and was manager of the girls volleyball team at EPG for four years. He currently ranks #1 in his class, lifeguards during the summer months, and plans to attend either Greenville College or Eureka College in the fall and major in communications and broadcasting.
• Paige Lobdell, Sterling High School – Paige ranks fourth academically in her class and played both basketball and softball all four years for the Golden Warriors. She is the editor-in-chief for both her school’s newspaper and yearbook, is on the National Honor Society, and hosts her own television program “Prime Time with Paige”. She plans to attend Luther College in Decorah, IA, and major in communications this fall.
• Annie O’Malley, Bloomington Central Catholic High School – Annie has been a three-sport athlete the past four years in basketball, softball and tennis. She is a member of the Interact Club, and volunteers for Special Olympics Illinois, the Bickford House and the Midwest Food Bank.  Annie plans to attend Boston College in the fall and major in pediatric nursing.
• Patrick Walsh, Lombard Glenbard East High School – Patrick has participated in basketball, baseball, football and golf during his career, earning several all-conference and academic all-conference honors. He has volunteers for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and works as a caddie at Medinah Country Club during the summer. He plans to attend Loras College in Dubuque, IA and major in secondary education.

“We have honored many fine student-athletes in the past seven years, and this year’s group of recipients is no exception,” said tournament vice-president Dave Oloffson. “Each year is a tough process for our selection committee, but these four student-athletes stood out from the 46 applications we received based on their involvement in school and their communities.”

For more information about the State Farm Holiday Classic, visit the official tournament Web site at www.theclassic.org.

The Holiday Classic Scholarship Fund was created by the State Farm Holiday Classic basketball tournament to award four, $1,000 scholarships each year to student-athletes from participating schools in our tournament.

Established to recognize and award scholarships to eligible high school seniors who participated in this past year’s tournament, a selection committee of current and former educators choose the winners based on their leadership skills and academic performance. Applicants are asked to demonstrate their experiences in student activities and community service, and are required to submit an essay titled “How my high school sports experience helped prepare me for success in higher education.

The Holiday Classic Scholarship fund is administered through the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation in Bloomington, IL, and scholarships are made directly to the attending college/university of those winning student. One winner from each of the four tournament brackets (Boys 1A-2A, Girls 1A-2A, Boys 3A-4A and Girls 3A-4A) will be awarded a scholarship.

All eligible applicants must:

• have participated in the 2011 State Farm Holiday Classic
• be a graduating senior this spring
• maintain a grade point average of 2.75 or above on a 4.0 scale
• be admitted to and plan to attend a 2- or 4-year college

Applications must be submitted and postmarked by March 31, 2013, and include the following:

• Brief essay (200-500 words) entitled “How my high school sports experience helped prepare me for success in higher education.”
• Two (2) letters of recommendation from those who have worked with you in student activities or community service programs, like a coach, principal, guidance counselor, etc.
• Copy of your accumulative transcripts including the most recent completed semester.
• Proof (note on school letterhead) from basketball coach that you have been or will be awarded a varsity letter in basketball.

Completed applications should be sent to:

Scholarship Application
Classic Tournament, Inc.
P.O. Box 1887
Bloomington, IL 61702

Previous Holiday Classic Scholarship recipients:

• Taylor Baucom – Camp Point Central (2006)
• Jordan Christensen – Sherrard (2006)
• Cherelle Gay – Bloomington (2006)
• Matt Pelton – Bloomington Central Catholic (2006)
• Patrick Doggett – CPCI (2007)
• Jack Hainline – Stanford Olympia (2007)
• Kimmy White – Olney East Richland (2007)
• Brandi Branka – Kankakee Bishop Mac (2008)
• Andrew Etheridge – Normal Community (2008)
• Kati Hinshaw – Normal West (2008)
• Randall Koehler – Roanoke-Benson (2008)
• Samantha Reich – Park Ridge Maine South (2008)
• Kristen Baldwin – Normal Community (2009)
• Luke Harbers – Normal U-High (2009)
• Cora Jeffers – Williamsville (2009)
• Ross Munsterman – CPCI (2009)
• Kevin Bischoff – Normal Community (2010)
• Rachael Graham – St. Joseph-Ogden (2010)
• Erin McGinnis – Normal West (2010)
• Andrew Sipes – Grayslake Central (2010)
• Nickolena Coop – Downs Tri-Valley (2011)
• Blake Doane, Quincy Notre Dame (2011)
• Kayla Moore, Sterling Newman Central Catholic (2011)
• Ryan Schmidt, Bloomington Central Catholic (2011)
• Brian Ehresman, El Paso-Gridley (2012)
• Paige Lobdell, Sterling (2012)
• Annie O’Malley, Bloomington Central Catholic (2012)
• Patrick Walsh, Lombard Glenbard East (2012)

