In that time frame, Bureau County has produced six state champions with 21 separate state medalists, landing 32 medals in all.

We didn’t start naming a Wrestler of the Year until the 1996-97 season so the wrestlers proceeding that season do not carry that honor.

I’ll start with a true Mt. Rushmore of four wrestlers, with consideration of state finishes, multiple state medals and overall success. Definitely hard to narrow it down to four here so please don’t try to pin the old sports editor.

John Barnes, St. Bede - Talked into coming out for wrestling in the middle of his freshman season by his brother, Jeff, Barnes went on to become St. Bede’s most distinguished wrestler. The two-time BCR Wrestler claimed the heavyweight state crown as a senior in 2015-16, finishing with a 41-0 record. He also placed third the year before at 285. He had an 81-4 record (.953) in that two-year stretch.

Kipp Wahlgren, Princeton - Wahlgren was the first in his family to medal at state finishing third in 1988-89 at 130 pounds followed up with a state title at 145 in 1989-90. He is ranked No. 5 with 145 wins at PHS. He went on to wrestle at the U.S. Naval Academy. Wahlgren also one of the many stars of Princeton’s Tiger Style Runnin’ Wild State runner-up football team,

Kristian Wahlgren, Princeton - Wahlgren is the only two-time state champion from the Illinois Valley and the only Princeton grappler with three state medals. He started his run with a fourth-place finish at 145 as a sophomore in 1991-92. He rose to the top of the podium with first-place finishes in 1992-93 at 152 pounds and again in 1993-94 at 160. He also wrestled at the U.S. Naval Academy. Ranked No. 4 with 147 wins, two more than his brother Kipp.

Ty Taylor, Princeton - Of all the wrestlers to wear the Tigers singlet, none have had their arm raised more than Taylor, who won 166 times for a career 166-14 record (.922). The third of three brothers who followed their dad, Denny (1980 state champ), Taylor was the first four-time state qualifier for PHS, finishing as state runner-up in 2006-07 (135) and 2007-08 (140). He was a four-time NCIC and regional champion.

Brian Anderson, Princeton - Anderson placed second at state in 1992-93 at 125 pounds and was a three-time PIT champ. He comes from a long lineage of family history, in the Tiger program along with his brothers, Josh and Zach, following their father, Randy, who was a 2-time PIT champ. “BA” his ranked No. 8 all-time for the Tigers with 138 wins.

Ryne Bird, Princeton - The Tiger standout gained a third-place state finish in 2001-02 followed by a second-place finish the next year. He wrestled in the finals of the prestigious Princeton Invitational (PIT) four times, winning three times. The two-time NCIC champion graduated as the all-time winningest Tiger with 160 wins, now tied for second all-time, and holds the records for takedowns with 687 for a career and 218 in a single-season.

Zack Bird, Princeton - Bird was the state runner-up at 152 pounds in 2004-05, finishing 35-11. The two-time BCR Wrestler is ranked 15th at PHS with 124 wins. He is Ryne Bird’s cousin.

Ace Christiansen, Princeton - Another family with Tiger tradition, Christiansen followed his dad, Aaron, and brother, Augie, by winning the second most matches (160) in school history. The BCR Wrestler of the Year placed third at State (138) in 2023-24.

Augie Christiansen, Princeton - The BCR Wrestler of the Year famously wrestled his way through five wrestleback matches to a third-place state finish at 145 as a senior in 2022-23. His last victory was the 50th of the season, setting a single-season school record for wins. He stands No. 8 all-time with 139 wins.

Casey Etheridge, Princeton - The two-time BCR Wrestler of the Year earned his second straight state medal this past season with a runner-up finish at 165 pounds, finishing at 46-7. Etheridge placed fourth at state in 2024-25. He had a 157-39 career record, ranked 4th all-time in wins for Tigers and has the most career pins with 96.

Brandon Nink, Princeton - Nink was crowned state champion in 2002-03, defeating Matt Wenger of Dakota 4-3 at 140 pounds, finishing 40-4. He is ranked No. 10 all-time in wins with 136 wins.

Augustus Swanson, Princeton - Just the second four-time state qualifier for the Tigers, Swanson landed his second state medal this year with a runner-up finish at 113 pounds. The BCR co-Wrestler of the Year led the area with a 47- 3, finishing with a 154-26 career record, ranked No. 5 all-time for wins. He also placed fifth in 2023-24 at 106.

Brian Taylor, Princeton - “Shorty” was the state champion at 112 pounds as a senior in 2001-02, his first state medal, avenging his only loss of the season to win the state crown, finishing 43-1. The late Tiger coach Randy Swinford said Taylor was like the “Energizer Bunny” because he was always motoring on the mats. A NCIC champion, Taylor is ranked 12th all time with 130 wins.

Chase Tatum, Princeton - Two-time BCR Wrestler of the Year had back to back third-place finishes in 2017-18 and 2018-19, going 78-14 overall. He was a PIT champion and had 106 career wins.

Adam Wason, Princeton - The former Tiger was a two-time state runner-up, taking second in 1994-95 at 103 (Class A) and again in 1996-97 at 112 (2A), finishing 38-3. He was the first BCR Wrestler of the Year named in 1997. He won 111 matches over three years.

But it took a throw to home by second baseman Hunter Spiegel and game-ending strikeout by reliever Jack Oester to finish off the Tiger victory.

“We’ve been getting some good conference wins. Feels really good,” Shaw said. “We’ve been playing real good baseball together. Tyler (Forristall) and Noah (Morton) dealed and we were able to get a couple runs behind them and able to shut them out at the end with Jack (Oester) coming in to close it out.”

First-year Tiger skipper Patrick Smith said it was a typical Tiger game.

“Nothing comes easy for us. I tell you what, we battled,” he said. “We talk about competing every single day no matter what the scoreboard says. If we keep competing, that stuff’s going to take care of themselves.

“We had a couple games last week where we didn’t hit very well. Sometimes you do when you have a low-scoring game. Got to score enough runs and tonight’s that’s exactly what we did. Came on one swing of the bat. It was a big hit by Braden. We pitched really, really well today and held them to one run. We’ll take it.”

Hayden Sayler led off the Tiger fifth with a single, taking second when the ball skipped past the E-P center fielder. Shaw followed with a blast over the left-center fence and suddenly the Tigers took a 2-0 lead.

“I was sitting slider the whole time and he threw it to me and I was able to catch it out front and drive it out to left-center field,” Shaw said. “You barely feel like you hit it. It’s awesome.”

“He hit one on Monday, too. He’s kind of in a little bit of a groove right now,” Smith said. “I think last week he had a couple of gap shots against Mendota, too. And that’s always nice when you can get some extra base hits and instead of trying to piece three or four singles in a row.”

“He’s been amazing. He’s been hot,” Oester said. “In the cages he’s been hitting great. He’s doing everything we want in a leadoff hitter and gets it going for us.”

The Panthers (6-5-1) did not go down quietly in the seventh.

Graden Church led off with a single and Richard Carreno reached on an error. Alastaire Sweetser, the E-P pitcher, drew a walk off Tiger reliever Morton to load the bases. Braedyn Frank followed with a single to left with Carreno scoring on a throwing error while courtesy runner Landon Vandewostine and Frank moved up an extra base.

Spiegel then made the defensive play of the game for the Tigers when he threw out Vandewostine trying to score on a grounder to second.

“He’s been playing a great second base. I’m very proud of him. He’s looked really good there,” Shaw said.

“That was big time. He’s been playing real good at second base for us,” Oester said.

“He’s done that two or three times already this year. He’s a heady kid,” Smith said. “We didn’t know who was going to play there at the beginning of the year. He’s kind of taken over that second base spot. And we have to play him there because he makes all the right plays.”

Evan Steimle walked to load the bases before Oester fired strike three past Copeland to end the game.

Oester knew he had no room for error.

“Coming in there and throwing strikes and making sure I’m not too plateful with my stuff. Just throw strikes and get it done,” he said.

E-P coach Jeff Wunderlich said Thursday’s game was similar to Monday’s when the Tigers scored two runs in the seventh to turn back the Panthers 5-2.

“When we played them Monday we hit into some double plays. This time they made the plays, too,” he said. “We didn’t get any timely hitting. Little things like that will hurt you in these close games.”

