In 2014 when the Benton girls and Lafayette boys basketball teams advanced to their respective Class 4 Final Fours, that was the first time in the history of high school basketball in St. Joseph that two programs in the city each advanced to the Final Four in the same season.  Two years later, the two programs have done it again.

Both teams played their Class 4 Quarterfinal game Saturday in Independence at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena.  The Benton girls improved to 29-0 with a 45-22 victory over Grain Valley, while the Lafayette boys used a big second half to defeat Raytown South 57-42 and they’re now 27-3 this season.

Benton led wire-to-wire but they took control of their game with the Eagles in the third quarter after Grain Valley pulled to within six points, 24-18, early in the third, but the Cardinals went on an 18-1 run and outscored Grain Valley 21-4 to end the game.

Daejah Bernard led Benton with 12 points, while Kylee Williams added ten.  The Cardinals advance to their fourth Final Four under head coach Brett Goodwin and they’ll play Owensville in the second semifinals next Friday.  The game will tip at 4:15 p.m. and it’ll be broadcast on 680 KFEQ.  Incarnate Word will meet MICDS in the other Class 4 girls semifinal.

The Lafayette boys used another big fourth quarter to seal another postseason win.  In a back-and-forth game for three quarter, the Fighting Irish led 33-30 after three and then exploded for a 13-2 run to start the fourth quarter and they outscored Raytown South 24-12 in the final period to secure their fifth trip in school history to the Final Four.  It’s the third in nine seasons for head coach Chris Neff.

Diego Bernard led Lafayette with 22 points and Sterling Hicks scored 11, all in the fourth quarter.  The Irish will face off with Helias Catholic in their semifinal game Friday at 7:45 p.m. and it’ll be broadcast on 680 KFEQ.  Sikeston will play Vashon in the first boys Class 4 semifinal prior to the Lafayette game.