Seneca wrestling sending 5 to state; Flanagan-Cornell wins on half-court shot : The Times Saturday Roundup

Boys wrestling

Seneca sends 5 to state: At the Class 1A Hope Academy Sectional contested Friday and Saturday, Seneca scored championships at 157 pounds from Gunner Varland and 215 from Chris Peura, two of the team’s school-record five qualifiers to the IHSA Individual State Finals set for Thursday through Saturday at State Farm Center in Champaign.

“It was an outstanding weekend for our guys, as we had an individual match record of 23-6 in the sectional and all seven of our competitors made the blood round or better,” Irish coach Todd Yegge said.

Nate Othon (second at 150), Asher Hamby (third at 175) and Raiden Terry (third at 106) also advanced.

Varland (28-13) went 3-0 at the sectional, scoring a 13-6 decision over Wilmington’s Parker Adams for the title at 157. Peura (44-4), meanwhile, also went 3-0, all three of victories coming via first-period pinfalls including the bracket-winning pin of Chicago Military/Bronzeville’s Sean Brown in just 29 seconds.

Girls bowling

Dhuse, Hudkins stopped at Mardi Gras: In the Sycamore Sectional at Mardi Gras Lanes, Ottawa’s Lindy Dhuse rolled a six-game 1,046 series (202, 185, 180 high games) and teammate Dawn Hudkins marked a 1,020 (206, 213) to see their seasons come to an end with the individual cutoff coming in at 1,246.

La Salle-Peru placed sixth in the field of 12 teams and also did not have any bowlers advance.

Michael 62nd at Town & Country: In the Joliet West Sectional hosted by Town & Country Lanes, Streator sophomore Lily Michael rolled an 888 series (180, 182 high games) to see her season draw to a close.

The individual cutoff came in at 1,113.

Girls basketball

Somonauk/Leland 39, Sandwich 25: At Somonauk in the Class 2A Hall Regional, the host Bobcats won their regional play-in game led by 14 points from Abby Hohmann, a 12-point, five-steal performance from Haley McCoy and eight points courtesy of Kiley Mason.

“Give Sandwich credit for battling back, but I am very proud of our girls for keeping composure to earn the postseason victory,” Bobcats coach Jason Zaleski said.

Somonauk/Leland plays the regional top seed, Port Byron Riverdale, at 6 p.m. Monday in Spring Valley.

Fieldcrest 57, El Paso-Gridley 38: At Minonk in the Class 2A Fieldcrest Regional, the host Knights won their play-in game to move on to a 6 p.m. Monday date with regional top seed Bloomington Central Catholic.

Macy Gochanour had 16 points, and Aliah Celis added 11 for Fieldcrest (23-8).

FCW 52, Peoria Christian 24: At Flanagan in the Class 1A Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland Regional, the regional host Falcons dismissed the Chargers to advance.

FCW plays Midland in Monday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal.

Newark 56, Earlville 24: At Newark in the Class 1A Earlville Regional, the Norsemen eliminated the regional hosts and moved on to a 7:30 p.m. Tuesday semifinal against Ashton-Franklin Center.

Boys basketball

Streator 52, Coal City 43: At Pops Dale Gymnasium, the host Bulldogs led by 18 at the half, saw the Coalers cut it to two points by the end of the third quarter and then pulled away in the fourth to snap a two-game Illinois Central Eight Conference losing streak and improve to 22-8 overall, 11-2 in the ICE.

Nolan Lukach scored 15 points, and Christian Benning added 14 for Streator, which closes the regular season at home against ICE Conference champion Manteno on Tuesday. Logan Aukland added nine points and Quinn Baker six for the Bulldogs.

Flanagan-Cornell 45, Pleasant Plains 42: At the 27th annual Riverton Subway Coaches Vs. Cancer Shootout, the Falcons won the event’s opening game on a Kesler Collins half-court swish at the buzzer off a perfect inbounds pass from Seth Jones with 0.8 seconds remaining.

Logan Ruddy scored 14 points and Collins 11 for FCHS.

Fieldcrest 66, Princeville 55: At Minonk, the Knights (27-1) won for the third straight day and their 17th straight.

Ed Lorton scored 18 points, with Brady Ruestman adding 16 for Fieldcrest.

Sycamore 54, Somonauk 44: At the Indian Creek Shootout, the Bobcats fell to Sycamore but saw Carson Bahrey surpass 1,000 points for his varsity career.

Somonauk (13-14) at one point led by double digits.