Area roundup: Sterling, Rock Falls softball sweep doubleheaders; Dixon wins BNC road game

The Sterling softball team swept a Western Big 6 doubleheader in Quincy on Tuesday, defeating the Blue Devils 10-0 in five innings in the opener, and 6-2 in the second game.

In Game 1, The Golden Warriors scored in every inning except the third, capping the win with four runs in the fifth. Carley Sullivan had two hits and three RBIs, Sienna Stingley added three hits and drove in a run, and Elizabeth Palumbo finished with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for Sterling. Lauren Jacobs scored twice and Ellie Leigh also drove in a run, as eight different Warriors scored in the game. Palumbo pitched a three-hitter, striking out eight.

A four-run fifth inning was enough to send Sterling to victory in Game 2. Palumbo had three hits and two RBIs, and Marley Sechrest had a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Warriors, while Katie Dittmar had an RBI and scored a run. Stingley allowed two runs and four hits in a complete game, striking out 11.

Rock Falls sweeps Byron: The Rockets won a pair of Big Northern Conference games on the road, topping the Tigers 9-0 in the opener and 14-4 in the nightcap.

In Game 1, Katie Thatcher pitched a three-hitter, striking out 13 without a walk, and she also had a double, two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Rockets at the plate. Zoe Morgan homered among her three hits, and added two RBIs and two runs. Brooke Howard added a single, a double and two RBIs, and Rylee Johnson had a pair of singles, drove in a run and scored one.

In Game 2, Taylor Reyna had three hits, three runs and two RBIs, and Savanna Fritz also had three hits and drove in two runs. Patty Teague singled, tripled, scored three times and added an RBI, and Thatcher and Morgan each had two hits and scored twice. Thatcher also drove in a run, and Paige Mulnix had a pair of RBIs as the Rockets finished off a run-rule win with a nine-run sixth inning.

Abby Whiles allowed four runs – only one earned – and nine hits in a complete game, with two walks.

Dixon 6, Winnebago 1: The Duchesses took an early lead with two runs in the top of the first, then scored three more runs in the top of the fifth to pull away in a Big Northern road win.

Anna Kate Phillips homered, singled twice, drove in three runs and scored twice to lead Dixon, and Bailey Tegeler added a double, a run and an RBI. Arianne Smith tripled and scored a run, and Izzi McCommons also drove in a run. Sam Tourtillott also scored twice.

Tourtillott pitched three innings of one-hit ball, striking out five and walking one. Elle Jarrett gave up an unearned run and five hits in four innings, striking out five without a walk.

Oregon 11, Rockford Christian 0, 6 inn.: The Hawks pounded out 15 hits in a Big Northern road win.

Lena Trampel had a double, two singles and four RBIs for Oregon, and Reilee Suter added two hits and two RBIs. Ella Dannhorn had two triples, a single, and scored four times, and Jesse Suter singled twice, tripled, and scored three runs. Gracen Pitts, Liz Mois and Jesse Suter each added an RBI for the Hawks.

Lena Trampel pitched two innings of hitless, scoreless ball, striking out three and walking one. Ava Hackman allowed just one hit in four shutout innings, striking out five and walking one.

Erie-Prophetstown 3, Sherrard 0: After five scoreless innings for both teams, the Panthers finally broke through with a three-run sixth to secure the Three Rivers West win at home.

Aylah Jones pitched a four-hitter for the win, striking out 17 and walking three. Emma Davis went 2 for 3 and Mya Jones went 1 for 3 with two RBIs to lead E-P at the plate. Jaden Johnson went 1 for 3 with one RBI for the Panthers.

Forreston 12, Amboy 2, 5 inn.: The Cardinals plated eight runs from the third to fifth innings on their way to an NUIC South victory over the Clippers.

Kara Erdmann went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, and Breanna Kloster went 2 for 3 with two RBIs to lead Forreston hitters. Haley Greenfield and Jenna Greenfield each chipped in two hits and one RBI for the Cardinals. Jenna Greenfield and Erdmann both hit a triple.

Erdmann threw a complete game for the win. Over five innings, she allowed five hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out seven.

Baylie Nickel took the loss, pitching a complete game for Amboy. Over five innings, she allowed 12 hits and 12 runs, while striking out three and walking four.

Fulton 7, Galena 2: The Steamers scored four fifth-inning runs and cruised to an NUIC West road win over the Pirates.

Madyson Luskey went 3 for 4 to lead Fulton hitters. Amy Hughes scored two runs and drove in two more for the Steamers.

