BCR Playoff Notebook: Hall’s Gianni Guerrini doing well, in concussion protocol

Hall senior Gianni Guerrini is doing well after a bit of scare Friday night in the Red Devils game at Princeton.

He took a hit on defense and fell to the ground. Princeton junior Arthur Burden offered a hand to help Guerrini up and when he saw he was not doing well, he quickly motioned to the Hall sidelines to come out and check on him.

For precautionary measures, an ambulance was called. EMTs carted Guerrini off the field to the ambulance and sent him to the hospital to be checked.

Outside of a concussion, Guerrini’s father, Nick, said he was doing good.

“No major injuries. He’s working through concussion protocol to be back for basketball,” Nick Guerrini said.

Princeton coach Ryan Pearson said he told the Guerrinis on the field he would be praying for him.

Gianni Guerrini played quarterback and linebacker for the Red Devils and was also crowned as Homecoming King.

Smooth sailing

Amboy finished the regular season 9-0 for the first time in 37 years and the fourth time in school history.

The Clippers last started 9-0 in 1986, going 12-0 before falling to Woodstock Marian, 42-8, in the 2A semifinals.

The Amboy 1984 state championship team finished off a perfect 13-0 season by defeating Paxton, 16-7, for the 2A state championship.

Amboy also started 12-0 in 1979 and 1980 before falling in the 2A state championship to Decatur St. Teresa, 36-12, and Danville Schlarman, 21-8, respectively.

There were only four rounds of the playoffs through the 1984 season.

League champions

With the regular season in the books, here’s a look at the area conference champions:

Princeton won its sixth straight Three Rivers Mississippi (East) division championship at 5-0, winning four outright. The Tigers have gone 30-2 in league play during this stretch, including the abbreviated 2021 spring COVID season (3-0).

Rockridge claimed the Three Rivers Rock (West) championship at 6-0, clinching the title with a key 14-7 win over previously undefeated Morrison.

Seneca won the inaugural championship of the Chicago Prairie League, going 7-0 in league play.

Clark breaks 107-year-old record

Kewanee’s Brady Clark broke a 107-year old school record by scoring his 216th career point. Nels Fuglsang held the record at 212 since 1916. Clark has scored points receiving, rushing, interception returns, field goals, PATs and 2-point conversions.

Clark will look to add to that total when the No. 3 Boilermakers (8-1) host No. 14 Peoria Notre Dame (5-4) Friday in the 4A playoffs.

Three Rivers sends six teams to playoffs

The Three Rivers Conference will be sending six teams to the postseason in four classes.

No. 4 Annawan-Wethersfield (8-1), No. 5 Morrison (8-1) and No. 7 Newman (6-3) will represent the league in 1A, No. 9 Rockridge (8-1) will play in 2A, No. 2 Princeton (8-1) and No. 10 Monmouth-Rosevillle (5-4) will be in 3A and No. 3 Kewanee (8-1) in 4A.

Other area teams making the playoffs include No. 2 Stark County (9-0), No. 4 Annawan-Wethersfield (8-1) and No. 9 Ottawa Marquette (7-2) in 1A, No. 3 Dixon (8-1) and No. 10 Geneseo (6-3) in 4A.

Sterling snuck into the 5A playoffs with a 4-5 record, including one loss to Princeton. It will play at No. 1 Chicago Payton (9-0) on Saturday.

Quick counts

• Like Amboy, two other area teams went 9-0.

Stark County posted its first 9-0 season since 2015.

Seneca finished off its second straight 9-0 season, defeating St. Bede Friday, 79-35, while racking up 564 yards rushing. It was the Irish’s 20th straight regular season victory.