Marshall 66, Winnegabo 55: All of the Winnebago players hung their heads as they walked off the court after their final game of the season Saturday.

But there were three in particular — Jake Doty, Chuck Misuraca and Russ Fiori — who were the most emotional after Winnebago’s 66-55 loss to Marshall.

“It’s tough, knowing it’s our last game ever,” Misuraca said. “It’s really hard.”

The three seniors are the only three who won’t use this year’s state tournament as a learning experience, who won’t get another crack at a state title, and who won’t be in uniform if the Indians make another run next year.

The rest of the Indians seemed to understand this, as they patted the seniors on the back and offered them words of encouragement as they walked slowly back to the locker room.

“It was a really great year for them,” junior Brad Reinke said.

It was a great year, but not the ending they were hoping for. Winnebago lost its second game of the state tournament and finished fourth in Class 2A with its loss to Marshall in the third-place game at the Peoria Civic Center.

One day after falling to Seton Academy in the semifinals, Winnebago (31-2) ran into a Marshall team led by senior trio Taylor Duncan (21 points) and identical twins Logan (20 points) and Lucas Eitel (21 points).

“I refer to them as my Big Three,” Marshall coach Tom Brannan said. “They really stepped up tonight.”

Winnebago started with the momentum, led by as much as nine points in the second quarter, and owned a 29-26 halftime lead. Marshall’s Lucas Eitel hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 31 apiece early in the third, but Winnebago finished the third with back-to-back 3-pointers from Chas Cross and Jeff Sartorius and led 44-43 heading into the fourth.

That was the last lead the Indians owned. Winnebago went 0 for 3 in its one-and-one free-throw chances in the fourth quarter, and leaders Cross, A.J. Thomas and Seth Gustafson all fouled out.

“We’ve been up-and-down at the free-throw line all year,” Winnebago coach Joe Murphy said. “Even our best free-throw shooter missed a one-and-one tonight, and as a coach you hope that never happens, but it happens.”

Cross, who was in foul trouble for both of this weekend’s state tournament games, finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Reinke added 11 points, Mike Mann had six rebounds, and Sartorius had four assists.

With just three seniors on the team, the future looks bright for next year’s Indians.

“I definitely like our chances,” Reinke said. “I think we should learn from this and make it back here next year and go for the state title.”

And even though they won’t be wearing a uniform, the trio of Doty, Misuraca and Fiori said they will also be back.

“I can’t wait to come back and see this team play here next year,” Doty said. “I think they have a lot to look forward to.”

- Emily Tropp, rrstar.com