Today's News - December 29, 2009

The Columbia-Freeburg Christmas Tournament has been the center of the local sports world this past week. It began Saturday, Dec. 26 and ran through Wednesday, Dec. 30 at the Columbia High School gym. As of Tuesday afternoon, Columbia, Triad, and Murphysboro remain at the top of the round-robin tournament with undefeated records so far. Triad and Murphysboro have yet to lose in the tournament or during the regular season as well.

Columbia is undefeated, thanks to victories over Valmeyer, Waterloo and Gibault. The Eagles are trying to defend their title as they beat Triad in last year’s championship game. Columbia is set to play Murphysboro tonight (Tuesday) with an 8 p.m. tip-off. The winner of that game will play Triad in the championship game Wednesday at 8 p.m. The loser of tonight’s Columbia / Murphysboro game will play Freeburg in the third place game Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Waterloo is coming off of a 50-44 victory over Gibault on Tuesday afternoon. The Bulldogs will play Lebanon in the fifth place game Wednesday at 5 p.m. Tomorrow, Gibault will take on Marquette at 3:30 p.m. for seventh place. Rounding out Wednesday’s action will be the ninth place game pitting Valmeyer versus Civic Memorial at 2 p.m.

Waterloo’s Daulton Kaufmann crashes the boards to lay in two points during the Bulldogs 89-55 victory over the Valmeyer Pirates.   - photos by Bob Haentzler / game photos online at www.gatewayphoto.net