Catcher Stihl Brokaw led the Tigers (5-7) with a 2 for 3 day at the plate.

Forristall, the Tiger starter, pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and walk with four strikeouts.

He turned the ball over to Morton, who scattered six hits and two walks with four strikeouts while allowing one earned run over 4⅓ innings for the win.

Frank went 3 for 4 for the Panthers while Carter Hadaway was 2 for 2 with a double.

Sweetser went the distance for E-P, scattering seven hits and a walk while striking out 12.

St. Bede senior standout Lily Bosnich broke three meet records at Hall’s Rollie Morris Invite on Saturday.

She broke her own record in the 100-meter hurdles she set last year (15.31) with a time of 14.88 seconds.

Bosnich also broke two records that stood for more than 20 years.

She clocked a 12.49 in the 100 to beat Princeton’s Ashly Lowdermilk’s record of 12.74 set in 2004, and ran a 45.3 seconds in the 300 hurdles to best the old record of 46.91 set by Rock Falls’ Ashley Keaschall in 2005.

Bureau Valley sophomore Elise House broke the school record in the 200 with a time of 26.01 on April 16 at the Amboy Invite. Kamryn Kolb held the record since 2019 at 26.09.

Mendota’s Sebastian Carlos has been on a roll of late. He set the Trojans’ 400 record with a time of 49.59 on April 16 at Rock Falls to eclipse the 2009 record of 49.91 set by Kurt Wujek.

At Hall’s Rollie Morris Invite two days later, Carlos broke the 200 record with a time of 22.46 to best the 56-year mark of 22.64 ran by Craig O’Sadnick in 1970.

LaMoille sophomore Olivea Glaspar broke the Amboy F/S records in both the shot put with a throw of 33 feet, 8¾ inches and the discus at 101-7.

On another note, Bureau Valley won its own girls invite last week for the first time since Dale Donner retired as head coach in 2019.

The road to Charleston has been set with sectional assignments for Bureau County track and field teams.

For Class 1A boys, DePue, Hall, Henry-Senachwine, Putnam County and St. Bede will head to El Paso-Gridley on May 20, while Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio and Bureau Valley will run at the Erie Sectional on May 22.

In 2A, the Princeton, Kewanee and La Salle-Peru boys will run at the Galesburg Sectional on May 22, while Mendota will compete out of the Rochelle Sectional on May 20.

For 1A girls, Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio, Bureau Valley, Hall, Putnam County and St. Bede will all run at the Erie Sectional on May 13.

Princeton and L-P will compete at the 2A Mendota Sectional, also on May 13.

PYFL is holding fund-raisers in support of coach Rob Comer and his family, including his son, Rob, a league member, who lost their Princeton home to a house fire on Wednesday afternoon. Monetary donations of any amount may be sent to the league via Venmo@Eric-Waca.

Nick Lower, president of PYFL, said it’s all about helping out family.

“Our PYFL board, coaches, players, and fans are a very tight knit family. Immediately when we heard the news of what had happened, everyone wanted to know what they could do to help,” he said.

“In less than 24 hours it’s been pretty unbelievable the amount of support our community has shown. The Comers are a great family and a very pivotal part of our PYFL program. It’s honestly heartbreaking what they are going through, but it’s really amazing how quickly everyone wants to help them get back on their feet.

“Rob’s an amazing coaching and leader for our program, he’s an even better dad and leader in his household.”

Lower said PYFL will continue to help supporting them in any way it can, including upcoming raffles, fundraisers, donations and a clean-up day.

Princeton varsity coach Ryan Pearson will be donating several PHS football shirts and a helmet with players signatures on it to raffle, Lower said.

Runs: A. Oertel (P) 26, Lawson (P) 20, E. Slingsby (SB) 18, Hecht (P) 17, L. Bosnich (SB) 15, C. Keutzer (P) 14, L. Griggs (SB) 13, I. Gibson (P) 12, E. Wright (BV) 11, S. Rutledge (P) 10, K. Haage (BV) 10, A. Carrington (BV) 9

RBIs: A. Oertel (P) 31, A. Balestri (SB) 30, H. Heiberger (SB) 18, I. Gibson (P) 16, L. Bosnich (SB) 16, P. Hansen (P) 15, K. Lawson (P) 14, E. Burke (SB) 14, L. McClain (SB) 13, E. Slingsby (SB) 12, L. Griggs (SB) 12, M. Strauch (SB) 11, K. Trujillo (BV) 11, A.Jamison (BV) 9, E. Wright (BV) 8

Doubles: A. Oertel (P) 12, E. Wright (BV) 7, I. Gibson (P) 6, A. Balestri (SB) 6, A. Delphi (H) 6, A. Jamison (BV) 5, Lawson (P) 4

Triples: A. Oertel (P) 2, C. Etheridge (P) 1, K. Haage (BV) 1, K. Wahl (BV) 1, A. Carrington (BV) 1

Home runs: A. Oertel (P) 7, K. Lawson (P) 5, L. Bosnich (SB) 4, A. Balestri (SB) 3, E. Burke (SB) 3, I. Gibson (P) 2, B. Larson (H) 2, H. Heiberger (SB) 2, P. Hansen (P) 1

Stolen bases: C. Keutzer (P) 17, E. Slingsby (SB) 13, E. Burke (SB) 9, A. Oertel (P) 8, M. Hecht (P) 7, C. Pellegrini (H) 7, L. Bosnich (SB) 7, I. Gibson (P) 6, K. Lawson (P) 5, S. Rutledge (P) 5, H. Heiberger (SB) 5

Wins: M. Strauch (SB) 9, R. Reviglio (P) 6, C. Rossi (SB) 5, P. Hansen (P) 3, Oertel (P) 2, M. Maubauch (BV),

Strikeouts: M. Strauch (SB) 64, Krewer (H) 61, M. Maubach (BV) 54, C. Rossi (SB) 30, R. Reviglio (P) 36, P. Hansen (P) 22, A. Oertel (P) 14

There are three student-athletes going off to play college football, two to play volleyball and one to play basketball, one to run cross country and one to wrestle while one senior will serve his country with the U.S Coast Guard.

Each was accompanied by their parents, family members and coaches.

Common Green and Rhett Pearson will be teaming up again to play football at Aurora University and room together. They say they both can cook.

“We’re both over 200 pounds. I think we can cook pretty well,” Pearson said with a laugh. “We’ll be fine.”

Green said he liked Aurora for the cost and that it’s close to home. He will study athletic training to work up to become a physical therapist.

Pearson, who will be an interior defensive lineman for the Spartans, liked the coaching staff at Aurora, led by head coach and former Super Bowl star Don Beebe.

“They really preach faith and hard work and that really resonates with me,” he said.

Both were happy to be reunited with former Tiger teammate Arthur Burden, who will be a sophomore at Aurora.

“Having Arthur is definitely really helpful. Having someone who you trust and believe what they say. And he has nothing but good things to say about Aurora,” said Pearson, who plans to study biology and then go on to an optometry school.

Keighley Davis, a three-sport standout, picked William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa to play volleyball in her mother’s home area.

“I got a lot of family up there. I really like the atmosphere. It’s not too big of a school and I like that. And it has a pretty good nursing program,” she said.

Her running mate in basketball, Camryn Driscoll, has signed to continue her hoops career for Illinois Central College. She attended ICC’s open gyms last summer in East Peoria and fell in love with the Cougars and coach Karrie Redeker.

“I really loved Coach Redeker’s energy and the way she carried herself at the open gyms,” said Driscoll, who plans to study elementary education. “The girls were very inviting of me even on the first day of open gym I showed up to. It made me feel welcomed to the program quickly.

“I think their program is a great culture to join and I’m very thankful that I’ve been given the opportunity.”

Augustus Swanson, who became just the second four-time state wrestling qualifier for PHS, placing second at state this year, will continue his wrestling career for St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. He said he had several offers and made a couple of visits, but St. Ambrose stood out from the rest.

“I’d say being on St. Ambrose campus and wrestling with the wrestlers off season made me feel a part of the team even before I decided. And as a bonus they made me a really great offer I couldn’t pass,” said Swanson, who plans to study Sports Management.

