Area roundup: Dixon girls run to victory at Sycamore Cross Country Invite

The Dixon girls cross country team won the team title at the Sycamore Invite on Tuesday, led by two top-five finishes and five placers in the top 12 individually.

Dixon scored 40 points to easily outpace runner-up Aurora Rosary (66). Hampshire took third (98), and Sterling finished fourth (137). Rock Falls was seventh (168), Oregon placed 11th (275), and Newman was 12th (307) in the event that featured 101 runners and 13 full teams.

Emily Conderman was second for the Duchesses, clocking a 19:15.6 to finish behind only Sundara Weber of Sandwich (19:01.1). Dixon’s Emma Smith finished fifth (19:48.6), while Kate Boss took 10th (20:08.6), Kait Knipple was 11th (20:09.1), and Olivia Arduini placed 12th (20:13.1). Keeley Mick (20th, 21:19.2), Hannah Steinmeyer (21st, 21:24.7), Emily Smith (26th, 21:34.1) and Teyla Wendt (37th, 22:05.7) also placed in the top 40 for the Duchesses.

Rhylee Wade led Sterling in 14th place (20:47.9), with Delia Block right behind her in 15th (20:48.2). Megan Gingrich (23rd, 21:28.7), Kylie Nicklaus (41st, 21:11.6), and Laney Zuithoff (53rd, 23:22.3) also counted toward the Golden Warriors’ team score, while Emma Anderson finished 59th (23:56.1) and Lainey Block was 65th (24:38.5).

Hana Ford placed 18th (21:03.4) to pace Rock Falls, with Ariel Hernandez (27th, 21:34.2), Kat Scott (31st, 21:50.0) and Brooke Howard (43rd, 22:20.6) also finishing in the top 50. Ava Shank (54th, 24:35.2) and Aniyah Thomas (81st, 26:33.4) also ran for the Rockets.

Newman was led by Claire Crisham in 45th place (22:43.1). Gianna Widolff (66th, 24:57.3), Sofia McCoy (72nd, 25:30.6), Reagan Hammes (73rd, 25:33.4), and Monica Healy (86th, 27:34.6) also ran for the Comets.

Ellen Hodson led Oregon in 63rd (24:26.9), with Natalie Tremble (78th, 26:03.3), Katelyn Bowers (79th, 26:08.8), Hadley Lutz (82nd, 26:40.5) and Abbie Ludwig (83rd, 27:01.0) rounding out the Hawks’ team score.

[ Photos from the Sycamore Cross Country Invite ]

Boys cross country

Sterling’s Johnson runs to 2nd in Sycamore: Dale Johnson clocked a 15:40.0 to finish second at the Sycamore Invite, while the Golden Warriors finished fifth as a team at the event featuring 152 runners and 15 full teams.

DeKalb’s Riley Newport won the race in 15:32.7, while Glenbard South took the team title with 68 points. Belvidere North was second (83), Sycamore took third (119) and Aurora Central Catholic finished fourth (126); Sterling scored 165 points. Newman was 11th (259) and Rock Falls took 12th (284), while Dixon and Oregon did not field full teams.

After Johnson, Dixon’s Aaron Conderman was the next-best local finisher, placing 15th in 17:04.0; teammate Jack Johnson took 20th in 17:15.6. Jacksen Ortgiesen (51st, 18:23.0) and Hayden Fulton (84th, 19:30.0) also ran for the Dukes.

Sterling’s Jordan Britt was 26th in 17:34.2, while Parker Janssen took 31st in 17:43.2. Thomas Holcomb (61st, 18:37.8), Owen Anderson (68th, 18:50.9), Connor Pham (85th, 19:30.7), and Brecken Peterson (86th, 19:33.5) also finished in the top 100 for the Golden Warriors, and Joseph Humphrey finished 139th (24:03.6).

Lucas Schaab led Newman in 29th place (17:40.2), while Ken Boesen finished 46th (18:16.4) and Lucas Simpson took 53rd (18:26.8). Carver Grummert (77th, 19:09.2) and Wyatt Widolff (97th, 19:50.7) also counted toward the Comets’ team score. Espen Hammes was 104th (20:05.4), and Maxwell DeForest took 125th (21:38.4).