Addison Hartman pitched a complete game for Fulton, allowing seven hits, striking out five and walking zero.

West Carroll 7, Stockton-Warren 6: The Thunder fell into a 6-3 hole after five innings, but battled back, securing a come-from-behind win on the road with a four-run seventh inning.

Emily Watkins went 3 for 4 with one RBI, Kendal Asay went 2 for 3 with one RBI, and Erika Rice went 2 for 4 with one RBI to lead West Carroll at the plate.

Asay threw a complete game for the win, allowing six runs on nine hits, walking three, and striking out six.

Baseball

Hall 3, Newman 2: The Red Devils scored a run in the sixth and another in the seventh to break a 1-1 tie, and the Comets’ seventh-inning rally came up short in a Three Rivers East game in Sterling.

Ethan Van Landuit drove in both Newman runs, and Kyle Wolfe had three singles and scored a run. Daniel Kelly also scored after replacing Brendan Tunink, who was injured in a collision with teammate Brennen Cook as the two were chasing a pop fly that Grant Koerner ended up catching.

Wolfe allowed three earned runs and eight hits in a complete game, with two strikeouts and two walks.

Winnebago 12, Rock Falls 2: The Rockets dropped a Big Northern Conference game at home.

Carter Schueler singled and doubled, and Cooper Hewitt and Timmy Heald both ripped doubles and drove in runs for Rock Falls. Gavin Sands took the loss on the mound.

Genoa-Kingston 10, Oregon 5: The Hawks held a 4-1 lead after four innings, but gave up nine runs over the last three, losing a Big Northern Conference battle at home.

Jackson Werren and Hunter Buchanan each went 1 for 3 with one RBI, and Brady Davis went 2 for 2 to lead Oregon hitters.

Jack Washburn took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits over five innings. He earned two strikeouts and walked two batters.

Milledgeville 10, Polo 0, 5 inn.: The Missiles scored six runs in the second inning on their way to a shutout win over the visiting Marcos.

Cayden Akers went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, Kieren Harris went 2 for 3 with one RBI, and Payton Sarber drove in two runs to lead Milledgevillle hitters. Harris pitched a complete-game one-hitter, striking out 11 and walking three.

Nolan Hahn had the lone hit for Polo.

Eastland 18, AFC 2, 6 inn.: The Cougars poured on 10 runs in the sixth inning to secure an NUIC South win over the Raiders in Ashton.

Kellen Henze went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, and Jaxson Sturtevant went 1 for 3 with four RBIs to lead Eastland at the plate. Cole Huber drove in three runs and scored three, Hunter Miller drove in two runs and scored three times, and Carson Heckman went 2 for 3 and scored four runs and drove in one for the Cougars. Max McCullough added two hits and an RBI.

McCullough got the win on the mound, pitching a complete game. Over six innings, he allowed two runs on three hits, while striking out seven and walking two.

Carson Rueff went 1 for 3 with one RBI to lead AFC hitters.

Fulton 13, Galena 4: The Steamers scored all of their runs in the final three innings, including an eight-run seventh to pull away for an NUIC West road win.

Ian Wiebenga singled, doubled and drive in two runs, and Ethan Price had three singles, a double, an RBI and three runs scored for Fulton. Jacob Jones and Gavyn Mendoza each had two hits, a run and an RBI, and Drew Dykstra, Kole Schipper and Ryan Eads all drove in a run and scored another.

Brock Mason allowed two unearned runs and four hits in six innings, with eight strikeouts and two walks. Jones gave up two unearned runs and one hit in an inning of relief, walking one.

Amboy 7, Forreston 7, susp.: The Clippers and cardinals were tied 7-7 through seven innings before play was suspended due to darkness. They’ll finish that game before Thursday’s rematch.

Quinn Leffelman had the big blow for Amboy with a bases-clearing triple among his two hits. Jackson Rogers also had a pair of hits.

Girls soccer

Dixon 2, Winnebago 0: Katie Drew scored a pair of goals as the Duchesses win a Big Northern Conference game on the road.

Carley Cook and Rylee Pfoutz each dished an assist for Dixon.

Byron 3, Oregon 0: The Hawks trailed just 1-0 with five minutes left before the rival Tigers tacked on two late goals in a Big Northern game in Byron.

Rock Island 7, Sterling 0: The Golden Warriors dropped a Western Big 6 road game, as the Rocks’ Olivia Samuelson scored four goals.

Boys track & field

Rockets win Ferris title: Rock Falls scored 243 points to top host Princeton (193.5) and Kewanee (186) at the Ferris Invite.