Kathy Maciczak will also be heading to St. Ambrose to play volleyball for the Bees. She plans to major in Human Performance and Fitness to become an Occupational Therapist.

“I decided to choose St. Ambrose, because I enjoyed the environment,” Maciczak said. “Everyone there including the coaches and players are very welcoming and friendly. I see myself fitting in and meeting great new people. I also feel like St. Ambrose will help push me to becoming a better athlete and help me develop as a player.’

Casey Etheridge, who became the all-time leading rusher in Bureau County history, will rush off to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to play football.

“It felt at home there as soon as he went there. They also gave me the option to stick with running back and seemed like the best school for my academics,” said Etheridge, who plans to study Civil Engineering.

Etheridge was a state runner-up in wrestling and will be contender for state in hurdles in track this spring.

Avery Waca is opting to stay closer to home to run cross country on the Hilltop at IVCC. She plans to major in elementary education to become a teacher.

Senior Bradyn Kruse made his commitment with the United States Coast Guard.

In the end, Mariyah Elam and the Trojans just won more events (10) with five second-place finishes to edge Princeton (four firsts, six seconds) for top team honors 238 to 228.5.

“It’s been our big goal to win the last meet, too,” Elam said. “Our key was driving to try to get our own best PR and focus on that. If we all got that, we exceeded as a team.”

Princeton coach Pat Hodge said the Tigresses made it a much closer race than it projected to be.

“We had a very good meet. I had Mendota almost 40 points ahead of us on paper, but we came through with some outstanding track performances to make a meet of it,” Hodge said. “We met or exceeded what I was expecting us to do in 15 of the 18 events. We really made a run for it in the last three events, scoring 14 points more than expected, highlighted by Payton (Frueh) and Alexandra (Waca) going 1-2 in the 1600 and winning the 4x400. It was close to a perfect performance for us.”

Elam won the triple jump with a season-best 36-5 1/4 (11.11m) and swept the hurdles with times of 15.82 and 48.2. She also ran with Aby Buettner, Kate Strouss and Jeniah Francis for the winning time of 1:51.52 in the 4x200 relay.

“I think I got a couple PRs and stuff. I always shoot for PRs if there’s a girl who runs the same race as me or I shoot for first place,” said Elam, who’s never placed worse than second this season.

Jeniah Francis also took part in four first-place finishes for Mendota by sweeping the 100 (12.64) and 200 (26.79) and running in the 4x100 (53.81) with Harlow Foltynewicz, Strouss and Atherton.

Atherton was a triple winner, adding the long jump with a personal best 16-9 1/2 (5.12m) and 400 (1:03.6), while Rylee Woods won the high jump at 4-11 (1.50m).

Mendota had seconds by Buettner in the 100 (13.6) and 200 (28.14), and Lumen Setchell in the 3,200 (14:07.48).

Frueh went the distance for Princeton in the 3,200 at 12:39.89 as well as the 1,600 (5:52.27).

“It was good,” Frueh said of her double win. “In the two-mile, coach [Pat] Hodge told me that I should just go and breeze it out. But I ended up getting a PR, so that was exciting.”

There was a little more strategy running the 1,600 with teammate Alexandra Waca, who got second (5:52.91).

“In the mile, we wanted to place first and second, so we just kind of played the games with the Rock Falls girls and ended up getting that first and second,” Frueh said. “We just ran what they were running, and if they took off, we took off, too.

“It was super awesome to win [at the PIT]. It was a little windy, but it was a good day and good weather.”

The Tigresses’ Annie Thompson won the pole vault by clearing 8-2 3/4 (2.51m) with teammate Josie Sierens taking second at 7-3 (2.21m).

Princeton won the 4x400 relay (4:31.34) behind Jocelyn Strouss, Ruby Acker, RayyLee DePauw and Lenora Hopkins.

The Tigresses ran second in the 4x800 relay (10:59.89) with sisters Lelia and Ruby Acker on the bookends, with sisters Alexandra and Avery Waca on the inside legs.

Princeton also gained seconds from Hopkins in the 400 (1:05.16), Strouss in the 800 (2:35.35) and the 4x200 (2:01.2) of Payton Harden, Kinley Fogarty, Greta Wallace and Danika Burden.

Hall’s best finishes were Amanda Manzanares’ second-place finish in the triple jump (31-0) and thirds by Lily Pelka’s in the discus (83-6) and Haven Rossi in the 100 (13.65).

Rock Falls got wins from Kayla Hackbarth in the discus (103-2 1/2), Kat Scott in the 800 (2:33.85) and the 4x800 relay (10:38.86) with Kat Scott, Ashley Rodriquez, Brenna Bullock and Miley Bickett.

It got him pumped up a little too much, perhaps as he launched a moon shot seldom seen from the Prather Field ring that almost hit the tennis courts’ fencing, way out of bounds. He estimated it to be about 180 feet.

Nonetheless, he tossed the winning throw of 163-5 1/4 (48.82m), topping Rock Falls’ Zach Walker by nearly nine meters.

For good measure, Hoffman also made off with the blue ribbon in the shot put at 47-0 1/2 (14.34m).

“My first one [in the discus], I was just taking it calm and easy, just getting one in. It felt good. So after that, I just slowly started to try harder, and then I just kept losing it early and kept coming out too early,” Hoffman said.

“It’s way different when you have a crowd clapping. You can feel it, like the energy building. It felt like it was a mix of getting too over pumped and really wanting to do a big throw instead of the correct things to get a big throw.”

The Tigers settled for second place behind Rock Falls. The Rockets won seven events with four seconds to beat out the Tigers 237-212.5. They were followed by Kewanee (197.5), Mendota (194) and Hall (116).

“It’s a great meet. We enjoy coming to it,” Rock Falls coach Eric Bontz said. ”Princeton did a fine job tonight and pushed us to do our best. Really a nice night for us. We’ve had very few meets this year with cancellations. I felt like this was the first time we got to get out and run against some really good teams."

While the distances were not quite what he wanted in his throws, Hoffman was pleased to win both events.

“Feels good to take home first, even if it wasn’t a great day, especially in a meet like this where points matter. If we win this meet, we get a trophy,” he said. “I was really wanting the meet record [in the discus] because what I threw last week would have got it. I wanted it really bad. I’ll get it next year. I’ll get both of them next year.”

It was also a good day for the Tigers’ Casey Etheridge. He swept the hurdles with times of 15.15 in the 110HH and 40.29 in the 300 LH and led off the Tigers winning relay effort 4x400 (3:32.02) with Gavin Lanham, Ayden Agushi and Tyler VandeVenter.

The same relay group also took second in the 4x100 (44.6).

“We ran together last year and have good team chemistry [in the relays] and all bought in. We want to keep improving each meet,” Etheridge said. ”I’m really happy with my 110s. My 300s, I didn’t PR. Some people say you can’t PR every meet, but it’s still under state [qualifying] time. Nothing to be ashamed about.

“Our goal isn’t to get second (as a team), but we’ll keep improving and get there.”

Agushi also won the 400 (54.02) and took third in the high jump at 5-7 (1.70m), while VandeVenter claimed the 800 (2:09.3). Princeton also got thirds from Aiden Robinson in the long jump at 18-1 3/4 (5.53m) and the 4x200 (1:38.62).

Rock Falls had the running events covered with Alexavier Oquendo sweeping the 100 (11.14) and 200 (23.07), and Ian Finley claiming the 1,600 (4:58.69) and the 3,200 (11:01.5).

The Rockets also won the 4x100 relay (44.5) and went 1-2 in the triple jump with Connor South (39-10 1/4) and Josiah Tarbill (39-2 1/2).

Hall’s Joseph Perez claimed second in the high jump with a season-best 6-0 3/4 (1.85m), and Christopher Hollenbeck was second in the thrower’s 100 (13.2) while the Red Devils took third in the 4x100 (47.1).

Mendota won the 4x200 relay with Ryder Woods, Robert Botello, Johan Cortez and Jamal Lesley turning in a 1:36.27. Komen Denault won the pole vault at 11-9 (3.56m).

