In volleyball
Armstrong-Potomac 2, Hoopeston Area 0. The Trojans (14-11-1) topped the Cornjerkers in a 25-23, 25-23 Vermilion Valley Conference match thanks to nine aces, eight assists and three kills from Carly Grant, three kills from Ellie Lomax and two aces from Isabel Bullington. Abby Steiner had four blocks for the Cornjerkers (7-16), while Addy Kelnhofer had eight service points.
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 2, Blue Ridge 0. Nine kills from Summer Melton paced a 25-5, 25-6 win for ALAH (20-7), which easily handed Blue Ridge (2-22) a Lincoln Prairie Conference loss on its home court thanks to five kills apiece from Bella Romine and Maggie Benedict and 27 assists from Alayna Plank.
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Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 2, Milford 0. Twelve kills, six digs and three aces from Reis McFarland helped the Blue Devils (14-5) take down the Bearcats (6-19) in a 25-7, 25-19 VVC decision, with Macy Danner adding 12 digs and eight aces and Mallory Brines chipping in nine assists.
Bloomington Central Catholic 2, Paxton-Buckley-Loda 0. Six assists from Aubrey Busboom, three kills from Hallee Johnson and three digs from Taryn Rock weren't enough for the Panthers (8-15) in a 25-9, 25-9 Illini Prairie Conference loss to the host Saints.
Chillicothe IVC 2, Unity 1. Eighteen assists from Lauren Shaw, 11 kills from Jillian Schlittler and five kills from Ava Fenter weren't enough for the Rockets (19-11-1) to stave off the Grey Ghosts in a 15-25, 25-19, 25-19 IPC loss on their home floor.
Cissna Park 2, Schlarman 0. Thirteen assists from Ella Schluter, seven kills from Addison Lucht and five aces from Sophie Duis helped the Timberwolves (22-2) past the Hilltoppers (1-17) in a 25-7, 25-12 VVC decision on their home floor.
Lexington 2, Fisher 0. The host Bunnies (6-20) sustained a 25-8, 25-20 Heart of Illinois Conference loss to the Minutemen despite five kills from Paige Hott, five digs apiece from Maylie Evans, Bella Kelsey and Avery Carleton and three blocks from Maddy Graves.
Who should be this week's girls' Athlete of the Week?
It's time to vote for The News-Gazette's Athletes of the Week, powered by Copper Creek Contractors. Each Monday, The News-Gazette will publish an online poll with four boys and four girls from area schools. Your job is to pick one from each side who you believe most deserves the honor. You can vote once per device, and polls close at noon on Thursdays. Winners will be featured the following Monday.
You voted: Emily Decker (Unity cross-country) - Won an individual Illini Prairie Conference title, finishing the meet at Brookhill Golf Course with a time of 17 minutes, 24.8 seconds. She then took a runner-up finish at last Saturday's Runnin' Red Invitational in 17:25.1. Anna Houpt (Danville tennis) - Won a Big 12 Conference championship in the No. 1 singles bracket last Saturday after claiming the No. 1 doubles title with partner Reese Rundle the day before. Mady Melton (Monticello volleyball) - Earned All-Tournament Team honors with 57 digs and eight aces in the Sages' runner-up showing at last Saturday's Paxton-Buckley-Loda Classic, four days after tallying 22 digs and four aces in a win over St. Joseph-Ogden. Alayna Plank (Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond volleyball) - Made the Paxton-Buckley-Loda Classic All-Tournament Team with 54 assists and 18 digs in the Knights' fourth-place run. This came after leading ALAH to a runner-up finish in the Lincoln Prairie Conference Tournament with 44 assists. Vote View Results Back
Monticello 2, Rantoul 0. Sadie Welsh and Addison Finet chipped in 10 digs and 10 assists, respectively, while Sierrah Downey added eight kills to help the Sages (15-12) past the Eagles (9-17) in a 25-14, 25-14 IPC decision.
Normal West 2, Urbana 0. The Wildcats bested the Tigers (4-11) in a Big 12 Conference match, winning 25-15, 25-4 despite two kills and an ace from Valentina Gonzalez and a kill from Tehilah Mbala.
Oakwood 2, Iroquois West 0. Nineteen assists, three aces and three digs from Quinn Sperry helped the Comets (6-14) deal the Raiders (1-22) a 25-10, 25-13 setback in VVC play, with Sophia Hart adding 13 digs and three assists, Bella Bradford and Mady Nicoson chipping in five kills apiece and Gracie Young offering four kills of her own
Watseka 2, Salt Fork 0. The Warriors (24-6) came away with a VVC road win in Catlin as they upended the Storm in a 25-13, 25-13 decision. Noelle Schroeder had 21 digs, Christa Holohan set 15 assists and Lauren Tegtmeyer and Addisen Ulitzsch served three aces to pace Watseka's attack.
