Seneca, Serena girls advance to regional finals: The Times Tuesday Roundup

Girls basketball

Seneca 46, Beecher 29: In the Tuesday semifinals of the Class 2A Beecher Regional, the Fighting Irish led throughout, including 35-17 at the halftime break, on their way to a berth in Friday’s regional championship game against Manteno.

Graysen Provance poured in 18 points to pace Seneca (24-8), with Audry McNabb adding eight points. Lainie Olson and Emma Mino pitched in five points each.

Princeton 50, Sandwich 35: In the semifinals of the Class 2A Princeton Regional, the Indians were defeated to see their season draw to a close.

Serena 54, Indian Creek 23: In the semifinals of the Class 1A Indian Creek Regional in Shabbona, the top-seeded Huskers (24-7) rolled into Thursday’s championship game against a Yorkville Christian team that narrowly defeated them earlier this month.

For Serena on Tuesday, Jenna Setchell’s 15 points, Kendall Whiteaker’s 10 points and five rebounds, Finley Jobst’s two points and five assists, Anna Hjerpe’s nine points and six points apiece from Maddie Glade and Macy Mahler spearheaded the attack.

Boys basketball

Marmion Academy 66, Ottawa 58: At Aurora, the visiting Pirates were dealt the nonconference loss by the Cadets to slip to 9-17 on the season heading into Friday’s regular-season and Interstate 8 Conference finale at Rochelle.

Owen Sanders poured in 21 points to go with six rebounds, while Aric Threadgill finished with 16 points for Ottawa. Hezekiah Joachim (four assists), Evan Snook and Kyler Araujo chipped in five points apiece.

Wilmington 51, Streator 50: At Wilmington, the visiting Bulldogs suffered their second loss in 2025 and second loss on the Illinois Central Eight Conference loop, falling on a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to the Wildcats.

Streator (23-6) was led by 18 points apiece from Matt Williamson and Nolan Lukach. The Bulldogs – already outright ICE Conference champions – finish the regular season at home Wednesday vs. Morton and at Pekin on Friday.

Woodland 53, Lowpoint-Washburn 37: At the Warrior Dome in rural Streator, the host Warriors (19-11 overall, 7-2 Tri-County Conference) guaranteed themselves a second-place finish in the TCC with the victory, leading throughout.

Connor Dodge had a huge game, scoring in every quarter on his way to 21 points. Nick Plesko (10 points), Jaron Follmer (eight points) and Nolan Price (eight points) also led Woodland.

Seneca 38, Morris 35: At Morris, the visiting Fighting Irish put a damper on the hosts' senior night on Zeb Maxwell’s steal and Paxton Giertz’s deep 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

Seneca – led Tuesday by Giertz’s 21 points and six apiece from Maxwell and Brayden Simek – is now 25-5.

“The Morris-Seneca rivalry is a great one, and games are always close. This was no exception,” Seneca coach Russ Witte said. “Proud of our start and finish, just have to keep working on the middle in the close games.”

Deer Creek-Mackinaw 62, Flanagan-Cornell 49: At Mackinaw, the visiting Falcons lost the Heart of Illinois Conference affair, but did see Connor Reed score his 1,000th career varsity point.

Plano 57, Newark 49: At Reaper Gym in Plano, the visiting Norsemen (16-13) lost despite 18 points apiece off the hands of Dylan Long and Cody Kulbartz. Both Kulbartz (14 rebounds) and Payton Wills (10 points, 14 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for Newark.

Earlville 40, Midland 35: At Earlville, the host Red Raiders (13-17) prevailed led by Adam Waite’s double-double of 13 points, 15 rebounds and five assists.

Gavin Guelde (six rebounds) and Landen Tirevold added nine points apiece for the victors.