The Trojans got seconds from Jamal Lesley in the 100 (11.38) and 200 (23.18), Sebastian Carlos in the 800 (2:10.07), Berat Imeri in the 1,600 (5:03.65), Carlos Toribio in the 3,200 (11:03.22) and the 4x800 (9:06.97) and 4x200 (1:36.27) relays.

The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Prouty Gym.

The following students will be participating:

Camryn Driscoll - Illinois Central College, basketball

Casey Etheridge - University of Wisconsin-Platteville, football

Keighley Davis - William Penn University, volleyball

Common Green - Aurora University, football

Bradyn Kruse - United State Coast Guard

Kathy Maciczak - St. Ambrose, volleyball

Rhett Pearson - Aurora University, football

Augustus Swanson - St. Ambrose, wrestling

Avery Waca - IVCC, cross country

Bagent’s Foundation and Zoombang donated protective gear to the Bruins at Bagent’s charity event last August in downtown Chicago, which was attended by coach Jack Brady and St. Bede players.

Bagent also said he would host his annual Offensive Skills Camp at St. Bede. The date has been set for 7-9 p.m. Saturday, May 23, rain or shine.

The camp will be open to all area athletes, boys and girls, in grades 6-12. It will feature hands-on instruction, led by Bagent, focused on offensive skills, fundamentals and game techniques. Campers should bring a football and cleats.

“This is an incredible experience being offered to athletes all over the Illinois Valley,” Brady said. “St. Bede is grateful and excited to host and welcome Tyson Bagent to the Academy. We look forward to seeing the numerous athletes from the area this event will draw.

“It’s not everyday you get live one on one instruction from a NFL quarterback. I am excited to see the positive impact the camp will have on all participants and look forward to May 23.”

There will be photos and autographs with Bagent at 9 p.m.

Cost is $60 with a camp T-shirt included. Spots are limited to the first 100 campers.

Registration may be made at st-bede.com/summercamps/bagent

He built Bollman Field in New Bedford named after his cousin Vivian Bollman, who died during the Flu Epidemic of 1918. Stickel brought the national tournament to New Bedford for three years from 1955-57. New Bedford’s own Bollman Elites finished third in 1955 and 1956 before reaching the championship game in 1957, taking second.

The Manlius Historical Society and the Bureau County Historical Society will host a presentation on Stickel and his legendary New Bedford Elites at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 25 at the Manlius Trinity Lutheran Church, located at 202 S. 4th Street in Manlius.

There is no admission charge. Refreshments will be be served.

There will be a 5 p.m. potluck dinner with meat and beverages provided.

The Praise & Shine Quartet, featuring Terrie Barker, Bev Odell, Vicki Holmes and Marty Kiser, will perform at 6:30 p.m. Doors will open for the concert at 6 p.m.

The evening is free to all. A free will offering will be taken at the concert.

The church is located at 110 U.S. Route 6 in Seatonville.

This time, the Trojans staked pitcher Lexie Saylor to a 3-0 lead after 4½ innings when the Three Rivers East rivals met Thursday at Princeton.

However, Princeton’s offense came to life late, scoring six runs in the bottom of the fifth and six more in the sixth en route to a 12-4 victory.

Princeton senior Keely Lawson knew things wouldn’t be as easy this time.

“We knew Mendota was off Monday, and we 10-runned them. They showed up today and wanted to kill us,” she said.

Princeton coach Jessica Strauch did her best to snap the Tigresses out of their funk.

“[Mendota] definitely came out ready to fight. They came out, ‘yep it’s a fluke, it’s a fluke.’ They wanted to show us they were great,” Strauch said. “They had us for a little bit, but that change of energy with the girls. You have to go to them and say, ‘hey this is not our best. Look at me in the eye and tell me it’s the best.’ And they all said, ‘no,’ and I said, ‘let’s change it here.’

“I’d like to see us start with that energy and fire instead of slow-lighting fire, but you know what, it’s part of the game. Adversity is part of the game. So them being able to adapt to it is always good to see.”

The fifth inning started innocently enough for the Tigresses. Freshman Collyns Etheridge reached when her fly to right was dropped. Caroline Keutzer singled to center, and Lawson followed with an RBI single to left to bring home Etheridge and put the Tigresses on the board.

Avah Oertel was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Cleanup hitter Izzy Gibson hit a dribbler about 2 feet in front of the plate, but no play was made at any base as Keutzer scored.

Lawson scored on a passed ball to tie the game, and catcher Kyrra Morris blooped a single to give Princeton its first lead at 4-3. Gibson and courtesy runner Taylor Compton scored on wild pitches to make it 6-3.

The Tigresses (11-4) kept pouring it on in the sixth, scoring six more runs on seven hits to go up 12-4. Oertel got things started with a leadoff single to center. Piper Hansen knocked in two runs with a bloop hit to center, Sylvie Rutledge had an RBI groundout, Keutzer had an RBI single, and Oertel batted around with a sacrifice fly to center to cap the Tigresses’ rally.

Lawson said Saylor (13 hits, nine earned runs) did a good job in cooling down the Tigresses hitters early.

“Her speed was picked up today and her spin was spinning. Kudos to her,” Lawson said. “I think it was important that we kept the ball on the ground because they were playing us at the fence. Anything on the ground helped us immensely.”

Senior Reese Reviglio scattered 10 hits with no walks and two earned runs with six strikeouts to earn the win.

Charlie Dankenbring smoked a solo shot to center field to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the third inning.

Karson Doyle led off the Mendota fourth with a double and scored on an errant throw on a steal attempt at third, followed by Dankenbring, who reached on a dropped fly, to give the Trojans a 3-0 lead.

“We came and attacked a little bit better on offense. [Reviglio] threw a lot of pitches last time. I said, ‘just be aggressive. You get three swings. Use them,’” Mendota coach Joel Perez said.

“Through the first 4½ innings, it looked really good. We’re young. We’re still working on it. I told them there’s only a month left of the season. You’ve got to mature on the fly and learn. Know where you’ve got to go with the ball. Make those plays that need to be made.”

Keutzer finished with a 4-for-5 day out of the leadoff slot with an RBI and run scored. Etheridge went 2 for 3, and Hansen had two RBIs.

Sydney Tolly led the Trojans (4-5) with two hits.

The 2024-25 season had been canceled after just six games. The former Bureau Valley girls coach took the job running to recruit players for the 2026-27 season, not for 2025-26.

“At that point it’s pretty tough to recruit, especially of girls of that character,” Nugent said. “Those are kids that are not going to wait until the last second to plan for college. They kind of know what they want to do. I was just lucky that I had enough women that were signed up for classes at Sauk beforehand, and they kind of secondhand decided, ‘Hey, maybe I will play basketball.’ ”

One recruit led to another, and the Skyhawks not only had enough to field a team this past season, they had enough to compete and win 11 games.

Even Nugent was surprised he pulled it off.

“When I put together that schedule and had 30 games, I kind of felt bad thinking I’ll have to go back and cancel all these games and all these teams are going to be expecting a game and not getting one,” he said.

Nugent, who coached basketball at Bureau Valley for 15 years at all levels, compiling a 47-39 record from 2016-19 as the varsity girls coach, put an email out to the whole school for interested players, and “girls started coming out of the woodwork.”

He went to meet with Camryn Veltrop of Morrison and wound up landing her sister, Shelby, also, in a “two-for-one deal.” Shelby had set Morrison’s all-time scoring record only to have Camryn come along and break it.

“Shelby was doing the Rad Tech program, so she’s in her third year in school in that program and she said, ‘I think I’d kind of like to play, too,’ ” Nugent said.

One of the recruits Nugent pursued was 2024 Bureau Valley grad Kate Salisbury, a 1,000-point scorer for the Storm. When things didn’t work out for her at St. Ambrose, Salisbury transferred to Sauk to continue her schooling, but not necessarily for basketball.

Salisbury found out it was hard to say no to Nugent.

“Jim found out that he got the job and heard I was moving back home and called me and he asked me what it took to get me to play on his team,” said Salisbury, who has been accepted into the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Black Hawk College next year. “I knew I was going to Sauk, so I thought I might as well play basketball with a new coach and teammates and make new memories.

“My experience was very good at Sauk, and it was something that I was very happy that I did. It was amazing playing at a community college where all of my teammates were some of the biggest rivals in high school and then becoming teammates and best friends with them was something that was very special.”

