By Craig Lang | Prairie Advocate Sports

Eastland Girl’s 3-Peat!

On March 1 & 2, 2013, the Eastland 7th grade girls competed in the Stephenson County Basketball Tournament. They had wins over Pearl City, Dakota and Orangeville to win 1st place. This is the 3rd season in a row they have taken 1st place in their end-of-season tournament. They also took 1st place during their regular season conference with a record of 8-0. Congratulations Lady Cougars!

Front row :Mackenzie Randecker, Madison Weaver, Leah Kuper, Jordan Miller, Claire Pauley and Shianne Mitchell

Back row: Adrianna Hensgen, Taylor Metz, Brittney Hardy, Shelbie Preston, Katie Krogman, Emily Denekas, Erykah Ames and Anastasia Matias. (Courtesy of Coach Becky Krogman)

On March 1 & 2, 2013 the Eastland 8th grade girls competed in the Stephenson County Basketball Tournament. They went 2-1 and took home 3rd place. They also were 6-2 in conference and took 2nd place. Congratulations Lady Cougars!

Front row: Shelbi Janssen, Hannah Kempel, Bobbie Polizzi, Anna Kuper, Nia Blackmore.

Back Row Makenzie Fink, Jillyn Ruter, Destiny Swalve, Grace Norton, Danyel Cook. Not pictured Coach Kyle Todd. (Courtesy of Becky Krogman)

At the Milledgeville High School Winter Sports Awards night on March 6th, Kayleigh Leddy received the Erin Lowe Memorial Award.

Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 2013 All-State Teams

First Team

Langdon Neal, Chicago Francis Parker; Khalil Small, Providence St. Mel; Makur Puou, Mooseheart; Mark Weems, Jr., Seton Academy; Jacoby Posely, Winnebago; Ethan Happ, Rockridge; Brady Sanders, Fieldcrest; Aaron Siler, Robinson; Jared Entwistle, Illini Central; Paxton Harmon, West Hancock; Marquis Borney, Madison; Jeremy Weeke, Okawville; Tyler Smithpeters, Harrisburg; Capel Henshaw, Harrisburg; Andrew Drone, Gallatin County

Second Team

Dalton Shaner, Eastland; Matt Reinke, Winnebago; Jacob Johnston, Erie; Hunter Reine, Roxana; Will Schneider, Riverton; Tevin King, Providence St. Mel; Alex Foster, Seton Academy; Michael Cameron, Pleasant Plains; Brett Anderson, Newark; Mangisto Deng, Mooseheart; Trevor Lay, Kewanee Wethersfield; Blake Cowden, Tri-Valley; Martel Hunter, Monmouth-Roseville; James Stoll, Northridge Prep; Jared McCunn, Eureka

Third Team

Brett Benning, Dakota; Caleb Mowry, Oregon; Liam Farley, Chicago Latin; Kamal Shasi, Seton Academy; Cody Hildebrand, Payson Seymour; Bodee Schlipf, El Paso Gridley; Derek Smith, Teutopolis; Shaquon Alexander, Chicago Hales Franciscan; Devon Wright, Nokomis; Dylan Smith, Macon Meridian; Gabe Owens, Woodlawn; Brent Schulter, St. Joseph Ogden; Devantae Price, Egyptian; Tommy Ulinski, North Mac; Matt Hilmes, Carlyle; Kyle Pruemer, Teutopolis; Adam Etter, Breese Mater Dei; Octavious Davis, St. Anne; Max Rothschild, U-High; Bernie Conley, Hinckley-Big Rock; Riley Hall, North Shore Country Day

Fourth Team

Cole Hasselbring, CPCI; Chase Patton, St. Joseph Ogden; Michael Hoekstra, Kankakee Bishop McNamara; Dan O’Leary, Wilmington; Joshua Jones, Mounds Meridian; Demetrius Carr, IC Catholic Prep; Will Woodhouse, Westminster Christian; Anthony Johnson, Oblong; Peyton Schrag, Seneca; Kaiden Davis, North Greene; Eli Taborn-Scott, Harrisburg; Lamar Watson, Momence; Duncan McClure, Illini Central; Allen Potts, Chicago Tilden; Christian Williams, Decatur St. Teresa; Alex Gustafson, Pleasant Plains; Cody Huels, Carlyle; Jacob Timmermann, Breese Central; Jordan Bradshaw, Illini Central; Bryan Heath, Rockridge

