Claudia Heeney of Lockport wins sectional championship: The Herald-News Saturday Roundup

Girls wrestling

Claudia Heeney wins sectional championship: Lockport’s defending state champion is one step closer to repeating after she defeated previously unbeaten Viola Pianetto of Prospect.

“I just went into that match believing I can do it,” Heeney said. “Before my match, I went up to my dad and said, ‘I’m ready.’ He kind of questioned me a bit, but it’s just something you’ve got to speak into existence. Just keep telling yourself positive things so they can happen. This season has been a lot of mental stuff from me. I’m figuring out how to keep a positive mindset.”

Rebekah Ramirez was also a champion for Lockport at 235 while Sophie Kelner finished fourth at 190 to advance to state.

“This is all I wanted,” Kelner said. “This was my goal before the year. I don’t care what I have to get there. That means you’re one of the best in the state, and that’s where I want to be. I’m just in shock. That was crazy. I can’t even describe how I’m feeling. This is the best I’ve felt all season.”

Bolingbrook will send one wrestler to state in Alejandra Flores after she finished second. at 115. Molly O`Connor of Lemont finished fourth at 125 to head to state and Romeoville will have two wrestlers advancing in Daniela Santander (third place at 100 pounds) and Henessis Villagrana (fourth place at 235).

Boys basketball

Freeport 61, Morris 48: Jack Wheeler led the way with 17 points for Morris.

Lincoln-Way West 83, Joliet Catholic 49: Wyatt Carlson (23 points), Nick Brezniak (21), Drake Been (13) and Max Gabriel (12) led the way for the Warriors.

Nazareth 61, Plainfield North 58: The Tigers dropped their second game in two days.

Girls basketball

Romeoville 40, Thornwood 38: The 15th-seeded Spartans knocked off 17th-seeded Thornwood in the Class 4A Marist Regional

Joliet Central 53, Blue Island Eisenhower 18: The 14th-seeded Steelmen knocked off 18th-seeded Eisenhower in the 4A Lockport Regional.

Plainfield South 58, East Aurora 17: The 14th-seeded Cougars easily handed 18th-seeded East Aurora in the 4A Waubonsie Valley Regional.

Plainfield East 60, Plainfield Central 49: The 17th-seeded Bengals edged out the 16th-seeded Wildcats in the Class 4A Benet Regional.

Reed-Custer 42, Peotone 30: The seventh-seeded Commets got the win over 10th-seeded Peotone in the Class 2A Coal City Regional.

Peru St. Bede 61, Gardner-South Wilmington 19: 11th-seeded GSW’s season came to an end with a loss to fifth-seeded Peru St. Bede in the Class 1A St. Bede Regional.

Girls bowling

Lockport punches ticket to state: The Porters finished second at the Plainfield North Sectional with a team score of 5,629, just 19 behind first-place Morgan Park. Brooke Stroud led the way with an 1,179. Amber Bozych of Plainfield East (1,234) and Claire Young of Lockport (1,203) will also be heading to state.

Joliet West wins Decatur Sectional: The Tigers ran away with the title to clinch their ticket to state with 5,927 points. That’s 433 higher than second place Minooka, which will also be heading to state. Kylie Steiner led the Indians with a score of 1,143 while Emily Michon of Joliet West was the Sectional with 1,274. Plainfield Central will head to state after putting up 5,483 led by Alyssa Coldwater’s 1,152. It was an all-area advancement with Lincoln-Way West clinching the final team spot at 5,427 points led by Allison Whalen’s 1,026. Abby Craig of Lincoln-Way East (1,172) and Audrey Palmer of Plainfield South (1,143) will also advance to state.