The 34^th annual installment of the State Farm Holiday Classic will boast 10 new teams to strengthen what is already considered one of the strongest tournament fields in the state.

One of the largest coed high school holiday tournaments in the nation tips off Dec. 26, 27, 28 & 29, and marks the 14^th consecutive year with State Farm Insurance^® as the title sponsor. The tournament will once again use four venues around Bloomington-Normal; the Illinois Wesleyan University Shirk Center, U.S. Cellular Coliseum, Normal Community High School and Normal West High School.

New additions to the large school boys’ field include three Chicago-area schools in Huntley, Plainfield South and Thornton Fractional North from Calumet City. Top individual players in this bracket include Normal U-High’s Keita Bates-Diop (No. 5 ranked sophomore in state by chicagohoops.com), and Huntley’s sophomore Amanze Egekeze (being recruited by a number of Big Ten teams).

The boys’ small school bracket will welcome Rockford Lutheran, who just finished third in the state in Class 2A, and local favorite Fairbury Prairie Central for the first time after the Hawks organized their own holiday tournament for the past 27 years. Champaign St. Thomas More will also be a new addition to this bracket that features a diverse field of the state’s perennial powerhouses, as well as one of the best sophomores in the state in Chicago Providence St. Mel’s Tevin King.

The girls’ side of the tournament will once again feature some of the best teams throughout Illinois. The small school field will feature some of the state’s best, such as Sectional champs Annawan, Pana and Champaign St. Thomas More, along with Regional champs El Paso-Gridley, Rock Falls and Fairbury Prairie Central who returns to the tournament for the first time since 2004.

The large school girls’ tournament is highlighted by third-place state finisher Springfield, Sectional champs Belvidere North and Morton, and newcomers Geneseo, Chicago Morgan Park and Chicago St. Ignatius. Traditional powers Peoria Richwoods, Champaign Centennial, Rock Island and Peoria Notre Dame will also return along with all five Bloomington-Normal intercity girls teams.

“In our 34 years, we have worked hard to build this event into one of the most competitive and hospitable tournaments a team can participate in throughout Illinois,” said Tournament Vice-President Dave Oloffson. “In addition to providing four games against some of the best teams our state has to offer, we try and create an unforgettable experience for each player, coach and fan that they will talk about for years to come.”

In addition, the Classic Tournament, Inc. (CTI) would like to announce the following:

Holiday Classic Scholarship Program: For the seventh consecutive year, for the Holiday Classic Scholarship Program will award four graduating seniors with a $1,000 scholarship each. Recipients will be announced in mid- to late-April.

 Grants to local basketball programs: Due to the great support of the local community and the turnout of fans to last year’s tournament, the CTI is in a position again to provide a $1,000 grant to each of the eight participating intercity basketball programs (Bloomington girls, Central Catholic boys, Central Catholic girls, Normal Community boys, Normal Community girls, Normal U-High boys, Normal U-High girls and Normal West girls).

Follow along with the 2011 State Farm Holiday Classic by becoming a fan of the tournament’s official facebook page. Get all the latest on participating teams, players, game results and interesting tidbits about the nation’s largest coed holiday high school basketball tournament.

Go to www.facebook.com/sfclassic and click on the “Like” button.

