Winchester & Bluffs schools will be closed on Thursday because of the West Central Cougars Boys’ Basketball team.
The team captured a trip to the State Semifinals on Thursday last night after beating Illini Bluffs at the Jacksonville Bowl 46-42. The crowd was near capacity for the super sectional match up.
According to Winchester School District officials, due to the logistics of the State Semifinal game and staffing issues at the school, the schools will be closed on Thursday. The district is using one of its remaining emergency days, and will make up the missed day on Friday, May 3rd. The May 3rd date will be a 12PM dismissal for a school improvement day scheduled.
West Central will meet Aurora Christian at 11:15AM Thursday at the State Farm Center (formerly known as Assembly Hall) in Champaign for a chance to win the state title in Class 1A.
The last time West Central appeared in the Final Four in the State Tournament was in the 2010-2011 season under former head coach Jeff Abell. The Cougars fell in the title game that year to Newark 57-35. This will be the schools third state appearance overall.