Area Roundup: Serena’s Katie Baker passes 1,000-point marker in Lady Huskers victory

SOMONAUK — The 2020-21 basketball season — Serena standout Katie Baker’s junior season — was reduced by better than half by the novel coronavirus.

It will still be a memorable one for the Lady Huskers star, however, as Thursday evening Baker and her Lady Huskers teammates clinched at least a share of the Little Ten Conference regular-season title while Baker herself reached and surpassed the 1,000-point milestone for her varsity career.

Baker hit 1,000 points on the first of two free throws and passed it with the second in Serena’s 48-38 road win at Somonauk. The victory elevates the Lady Huskers to 10-2 on the season heading into Friday night’s finale versus Newark, the winners of the Little Ten Conference Tournament that Serena was ineligible to compete in due to a COVID-19 quarantine.

Baker finished with 24 points, seven assists and nine steals, Taylor Staton recorded nine points, Kallie Catlin notched eight points, and Paisley Twait tallied five points and seven rebounds.

Maggie Roberts (12 points), Ashley Eaton (10 points, four blocked shots), Haley McCoy (eight points) and Josie Rader (eight points) led Somonauk, which finishes the season with a 6-7 mark.

“It was a good season,” said Somonauk coach Garland King. “We played through COVID-19 and saw a lot of maturity and growth in our girls.”

Boys basketball

Somonauk 73, Hiawatha 42: At Kirkland, the visiting Bobcats triumphed in their Little Ten finale and penultimate game of the season to improve to 12-4 (7-2).

Alex Krejci (16 points), Brendan Roberts (14), Brock Zimmerman (14), Julio Salgado (nine points) and Paxton Sexton (eight) paced Somonauk.

DePue 62, Leland 28: At Leland, the Little Giants (2-8, 2-7 Little Ten) topped the host Panthers (0-10, 0-9 Little Ten).

Hunter Tyson scored 20 points for DePue, with Jorge Escobar adding a double-double of 12 points and as many rebounds. Francisco Moreno scored 11 points, Oscar Lopez put in 10 points, with Koby Hayes combining eight points and 12 rebounds.

Leland’s lone senior, Fernando Silva, scored eight points, with Ian Cameron scoring nine.

Boys bowling

Sterling 3,360, Ottawa 3,035: The Ottawa boys bowling team fell despite Dustin Gende leading the way with a 572 series (277 high game). Nelson Brandt added a 566 (213).

JV boys bowling

Ottawa 2,443, Sterling 2,405: Nolan Alexander led the Corsairs with a 442 series (158 high game).