PHOTO GALLERY: Prep soccer: Unity vs. Monticello Close Buy Now
Monticello's Smith Glauner (2) and Unity's Nolan Wishall (23) battle for the ball in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Monticello's Issack Ocadiz (11) and Unity's Matthew Hollett (25) go up together for a header in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Monticello's Dallas Glauner (99) stops a goal vs. Unity in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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The ball slips through Unity's Noah Bryant's hands for goal in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Unity's Noah Bryant's reacts to Monticello scoring in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Monticello's Alex Kessler (30) and Unity's Brock Schlittler (40) in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Fans try to keep warm in the cold wind at a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Monticello's Sully Beccue(7) and Unity's Nolan Wishall (23) in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Unity's Nolan Wishall (23) and Monticello's Cannon Ureno(9) in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Monticello's Caleb Wood (5) and Unity's Matthew Hollett (25) in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Monticello's Joshua Dill (1) drives on Unity's Nolan Remole (39) in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
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Unity's Matthew Hollett (25) and Monticello's Caleb Wood (5) in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Monticello's Sully Beccue (7) and Unity's Nolan Remole(39) in a prep soccer game at Unity in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette +12 +12 +12 +12 +12 In soccer
IHSA Class 1A Hoopeston Regional
Hoopeston Area 5, Schlarman 0. A hat trick from Brayden Walder and additional goals from Felix Cantu and Dallas Sheppard helped the Cornjerkers (8-16) overcome a halftime draw in a quarterfinal match and extend their season against the Hilltoppers (0-17-2).
IHSA Class 1A Fisher Regional
St. Thomas More 8, Judah Christian 0. The Sabers (9-6-4) hosted the Tribe (5-13-2) in a quarterfinal match and won handily to keep their season alive.
Rockets oust Sages for first first postseason win in six years
From winless as freshmen to a postseason victory as seniors, this group of Rockets turned the program around
Nontournament
Urbana 8, Peoria 0. Home field advantage was kind to the Tigers (10-8-1) in a Big 12 Conference victory, with goals from Winner Nana, Anthony Becerril, Thavanh Sysouvanh, Maynor Antonio, Emir Martinez, Jayden Leman and Hayden Barton joining an own goal to help the winning cause. Jevan Juday added a pair of saves for the Tigers.
Who should be this week's boys' Athlete of the Week?
It's time to vote for The News-Gazette's Athletes of the Week, powered by Copper Creek Contractors. Each Monday, The News-Gazette will publish an online poll with four boys and four girls from area schools. Your job is to pick one from each side who you believe most deserves the honor. You can vote once per device, and polls close at noon on Thursdays. Winners will be featured the following Monday.
You voted: Hudson Ault (Prairie Central football) - Rose to the top of the Hawks' all-time rushing leaderboard with his 64-yard performance in a 49-15 win over Herrin last Saturday, putting him at 3,046 rushing yards for his career. Parker Baillie (Fisher/Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley soccer) - Became the Bunnies' all-time leader in goalie shutouts after a 6-0 win over Reed-Custer on Oct. 5. He followed that milestone with three more shutouts over Oakwood/Salt Fork, Blue Ridge and Teutopolis, setting a new team record for shutouts in a season. Camden Fairbanks (Unity cross-country) - Won an individual Illini Prairie Conference title, finishing the meet at Brookhill Golf Course with a time of 15 minutes, 33.1 seconds. Dylan Graves (Tuscola football) - Rushed for 258 yards and two touchdowns in the Warriors' 25-20 win over Heyworth last Friday. Vote View Results Back In boys' cross-country
At Mt. Zion. Mahomet-Seymour captured an Apollo Conference championship by scoring 26 points to best Mt. Zion (61), Taylorville (63), Charleston (78) and Mattoon (141), with Augustus Gaudio placing first overall at 15:02.1, Henry McMurry placing second at 15:12.2, Kaleb Kasper placing fourth at 15:27.1, Lukas Nykaza placing ninth at 15:53.5 and Zach Wilcoski placing 10th at 15:53.7.
In girls' cross-country
At Mt. Zion. Mahomet-Seymour swept the Apollo Conference meet by scoring 38 points in the girls' race to best Mt. Zion (59), Effingham (62), Mattoon (92), Taylorville (118) and Charleston (142). Emily Anand placed third overall at 18:17 and Taylor Mills placed seventh overall at 18:53.9 to lead the Bulldogs' winning effort.
In girls' swimming and diving
At Champaign. Champaign Central scored 117 points to best Normal Community (63) at Unit 4 Pool, with individual wins coming from Erin Armstrong (one meter diving, 224.30), Babette Bradley (200 freestyle, 2:00.73 and 100 backstroke, 1:03.45), Emory Wilson (100 freestyle, 1:00.57), Stella Asse (500 freestyle, 5:51.36) and Olivia Dempsey (1:11.71).
At Peoria. Peoria Notre Dame hosted Mahomet-Seymour and Pekin, with the Bulldogs scoring 80 points to top the Irish (50) and Dragons (40). The Bulldogs received individual wins from Reagan O'Donnell (200 freestyle, 1:58.41), Talynn O'Donnell (200 individual medley, 2:17.69 and 100 butterfly, 1:03.53), Caroline Mills (100 freestyle, 57.39) and Callie Lu (100 breaststroke, 1:19.28).
In girls' tennis
At Champaign. St. Thomas More dispatched Centennial in a 3-1 decision thanks to singles wins from Catherine Ra (6-1, 6-0) and Luciana Grant (6-0, 6-1), while Lauren Waldhoff and Kaitlynn Ballard (6-3, 6-1) were victorious for the Sabers in doubles play. Krishna Patel and Alivia Hooper notched a 7-5, 6-2 doubles win for the Chargers.