Matthew Marcum led the Rockets with wins in the 110 hurdles (16.49 seconds) and 300 hurdles (41.34), and also took third in the 200 (23.52) and fourth in the 100 (11.87). Booker Cross won the 400 (53.93), took third in the 100 (11.86) and triple jump (11.42 meters), and finished fourth in the 200 (23.89 seconds).

Jose Gomez won the 3200 (11:13.72) and took second in the 1600 (5:10.70), Christian Cid won the 800 (2:18.96), and Baraka Boards, Kohle Bradley, Ryan McCord and Payhton Smith won the 4x200 (1:41.13).

Boards also took second in the long jump (5.96 meters), while Brady Root was runner-up in the 800 (2:20.24) and teamed with Cid, Juan Hernandez and Josue DeLaTorre to take second in the 4x800 (9:33.89). Bradley, Devin Tanton, Ayden Goff and Seth Wade were second in the 4x400 (3:58.04) for the Rockets.

Dixon wins Oregon Open: The Dukes posted six wins, eight runner-up finishes and six third places to take the top spot at a four-team meet at Landers-Loomis Field.

Dixon finished with 102 points to top Pecatonica-Durand (72), Oregon (57) and Stockton-Warren (29).

Jack Johnson won the 400 (54.69 seconds) and the high jump (1.67 meters) for the Dukes, while Michael Ross won the 100 (11.61 seconds), placed second in the 200 (23.58), and took third in the long jump (5.39 meters). Jacob Gusse won the 200 (23.43 seconds), and Alec Fulton took the triple jump (12.28 meters), while Gusse and Ross teamed with Tyler Shaner and Michael O’Neal to win the 4x100 (46.02 seconds).

Dre Jackson was second in both the shot put (15.75 meters) and discus (45.82), and Tyson Dambman took second in the long jump (5.50) and third in the triple jump (10.56). Grant Jacobs placed second in the 200 hurdles (45.24 seconds), third in the 110 hurdles (19.52) and fourth in the long jump (5.25 meters). Jacksen Ortgiesen was second in the 200 (55.10 seconds), Aaron Conderman took second in the 800 (2:17.88), and Cullen Shaner was runner-up in the 110 hurdles (18.65 seconds).

Sterling wins triangular: The Golden Warriors scored 59 points to top host Rochelle (56) and Sandwich (42) in a three-team meet.

David Tessman won the 100 (11.89 seconds), Dylan Doss took the 200 (23.67), Jordan Britt won the 400 (51.86) and Dale Johnson took the 800 (2:02.08) to lead Sterling on the track, and Cale Ledergerber won the long jump (5.85 meters).

Sterling also won three relay races: the 4x100 (45.59 seconds with Doss, Antonio Tablante, Tessman and Andrew Bland), the 4x200 (1:36.47 with Doss, Tessman, Ledergerber and Bland) and the 4x400 (3:35.36 with Britt, Johnson, John Cid and Thomas Holcomb).

Tessman took second in the 200 (24.31 seconds), Manuel Cano was runner-up in the 400 (56.18), Alejandro Arellano placed second in the discus (38.48 meters), Ayden Schoon finished second in the long jump (5.79 meters), and Carter Chance took second in the triple jump (11.18 meters).

Panthers win Orion quad: Erie-Prophetstown scored 108 points to top Newman (95), Rockridge (41) and host Orion (5) in a four-team Three Rivers meet.

Hayden Summer was a double-winner for the Panthers, taking the 110 hurdles (20.66 seconds) and the 300 hurdles (46.82). Caleb Naftzger won the triple jump (11.19 meters), placed second in the shot put (11.76 meters), and took third in the discus (39.56 meters) for E-P, and Braxton Froeliger was first in the long jump (6.16 meters) and runner-up in the 200 (24.33 seconds).

Jaesan Gaylord won the shot put (12.09) meters, Trevor Cobo took the high jump (1.83 meters), and the Panthers went 1-2-3 in the pole vault with Parker Holdorf (3.96 meters), Lucas Dreisbach (2.90) and Aidan Jepson (2.90). E-P also won the 4x200 in 1:41.00.

Charlie Link took second in the 800 (2:16.04), and Caleb Eads added a runner-up finish in the triple jump (11.11 meters). Ben Lantz took third in both the 100 (12.09 seconds) and the 200 (24.60), while Andrew Bomleny was third in the 3200 (11:49.04) and Tyler Ballard placed third in the long jump (5.22 meters).