Special Mention

Ty Hartman, Eastland; Aiden Chang, Freeport Aquin; Kyle Moore, Sterling Newman; Nolan Brannick, Freeport Aquin; Lamon Dawkins, Chicago St. Benedict; Michael Pearson, Chicago Alcott; Olando White, Chicago CICS; Armondo Sacluti, Chicago Hope Academy; Mike Hanretty, Northridge Prep; Austin Curren, North Shore Country Day; Jake Newlander, Chicagoland Jewish; Jared Madden, Hinckley Big Rock; Ryan Fiorucci, Rockford Christian Life; Dexter Ingles, Galva; Joe Pyszka, Peru St. Bede; Brett Fanning, Spring Valley Hall; Parker Neuhalfen, Bureau Valley; Jared Richmond, Riverdale; Brad Groleau, Peru St. Bede; Dylan Schultz, Orion; Kyle Crowley, Fieldcrest; Conlan Callahan, Seneca; Jake Sozhan, Elmwood; Max Stutsman, Salt Fork; John Taylor, Heritage; Austin Toler, Bismark Henning; Brandon Wolfe, Casey Westfield; Dalton Hinterscher, Dieterich; Dylan Davidson, Newton; Derrick Nicholas, Robinson; Drew Aschermann, Maroa Forsyth; Matt Harrison, Flanagan; Michael Plunk, Blue Ridge; Michael Houran, Decatur Christian; Trayvon Smith, Monmouth Roseville; Kyle Kleeman, Carlinville; Jordan Harr, Carrollton; Corey Barnett, West Central; Isaac Masters, Greenfield-NW; Tate Snyder, Raymond Lincolnwood; Dylan Miller, Hillsboro; Tanner Huddleston, Triopia; Brent Long, Routt; Eric Gustafson, New Berlin; Pierson Wofford, Springfield Lutheran; Austen Muench, Auburn; Nick Smith, Kincaid South Fork; Taylor Staff, Pleasant Plains; Matt Schreder, Waterloo Gibault; Wes Degener, Waterloo Gibault; Tyler Meyer, New Athens; Scott Brown, Nashville; Royce Newman, Nashville; Ethan Leib, Flora; Reece Metcalf, Mt. Carmel; Kris Harlow, Woodlawn; Justin Prewitt, Egyptian; Patrick Lowe, Gallatin County; Zeke Snell, Goreville; Brody Gronewald, Illini West; Jesus Zermeno, Northridge Prep; Josh Newlander, Chicagoland Jewish; Nate Michaels, St. Joseph Ogden; Levi Laws, Mt. Carmel; Mitchell Patterson, Riverton; Anthony Mosley, Providence St. Mel; Donovan Oliver, Kewanee; Reece Metcalf, Mt. Carmel; Jamie Swimmer, North Shore Country Day; Rickey Calvin, Jr., Chicago Hope Academy; Elliot Cole, Chicago Ford Powerhouse Charter; Harold Fay, Putnam County; Mack Newson, Illinois Lutheran; Mitch O’Brien, Kankakee Bishop McNamara; Tim Schappaugh, PORTA; Billy Cobb, Rockford Christian Life; Carson Hughes, Chicago Hope Academy; Dylan Smith, Macon Meridian; Bryce Pearce, Flora; Marshawn Williams, Chicago St. Benedict; Fadi Ibrahim, Chicago St. Gregory; Antonio Amoah, Chicago St. Gregory; Korey Myers, Chicago Tilden; Teadric Anderson, Providence St. Mel; Rashad Dawson, CICS Longwood; Charles Johnson, Chicago Carver Military Academy; Jeremy Pezzelle, Decatur Lutheran; Chris Jenkins, Luther North

Honorable Mention

Kyle Parker, Chicago University High; Jim Clayborn, CICS Longwood; Max Rothchild, Chicago University High; Randy Hewitt, Roycemore; Tomer Zino, Fasman Yeshiva; Shlomo Ashkenazy, Fasman Yeshiva; John Wathan, Somonauk; DeAndre Wright, Momence; Matt Saari, South Beloit; AJ Sharp, Sterling Newman; Dayton Ince, Kewanee; Damin Smith, Peru St. Bede; Reece Hoxworth, Galva; Matt Dwyer, Brimfield; Nick Jehle, Elmwood; Nathan Hene, Henry; Ryan Condit, Henry; Carson Cuevas, Brimfield; Xavier Warren, Putnam; Kyle Hardy, Eureka; Alex Portwood, Milford; Curtis Ramsey, Central A&M; Garret Ziegler, Altamont; Jared Waldhoff, Teutopolis; Trivette Scales, Casey Westfield; Ross Anderson, Decatur St. Teresa; Jacob Arnold, Bl. Cornerstone Christian; Connor Gross, Bement; Dryden Craven, Gregsville Perry; Jamal Garner, ISD; Izack Hively, Western; Austin Holloway, Staunton; Nate Hopper, Porta; Taylor Schmitt, Lebanon; Levi Laws, Mt. Carmel; John Becker, Carlyle; Bryce Pearce, Flora; Christian Taylor, Flora; Jacob Brammeier, Okawville; Austin McPheron, Johnson City; Chris Schwartz, Chester; Tyler Deaton, Eldorado; Dayton Tripp, Goreville; Dylan Hardin, Pinckneyville; Darin Winkleman, Steelville; Aaron Rushing, Sparta; George Kuhlman, Trico

