The Times Area Roundup: Sandwich qualifies for playoffs with shutout of Harvard; Fieldcrest falls

Football

Sandwich 27, Harvard 0: At Harvard, the visiting Indians improved to 5-1 on the season and 3-1 in the Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 Blue while qualifying for a playoff spot.

Sandwich led 14-0 at halftime, then outscored the Hornets 13-0 in the second half.

Parker Anderson (52 yards rushing), Brodie Case, Nick Michalek (52 yards rushing) and Simeion Harris (19 rushes, 153 yards) scored the touchdowns for the Indians, Case’s coming on a 51-yard pass from Braden Behringer (2 of 7, 90 yards).

Harrs and Nate Hill recorded interceptions for Sandwich, which hosts Rochelle in Week 7.

GCMS 40, Fieldcrest 14: At Gibson City, the visiting Knights (2-4 overall, 0-2 Heart of Illinois Small) fell to the Falcons (5-1, 2-0), trailing 28-14 at halftime.

Eddie Lorton rushed for 75 yards and a Fieldcrest touchdown, while Brady Ruestman was 11 of 19 for 120 yards and a touchdown. Jozia Johnson caught four of those completions for 75 yards, Lorton catching the touchdown. Drew Overocker recorded 11 tackles.

Boys soccer

Somonauk/Leland/Newark 11, Sandwich 0: The Bobcats won for the second straight day despite 10 saves from Sandwich keeper Aiden Ferguson.

Earlville 5, Yorkville Christian 1: Trenton Fruit’s two goals, Griffin Cook’s one goal and three assists and one goal apiece from Ryan Browder and Carlos Gonzales led the victorious Red Raiders.

Thursday results

Boys golf

Baker leads advancers from The Creek: At The Creek in Morris, five Times-area golfers advanced out of the rain-delayed Class 1A Seneca Regional and into Monday’s Bishop Mac Sectional at the Kankakee Elks.

Serena-Newark’s Carson Baker (5th, 81) was the top individual advancer and will be joined by teammate Payton Twait (T-15th, 89). Seneca’s Grant Siegel (T-7th, 84) and Keegan Murphy (10th, 85) as well as Somonauk-Leland’s Aiden Wold (T-12th, 87) also qualified for sectionals.

Serena-Newark (372) and Seneca (373) placed fourth and fifth in the team standings, behind the three advancing teams that included regional champion Aurora Christian (332).

Girls golf

Cooney area’s best at Green Garden: At SPG Green Garden, Ottawa’s Caroline Cooney (T-46th, 107) shot The Times-area’s top score Thursday, but failed to advance to sectionals. Payton Bruck (56th, 114) also came in under 120 for the Pirates.

La Salle-Peru scored one advancer from a field dominated by the Lincoln-Way schools, with Allie Thome (T-22nd, 89) moving on.

Butler’s just misses at Blackstone: At Blackstone in the Class 1A Marengo Regional, Sandwich freshman Brynn Butler (28th, 125) missed a playoff for the final advancing spot by one stroke.

Boys soccer

United Township 3, Streator 2: At the James Street Rec Area, the host Bulldogs fell to 5-9-1 on the season despite goals from Landon Muntz and Noah Russow and Noah Camp’s 12 saves in net.

Somonauk/Leland/Newark 1, Mendota 0: At Mendota, the visiting Bobcats (13-3-2) handed Mendota its first loss of the season.

La Salle-Peru 3, Ottawa 2: At King Field, the host Pirates (10-7-2 overall, 3-6 Interstate 8) fell on a late header by L-P’s Brayan Gonzalez. Jorge Lopez scored both Ottawa goals, one on a penalty kick and the other off an Alexio Fernandez assist. Pirates keeper Brady Wendt recorded five saves.

“As it usually is between us, it was a good matchup tonight,” Ottawa coach Kevin Olesen said. “I have to really credit my guys for really playing hard from start to finish and also finding ways to come back twice to get the match tied up. We just couldn’t find a way in those last 10 minutes to do it a third time.”

– Read Brian Hoxsey’s full report on this game at shawlocal.com/illinois-valley.

Girls volleyball

Reed-Custer 2, Streator 1: At Braidwood, the Bulldog Spikers fell 25-20, 21-25, 25-23 to the host Comets in the Illinois Central Eight Conference match.

Streator (16-6-1, 5-4) was led by Mya Zavada (six kills), Sophia Pence (five kills, eight digs), Rilee Talty (seven aces, seven digs) and Kora Lane (eight digs, two aces).

Woodland 2, Henry-Senachwine 0: At rural Streator, the Warriors earned a 25-18, 25-15 Tri-County Conference win over the Mallards.

Earlville 2, Hinckley-Big Rock 1: At Hinckley, the Red Raiders topped the Royals 25-19, 24-26, 25-23 in the Little Ten Conference match.

Earlville (15-5, 4-2) was led by Mady Olson (nine service points, an ace, 23 digs), Nevaeh Sansone (13 kills), Bailey Miller (12 kills), Brooklyn Guelde (25 assists) and Hannah Pfaff (three blocks).

Newark 2, Rosary 0: At Newark, the Norsemen improved to 20-2 on the season with a 25-11, 25-15 win over the Royals.

Newark was paced by Kiara Wesseh (11 kills, four digs, an ace), Adrianna Larsen (six kills), Elle Norquist (five aces), Lauren Ulrich (19 assists), Julia DiClementi (six digs) and Dani Peshia (five digs).

Mendota 2, Somonauk 1: At Mendota, the Bobcats dropped a 25-18, 25-27, 25-16 match to the hosts.

Girls tennis

Lincoln-Way Central 3, Ottawa 2: At the Henderson-Guenther Courts, the Pirates received wins from Layne Krug (6-3, 6-1) at No. 1 singles, as well as from the No. 1 doubles team of Rylee O’Fallon and Emma Cushing (6-2, 6-3).