Nugent was especially pleased to have the opportunity to coach Salisbury and 2025 grad Emma Stull with their ties to Bureau Valley, where he still teaches in the district.

“It was kind of like having home with me with the two BV girls,“ he said. ”To me it gave me a comfort level with girls I knew and what to count on from them. I knew they would work hard in practice and what kind of material they’re made up of.

“I would have really liked to coach Kate at (BV). I had her as a little girl growing up in PE and she was always one of my favorites.”

Success didn’t come right away. The Skyhawks lost their first five games and seven of their first nine.

Things started to turn around for Sauk after defeating Kennedy King 74-64 at home on Dec. 17, 2025.

The Skyhawks opened the new year with a 65-38 win at IVCC and started a five-game winning streak two games later with wins over Blackhawk (75-57), Highland (74-67), Wilbur Wright (60-36), Carl Sandburg (67-57) and Kishwaukee (73-51).

“First time through conference we beat everybody. It was a three-week stretch where we were playing well,” he said.

Nugent said the addition of Harvest Day of Dixon at the semester break proved to be a big spark for the Skyhawks.

“She was not a point guard, but we turned her into one and she handled the ball for us,” Nugent said. “We rattled off some wins after the break. I feel like we would have won five or six more games in the first part of the season if we would have had her.”

Sauk played .500 ball for the second half of the season at 9-9, finishing 11-19 overall and second in the Arrowhead Conference behind Carl Sandberg. It was a long way from where they started.

“It was just nice to be playing, considering I thought I would spend most of the year recruiting and how hard that has been just trying to get girls committed has been an eye-opening experience. It’s a hard sale sometimes.”

Nugent said he should have five or six girls returning from last year and has signed six girls so far, including one from Canada and another from Belgium. He said he is still talking to three area girls.

He can get the 2026-27 season scheduled out and not worry about it because the Skyhawks will field a team for sure.

Kevin Hieronymus has been the BCR Sports Editor since 1986. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com

Then he got bigger and stronger for football and not as fast.

He’s made the transition from sprints to throws this spring and loving it.

“This is my first year ever doing this. Wished I started last year,” Green said. “I got a little bit bigger and not as fast as I used to be. Thought I should use my strength, probably be better at it. I was always a sprinter and a jumper.

“I’m enjoying it. It’s a lot of fun. And I don’t have to run, so. It’s pretty fun that way I still get to be with my friends. And I throw decently far.”

It’s been a work in progress for Green. He got off to a good start indoors, but went “on a downhill” a bit, but started going back up with the start of the outdoors season.

“Today was my farthest ever, 12.01 (meters),” Green said of Tuesday’s third place finish in PHS’ Howard-Monier Invite.

Green’s also picking up the discus, having scratched all four throws in his first meet before landing two on Tuesday.

He said the hardest part has been his technique at the very end.

“I can get around, but hitting my spots and actually staying and turning my hips right, Just finishing is the hardest part right now,” Green said.

Green gets a lot of good advice from sophomore teammate Landen Hoffman, who was the 2A state runner-up in discus to Princeton’s Ian Morris last year and one of the topped ranked freshmen in the nation.

“I ask him so many questions and he’s been helping me,” Green said. “I try to put it together, but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Six Bureau Valley track & field athletes will be moving on.

Bureau Valley held a signing day for its track & field athletes who will be running at the collegiate level next year.

Four Storm athletes - Gus Anderson, Adrian Gallardo, Morgan Mahnesmith and Emma Mussche - signed to compete in track & field for Sauk Valley Community College. Gallardo and Mussche will also run cross country for the Skyhawks.

Andrew Roth will be heading to Augustana College.

Esther Kalapp will run at Blackburn College.

Maddie Wetzell will be running track and cross country at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Hall and Princeton have their annual invitationals coming up.

The Rollie Morris Invite, named after the late Red Devils coach, will run at Hall on Saturday starting with field events at 9:30 a.m. and running events at 11 a.m.

Participating schools are the Amboy co-op, AFC, Bureau Valley, Fieldcrest, Hall, Lowpoint-Washburn, Marquette, Mendota, Princeton (girls only), Putnam County, St. Bede, Somonauk, Stillman Valley, Streator and Williamsville. The Princeton boys do not run, opting for their traditional date at the Hub Relays in Rochelle.

The Bureau Valley boys and Lowpoint-Washbun girls are the defending champions.

Two days later Princeton welcomes the traditional field of former NCIC rivals Hall, Mendota, Rock Falls and Kewanee for its Ferris Family Invitational at Rathje Track on Monday.

Field events will start at 4:30 p.m. with track events at 5:15 p.m.

Rain date is Tuesday, April 21.

Hall’s Rollie Morris girls meet records

Hall’s Rollie Morris boys meet records

Indeed it was. All the senior standout did was sweep the hurdles and take part in the winning relays in the 4x100 and 4x400, the latter setting a new meet record. His efforts helped lead the Tigers to a first-place finish over runner-up Kewanee by 24 points, 192 to 169.5.

“I keep progressing and our team keeps progressing,” he said. “The growth our team’s [had] since my sophomore year has just been amazing. We went from not contributing much at each meet to being up there top 3 every meet. I think the strides we’ve been making each year is really cool and shows how hard we’ve been working.

“Ayden (Agushi) from his freshman year to now, he’s went from above a minute 400 to into the 52s. And Gavin (Lanham) was really a never spring sport kid and we got him to go out and he’s done great things in our relays. A lot of people are making contributions so it keeps getting better. It’s fun to see.”

Etheridge capped the night running the lead leg of the 4x400 relay along with Lanham, Tyler VandeVenter and Agushi, setting a meet record of 3:34.02.

He ran top times in the hurdles with a 15.29 in the 110s and 40.0 in the 300 lows.

“The nice thing about the hurdles, it’s easier to tweak your form if you work on it,” he said. “I think a lot of that is Coach Moore, especially the 110s. He encouraged me to run them last year. I’ve come so far from last year to this year. My best time last year was a 15.92 and then first outdoor meet this year I was at 15.84 and today I was 15.29.”

Moore said he had to talk Etheridge into running the 110 hurdles last year, but to coming out for track last year as he considered going back to baseball.

“And look at him now. He ran (state) qualifying (times) in the 110s today and the 300s,” Moore said.

In the 4x100, Etheridge teamed up with Agushi, Lanham and Beckett Funderberg for a winning time of 45.09.

“We’ve got a good nucleus of kids, Casey Etheridge being one of them,“ Moore said. ” ... Ayden Agushi’s done himself a big favor getting in pretty decent shape this year. It’s just a matter of time before we get Gavin (Lanham) and Tyler (VandeVenter) in shape and we’ll bring the times down even more."

Landen Hoffman had such a breakout freshman year for Princeton a year ago, coming just a final throw by senior teammate Ian Morris from winning the Class 2A state championship. But as good as a year he had, Hoffman could never take flight in his home ring.

On Tuesday he did, flinging the discus with a winning toss of 165-3 1/2 (50.38m).

“I’ve never had a great day here until today,” Hoffman said. “I’d always come here and not quite do as good as I’d do at a different meet. But today, did pretty good. Got the farthest one I’ve thrown here so far, throwing 20 feet further this year than I did last year.

“I was looking for the 50-meter mark and I got it today. So I knew I had it, but there’s a lot more left. I’ve been really consistent at the high 150s (feet) so I know that soon we’re going to have a really good one.”

Throws coach Curtis Odell said it’s just the first step for Hoffman.

“He’s been working hard and has one goal, to be state champion. He’s been practicing hard and has had a few good meets in a row,” Odell said. “To be throwing over 50 meters on April 14th is a great place to be. He’s just getting started.”

Hoffman also won the shot put at 44-4 1/4 (13.52m) with teammate Common Green, a newcomer to throws, landing third 39-4 3/4 (12.01m).

Agushi won the 400 (53.19) and placed second in the high jump at 5-8 (1.98m) while Tyler VandeVenter won the 800 (2:09.17), Augustus Swanson won the 1,600 (5:13.39) and the Tigers’ 4x200 relay of Funderberg, Lanham, Gavin Cain and Ethan Knaak clocked a winning time of 1:37.55.