IHSA Class 3A Boys Basketball State Finals

Semifinals

March 15

Chicago Morgan Park 70 Bartonville Limestone 49

Cahokia 56 Chicago Orr 46

March 16

Third Place Game

Bartonville Limestone 58 Chicago Orr 49

Championship Game

Chicago Morgan Park 63 Cahokia 48

IHSA Class 4A Boys Basketball State Finals

Semifinals

March 15

Chicago Simeon 68 Maywood Proviso East 56

Lincolnshire Stevenson 60 Edwardsville 49

March 16

Third Place Game

Edwardsville 57 Maywood Proviso East 56

Championship Game

Chicago Simeon 58 Lincolnshire Stevenson 40

King Of The Hill – Finals

March 16

Josh Ruggles (Wheaton Academy) – 11

Dayton Ince (Kewanee) – 11

Brenden Dauphin (River Ridge) – 9

Bennet Schimmelpfenning (Bradley Bourbonnais) – 5

Tie Breaker

Josh Ruggles (Wheaton Academy) – 6

Dayton Ince (Kewanee) - 4

2013 West Carroll Softball Preview

Coach: Don Mathey – 7th year

Last year’s record: Overall – 18-17; NUIC West – 11-3 (1st Place tie with Pearl City)

Postseason: Lost to Oregon 11-6 in Oregon 2A Regional Quarterfinals

Returning Starters: Allison Thulen, Sr. P/IF - .447 BA, 29 RBI, 13-6 pitching record, 120 K’s – 1st Team All NUIC West

Ieshia Larson, Sr. OF/IF - .367 BA, 26 RBI, 25 runs, 4 2B, 5 3B

Morgan Ashby, Sr. IF/C - .259 BA, 23 RBI

Janelle Dykstra, Sr. IF/OF - .294 BA, 16 BB

Alicia Foltz, Sr. IF/OF, .276 BA, 25 runs, 11 SB

Key Newcomers (Name, year, position)

Dena Harridge, Sr. OF; Sydney Castro, Sr. OF/IF; Darby Rumler, Jr. C/OF; Cassidy Rice, Jr. P/IF/OF; Abby Maike, So. P/OF/IF; Demi Hess, Jr. IF; Morgan McCombie, Jr. IF; Lexi Kosier, Jr. IF/OF; Leslie Appel, Jr. IF; Haley Appel, So. IF/DP

Team Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths: We have great numbers as we have fourteen upper classmen and seventeen FS who signed up. We played pretty well last summer in the Freeport High School Summer League and it gave many players a chance to play. We do return 1st team all-conference pitcher Allison Thulen and hope that junior Cassidy Rice will prove to be a good #2 pitcher. We have had more players attend softball camps this off-season than in the past ten seasons combined which is a good sign.

Weaknesses: We lost four very good core players to graduation. We lost a three year varsity pitcher, catcher, “Player of the Year” NUIC West shortstop, and a 2nd baseman who did a lot for us last year. It is now time to see if our 2013 roster can step it up and get the job done.

Top teams in the conference and the area: Conference NUIC West: Pearl City, Stockton, Le-Win, Galena, Eastland, and East Dubuque should all be good with Pearl City being the favorite as they have the best pitching and a lot of returning players.

Area: Morrison, Milledgeville, Dakota, Orangeville, Forreston, Byron, Stillman Valley, Oregon, and Riverdale will all be outstanding this year.

Comments on the upcoming season: We have a very challenging schedule. I do not know how we will do but we have had a very enjoyable first two weeks of practice even though it was in the gym. The senior captains have really done a good job so far in instilling team unity. We play many of the top teams in our area and even the state for that matter.