L-P girls bowling 3-peats at Cavalier Classic: NewsTribune roundup for Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023

COED BOWLING

At Peru: The La Salle-Peru girls started the Cavalier Classic strong Saturday with a 961 game and maintained a lead all day en route to its third straight title at its own tournament.

The Cavaliers racked up 5,494 pins to beat second-place Belvidere (4,900) by almost 600. St. Bede (4,683) was third, L-P’s second team (4,202) was sixth, Hall-Putnam County (2,278) was ninth and Mendota (2,224) was 10th among the 11 teams.

“Bowling tournaments are all day long, and with that you have to keep yourself motivated,” L-P senior Makenzie Hamilton said. “I, as well as the rest of the team, had one goal, to get first, and that’s exactly what we did.”

Hamilton led the Cavs as she won the individual title with a 1,243 six-game series, including a 266 in the first game.

“Winning the individual title, it feels surreal,” Hamilton said. “I remember being a freshman looking at the scores and being blown away at first place. Then here I am winning first as a senior.”

Teammate Olivia Weber placed second with a 1,197 series, while L-P’s Leah Ricci was fifth with a 1,130.

“They were able to keep adapting all day long,” L-P coach Jim McCabe said about his trio of top five finishers.

St. Bede’s Maddy Fabish (1,178) and Aubree Acuncius (1,164) placed third and fourth, respectively.

Mendota’s Lauren Holland placed 14th with a 943.

In the boys tournament, Mendota placed an area-best fourth with 5,641 pins. Oregon won with 6,015. Hall-PC (5,070) was eighth, St. Bede (5,046) was ninth and L-P (4,947) was 10th among the 12 teams.

Mendota’s Landon Bauer finished an area-best fourth with a 1,305 series, while teammate Paxton Bauer finished 16th at 1,139.

Aiden McCray led the Cavs as he was 17th with a 1,139.

WRESTLING

At Plano: Princeton’s Augustus Swanson won the 106-pound bracket at Plano’s Reaper Classic.

He won his first two matches by pin before beating De La Salle’s Jeremiah Lawrence by 14-2 major decision in the final.

Also for the Tigers, Ace Christiansen (138) and Casey Etheridge (165) placed third, while Kaydin Gibson (126) and Ian Morris (215) finished fourth.

Mendota’s Angil Serrano finished fourth at 285.

Princeton placed seventh and Mendota was 17th among the 20 schools.

At Port Byron: St. Bede placed 14th among 16 teams at Riverdale’s Jim Boyd Invite.

Grady Gillan placed sixth at 190 for the Bruins.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Streator 31, Mendota 21: Ava Eddy scored 13 points and had three steals to help the Trojans to a nonconference victory in Mendota.

Laylie Denault added eight points and five steals for Mendota.

Bureau Valley 62, Fulton 19: Kate Salisbury scored 19 points to lead the Storm to a nonconference victory in Manlius.

Taylor Neufhalfen contributed 15 points for BV (7-4).

Serena 49, Hall 35: Haylie Pellegrini scored 14 points as the Red Devils dropped a nonconference game in Serena.

McKenna Christiansen and Charlie Pellegrini each added eight points for Hall, which trailed 27-24 at halftime.

Morris 47, Princeton 41: The Tigresses lost a nonconference game in Morris.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS BASKETBALL

LaMoille 52, Leland 49: The Lions rallied from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter to earn a Little Ten Conference victory in Leland.

Tyler Billhorn scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for LaMoille, while Brayden Klein contributed 19 points, six rebounds and three steals.

Earlville 54, Flanagan-Cornell 51: Ryan Browder scored 19 points as the Red Raiders stayed undefeated with a nonconference victory in Flanagan.

Griffin Cook had 12 points and 14 assists for Earlville (8-0), while Adam Waite contributed 16 points.

Roanoke-Benson 40, Henry-Senachwine 30: The Mallards lost a Tri-County Conference game in Roanoke.

Hiawatha 70, DePue 50: The Little Giants fell in a Little Ten Conference game in Kirkland.