Princeton also got seconds from Aiden Robinson in the long jump at 19-5 (5.92m) and the 4x800 relay (9:23.86).

Hall’s top finishers were Joseph Caracheo, second in the 3,200 (12:24.81), and Gabe Wamhoff, second in the 200 (24.35) and third in the 100 (11.73).

Serena’s Connor Hollenback raced off with the 200 with a top time of 23.95.

Kewanee’s Dontel Wommack won the pole vault (3.35m) and triple jump (11.32m) while Chris Rowe doubled up in the long jump (6.53m) and the high jump (1.98). The Boilermakers also won the 4x800 relay (9:10.18).

Annawan-Wethersfield’s Danny Heston won the 100 (11.49) while Noah Feltner won the 3,200 (10:50.49).

The St. Bede junior stole the show by winning all four of her events, leading the Bruins (77 points) to a third-place finish behind Lowpoint-Washburn (151) and Bureau Valley (117).

The Rollie Morris Invite seems to bring the best out of her.

“I was 4-stepping a lot [in the hurdles] my freshman and sophomore year and at the end of sophomore year, I finally got it, at this meet actually. This is the meet I finally 3-stepped the whole way,” she said.

Bosnich swept the sprints, winning the 100-meter dash (12.81) and 200 (26.27), as well as the hurdles in the 100s (15.31) and 300s (47.65).

“It was a good day for me. There was no wind. So that kind of helps,” she said. ”I love being in events with my friends [from other teams] that I don’t see that often, so that was fun."

She said her favorite event is the 100 hurdles, “just because I work so hard to get where I am.”

Bosnich, who also uses her speed on the St. Bede softball team, said she’s at a good point of the season.

“I feel so confident,” she said. “Last year, I was iffy and not knowing my place. This year, I’m feeling confident. I go into the race with confidence and it just helps with my race.”

Bureau Valley was off and running with a first-place finish in the 4x800 relay with a time of 10:55.67 on the legs of Maddie Wetzell, Emma Musche, Mya Nugent and Gemma Moore.

The Storm also scored big on the back end of the meet by winning the 4x400 relay with Musche, Mya Shipp, Wetzell and Elise House in a time of 4:22.43, thanks to House’s come-from-behind anchor leg.

House made off with two more firsts by winning the long jump (4.72 meters) and the 400 (1:02.11). Bureau Valley also gained seconds from Mya Shipp in the 400 (1:03.51) and Wetzell in the 3,200 (13:01.74)

Ellison Heineck led Lowpoint-Washburn to the title by winning the 800 (2:33.71), 1,600 (5:49.94) and 3,200 (12:17.57).

Princeton’s Josie Sierens won the pole vault (2.13), Mendota’s Mariyah Elam won the high jump (1.61), Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio‘s Emma Sachs won the shot put (9.9), and Fieldcrest’s Pru Mangan won the discus (32.82).

Second-place finishes went to St. Bede’s 4x100 relay (53.73 seconds), Mendota’s 4x200 relay (1:56.82) and Princeton’s 4x800 relay (11:27.07)

Individual second-place finishers included Fieldcrest’s Hannah Schumacher in the 800 (2:36.04), Streator’s Leah Krohe in the shot put (9.75) and Kinslee Sweeden in the discus (29.7), St. Bede’s Kate Duncan in the high jump (1.58), Princeton’s Annie Thompson in the pole vault (1.98) and Mendota’s Elam in the triple jump (10.43

Hall‘s top finish was Laela Shevokas’s fourth place in discus with a PR of 23.37.

But she did. Big time.

When running mate Camryn Driscoll went down with a season-ending knee injury in early January, Davis took it upon herself to step up her game.

At the time of Driscoll’s injury, Davis was averaging 15.9 ppg with a 17.4% clip on 3-point shooting. In her next 13 games, Davis averaged 21.5 ppg and incredibly doubled her 3-point shooting to 34.6%.

She had 28 points in Princeton’s second full game without Driscoll in a win over Orion. She enjoyed eight games of 24 or more points, including an all-time PHS senior night record of 29 in a win over Marquette.

“It was hard at first, but I kind of adjusted not having (Driscoll) on the court as a valuable player, offensive scoring and defense. After a while we got used to not having her, but ... without her, it was hard,” Davis said.

Davis was a unanimous all-conference selection once again in the Three Rivers East and named special mention IBCA All-State. She led the area in scoring at 17.9 ppg and steals (4.5) while averaging 7.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

For all of her accomplishments, Davis is the 2025-26 BCR Girls Basketball Player of the Year. She was Co-Player of the Year last year with Driscoll as well as her freshman season.

Davis said receiving this award, “Means a lot to me. Shows how much hard work I put in, just not me, but for my teammates to help me get here to support me and my coaches and family to push me.”

“The thing I’m most proud of is the leader she was this season, especially when Camryn went down with the injury,” PHS coach Tiffany Gonigam said. “She understood what that meant and became the voice and heartbeat of our team. Her competitiveness and the way she inspired and motivated the team was admirable. She kept them believing in what we were doing and pushed them to overcome adversity in some tight games.

“Keighley leaves a legacy here that goes far beyond the stats and the records she set this year. The teammate, player and person she was this year will be remembered forever.”

Davis found herself with more responsibilities handling the ball with the loss of Driscoll, who is most adept at point guard.

“The year before I brought the ball up sometimes and had some guard experience. It was a lot more to take on, for sure,” she said.

“Hard knowing I have to be the feeder now. Like, I don’t have to run the floor anymore, which I was fine with. (It) was less running I had to do. It was good knowing some that I can rely on somebody else to, and I didn’t have to have all the pressure on me.”

She liked having the ball in her hands more ... until “I got doubled-teamed more,” she said with a laugh.

Davis, who made a living the last four years on fast-break layups, said she also knew she had to shoot better to give the Tigresses another outside threat.

“I started working on it more knowing that one of our big 3-point shooters was out and I needed to take it out on myself to score more and put more points on the board to help our team. Helps me knowing I can work anywhere on the floor,” she said.

Gonigam said Davis truly took her game to another level, becoming a “nightmare” for opponents.

“Teams now had to plan for a player who can truly do it all – shoot the 3, drive to the lane, post up,” Gonigam said. “Plus, she averages over three assists per game. She’s a great passer too and had kids around her that could make plays.

“She can do it all on both ends of the court.”

Davis said it just wasn’t the same playing without Driscoll the second half of the season. The Tigresses were 14-0 with Driscoll in the lineup and finished 7-9 without her.

“We played together since seventh grade, so we got used to each other and how our styles have grown together and how they’ve changed together,” she said. “Especially being on the same team, we’ve worked the same things, we’ve done the same things. We know what each other like to do and don’t do and how to work off each other.”

Davis, who will be playing soccer this spring, will turn to volleyball full-time at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Hits: Career - Abby Jaques (2012-15) 144, Dawn Nissen (2000-03) 141, Amber Briddick (1998-00) 115, Taylor Williams (2008-11) 114, Jessica Martell 112. Season - Brooke Kamphuis (2012) 60, Martell (2013) 48, Jaques (2015) 47, Nissen (2003) 42, Briddick (2000) 40

Average: Career - Briddick .523 (115-218), Tiah Romagnoli (1999) .455 (40-88), Isa Ibarra (2021-23) .445 (61-137), Jaques .438 (144-329), Kelsea Klingenberg .429 (100-233). Season - Briddick (1990) .615 (40-65), Jaques (2015) .540 (47-83), Bro. Kamphuis (2012) .525 (60-114), Briddick (1998) .493 (23-53), Briddick (1999) .487 (32-76),

Home runs: Career - Avah Oertel (2023-27) 25, Jaques 25, Izzy Gibson (2022-26) 17, Nissen 17, Mckenzie Hecht (2019-22) 14. Season - Oertel (2025) 12, Jaques (2015) 12, Nissen (2000) 8, Nissen (2002) 7, Gibson (2024) 7

RBIs: Career - Martell 110, Jaques 110, Oertel 108, Nissen 102, Makenzie Hecht 82. Season - Oertel (2025) 43, Nissen (2000) 41, Keely Lawson (2024) 39, Briddick (2000) 37, Jaques (2015) 37