• Aaron Simpson, North Chicago, most points in the tournament with 135, broke Joey Range’s (Galesburg) record from 1997.
• Aaron Simpson, North Chicago, highest tournament scoring average of 33.75 ppg, broke Jim Shikenjanski’s (Rockton Hononegah) record from 1985
• Aaron Simpson, North Chicago, fifth and tenth highest single-game scoring performances with 41 and 38 points
• Anthony Beane, Normal Community, fourth highest tournament scoring average of 30.25 ppg
• Anthony Beane, Normal Community, 14th highest single-game scoring performance with 37 points

 Records achieved in 2011 tournament – Girls individual

• Olivia Elger, Peoria Notre Dame, 12-for-12 on free throws during one game

 Records achieved in 2011 tournament – Girls team

• Fewest points scored in a half – 0 Olympia vs. Rochester (shut out in second half of 50-3 defeat). Tied record set in 2010 by Olympia.
• Fewest points scored in a game – 3 Olympia vs. Rochester (lost 50-3)
• Fewest field goals made in a game – 1 Olympia vs. Rochester
• Most free throws made in a game, two teams combined – 51 Peoria Notre Dame (24-of-34) and Georgetown, KY Scott County (27-of-43)
• Most free throws attempted in a game – 43 by Georgetown, KY Scott County; made 27
• Most free throws attempted in a game, two teams combined – 77 Peoria Notre Dame (24-of-34) and Georgetown, KY Scott County (27-of-43)
• Fewest points allowed in the tournament – 113 Rochester (allowed 40, 3, 23 and 47) – average of 28.25 ppg allowed
• Also fewest points allowed in a half (0) and game (3) – Rochester vs. Olympia
• Most points allowed in the tournament – 249 Peoria Notre Dame (allowed 79, 51, 78 and 41)
• Longest winning streak – 15 (second longest) – Bloomington Central Catholic; snapped in championship game loss to El Paso-Gridley

 Records achieved in 2011 tournament – Boys team

• Fewest points scored in the tournament (large school) – 135 Culver, Ind., Military Academy – average of 33.75 ppg scored
• Fewest Field Goals scored in the tournament – 47 Culver, Ind., Military Academy; made 34 fg and 13-3pt field goals
• Largest margin of victory – 56 North Chicago (defeated Culver, Ind., 87-31)

3:30 p.m.: Girls 3A-4A: Maine South vs. Champaign Centennial

• Both teams have hardware history at the Classic – Maine South has one 2nd place and two 4th place trophies in four previous appearances, Centennial finished 3rd last year in its debut – which one will claim its first title?
• Interesting tidbit: This is the only title game in which one of the top two seeds advanced to the championship – and both did!

5:10 p.m.: Boys 3A-4A: Normal Community vs. Springfield

• This is the sixth championship game appearance for the Ironmen, which matches Thornwood for most all-time in boys tournament play. (Note: Normal won titles in 1975, 1985 and 2008).
• Normal Community’s Anthony Beane has scored 52 percent of the Ironmen’s points during the first three games of the tournament.
• Interesting tidbit: Springfield is the first No. 15 seed ever to advance to a Holiday Classic title game.

6:50 p.m.: Girls 1A-2A: El Paso-Gridley vs. Bloomington Central Catholic

• Central Catholic is the three-time defending champions and enters this game with a 15-game consecutive winning streak in State Farm Holiday Classic games. A sixteenth consecutive win would tie the Saints with Galesburg (1997-2000) and allow the Saints to become the first team ever to win four straight tournament titles.
• This is Central Catholic’s eighth championship game appearance, most all-time by any boys or girls team.
• El Paso-Gridley enters this championship game as the only team remaining that’s undefeated on the season.
• Interesting tidbit: These teams played for a 2011 sectional title – a game which the Saints won 70-40.

8:30 p.m.: Boys 1A-2A: Cissna Park CPCI vs. Quincy Notre Dame

• CPCI was the smallest school in the field in terms of enrollment (114). This is CPCI’s second appearance in the championship game. In 2005, the Timberwolves lost to Hartsburg-Emden.
• After four straight title game appearances (2001-2004), this is Quincy Notre Dame’s first appearance in the championship game since the Raiders won their second title in 2004.
• Interesting tidbit: Through three games, CPCI has only allowed 103 points (34.3 ppg). The all-time record for fewest points allowed in a four-game tournament is 151 (Normal U-High in 2007).