PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — When Peoria High plays at the girls basketball state tournament Friday at CEFCU Arena, it will mark the first time the Lions have ever played in a state semifinal.

It will also be a family affair for head coach Meechie Edwards.

His wife Kelly and daughter Destini are assistants. And his daughter Denali, a starter on the 28-3 Lions, is one of his captains.

“I’m one of the luckiest guys on the earth.,” Meechie Edwards said. “To have my family with me every single night. Every single practice? Every single game? And I’ve had my kids to coach for 11 years. Who gets that opportunity?”

Edwards coached his son Dyricus and daughter Derria at Peoria High previously.

“To go out as a senior, to have another sister join me, and my dad as my coach, it’s a really great feeling,” said senior forward Denali Craig-Edwards. “It’s a very unique situation. I don’t know, I’ve never really heard of this kind of situation and to be able to live it out is amazing.”

The Lions play LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy (33-1) in the class 3A state semifinals at 10 a.m. Friday.