Jose Gomez (17:44.2) and Anthony Valdivia (17:46.1) took 32nd and 33rd to lead Rock Falls, while Christian Cid was 75th (18:58.6), Brady Root took 98th (19:53.9), Darien Huggins placed 103rd (20:00.9), Victor Rivera finished 106th (20:15.4), and Juan Hernandez was 118th (21:20.7).

Oregon’s runners were Christopher Bolisenga (111th, 20:54.4), Aidan Guida (115th, 21:11.8), Ryan Noisten (119th, 21:22.4), and Bryan Immel (149th, 27:39.2).

Volleyball

Dixon def. Princeton 28-26, 25-15: The Duchesses picked up their first win of the season at Lancaster Gym, making it three wins in a row.

Joey Brumbly led the way with 10 kills and seven digs, Ella Govig had five kills and two blocks, Olivia Cox spiked four kills, and Morgan Hargrave added 10 digs, three kills and three aces for Dixon (3-1). Sydney Hargrave had 12 assists and 10 digs, Hanna Lengquist finished with nine assists and five digs, and Natalie Davidson led the way with 14 digs.

Newman def. Kewanee 25-23, 25-16: The Comets improved to 30-1 with a Three Rivers win at home.

Jess Johns had seven kills and nine digs, and Kennedy Rowzee added five kills and three blocks for Newman. Molly Olson finished with four kills, eight digs and five assists, and Katie Grennan added 11 assists and two kills. Addison Foster ledf the way with 13 digs, and Sam Ackman chipped in eight digs.

Rockford Lutheran def. Sterling 25-11, 25-18: After losing standout Grace Egan to a knee injury in warmups, the Golden Warriors dropped a nonconference match at Musgrove Fieldhouse.

Sienna Stingley had three kills and a block, Emma Smith led the way with 14 digs, Katie Dittmar added seven digs, and Delali Amankwa dished 13 assists.

Rochelle def. Oregon 25-20, 27-25: The Hawks fell to the Hubs in a nonconference match on the road.

Leaders for Oregon were Olivia Wynn with five assists, three aces and three digs, Sophie Stender with eight digs and one ace, Lexi Ebert with seven digs and three assists, and Kenna Wubbena with five kills and four digs.

Durand def. Milledgeville 25-11, 27-25: The Missiles lost to the Bulldogs in an NUIC match at home, falling to 2-1 on the season.

Milledgeville was led by Lydia Faulkner and Lily Smith with five kills apiece. Marissa Sturrup chipped in two aces, and Emma Foster and Smith added one block each for the Missiles.

Stockton def. Polo 25-15, 25-12: The Marcos dropped an NUIC match to the Blackhawks at home.

Lindee Poper led Polo with 12 digs and five kills, Courtney Grobe had 11 digs and two kills, Bekah Zeigler tallied 12 digs and one kill, and Teah Almasy added seven assists, seven digs and one ace.

Indian Creek def. AFC 25-9, 25-19: The Raiders lost a nonconference match in Shabbona.

Taylor Jahn and Audree Dorn had two kills each, and Dorn also led the way with five points for AFC (0-2). Brianna Gonnerman served four points and dished three assists, and Mallory Coffman added a block and a dig.

Boys golf

Dixon 170, North Boone 219: The Dukes cruised past the Vikings in a Big Northern Conference dual at Timber Creek, led by medalist Alex Harrison’s 38.

Steven Kitzman shot a 41, Mason Weigle shot a 44, and Ben Oros fired a 47 for Dixon. Sage Magnafici and Cade Hey added rounds of 48 and 49.

Geneseo 147, Sterling 165: The Golden Warriors dropped a Western Big 6 dual to the Maple Leafs at Country View Golf Course.

Cam O’Brien was the leader for Sterling, posting a round of 38, while Mason Hubbard shot a 39. Braden Hartman and Bryce Hartman had a pair of 44s, Trevor Dir had a 45, and Cale Cushman added a 46.

Geneseo’s Hayden Moore was the medalist, shooting a 2-under-par 34.

Rockford Lutheran 164, Oregon 191: The Hawks lost a Big Northern dual at Silver Ridge, as the Crusaders had the six lowest scores.

Jackson Messenger led Oregon (3-4, 1-4 BNC) with a 47, and Brogan Wilkinson, Dom Terlikowski and Brady Davis all fired 48s. Kylar Early added a 49, and Logan Sarver finished with a 55.

