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Leland boys basketball claims title at AFC; Seneca, Marquette both 2-0: The Times Wednesday Roundup

The Leland Panthers boys basketball team captured the championship of the season-opening Ashton-Franklin Center Turkey Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.

Boys basketball

Leland 52, Amboy 47 (OT): In the championship game of the Ashton-Franklin Center Turkey Tournament on Wednesday, the Panthers brought home the title with a five-point win over the Clippers in overtime.

Hayden Spoonmore put in a team-high 19 points for the tournament champion Panthers, with Declan Brennan and Gunnar Swenson adding 14 points apiece.

Sycamore 72, Sandwich 33: At Sycamore in the Strombom Tournament, the host Spartans handled the Indians (0-2) despite 10 points from Griffin Somlock and a nine-point, six-rebound game from Nick Michalek.

Serena 76, Peoria Notre Dame JV 46: At Serena’s Huskers Hardwood Tip-Off, the host Huskers picked up the triumph after leading 45-22 at halftime.

Seneca 61, Newark 55: At Serena’s Huskers Hardwood Tip-Off, the Fighting Irish (2-0) trailed by two points after one quarter but led by eight at the half of an eventual six-point victory.

For Seneca, Brayden Simek (20 points), Brady Sheedy (13), Jesus Govea (12) and Zeb Maxwell (10) led the scoring.

Cody Kulbartz posted a 27-point, 12-rebound, four-assist, four-block double-double for Newark (0-2). Reggie Chapman added 12 points and seven assists.

Marquette 72, Peoria Notre Dame JV 40: At Serena’s Huskers Hardwood Tip-Off, the Crusaders improved to 2-0 on the young season and in the tournament with the pre-holiday triumph.

Marquette – which faces the host Huskers at 7 p.m. Friday ahead of Saturday’s place-game final day – led 27-7 by the close of the first quarter.

Hall 68, Somonauk 31: At Serena’s Huskers Hardwood Tip-Off, the Red Devils handled the Bobcats, turning an eight-point game at halftime into a 24-point rout by the close of the third quarter.

Landon Johnson scored 15 of Somonauk’s 31 points.

Dwight 64, Momence 62: In the Dwight Pool of the Route 17 Classic, the host Trojans improved to 2-1 with the two-point victory.

Girls wrestling

Seneca scores 2 runners-up at E-Rab: At the Rockford East E-Rab Invitational, the Fighting Irish’s Haiden Lavarier at 145 pounds and Sammie Greisen at 125 scored varsity runner-up finishes Wednesday.

Lavarier went 2-1, winning a 13-4 major decision and a third-period pinfall before dropping the championship bout by a first-period pin.

Greisen also posted a 2-1 mark, her 4-0 loss via decision in the championship match preceded by a 15-0 technical fall victory and a 17-1 tech fall win.

J.T. Pedelty

J.T. Pedelty

J.T. is a graduate of Streator High School, Illinois Valley Community College and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale who is some 26 years into an award-winning sports journalism career and serves as a regional sports editor for Shaw Local Media and Friday Night Drive.