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Wallace girls sweep Vermilion North
Wallace's eighth- and seventh-grade girls basketball teams both won the championships of the Vermilion Conference Tournament's North brackets.
The Wallace 8s defeated Marquette 26-16 in the title game, led by Grace Carroll's 10 points and five steals as well as Reese Burgwald's six points. In the semis, Wallace won 56-9 over Waltham (Kendall Lowery 16 points, Gianna Leigh 14, Carroll eight, Taryn Ruhland eight points).
Wallace's seventh-graders posted a 43-18 championship game victory, paced by Kendall Lowery's 27-point effort and Issy Liebhart's six points. Wallace won 34-8 in the semis over Marquette (Reese Burgwald 19 points, four points each from Cabella Debernardi, Lowery and Sophia Falaney).
Lady Mohawks runners-up in VC South
Both Grand Ridge's seventh- and eighth-grade girls hoops teams finished runners-up in the Vermilion Conference Tournament's South bracket.
The Grand Ridge 7s (11-9) won 21-12 over Tonica (Ava Offermann seven points, Lexy Jensen six points) in the semifinals before falling 24-10 to Odell in the title game (Nora Cave eight points).
The eighth-grade Lady Mohawks (10-10) scored a 28-20 semifinal "W" over Odell (Marisa Vickers 13 points, four apiece from Sadie Lechel and Faith Maltby) before falling 22-15 to Flanagan in the championship (Vickers nine points).
Woodland 5s, 6s top Marquette
The fifth-grade Woodland boys basketball squad defeated Marquette 16-10, with Jaron Follmer, Billy Gaylen and Noah Decker leading the Warriors' scoring. Woodland also won the 6s game, 29-20, paces by Nick Plesko's 15 points and six from Connor Dodge.
Northlawn 7s defeat Henry, Grand Ridge
Northlawn's seventh-grade boys cagers defeated Henry-Senachwine 46-12, led by team defense and an eight-man scoring attack paced by Christian Benning's 25 points.
NJHS's 7s then defeated Grand Ridge. Leading scorers for the Panthers were Jack Sorensen (10 points), Quinn Baker (eight), and Logan Aukland and James Pawelczyk (six points apiece).
Central 5s pick up 3 wins
The Central fifth-grade boys scored three victories recently — 17-5 over Peru Parkside (Jaxsen Higgins six points, Hezekiah Joachim five); 16-10 in overtime over Morris (Demarco Criss eight points, four each from Higgins and Joachim); and 13-11 over Marquette (Higgins five points, Joachim four, Anthony Couch six points for Marquette).
Rams win pair of close ones
Shepherd's seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball teams both won close games against Dwight.
The 7s triumphed 35-31, led by Jordan Schiltz's 10 points, Drake Kaufman's eight, six points apiece from Luke Connell and Jack Henson, and Garrett Shymanski's eight rebounds. The eighth-grade Rams were the victors 36-30, paced by Dillan Quatrano's eight points/nine rebounds, six points each from Jonathan Cooper and Conner Price, and Griffin Walker's four assists.
Correction
In a previous Local Digest, results for Marquette's sixth-grade girls basketball teams were reversed. Marquette lost 24-17 to Rockford Eisenhower and won 19-15 over Woodland.