Dixon boys win XC regional: Saturday’s Sauk Valley roundup

Girls tennis

Dixon’s Ferguson wraps up run: Dixon senior Grace Ferguson wrapped up an impressive run in singles at the Class 1A state tournament, falling via tiebreaker in the fourth round of consolation play on Saturday. Ferguson battled but fell 6-0, 3-6 (10-6) to sophomore Srimedha Veerathu of Aurora Illinois Math and Science Academy. Veerathu went on to the consolation quarterfinals before falling to Dunlap freshman Anna Yu, who won the consolation bracket to take fifth.

Ferguson finished 3-2 at state as the only Dixon girls singles player to reach the second day of state, dating back at least 28 years through available IHSA online records. She and Addison Arjes combined for six points, three each, in the team standings to put Dixon at tied for 22nd.

Boys cross country

Dixon wins regional: Dixon won the Class 2A Belvidere North Regional title with 44 points, led by five top 12 finishes. The Dukes were led by Aaron Conderman (15:36.42) in sixth, followed by Dean Geiger and Averick Wiseman in seventh and eighth, respectively.

Keegan Shirley and Westin Conatser were 11th and 12th for Dixon, which advances to the Kaneland sectional next Saturday.

Rock Falls took fifth with 113 points as one of six advancing teams. Sterling (193) was seventh.

Gunnar Damhoff (13th) had a personal record and Gabe Moyer (15th) ran a 16:09.47 to lead the Rockets. Christin Cid (25th), Ian Finney (28th) and Jeffrey Sommer (32nd) also scored for Rock Falls.

Sterling’s Parker Blakeslee (22nd) and Aalin Schmidt (27th) were one of five individuals to advance the sectional.

E-P advances: Erie-Prophetstown took fifth at the Class 1A Riverdale Regional to advance to the Alleman Sectional as a team, led by Braeden Punke (15th, 17:20.83) and Nathan Punke (16th, 17:21.45), who both ran personal bests.

Aidan Jepson (23rd), Justin Wainscott (26th) and Elijah Franzen (41st) also scored for E-P.

West Carroll’s Roscoe Davies (17:09.30) took 11th and advanced along with teammate Brody Leitzen (29th), who ran a personal best 18:03.59.

Morrison senior Isaiah McDearmon (14th) also advanced individually.

Class 1A Oregon Regional: Forreston (5th) and Oregon (7th) both advanced as teams to the Alleman Sectional next Saturday. Oregon’s Daniel Gonzalez (16:56.1) placed eighth and recorded a personal best to lead the local competitors.

Forreston’s Noah Genandt (18:29.2) took 19th with a PR.

Class 1A Seneca Regional: Amboy (3rd) Bureau Valley (4th) both advanced to the Alleman Sectional as teams. Amboy’s Henry Nichols (18:11.5) took ninth.

Girls cross country

Rock Falls’ Hernandez third at regional: Rock Falls senior Ariel Hernandez finished third in 18:16.09 at the Class 2A Belvidere North Regional, helping the Rockets (156 points) advance as the sixth and final team to next Saturday’s Kaneland Sectional. Reese Kohnle (18:05.62) of Rockford Boylan took first and Abigal Burke (18:16.09) of Burlington Central was runner-up.

Kat Scott (20th), Emma Peterson (31st), Brenna Burlack (32nd) and Amy Finney (70th) also scored for Rock Falls.

Sterling (136) took third and Dixon (139) was fourth as both advance as teams to the sectional. Boylan Catholic (26) won the regional and Burlington Central (92) was second.

Sterling’s Lillian Hauck (19:36.98) was 13th and Jaz’Mya Castaneda (19:38.47) was 14th to pace the team. Also scoring for Sterling were Laney Zuithoff (25th), Kierra South (35th) and Delia Block (49th).

Dixon was led by Kamryn Rogers (19:12.79) in eighth; Daniela Lovett (17th) and Kyara Chavez (18th) were also top 20. Leah Ferrentino (28th) and Ava Hagler (68th) also scored for Dixon.

Class 1A Riverdale Regional: Erie-Prophetstown (6th) advanced to the Alleman Sectional next Saturday, led by a personal best 20:26.39 by Sarah Link, who took 10th. Chloe Slock (30th), Alana Little (43rd), Taylor Robshaw (50th) and Jennica Norman (51st) also scored for the Panthers.

Class 1A Oregon Regional: Oregon (3rd) advanced to the Alleman Sectional as Ella Dannhorn (22:28.9) ran a season best to take 14th and Jillian Hammer (22:43.8) ran a personal best to take 15th. Christine Ramirez (22:59.2) also ran a PR and took 18th for Oregon among the top 20. Lorelai Dannhorn (29th) and Madeline Rogers (30th), who also ran a PR, rounded out the Oregon scoring.

Eastland’s Deyanise Nieves and Adelle Wilkinson advanced as individuals after taking 31st and 32nd, respectively.

Class 1A Seneca Regional: Bureau Valley (5th) advanced as a team to the Alleman sectional, led by Gemma Moore’s 16th-place finish in 22:38.60.

Girls swimming

Sterling third at Big 6 meet: Sterling took third with 235 points at the Western Big 6 Conference meet in Galesburg, where the Silver Streaks (282) took first and Moline (275) was second.

Madison Austin dropped time and won the 50 freestyle (24.96) and 100 breaststroke (1:12.17).

Sterling’s Presley Winters (357.85) was second in diving and Sammie Knox was runner-up in the 200 IM.

Sterling’s 200 free relay (Kate Austin, Hazel Pham, Knox, M. Austin) dropped time and took second. The same foursome took second in the 400 free relay.

Volleyball

Fulton second at tourney: Fulton went 4-1 to take second at the Stillman Valley tournament, falling 25-22, 25-23 to DeKalb in the last match. They beat Rockford Lutheran 21-12, 21-15; Byron 22-20, 21-14; Indian Creek 21-10, 21-11 and Jefferson 25-21, 25-18.

Chloe Wilkin (34 kills) and Miraya Pessman (32 kills, 7 aces, 35 assists) led the team in kills and Reese Germann (7 aces) had 47 digs.