SportShorts for Thursday, March 30, 2023

Locals earn Three Rivers all-conference honors

Several boys basketball players from the Sauk Valley area were recognized on the Three Rivers all-conference teams.

In the East Division, Newman junior Lucas Simpson led the local contingent as a unanimous first-team pick. Senior teammate Nolan Britt was a second-team selection, as was Bureau Valley sophomore Landon Hulsing. Newman senior Ayden Batten and BV senior Cooper Balensiefen were named honorable mention.

Hall senior Mac Resetich, Kewanee junior Brady Clark, Mendota senior Rafa Romero, and Princeton seniors Teegan Davis and Grady Thompson joined Simpson as unanimous selections.

In the West Division, Erie-Prophetstown senior Caleb Naftzger was a unanimous pick, while Morrison juniors Brenden Martin and Chase Newman earned second-team nods. E-P senior Michael Collins was an honorable mention selection.

Rockridge senior Jase Whiteman and Riverdale junior Jake Willems joined Naftzger as unanimous picks.

Vasquez earns IBCA honor

Sterling boys basketball coach Ryan Vasquez was named as the District 11 Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

Vasquez led the Golden Warriors to a 24-9 record and their first regional title since 2018. Sterling played eventual 3A state champion Metamora down to the wire in the sectional semifinals before falling 72-70.

Drolema twins sign at St. Ambrose

Standout swimmers Skylar and Schyon Drolema will sign to continue their academic and athletic careers at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, next year.

Skylar advanced to state in a pair of events this past winter while swimming for the Sterling boys swimming co-op, qualifying in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races. He also swam at state in the 100 breaststroke as a freshman, and the 200 medley and freestyle relays last year as a junior.

Schyon swam for the Morrison girls squad last fall, and like her twin brother, has been swimming for more than 11 years.

Haverland headed to Sauk Valley C.C.

Eastland standout Quinc Haverland will continue her academic and athletic career at Sauk Valley Community College next year, where she will play basketball for the Skyhawks.

Haverland plans to pursue her associate’s degree before attending Illinois State University to study special education and elementary education.

This winter, she averaged 7.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game as a senior all-NUIC South selection. As a junior in 2021-22, Haverland averaged 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. She was also an all-NUIC South volleyball player this past fall.

Newman hands out wrestling awards

The Newman Comets honored their wrestlers at the postseason awards banquet recently, and several athletes were presented with awards.

Junior Carter Rude was the MVP after recording the most takedowns (98), the most falls (34) and the fastest fall (0.16 seconds). Junior Colin Messer was named Most Improved, and sophomore Jacob Newberry won the Jim McBride HUSTLE Award.

Rude took second at state and was a first-team all-Three Rivers selection at 138 pounds, while junior Brady Grennan finished fifth at state and was a second-team all-conference pick at 126. Freshman Zhyler Hansen (113) and sophomores Briar Ivey (12) and Daniel Kelly (145) were honorable mention all-TRAC, and freshman Leo Francis, Newberry, Rude and senior Dylan Garland won the academic awards for each class.

Coach/trainer Andy Accardi and athletic director Justin Stevenson were honored with the Darrell Holbrook Award.

Oregon alum Noon places at D-III indoor championships

Former Oregon standout Brenna Noon placed 12th in the shot put at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Noon, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, recorded a throw of 13.23 meters to take 12th in the event in Birmingham, Alabama, earlier this month.

SVCC tennis opens season with loss

The Sauk Valley C.C. men’s tennis team lost 9-0 to Illinois Valley C.C. in its season opener Sunday at Westwood in Sterling.

Dawson Newendyke and James Rhodes had the closest match for the Skyhawks, as they fell 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1 doubles. Those two are the only players on the Sauk roster this spring who played tennis in high school; the rest are members of the SVCC basketball team who are still learning the game.

Craig Jamieson, Jacob Gaither, Jonah Lauff, Petia Dogale, Tommy Sullivan, Andre Brandon and Riek Riek are also playing tennis for the Skyhawks.