By Craig Lang | Prairie Advocate Sports

Class 1A Volleyball Regional Results

Pearl City Regional

October 22

Scales Mound 2 River Ridge 0 (25-21, 25-16)

Pearl City 2 Warren 0 (25-17, 25-21)

October 23

Stockton 2 Scales Mound 0 (25-15, 25-20)

Pearl City 2 East Dubuque 0 (25-21, 25-23)

October 25 Championship

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

Erie Regional

October 22

AFC 2 Polo 1 (17-25, 25-11, 25-19)

October 23

Erie 2 AFC 0 (25-11, 25-14)

Eastland 2 Milledgeville 1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-7)

October 25 Championship

Erie 2 Eastland 1 (24-26, 25-15, 25-21)

Durand Regional

October 22

Kirkland-Hiawatha 2 Orangeville 0 (25-16, 25-21)

October 23

Rockford (Keith Country Day) 2 Kirkland-Hiawatha 0 (25-11, 25-14)

October 25

Rockford (Keith Country Day) 2 Freeport Aquin 0 (25-15, 25-22)

Class 1A Volleyball Sectional

Polo Sectional

October 30

1-Newark vs. Rockford (Keith Country Day) – 6 p.m.

2-Erie vs. Stockton – 7 p.m.

November 1

Game #1 winner vs. game #2 winner – 7 p.m.

Class 2A Volleyball Regional Results

Galena Regional

October 22

Pecatonica 2 Forreston 1 (18-25, 25-17, 25-23)

Galena 2 West Carroll 0 (25-17, 255-15)

October 23

Dakota 2 Pecatonica 0 (25-10, 25-17)

Galena 2 Le-Win 0 (25-19, 25-22)

October 25 Championship

Dakota 2 Galena 1 (18-25, 27-25, 25-22)

Fulton Regional

October 22

Rock Island Alleman 2 Prophetstown 0 (25-17, 25-17)

October 23

Port Byron/Riverdale 2 Rock Island Alleman 0 (25-11, 25-7)

Fulton 2 Morrison 0 (26-24, 25-22)

October 25 Championship

Port Byron/Riverdale 2 Fulton 0 (25-19, 25-6)

Amboy Regional

October 22

Somonauk 2 Serena 0 (25-21, 25-18)

Sterling Newman 2 Amboy 0 (25-14, 25-17)

October 23

Seneca 2 Somonauk 0 (25-18, 25-21)

Sterling Newman 2 Ottawa Marquette 1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-22)

October 25 Championship

Seneca 2 Sterling Newman 1 (19-25, 25-11, 25-13)

Class 2A Volleyball Sectionals

Byron Sectional

October 30

1-Dakota vs. North Boone – 6 p.m.

2-Westmont vs. Oregon – 7 p.m.

November 1

Game #1 winner vs. game #2 winner – 7 p.m.

Sherrard Sectional

October 30

1-Port Byron/Riverdale vs. Monmouth (United) – 6 p.m.

2-Orion vs. Peoria (Christian) – 7 p.m.

November 1

Game #1 winner vs. game #2 winner – 7 p.m.

Class 3A Volleyball Regional Results

Sterling Regional

October 22

Mendota 2 Plano 1 (22-25, 25-9, 25-17)

Princeton 2 Sandwich 0 (25-4, 25-9)

October 23

Sterling 2 Mendota 0 (25-14, 25-13)

Rock Falls 2 Princeton 0 (25-13, 25-19)

October 25 Championship

Rock Falls 2 Sterling 1 (20-25, 25-15, 25-17)

Freeport Regional

October 22

Winnebago 2 Stillman Valley 0 (25-19, 25-20)

October 23

Rochelle 2 Winnebago 1 (25-17, 17-25, 28-26)

Freeport 2 Dixon 1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-13)

October 25 Championship

Freeport 2 Rochelle 1 (23-25, 26-24, 25-14)

Class 3A Volleyball Sectional

Mendota Sectional

October 30

1-Dunlap vs. Freeport – 6 p.m.

2-LaSalle-Peru vs. Rock Falls – 7 p.m.

November 1

Game #1 winner vs. game #2 winner – 7 p.m.

IHSA First Round Football Playoffs

Class 2A

A Tale Of Two Halves

The undeafeated and number one ranked EPC Wildcatz faced the 5-4 Orion Chargers on Saturday in the first round of the Class 2A football playoffs. The visiting Chargers jumped out to a big lead and held off the ‘Catz in the second half to notch the seven point win.

Charger running back Dylan Schultz did the damage in the opening two quarters as he found the endzone four times to enable Orion to put twenty eight points on the scoreboard at the half. Down 21-3 in the second quarter, EPC quarterback Tim Vandenburgh found receiver Skylar Paulson for a score with just under a minute to play in the second quarter.

The Chargers quickly responded with Schultz breaking off a long TD run to close the second quarter and put the Chargers up 28-10 at the intermission.

An eighty yard EPC touchdown pass to Cody Kluck in the third closed the scoring gap to eleven points. The EPC defense held the Orion offense in check and forced a punt with the ‘Catz taking over.

