Willen scores 18 as Notre Dame upsets Dexter

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- What a difference a player makes.

Without star forward Bryce Willen, Notre Dame won a little more than one-third of their games this season. With Willen back in a significant role in the Class 4 District 1 tournament at the Perry Park Center, the Bulldogs went 3-0.

The third-seeded Bulldogs finished off a perfect week Friday with a 56-52 victory against top-seeded Dexter in the championship game played before a packed house.

"I'm just so thankful for these kids," first-year Notre Dame coach Paul Hale said. "I'm just so thankful for Bryce."

Willen led Notre Dame with 18 points two nights after putting up 25 in a two-point win over Sikeston in the semifinals.

Notre Dame (12-16) will now move on to the sectional Wednesday at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo.

"You come back and three games later you win a district," said Willen, who suffered serious ligament injury to his knee in the final game of the boys soccer season and was phased back in slowly during the regular season. "It's a great feeling. I didn't imagine coming back this season, let alone winning a district."

Willen helped keep the Bulldogs in the game in the first half with 14 points, but when the Bulldogs needed a bucket down the stretch, it came from Frankie Ellis. The junior guard finished with 16 points, 14 coming in the second half.

Ellis used his quickness with the dribble to get to the hole. In the fourth quarter Ellis was fouled three times on drives and hit three field goals off similar plays.

"Coach told me to penetrate when I had it," Ellis said. "I concentrated more than I had all year."

The game was tight throughout the second half -- the largest lead was four points.

"The biggest thing is we all believed in each other," Willen said.

With Notre Dame in foul trouble much of the second half, it appeared Dexter (21-6) may get a chance to pull away from the free throw line. But after a pair of free throws from Derek Roberts gave Dexter a 49-45 lead about midway through the fourth quarter, Dexter hit only one of four free throws the rest of the way.

Jeremy Brinkmeyer sparked Notre Dame with a 3-pointer with about 3 minutes to play. Ellis then put Notre Dame on top 50-49 a minute later on a drive. Notre Dame went ahead for good on Willen's bucket after a turnover.

Notre Dame only hit two of five free throws down the stretch, but two Dexter turnovers in the final 47 seconds helped seal the win. When John Eric Klein's layin with 7 seconds left put Notre Dame up by four, the game was sealed.

"It's just a big win for our program," Hale said. "It's just a fun atmosphere. The last timeout I told everyone, 'Ain't this fun?' Everyone just did a heck of a job."

Notre Dame had losses to Sikeston and Dexter heading into the district tournament.

"We played Sikeston and Dexter without Bryce and played them tough," Hale said. "He provided the spark and put us over the top."

Scott Admire led the defending district champion Bearcats with 15 points. Chris Guethle added 13 and Eric Rinehart had 11.

Notre Dame last made the sectional round two years ago. That year the Bulldogs fell in the sectionals to De Soto.

"Can't stop now," Ellis said. "We've worked too hard for too long to stop now. We're not going to stop working. We're going to celebrate tonight then get back to work on Sunday."

NOTRE DAME 56, DEXTER 52

Notre Dame 12 15 12 17 -- 56

Dexter 10 11 18 13 -- 52

NOTRE DAME (56) - Bryce Willen 18, Frankie Ellis 16, John Eric Klein 6, Mark Unterreiner 5, Jeremy Brinkmeyer 7, Alex Ressel 2, Kirk Boeller 2. FG: 20, FT: 14-26, Fouls: 21. (3-pointers: Willen 1, Brinkmeyer 1. Fouled out: Ressel)

DEXTER (52) - Scott Admire 15, Chris Guethle 13, Eric Rinehart 11, Anthony Elfrink 6, Derek Roberts 5. FG: 20, FT: 11-22, Fouls: 21 (3-pointers: Guethle 1, fouled out: none)