Newman’s Carter Rude reaches semifinals at IHSA State Boys Wrestling tourney: SVM area roundup for Thursday

IHSA Boys Individual Wrestling State Finals: At the State Farm Center in Champaign, Newman senior Carter Rude won both of his Thursday matches to advance to the Class 1A semifinals at 144 pounds on Friday.

Rude won both matches by decision, defeating Coal City sophomore Brock Finch 10-3 in the first round before taking down Quincy Notre Dame sophomore Bradi Lahr 6-0 in the quarterfinals.

Rude (44-1) will meet Unity junior Kaden Inman (43-7) in Friday’s semifinal match.

Newman senior Brady Grennan (132), Newman junior Daniel Kelly (157) and Oregon freshman Nelson Benesh (113) all won their first matches but lost in the quarterfinals. They each sit four wins away from a third-place finish ahead of Friday and Saturday’s wrestlebacks.

Dixon freshman Jack Ragan (106) fell in his first-round match in the 2A tournament, while Newman sophomore Zhyler Hansen (126), Amboy sophomore Landon Blanton (120), Amboy senior Lucas Blanton (175) and Oregon seniors Anthony Bauer (157) and Quentin Berry (190) also lost opening round matches in 1A competition. Those six wrestlers are five wins away from a third-place finish.

Boys basketball

Rock Falls 70, Princeton 59: At Princeton, the Rockets surged to a 17-9 first quarter lead and held off the Tigers for a regular season finale win.

Kuitim Heald scored 17 points to lead Rock Falls, while Aydan Goff chipped in 14 and Devin Tanton-DeJesus added nine.

Polo 65, Amboy 47: At Amboy, the Marcos outscored the Clippers by nine points in each half to claim an NUIC South win in the regular season finale for both teams.

Brock Soltow led Polo with 25 points, followed by Nolan Hahn with 19 and Gus Mumford with 12.

Troy Anderson scored 19 points and Eddie Jones chipped in 17 for Amboy.

Fulton 53, Milledgeville 35: At Milledgeville, the Steamers seized a 13-4 first quarter lead and rolled past the Missiles for an NUIC South win.

Baylen Damhoff scored 15 points on five 3-pointers, while Landen Leu and Jimmy Crimmins added nine points each for Fulton.

Connor Nye scored 18 points to lead Milledgeville.

Morrison 53, Erie-Prophetstown 39: At Morrison, the Mustangs built a 29-20 halftime lead and cruised past the Panthers for a Three Rivers Conference West Division win.

Dawson Hepner scored 18 points for Morrison, while Chase Newman scored 13 and Brenden Martin added 11.

Connor Keegan poured in 22 points for E-P.

Girls basketball

Riverdale 46, Morrison 28: At the Class 2A Hall Regional, the Fillies suffered a season-ending loss to the Three Rivers Conference West Division rival Rams in the final.