Running back Ben Thomas broke off a thirty four yard scamper down the sidelines to set up a TD run by Eric Schaney and EPC had narrowed the scoring gap to a mere four points after the extra point kick.

EPC had a few chances down the stretch but a couple interceptions of Vandenburgh passes sealed the victory for the Chargers and ended the ‘Catz undefeated season.

Orion was led on offense by Schultz who amassed one hundred forty one yards and scored all four of the Chargers TD’s. Orion QB Blake Matson completed ten of twenty passes for two hundred sixteen yards.

EPC’s Ramsay Truckenmiller ran the football for seventy one yards and Cody Kluck caught a pair of Vandenburgh passes for one hundred fourteen yards and a TD and also returned a pair of Charger punts for sixty eight yards.

The Chargers will host the #4 ranked 8-2 Amboy Clippers in round two of the OHSA Class 2A playoffs.

Mercer County Aerial Assault Sidelines Mustangs

By Bill Popkin

The Mercer County Golden Eagle football team showed the defending 2A champ Morrison Mustangs why they were ranked #1 this season as they dominated through the airways and knocked Morrison (6-4) out of further playoff action 25-14. Mercer County (10-0) was led by quarterback Tanner Matlick who completed 15-23 passses for 248 yards. The Eagles will now face Rockford Lutheran boasting a 9-1 record while scoring 51 points per game.

Mercer County wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the contest as Tanner Matlick went in from 2 yards out to cap a 6 play 79 yard opening drive. With the good extra point try, the Eagles had an early 7-0 advantage.

Morrison quickly answered back as Matt Wilkens hit Danny Willis with a 35 yard pass to the end zone with 6:11 left in the opening stanza. Alexander Volckmann’s extra point kick knotted the score at 7 all.

The second quarter all belonged to Mercer County as Matlick connected with Zach Nelson on a 17 yard scoring strike to make the it 13-7. Later, with 2:14 left in the first half, Matlick dove over the goal line from just 3 yards out to cap a 60 yard 9 play march. 19-7 showed on the scoreboard as first half action ended. These drives would later prove to be too much for Morrison to overcome.

In third period action, Brock Deter scored from 1 yard out culminating an 8 play 55 yard offensive attack. The extra point kick by Willis made the score 19-14.

In the fourth section of the game, the Eagles took the victory to the bank as halfback Nelson rumbled in from 3 yards out ending a 65 yard 7 play offensive thrust. With 8:13 remaining in the game, Mercer County led 25-14. Morrison’s late drives failed to result in points, and the Golden Eagles were victorious.

Morrison was led by Willis with 83 rushing yards, while Deter contributed 79 more. Quarterback Wilkens connected on 5-18 passes for 99 yards through the air.

IHSA First Round Football Playoff Scores

Class 1A

October 27

Le-Win 34 Abingdon 19

Forreston 41 Alden-Hebron 7

Hales Franciscan 24 Freeport Aquin 10

Galena 27 East Dubuque 21

Stockton 60 West Central 21

Mooseheart 34 Warren 24

Class 2A

October 27

Orion 31 EPC 24

Mercer County 25 Morrison 14

Amboy 36 North Shore Country Day 12

Rockford Lutheran 62 Rockridge 40

Class 3A

October 27

Winnebago 56 Farmington 13

Wilmington 31 Byron 14

Sterling Newman 21 Erie/Prophetstown 6

Class 4A

October 27

Stillman Valley 49 Plano 28

Geneseo 17 Sandwich 0

Rock Island Alleman 49 Manteno 26

Class 5A

October 27

Woodstock North 68 Sterling 20

Sycamore 35 Chicago King 13

Class 6A

October 27

Rock Island 47 Normanl (Community West) 10

Cary Grove 41 Rockford Auburn 7

Class 7A

October 27

Rockford Boylan 28 Algonquin Jacobs 10

IHSA 2nd Round Football Playoff Schedule

Class 1A

#1 (10-0) Stockton at #9 (7-3) Galena

#5 (8-2) Le-Win at #13 (7-3) Hales Franciscan

#7 (8-2) Forreston at #2 (10-0) Ottawa Marquette

Class 2A

#4 (8-2) Amboy at #8 (6-4) Orion

#3 (9-1) Rockford Lutheran at #2 (10-0) Mercer County

Class 3A

#1 (10-0) Elmwood-Brimfield at #9 (8-2) Winnebago

#7 (8-2) Monmouth-Roseville at #2 (10-0) Sterling Newman

Class 4A

#4 (7-3) Stillman Valley at #1 (9-1) Rock Island Alleman

#2 (9-1) Coal City at #6 (6-4) Geneseo

Class 5A

#6 (7-3) Sycamore at #3 (8-2) Lombard Montini

Class 6A

#3 (8-2) Rock Island at #2 (10-0) Ottawa Township

Class 7A

#7 (8-2) Oak Park (Fenwick) at #2 (10-0) Rockford Boylan

#6 (8-2) Lake Zurich at #3 (9-1) Rockton Hononegah