By Craig Lang | Prairie Advocate Sports

Varsity Volleyball Scores

October 16

Eastland 2 Le-Win 1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-17)

Milledgeville 2 Forreston 1 (19-25, 25-19, 25-14)

Stockton 2 Pearl City 0 (25-17, 25-18)

Scales Mound 2 River Ridge 1 (25-27, 25-18, 25-15)

Freeport Aquin 2 AFC 0 (25-18, 25-18)

Galena 2 East Dubuque 0 (26-24, 25-19)

Sterling 2 Streator 0 (25-21, 25-16)

October 18

Stockton 2 Eastland 1 (16-25, 25-17, 25-12)

Freeport Aquin 2 Milledgeville 0 (25-17, 25-19)

Class 1A RegionalVolleyball Schedules

Erie Regional

October 22

1-AFC vs. Polo – 7 p.m.

October 23

2-Erie vs. game #1 winner – 6 p.m.

3-Eastland vs. Milledgeville – 7 p.m.

October 25

Game #2 winner vs. game #3 winner – 7 p.m.

Pearl City Regional

October 22

1-River Ridge vs. Scales Mound – 6 p.m.

2-Pearl City vs. Warren – 7 p.m.

October 23

3-Stockton vs. game #1 winner – 6 p.m.

4-East Dubuque vs. game #2 winner – 7 p.m.

October 25

5-Game #3 winner vs. game #4 winner – 6 p.m.

Class 2A Volleyball Regional Schedules

Galena Regional

October 22

1-Forreston vs. Pecatonica – 5:30 p.m.

2-Galena vs. West Carroll – 7:30 p.m.

October 23

3-Dakota vs. game #1 winner – 5:30 p.m.

4-Le-Win vs. game #2 winner – 7:30 p.m.

October 25

5-Game #3 winner vs. game #4 winner – 7:30 p.m.

Fulton Regional

October 22

1-Rock Island Alleman vs. Prophetstown – 7 p.m.

October 23

2-Port Byron/Riverdale vs. game #1 winner – 6 p.m.

3-Fulton vs. Morrison – 7 p.m.

October 25

4-Game #2 winner vs. game #3 winner – 6 p.m.

with photos

Cover Story

‘Catz Win A Thriller

The EPC Wildcatz hopes of having an undefeated season looked to be in jeopardy during the first half of Friday night’s Senior Night game against the Forreston Cardinals in Lanark. But, the 8-0 ‘Catz kept their composure and orchestrated a thrilling come from behind 31-26 victory to take the Northwest Upstate Illini Northwest title and end their season at a perfect nine wins and no losses, their first undefeated season in nine years.

Everything seemed to be going the Cardinals way in the first half as they jumped out to a twenty six to sixteen first half lead. A thirty yard field goal by EPC cut the Forreston lead to 26-19 with just under seven minutes remaining in the contest.

The ‘Catz defense stiffened and held the Cardinals to a three and out. EPC running back Ben Thomas busted a forty-four yard run to get the Wildcatz deep in Forreston territory and set up a Ramsay Truckenmiller sixteen yard TD run to pull EPC to within a single point. A two point conversion failed, leaving the score 26-25.

With just under a minute left, the ‘Catz faced a fourth and ten at their own forty-six yard line. QB Tim Vandenburgh hit Cody Kluck with a pair of passes for thirty-two yards. On second and ten from the Forreston fourteen Vandenburgh found Thomas in the middle of the endzone and connected for the game winning TD pass.

Vandenburgh completed thirteen of twenty one passes for 123 yards while Thomas rambled for sixty seven yards. The Cardinals ground game was led by Bryan Kraft who ran for one hundred eight yards.

EPC will host the Orion Charders in round one of the IHSA Class 2A football playoffs while the Cardinals will host the Alden-Hebron Giants.

Mustangs Quell the Storm

By Bill Popkin

The Bureau Valley Storm, needing only one more victory this season to make the IHSA football playoffs, traveled to E.M. Cole Field in Morrison on October 19 to battle the Morrison Mustangs in the final game of the regular season. Another strong defensive effort by Morrison (6-3), limited the Bureau Valley squad to only 13 yards on the ground, thwarting the Storm’s effort (4-5). The Mustangs prevailed in the contest 21-6.