Doubles: Career - Martell 32, Oertel 28, Jaques 24, I. Gibson 23, Nissen 22. Season - Martell (2012) 13, Mary White (1998) 9, Jaques (2015) 9, Bethany Schmidt 8, Tiah Romagnoli (1999) 8

Triples: Career - Nissen 12, White 12, Martell 11, Jaques 8. Season - Jaques (2015) 5, White 4 (3 times),

Runs scored: Career - Jaques 111, Briddick 106, Oertel 96, Williams 96, White 93, Makayla Hecht 90. Season - Bro. Kamphuis (2012) 52, Mary White (1990) 40, Nissen (2002) 39, Briddick 38 (2 times)

Stolen bases: Career - Makayla Hecht 59, Briddick 58, Caroline Keutzer (2023-26) 49, Klingenberg 47, Nissen 41, Bro. Kamphuis 39. Season - Nissen (2004) 35, Bro. Kamphuis (2012) 31, Makayla Hecht (2024) 31, Briddick (1999) 25, White (2011) 24

Senior Makayla Hecht has swiped seven bases this spring, now with 59 overall to break PHS’ all-time stolen bases record of 58 set by Amber Briddick from 1998-2000. Hecht had 31 steals in her sophomore season. Dawn Nissen holds the single-season record with 35 steals in 2003.

With her seventh homer this spring, junior Avah Oertel has tied Abby Jaques’ career home run mark of 25, according to BCR files. Oertel matched Jaques’ single-season record with 12 homers last year.

Oertel, the reigning BCR Player of the Year, is also approaching program records for RBIs and doubles.

She has 108 RBIs, just two shy of the record of 110 shared by Jaques (2013-16) and Jessica Martell (2009-12). Oertel set the single-season record for RBIs with 43 last year, a mark previously shared by Briddick (2000), Martell (2012) and Jaques (2015) with 37.

Oertel (28) is four doubles away from Martell’s record 32 and is moving up in runs scored, passing Taylor Williams (96) to become No. 3 with 98 behind Briddick (106).

Jaques is also the all-time leader in runs scored (111) and hits (144). PHS senior Caroline Keutzer is tied for No. 8 all-time in hits with Hannah Muehlschlegel (’22) with 98, two more than Oertel.

Martell is the career leader with 32 doubles with Briddick setting the standard for batting with a nifty .523 career batting average, going 115 for 228 at the plate. Briddick did not play on the varsity as a freshman.

Nissen and Mary White share the career triples record at 12.

St. Bede senior Lily Bosnich had what is best described as “having a day.” She belted three homers with five runs scored, four RBIs and a stolen base in the Bruins’ 8-3 win over Sterling last week.

She had a home run the day before at Bureau Valley, going 7 for 12 on the week, batting .583 with nine RBIs.

Wins: Career - Bates 31-20, Taylor Williams (2008-11) 29-18, James (2010-12) 25-13, Reese Reviglio (2023-26) 20-25, Menzel (2013-14) 15-23. Season - James 14-7, Williams (2010) 12-5, Bates (2022) 12-5, Reviglio (2024) 9-2, Menzel (2013) 9-7, Bates (2019) 9-9

ERA: Career - Jessica Rising (1998) 1.33, Becca Rising (1998) 2.33, Bates 2.46, James 2.92, Williams 3.02. Season - J. Rising (1998) 1.33, Williams (2009) 2.11, Bates (2019) 2.14, B. Rising (1998) 2.33, James 2.37

Innings pitched: Career - Bates 332 1/3, Williams 301 2/3, Adrienne Snethen (2017-18) 296 1/3, Reviglio 280 1/3, James 228. Season - Menzel (2014) 133 1/3, Bates (2019) 119 1/3, James (2012) 118, Bates (2022) 108 1/3, Bates (2021) 105 2/3

Strikeouts: Career - Bates 396, Williams 293, Menzel 248, Reviglio (2023-26) 202, H. James 195. Season - Menzel (2014) 148, Bates (2021) 141, Bates (2019) 133, Bates (2022) 122, B. Rising (1998) 107

He came through in the clutch for Princeton by delivering a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 9-8 Three Rivers Conference crossover victory over Sherrard on Saturday at Prather Field.

“I knew I had to put the ball in play,” Benavidez said. ”My coach (Patrick Smith) pulled me over during the timeout, and said, ‘If you can put one in the air, it’d be perfect for us.’ And I did that. It felt great to get that winning run in there.“

Benavidez had a big game at the plate for the Tigers, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs.

“I felt good in the pen this morning hitting off the machine and brought it here and it felt great,” he said.

Braden Shaw drew a leadoff walk to start the Tigers’ winning rally and stole second. He scored on Stihl Brokaw’s bloop double to right to tie the game at 8. Brokaw took third on a wild pitch and Sherrard coach Nick Basala elected to intentionally walk Ryan Jagers and Jack Oester to load the bases to give his Tigers a force out at home.

Benavidez spoiled that plan by stroking a line drive to shallow left that Sherrard’s Eli Matson caught head high, but was unable to throw out Brokaw, who slid head first across the plate for the winning run.

“That’s a tough situation. They’ve got a guy at third base with nobody out. So they’re trying to get to a force there and hope he hits into a ground ball,” Smith said. “I called timeout and told (Benavidez) to relax and don’t try to do too much. He did a great job just lifting the ball. That was a great team at-bat.

“(Basala) walked Ryan, who doubled earlier in the game, and walked Jack, who doubled earlier in the game and put some good swings on it. We were just in a great spot in our lineup. Obviously, it’s ideal with the winning run on third base and nobody out. You’re really hoping you come away with that one.”

Sherrard coach Nick Basala said he was a little to making his decision, deciding to issue the intentional walks after one strike to Jagers, who had doubled in his previous at-bat.

“Their middle of order had success all day with putting ball in play so didn’t think we could get a strikeout,” he said. “Without the force it creates multiple plays to happen (field, throw and tag) to get the out, plus it probably leads to batter moving up to second anyways so just wanted to increase the odds with a lower in order hitter.”

Princeton (2-4) found itself battling back the whole game.

Sherrard (3-8) struck first with three runs in the top of the first, including a two-run homer by Matson.

Benavidez got one run back with a RBI single to right to score Shaw in the home half of the first.

An unearned run in the top of the fourth stretched Sherrard’s lead to 4-1. Princeton made it 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth when Tyler Forristall beat out an infield hit to plate one run and Noah Morton, the starting pitcher, helped his cause with a RBI knock to right field.

Harrison Curry hit a RBI double, then stole third and scored on a throwing error to push Sherrard’s lead to 7-3 in the fourth.

Princeton strung hits by Shaw and Jagers along with a fielder’s choice RBI by Oester in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 7-4 game.

In the fifth, Jagers cleared the bases with a three-run, two-out triple to left, scoring Morton (who singled to center), Hunter Spiegel (bunt single) and Abe Longeville (walk) to tie the game at 7.

Smith said it was a great way to win what was a delayed home opener after a couple of rainouts.

“Ah man, that was a lot of fun, wasn’t it. What is it, April 11, our home opener? Kind of later in the season than we expected,” Smith said. “I thought we did a great job of battling throughout the game. I told them the score’s going to take care of itself. If we just do what we do and compete throughout the entire game, it’s going to be something to be proud of. And we came away with a win.”

Jagers (3 RBIs), Morton and Spiegel all had two hits for Princeton. Shaw picked up the win in relief of Morton, scattering four hits and six walks over 3 2/3 innings.

Brylan Bender, who came on in relief in the seventh for Sherrard, took the loss. Curry went 3 for 5 batting leadoff for Sherrard.

*Note: Sherrard won the JV game 16-4. Logan Walter had two hits and Paxton Knudsen had a double and three RBIs for PHS.

Sycamore 6, La Salle-Peru 1: Izzie Segreti scored three times to lead the Spartans to victory in La Salle.

Mendota 10, Somonauk 6: Laurali Thompson (two RBIs), Leah Henkel (RBI) and winning pitcher Lexie Saylor each had two hits to lead the Trojans to a nonconference win

Addison Perryman and Emily Diaz added RBI hits for Mendota.

