Local Sports Digest: Pine Hills crowns Junior Tournament champs

Champs crowned at Pine Hills Jr. Tournament

The 2021 Pine Hills Junior Tournament was held over the weekend with multiple players earning awards.

Champions and runners-up (with scores in parentheses) included: 1st-3rd boys: Grady Novotny (18) and Beckham Sipula (25); 1st-3rd girls: Aubree Kovash (24); 4th-6th boys: Jacob Flaven (38, won playoff), James Threadgill (38); 4th-6th girls: Brinley Torres (61), Irelynn McAlpine 63; 7th-8th boys: Bryer Harris (38), Wyatt Novotny (42); 7th-8th girls: Delani Duggan (70, won playoff), Lexi Sawin (70); high school boys: Drake Stoudt (38), Mathhew Sims (40, won playoff); and high school girls: Kiley Torres (37), Giana Grivetti (42).

Swimmer with local ties takes bronze medal

Regan Smith, who has family in the Illinois Valley, earned the bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday night (Tuesday morning in Japan).

Smith swam a 58.05 to finish behind gold medalist and world record holder Kaylee McKeown (Australia) and Kylie Masse (Canada).

McKeown’s 57.57 broke Smith’s Olympic record of 57.86 that Smith set in the semifinals. The 57.57 was the second fastest time in history behind only McKeown’s world record 57.45.

Pistol Shrimp hosting Little League Day

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp are holding Little League Day at 1:05 p.m. Sunday at Veterans Park in Peru, as the Shrimp play the Wabash Valley REX.

There will be a pre-game parade of Little League teams, and one team will be chosen to run onto the field with the players during the introductions and serve as bat kids.

To register a team, email noah@pistolshrimpbaseball.com.

Ottawa City Rec Softball Results

The regular season for Ottawa’s Monday Night Women’s League ended, with tournament play opening at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on the South Diamond.

Danchris Nursery 7, Pineapple Escape 1: For Danchris (8-0), Afton Caulkins was 4 for 4, and Brooke Templeton went 3 for 4 for the league champs. Megan Valvo, Madison VanNess, Sarah Nanouski, Morgan Eberner and Alyssa Mussatto each had two hits. For the Escape (3-5), Lindsey Gaworski, Sarah Shope, Taylor Staton, Brianne Riley, Kayla Kimes, Rachael Newsome and Kendall Staton each had a hit.

Silver Slipper 13, Deer Park 1: For Silver Slipper (5-3), Lindsey Green led the way with three hits, including two doubles. Malorie Kuettman, Hannah Burks, Jen Wren and Leslie Ahrens added two hits each. Leading Deer Park (0-8), Shia Bishop had a triple that led to Deer Park’s only run of the night. Ashleigh Newmarker drove in Bishop.