Newman won the 4x100 (46.17 seconds), 4x400 (3:48.44) and 4x800 (9:04.17). Ken Boesen pulled off the distance double with wins in the 1600 (5:03.66) and the 3200 (10:53.93), while Thomas Powers won the 800 (2:12.03) and took second in the 300 hurdles (47.12 seconds). Jacob Donald added a win in the 400 (53.12) for the Comets.

Lucas Schaab finished right behind Boesen in both the 1600 (5:04.96) and the 3200 (10:55.86), while Marcus Williams was runner-up in the 100 (11.87 seconds) and Lucas Simpson took second in the 200 (54.33). Logan Hermeyer was second in the 110 hurdles (25.00) and third in the 300 hurdles (1:04.47), while Carver Grummert (1600, 5:19.57) and Liam Schmall (triple jump, 10.74 meters) also added third-place finishes for Newman.

Girls track & field

Dixon takes Oregon Open title: The Duchesses swept the relays en route to winning a four-team meet at Landers-Loomis Field.

Dixon scored 116 points to defeat the host Hawks (78), Stockton-Warren (44) and Pecatonica-Durand (25).

The team of Hannah Steinmeyer, Shea Lahey, Nora Fordham and Victoria Grossman won the 4x100 (54.08 seconds), while Lahey, Grossman, Katie Shafer and Fordham took the 4x200 (1:56.89). The quartet of Kait Knipple, Leah Kuehl, Ava Williams and Keeley Mick won the 4x400 (4:31.16), and the foursome of Kuehl, Williams, Teyla Wendt and Mick took the 4x800 (11:43.43) for the Duchesses.

Knipple won the 400 (1:07.08) and took second in the 800 (2:37.70), while Steinmeyer won the 800 (2:34.03), Mick took the 1600 (5:57.12), Emily Conderman won the 3200 (12:34.74), and Alivia Rubright finished first in the 300 hurdles (55.93 seconds) and third in the 100 hurdles (19.26).

Makenzie Welch was second in both the shot put (10.35 meters) and the discus (28.88), while Paige Riley was runner-up in the triple jump (8.86 meters). Shafer was second in the 200 (29.97 seconds) and third in the triple jump (8.69 meters), and Lahey took second in the long jump (4.41 meters) and third in the 100 (14.00 seconds).

Kuehl was third in both the 1600 (6:38.34) and the high jump (1.27 meters), Olivia Cox took third in the shot put (9.40 meters) and discus (28.34), Fordham finished third in the 200 (30.19 seconds), and Wendt was third in the 400 (1:10.29).

Jenae Bothe led Oregon with a record-setting performance in the shot put. Her toss of 13.70 meters (or 44 feet, 11 3/4 inches) broke Tabitha Smith’s school record of 41-6 1/2 set in 2007, and is also the top 1A throw this season. Bothe also won the discus (35.81 meters).

Ava Wight won the 200 (29.43 seconds) and the triple jump (9.17 meters), and took second in the 100 (13.97 seconds). Rylie Robertson took the 100 hurdles (18.19 seconds), and Jennica Ciesel won the high jump ()1.47 meters) for the Hawks.

Ellen Hodson was runner-up in the 1600 (6:30.22), and Mariah Drake placed second in the high jump (1.37 meters). Sonya Plescia took third in the pole vault (1.68 meters), and Aubree Schefcik finished third in the 300 hurdles (59.32 seconds) and fourth in the 100 hurdles (20.38).

Rock Falls runner-up in Princeton: The Rockets swept the relays and scored 241 points to finish behind only host Princeton (250) at the Ferris Invite.

Emily Spooner and Carli Kobbeman were both part of four wins to lead Rock Falls. Spooner took the 100 (13.29 seconds) and ran legs on the 4x100 (53.56), 4x200 (1:54.99) and 4x400 (4:33.56), as did Kobbeman in addition to her win in the long jump (4.78 meters). They teamed with Makenna Arickx and Savannah Bufford in both the 4x100 and 4x200, and joined Cadence Williamson and Emily Garcia in the 4x400.

Gracie Rippy won the 800 (2:39.78), Hana Ford topped the field in the 1600 (5:50.10), and Amara Thomas took the high jump (1.47 meters). Ford, Garcia and Rippy teamed with Tayli Hultin to win the 4x800 (10:50.31).

Hultin added a second in the 1600 (5:56.56), Garcia was runner-up in the pole vault (1.67 meters), and Aniyah Thomas was second in the 100 hurdles (19.10 seconds) and fourth in the 300 hurdles (56.62).