Sycamore 3, La Salle-Peru 2 (8 inn.): The Spartans scored in the top of the eighth inning to slip past the Cavs in La Salle.

Karmen Piano homered for the Cavs.

St. Bede 8, Sterling 3: The Bruins outhit the Warriors 17-3 en route to a nonconference win Wednesday at Abbot Davey Field.

Lily Bosnich (homer, four RBIs), Ava Balestri and Hannah Heiberger (RBI) led the Bruins’ hit parade with 4-for-4 games at the plate. Macy Strauch had a double.

Strauch was the winning pitcher, scattering three hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

Tri-Valley 22, Fieldcrest 1: Terilynn Timmerman had two hits, and Lexi Watkins drove in the Knights’ lone run in defeat at home.

Mendota 9, Somonauk 5 (6 inn.): Gavin Evans homered and drove in two runs as the Trojans won a nonconference game at home, called after six innings on the count of darkness.

Quinn Eddy and Oscar Casteneda each had two hits, and Brody Hartt and Collin Coss both collected two RBIs.

Tri-Valley 12, Fieldcrest 2: Lucas Anson and Eli Gerdes had the Knights’ only hits in a home loss to the Vikings.

Mendota 7, Streator 2: The Trojans won on their home courts.

Jack Curran had a hit and two RBIs for the Red Devils, who improved to 7-4.

Brody Bosi was the winning pitcher, scattering four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts.

Oscar Casteneda doubled in a run to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the first. Esten Otero also doubled.

Putnam County 13, Midland 1: The Panthers scored 10 runs on seven hits in the third inning to break open a Tri-County Conference victory in Varna.

Johnathon Stunkel went 3 for 4 with two home runs and three RBIs to power the Panthers (8-3). Traxton Mattingly went 3 for 3 with an RBI, while Kade Zimmerlein (double, RBI) and Maddox Poole (two doubles, RBI) added two hits each, Jacob Furar had a two-run triple, Carter Hochstatter had a two-run double, and Eli King had a two-run single.

Zimmerlein allowed two hits, one unearned run, with eight strikeouts and a walk over five innings for the win.

Abingdon-Avon 5, Bureau Valley 3: Logan Philhower and Brandon Carrington each had two hits for the Storm in defeat in Lincoln Trail Conference play in Manlius.

Dylan Hewitt had a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth.

Seneca 3, Henry-Senachwine 1: Carson Rowe went 3 for 4 with an RBI double in the seventh as the Mallards dropped a Tri-County Conference contest in Seneca.

Jacob Miller took the loss, allowing five hits, three runs and a walk over six innings with five strikeouts.

Morton 7, La Salle-Peru 2: Morton pitcher Camden Taylor shut out the Cavs for five innings on the way to a nonconference victory in La Salle.

Normal West 2, La Salle-Peru 1: The Wildcats pushed across the winning run on a bunt hit in the bottom of the eighth to defeat the Cavs in nonconference play in Normal.

Lydia Steinbach and Anna Riva each went 3 for 3 for the Cavs with Steinbach’s single in the fourth leading to the Cavs’ only run of the game on an error.

St. Bede 13, Serena 0 (5 inn.): Hannah Heiberger pitched a one-hit shutout, while the Bruins rapped out 10 hits on the way to a nonconference win in Serena.

Heiberger went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, and Lily Bosnich (triple, two RBIs) and Ava Balestri (three RBIs) each went 2 for 3 to lead the Bruins. Ella Burke doubled in a run, and Lili McClain had an RBI single.

Hall 7, Mendota 2: Bernadette Larson went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs as the Devils defeated the Trojans in a Three Rivers East game in Spring Valley.

Caroline Morris (double, RBI), Ava Delphi and Leah Burkhart each had two hits, and Aubrie Pellegrini doubled in two runs as the Red Devils improved to 3-9.

Freshman winning pitcher Madison Krewer scattered five hits with no earned runs allowed with four strikeouts.

Karson Doyle had two hits for Mendota (3-4).

Bureau Valley 9, Abingdon-Avon 5: Kadyn Haage (double, RBI), Emily Wright (RBI) and Abby Jamison (two RBIs) each went 2 for 3 for the Storm in a Lincoln Trail Conference victory in Manlius.

Katrina Wahl had an RBI hit for the Storm (4-3) while Danicka Benavidez had one hit and drew a bases-loaded walk. Kloey Trujillo stole home on the back end of a double steal with Haage in the second and put the Storm ahead for good at 5-4 with an RBI groundout in the fourth.

Mallory Maubach-Williams went the distance for the win, allowing eight hits and four walks with eight strikeouts.

Midland 5, Putnam County 4 (13 inn.): Gemma Halsne drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the Timberwolves’ winning run in the bottom of the 13th for a Tri-County Conference win in Varna.

Chloe Parcher went 3 for 5 with three runs, Alexis Margis was 2 for 6 with an RBI, and Piper Terando drove in two runs for PC.

Seneca 16, Henry-Senachwine 1 (4 inn.): Brynna Anderson homered and Addy Robbins doubled for the Mallards, who fell in four innings in Seneca.

At Princeton: The Princeton girls won their own Howard-Monier Invite Thursday at Rathje Track, taking four firsts and six seconds, defeating Annawan-Wethersfield 163-120 for top team honors.

Alexandra Waca and Payton Frueh finished tied for first in the 3,200, both clocking a 12:53.1. Other Princeton wins came from Josie Sierens in the long jump (4.43m), Rayylee DePauw in the 100 hurdles (17.81) and Frueh in the 1,600 (5:59.28).

The Tigresses also gained seconds from Leonora Hopkins in the 400 (1:05.68), Alexandra Waca in the 1,600 (6:12.27), Frueh in the 3,200 (12:53.1) and Annie Thompson in the pole vault (2.59m), along with the relay efforts in the 4x100 (56.36), 4x400 (4:42.59) and 4x800 (12:01.95).

Natalia Zamora won the 100 hurdles (58.81) and placed second in the 300 hurdles (18.24) for third-place Hall (72). Hall also got seconds from Lily Pelka in the shot (8.1m) and Amanda Manzanares in the triple jump (9.21m).

Veronika Mack took third in the 300 hurdles for sixth-place Putnam County. Mack was the school’s top finisher.

At Kewanee: Top finishers for St. Bede in a quadrangular were second-place finishes for Will Sramek in the discus (39.1m) and in the pole vault (2.58m) for the boys and Kate Duncan in the girls high jump (4.7m).

At Forreston: The Amboy girls co-op placed second of four teams with wins from Alexa McKendry in the 100 hurdles (17.44), Olivea Glaspar in the shot (9.79m), Jillian Anderson in the high jump (1.57m) and Grace Althaus in the long jump (4.2m).

The Amboy boys placed fourth of six boys teams with firsts from Tyler Mahar in the 3,200 (11:28.34), and Ian Hassler in the shot (13.02m) and discus (44.91m).

At Seneca: Jeniah Francis won the 100 (12.61) and high jump (1.57m) for the Mendota girls, who placed third of five teams. Mendota also gained firsts from Lumen Setchell in the 800 (2:44.45) and the 4x100 (50.95), 4x200 (1:48.85) and the 4x400 (4:28.72) relays.

The Mendota boys finished fourth of six teams with a first-place finish from Sebastian Carlos in the 400 (50.18).

DePue’s Edward Rodriguez won the 3,200 (11:10.04).

At Galva: The Henry-Midland girls won seven events with five seconds, scoring 109 points to top Monmouth United (79) in a five-team field.

Daniela Bumber won the 100 (12.61), 200 (26.01) and 400 (58.94). Other winners for Henry-Midland were Alison Mitchell in the 100 hurdles (17.88) and high jump (1.54m), Audrey Chambers in the long jump (5.35) and the 4x100 relay (51.59),

The Henry-Midland boys (75) took second behind Princeville (114.5). Winners for H-M were Christian Hohstadt in the 200 (23.87), Henry Kirbach in the 100 hurdles (19.72) and Brecken Pyles in the long jump (6.28m).

DePue-Hall 0, Mendota 0: The Little Giants and Trojans played to a scoreless draw on the Trojans’ turf.