SportShorts for Saturday, April 9, 2022

Junis to start season in minor leagues

Rock Falls native Jakob Junis, who signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants during the offseason after spending his first five seasons in Major League Baseball with the Kansas City Royals, was sent to Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday when the Giants trimmed down their roster for Opening Day.

Junis allowed two hits and no walks and struck out four in two spring training appearances. A starter for most of his career, he’ll likely pitch out of the bullpen in San Francisco. He currently sits on the 40-man roster, meaning he is eligible to be called up to pitch for the Giants when needed.

Another Rock Falls native, Seth Blair, signed a minor-league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays during the offseason. He is not listed on their 40-man roster to start the season.

Locals advance to Day 2 of IESA bowling state meet

The Sterling Challand girls team and the Mt. Morris Rahn boys team have both qualified for Saturday’s final round of the IESA bowling state meet in Joliet by finishing Day 1 in the top 10.

A pair of Dixon Reagan girls have also moved on to Day 2, as did a Challand boy. They were among the top 32 individual scores not on an advancing team.

Challand’s Sarah Doughty sits in third place individually after rolling games of 155, 256, 176 and 178 for a 765 series, with her 256 being the highest game of the day. It was one pin better than Loves Park Harlem’s Ashlin Teves, who leads the standings with a 920 (games of 194, 255, 236 and 236). Teves’ teammate Addison Brien is second with a 779, and Harlem’s Allison Roberts is fourth with a 749.

Hailey Conderman (557 series, 160 high game), Gracie Witmer (432 series, 123 high game) and Leia Maxfield (420, 125 high game) also competed for Challand. Conderman is in 35th place after Day 1.

Reagan’s Allison Coss is in 20th place overall after a 601 four-game series, as she rolled high games of 177, 147 and 150. Teammate Madelyn Bird is 38th with a 554, with high games of 152, 158 and 149.

Rahn’s Ahren Howey (397 series, 105 high game) and Katlyn Miller (381 series, 128 high game) did not advance to Day 2.

On the boys side, Rahn rolled a 2,402 to sit in eighth place after the opening round; Homer Glen Homer is first with a 2,688, and Loves Park Harlem is second with a 2,628. Ottawa Wallace’s Caston Dhuse is first individually with an 848, followed by New Lenox Martino’s Tyler Hoger (839) and Harlem’s Masen Evans (830).

Xander Garcia led Rahn with a 642 four-game series and a 202 high game, good for 36th place. Caleb Ehrler (611 series, 190 high game) is 54th, and Aiden Currier (607 series, 192 high game) is 56th. Robert Keene rolled a 402 in three games, and Sebastian Alford bowled the final game of that series and had a 140.

Challand’s Bryce Kooy was tied for 28th among the individuals not on an advancing team, qualifying him for Day 2. He rolled a 614 series and had high games of 181 and 162, putting him in 50th place overall.

Reagan’s Jacob Nicklaus did not move on to the final day, as his 599 series was eight pins behind the final individual qualifying spot. He had high games of 161, 164 and 160.

Sterling duo announces college plans

Sterling seniors Alejandro Arellano and Drew Kested both announced on Twitter recently where they will compete in college next year.

Arellano will play football at the College of DuPage, and will play on the offensive line for the Chaparrals. DuPage went 9-2 last fall, posting a 7-1 mark at home, and finished the season on a six-game winning streak.

Kested will wrestle at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he slated to be a 149-pounder for the Blugolds. Eau Claire was 6-4 in duals last season.

Eastland’s Anderson will golf at Dubuque

Andy Anderson will continue his golf career at the University of Dubuque, the Eastland senior announced Friday.

Anderson, who plans to major in biology, has advanced to the Class 1A sectional each of the last two years, and was a first-team all-NUIC selection. He also played basketball for the Cougars.

Erie’s Wuebben will vault at Platteville

Hayley Wuebben, a senior at Erie, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s track & field team next year as a pole vaulter.

Wuebben, who started vaulting under the tutelage of former Erie-Prophetstown track coach Tom Unruh when she was in sixth grade, has qualified for the IHSA state meet in both years the event has been held; there was no track season her sophomore year. Her current personal best vault is 9 feet, 9 inches.