Williamson took third in the 400 (1:09.45), Emma Hultin placed third in the 3200 (14:42.58), and Denali Stonitsch finished third in the shot put (8.93 meters).

Sterling 2nd in Rochelle: The Golden Warriors scored 60 points to finish behind the host Hubs (66) and ahead of Sandwich (26) in a triangular.

Alice Sotelo won the 100 (13.34 seconds) and took second in the high jump (1.25 meters) for Sterling, while Jesseka Boyer won the 100 hurdles (19.55 seconds) and took third in the 300 hurdles (57.63). Sophia Bianchi won the long jump (4.19 meters), and the quartet of Anna Aulwes, Finley Ryan, Presley Winters and Kaydence Weeks won the 4x100 (53.72 seconds.)

Weeks took second in the 200 (28.50 seconds), and Winters was runner-up in the pole vault (2.20 meters). Kylie Nicklaus placed second in the 400 (1:04.68), Lillian Peavy was second in the 300 hurdles (54.45), and Madison Austin finished second in the long jump (41.3 meters).

Kate Rowzee was second in the shot put (9.66 meters) and third in the discus (25.59), and Maggie Rowzee took second in the triple jump (8.88 meters) and third in the high jump (1.25).

Panthers win title in Fulton: Erie-Prophetstown scored 85 points to take the top spot at the Fulton Relays, ahead of Clinton (78 points) and Galena-East Dubuque-River Ridge (72).

Fulton was fourth (71), and Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio-AFC finished fifth (55). West Carroll took seventh (35), Milledgeville-Eastland placed eighth (25), Morrison was 11th (4), and Newman took 12th (3).

The Panthers won two events, and added 12 more top-five finishes. Riley Packer won the 800 (2:30.34), and teamed with Jade Nickerson, Dylan Chandler and Jillian Norman to take the 4x800 (10:47.96). Kennedy Buck added runner-up finishes in both the 200 (27.48 seconds) and the 400 (1:03.61), Brooke Lally was second in the 3200 (15:33.84), and Dominique Robinson placed second in the discus (25.75 meters). Chandler, Nickerson, Madyson Bushaw and Packer teamed up to take second in the 4x400 relay (4:32.14).

Bushaw added a third in the triple jump (9.42 meters), and Avery Olinger was third in the high jump (1.35 meters) for Erie-Prophetstown. Chandler (800, 2:43.36), Norman (1600, 6:19.07), Buck (shot put, 9.84 meters) and Clara Ashdown (3200, 19:03.17) all finished fourth.

Lara Bielema led Fulton with a win in the 300 hurdles (50.11 seconds) and a second in the 100 hurdles (16.77), and the Steamers also won a pair of relays: the 4x200 (1:51.47) with the team of Abbigail Thyne, Annaka Hackett, Mikayla Gazo and Lauren Mahoney, and the 4x400 (4:23.88) with the team of Miraya Pessman, Olivia Knott, Mahoney and Gazo. Kylie Smither was second in the shot put (10.05 meters), and Fulton also took second in the 4x100 (51.58) with the foursome of Bielema, Thyne, Gazo and Mahoney.

Mahoney added a third in the 100 (13.21 seconds), Pessman finished fourth in the 100 (13.43) and fifth in the long jump (4.53 meters), and Emery Wherry took fourth in the 100 hurdles (17.70 seconds).

Elly Jones led the Amboy co-op with wins in the 100 hurdles (16.19 seconds) and the triple jump (10.54 meters), and she also took second in the 300 hurdles (50.96 seconds) and the long jump (4.82 meters). Lexi Ketchum added a runner-up finish in the high jump (1.45 meters), and Lauren Althaus finished fourth in the 400 (1:04.39) and fifth in the 200 (27.77 seconds) for the Clippers.

West Carroll’s Emma Randecker won the 200 (26.92 seconds) and took second in the 100 (13.13), while Geneva Zach was third in the 3200 (18:21.61) and Kylie Hill took third in the long jump (4.71 meters). Olivia Shelly finished fifth in the triple jump (9.24 meters).

Skyler Hartman won the 3200 (14:40.59) and Quinc Haverland took the discus (26.69 meters) to lead Milledgeville-Eastland. Lynn Stringini finished fourth in the 300 hurdles (54.61 seconds).

Erika King had Morrison’s lone top-five finish, placing fourth in the 400 (1:06.57).

Syrinidie Amos finished fifth in the 100 dash for Newman (13.48 seconds), and Brooke Sanchez was fourth in the triple jump (9.35 meters).