Lutheran’s Jake Guse was medalist with a 38, and Nate Ling was runner-up with a 40.

Amboy 188, Aquin 199, West Carroll 210: The Clippers edged the Bulldogs and Thunder in a triangular, led by medalists Hayden Wittenauer and Wes Wilson, who each shot 38.

Carson Barlow shot a 49, Logan O’Brien fired a 63, and Bryson Full chipped in a 65 for Amboy.

West Carroll was led by Thomas Krontz’s 46. Dillon Hill recorded a 49, Wilson Bressler fired a 52, Tanner Diestelmeier shot a 63, and Erik Kice added a 67.

Monmouth-Roseville 172, Sherrard 176, Erie-Prophetstown 199: The Panthers took third in the Monmouth triangular, led by Blake Geuns’ 44.

Caden VanHorn fired a 47, Bryce VanDeWostine had a 51, and Keith Goodson shot a 57 for Erie-Prophetstown. Colin Ashdown and Robert Winters added a 59 and 67.

Girls golf

Oregon 192, Rockford Lutheran 245: The Hawks notched five of the six best scores in a Big Northern dual victory at Silver Ridge.

Ava Hackman was medalist with a 41, and Aniyah Sarver was runner-up with a 48 for Oregon (7-0, 6-0 BNC). Lexi Davis shot a 49, Kendra Ehrler fired a 54, Hailey-Jane Becker added a 59, and Sara Eckardt had a 64.

Galesburg 185, Sterling 250: The Golden Warriors dropped a Western Big 6 dual on the road.

Geneseo 179, Rock Island 230, Erie-Prophetstown 236: The Panthers lost a triangular at Prophet Hills to a pair of Western Big 6 schools.

McKenzie Winckler led Erie-Prophetstown with a 57, Lillian McWilliams fired a 59, and Jaelin Hawkins, Taylor Wilson and Izzy Johnson all shot 60s. Michelle Naftzger added a 65.

Geneseo’s Georgia McKelvian and Olivia Seei tied for medalist with 44s.

Amboy at West Carroll: The Clippers shot a 274 as a team at Sandburr Run, with the Thunder not fielding a full team but still claiming medalist and runner-up honors individually.

Emma Dinges led Amboy with a 62, while Greta Horner had a 67, Andrea Buhrow fired a 68, and Gracie Holmgren added a 77.

West Carroll’s Karissa Andrews’ was medalist with a 58, and Brianna Jensen was runner-up with a 61. Corinne Krontz added a 67 for the Thunder.

Girls tennis

Sterling 5, Rock Island 4: The Golden Warriors won three singles matches and two doubles matches to secure a Western Big 6 win at home.

Ellie Aitken was a 4-6, 6-2, 10-4 winner at No. 1 singles for Sterling, while Eva Dillon won 7-6 (1), 6-2 at No. 4 singles, and Emma Trader won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6 singles.

Aitken and Layla Tablante teamed up for an 8-5 win at No. 1 doubles, and Trader and Leticia Caudillo won 8-3 at No. 3 doubles.

Girls swimming

DeKalb-Sycamore 88, Sterling 82: The Golden Warriors lost their season opener on the road, winning five out of 11 events.

Sammie Knox and Madison Austin were triple-winners for Sterling. Knox took the 200 IM (2:28.24) and 100 butterfly (1:07.45), while Austin won the 50 freestyle (25.35 seconds) and 100 freestyle (55.61). They both teamed up with Emily Lofgren and Hazel Pham to win the 200 freestyle relay (2:03.21).

College volleyball

Sauk Valley def. Illinois Valley 25-10, 25-10, 25-16: The Skyhawks cruised to an Arrowhead Conference win in Oglesby.

Tiana Tichler had 14 kills and 2.5 blocks, Jaelyn Fitzgerald added six kills and 1.5 blocks, and Nicole Boelens chipped in five kills and 17 digs for Sauk (3-2, 1-0). Mckenzie Hecht had four kills and eight digs, Reagan Oster added 12 digs, and Maya Gartin finished with two kills and three blocks. Gabby Jones had 17 assists and four aces, and Cadence Stonitsch dished 13 assists for the Skyhawks.