NewsTribune Area Roundup: Mendota scores win at Plano; Earlville edges Hall at Marquette by single point

At the Plano Christmas Classic on Thursday, Mendota defeated Morris 68-60, sending the Trojans to the 13th-place game Friday against Hinckley-Big Rock.

Rafa Romero exploded for 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead Mendota, backed by 17 points from Cale Strouss and nine apiece courtesy of Isaac Guzman and Izaiah Nanez.

Seneca 46, Marquette 43: In the championship of the Marquette Christmas Tournament, undefeated Seneca (14-0) survived a late Marquette rally to win its first championship of the former Marseilles Holiday Tournament.

Earlville 42, Hall 41: In the seventh-place game of the Marquette Christmas Tournament, the Red Devils (5-10) led the Red Raiders (8-6) at the end of the second and third quarters, but not at the final horn, allowing Earlville to claim seventh.

Griffin Cook and Adam Waite scored 14 points apiece to lead Earlville, with Garett Cook adding eight.

For Hall, Mac Resetich poured in 29 points, with Kyian Smith chipping in seven.

Woodland 46, St. Bede 41: In the 11th-place game of the Marquette Christmas Tournament, the Warriors (4-11) led by double digits in the opening quarter and held on late for a win avenging a November loss to the Bedans (5-8).

Connor Dodge’s 19 points, Nick Plesko’s 15 and Jonathan Moore’s eight points spearheaded the Woodland attack.

For St Bede, Isaiah Hart scored 11 points, and Callan Hueneburg added eight.

Girls basketball

Fieldcrest 52, Putnam County 28: In the St. Bede Christmas Classic, the Knights (15-0) rolled past the Panthers and into Friday’s championship game against Eureka.

Ashlyn May (12 points, nine steals, five assists) led the Knights, with Kaitlin White also scoring 12 and Haley Carver adding seven.

Putnam Co. 44, Rock Island JV 30: At the St. Bede Christmas Classic, the Panthers notched the victory and earned a Friday fifth-place matchup against Sandwich.

St. Bede, which had a Thursday bye, will play Kewanee at 10:15 a.m. for ninth.

Princeton 59, Marquette 41: At the St. Bede Christmas Classic, the Tigresses (13-2) triumphed to earn a third-place date Friday against Seneca.

Keighley Davis scored 17 points to lead Princeton, with Miyah Fox adding 16.

Bureau Valley 64, Orion 38: The Bureau Valley girls scored a big win over Three Rivers rival Orion in Wednesday’s play in the Warkins Memorial Classic at Erie.

Kate Stoller led the Storm with 18 points from, Lesleigh Maynard had 13 points and Alaina Wasilewski added 11.

Hall 46, Roanoke-Benson 39: At the penultimate day of the Amboy Holiday Tournament, the Red Devils were triumphant to set up a matchup for third place against Sterling Newman on Friday.

Kennedy Wozniak scored 15, McKenna Christiansen 14 and Promise Giacometti nine points to lead the Hall attack.

Mendota – which had a bye Friday – played Serena for fifth place.