Danny Willis began the scoring with a 46 yard touchdown sprint at the 4:41 mark of the first period. Alex Volckmann’s extra point kick made the score 7-0. On the Mustang’s next possession, Brock Deter went in from the 5 yard line. With another Volckmann extra point, the Mustangs were in control 14-0.

The Storm answered back with 3:24 remaining in the second stanza on a Parker Neuhalflen to Jake Smith pass covering 30 yards. The extra point try failed, and the Mustangs were still ahead 14-6.

The only other scoring in the ballgame came at the 7:00 mark of the last quarter. Matt Wilkens hit Willis on an aerial strike covering 15 yards, culminating a short 3 play drive. With Volckmann’s third extra point kick, the score was 21-6. This would hold up to be the final score of the game.

Morrison’s Andrew Connelly led all rushers in the game with 84 yards, and Willis chipped in 68 more for the home team. The Mustangs totaled 330 offensive yards to 137 for the Storm. However, Morrison committed 8 penalties for 80 yards. This could prove to be a problem in playoff action. On the year, the Mustangs have averaged 19 points per game while giving up only 11.

Flaming autumn leaves. Caramel covered apples. Pumpkins carved with scary faces. It’s high school playoff football time. Enjoy it! This is as good as it gets!

The number 7 seeded Morrison will travel to Aledo to play the number 2 seeded Mercer County Golden Eagles this weekend. The powerful Eagles boast a perfect 9-0 record. They averaged 49 points per ballgame while giving up just 5 points in each outing. Their stingy defense has also shut out the opposition 5 times this season.

Raiders Top Missiles

AFC had their ground game going in full swing as they piled up four hundreds yards of rushing to take the thirty two point (54-22) victory. Jake Kaecker and Andrew LeFevre led AFC, running the football for one hundred sixty six and one hundred twenty seven yards respectively. Kaecker found the endzone for three scores for the Raiders.

Missile QB Kameron DawTyne completed twenty of thirty five pass attempts for two hundred fifty yards and two TD’s. Jordan Harris had twelve receptions for eighty seven yards and a TD. Doug Williams led the Milledgeville defense with fourteen tackles.

Varsity Football Scores

October 22

West Carroll 35 Polo 16

Le-Win 53 Dakota 16

Stockton 56 Freeport Aquin 19

Fulton 6 Kewanee 3

South Beloit 19 River Ridge 14

East Dubuque 39 Orangeville 18

Galena 1 Pecatonica 0 (forfeit)

Ottawa 27 Sterling 24

Warren 50 Durand 24

Stillman Valley 47 Winnebago 21

Sterling Newman 13 Amboy 6

Byron 42 Mendota 10

Streator 34 Dixon 14

Machesney Park Harlem 57 Freeport 12

Peru St. Bede 28 Erie/Prophetstown 20

Rock Falls 41 Oregon 36

Port Byron/Riverdale 34 Spring Valley Hall 14

IHSA Football Playoff Pairings

Class 1A

West Central at Stockton - Sat. 10/27 at 2 p.m.

Galena at East Dubuque - Sat. 10/27 at 1 p.m.

Hales at Aquin - Sat. 10/27 at 4 p.m.

Abingdon at Le-Win - Sat. 10/27 at 2 p.m.

Alden-Hebron at Forreston - Sat. 10/27 at 4 p.m.

Class 2A

Orion at EPC (Lanark) - Sat/ 10/27 at 1 p.m.

Winnetka at Amboy - Sat. 10/27 at 5 p.m.

Morrison at Mercer County - Sat. 10/27 at 1 p.m.

Rockridge at Rockford Lutheran - Sat. 10/27 at 6 p.m.

Class 3A

Winnebago at Farmington - Sat. 10/27 at 1 p.m.

Erie/P’town at Sterling Newman - Sat. 10/27 at 2 p.m.

Wilmington at Byron - Sat. 10/27 at 2 p.m.

Class 4A

Plano at Stillman Valley - Sat. 10/27 at 2 p.m.

Class 5A

Sterling at Woodstock N. - Sat. 10/27 at 7 p.m.