Area Roundup: Seneca’s Rylee Stenzel and Noah Quigley, Fieldcrest’s Lucas Bernardi earn 1A state berths

Rylee Stenzel’s last visit to Phillips Park Golf Course was but a distant memory her dad conjured driving in for a practice round Saturday.

“I actually played the back nine for a PGA Junior League when I was in sixth grade. Super ironic,” said Stenzel, a Seneca senior. “My dad even had a picture of me on the course, I think I’m on No. 8 or No. 9. I had no idea. I didn’t remember it at all.”

She won’t soon forget her second trip to the Aurora course.

Stenzel shot a 3-over-par 74, good for third place at the Class 1A Aurora Central Catholic Sectional, one of 10 individuals on non-qualifying teams headed to this weekend’s state tournament at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur. Seneca placed eighth.

It’s a long time coming for Stenzel, whose dad, Kyle, also qualified for state in high school at Seneca. Stenzel missed state by two shots as a freshman, and “played pretty bad” her sophomore year in not making it. Last fall, the state meet was not held because of COVID-19 limitations .

“It’s a life goal for me, very happy to be able to accomplish it,” Stenzel said. “I was just hoping to at least match my dad’s record.”

Stenzel said that the course played “kind of short for me,” but she enjoyed it.

“The back nine was definitely harder than the front nine, but it was worth it,” she said. “I birdied No. 7, made a really long putt that I needed to keep going.”

Laura Yegge (101), Julia Higan (109), Brandi Johnson (112) and Addisin Stiegler (113) rounded out Seneca’s top five.

Sandwich’s Alijah Campbell (83) came in right at the individual cutoff to advance but needed to finish in the top two of a four-way playoff to advance and did not. Teammate Jayden Baumbach (110) also did not advance.

Marquette’s Kaitlyn Magoonaugh (96) tied for 51st in the field of 110.

— Joshua Welge

Harris, Antle miss cut in Washington: At the Class 2A Washington Sectional, neither La Salle-Peru senior Grace Antle (T-69th, 94) nor Ottawa 12th-grader Zoe Harris (T-47th, 90) – the area’s only 2A girls qualifiers – advanced to the state meet.

The cutoff for individual advancers was 80.

Boys golf

Quigley, Bernardi qualify: At the Class 1A Beecher Boys Golf Sectional at Balmoral Woods, Seneca’s Noah Quigley (T-13th, 81) and Fieldcrest’s Lucas Bernardi (T-17th, 82) advanced on to the Class 1A state meet, Bernardi earning the final individual berth by winning a five-man playoff.

Fellow sectional qualifiers Carson Zellers (T36th, 88) of Marquette Academy and Seneca’s Owen Quigley (T-87th, 103) did not advance.

87s not low enough for Norsemen: At the Class 1A Byron Sectional, the area’s two sectional qualifiers – Newark-Serena’s Dylan Cartwright and Camden Figgins – failed to advance, both carding 87s at Prairie View Golf Club.

The individual cutoff to advance to state was 80.

Volleyball

Woodland def. Gardner-S. Wilmington in straight sets: At Gardner, the Warriors (13-8) were paced by Jena Easton (three aces, five assists), Shae Simons (two aces, four assists), Ella Sibert, Clara Downey and Cloee Johnston (three kills apiece).

Sandwich def. Ottawa, 25-18, 25-20: In Interstate Eight Conference play, the Indians (11-13 overall. 3-6 in the I-8) defeated the Pirates. ALexis Sexton (19 assists), Claire Allen (four kills), Breanna Sexton (12 digs) and Audrey Rome (15 kills, two blocks) paced Sandwich.

Boys soccer

Earlville 6, Newark-Seneca 4 (OT): In the opening round of the Little Ten Tournament, the Red Raiders won a thriller. Diego Vazques had three goals and one assist, Griffin Cook two goals and an assist and Matt Kuter a goal. Easton Fruit and Carlos Gonzales each had an assist.

Somonauk 7, Hinckley-Big Rock 0: In the opening round of the Little Ten Tournament, the Bobcats advanced.

DePue-Hall 2, Serena 1: In the opening round of the Little Ten Tournament, the Huskers were defeated.

JV volleyball

Corsairs claim 1st at Morris: At the Morris Invitational over the weekend, the Ottawa Corsairs went 4-0 to take the title, defeating Newark in the championship.

Hannah Waddell had 10 aces, Ella Schmitz 18 kills, Lauren Denny 14 kills, Skylar Dorsey 64 assists and Haley Waddell led Ottawa in digs.

JV girls tennis

Ottawa finishes 3rd at I-8 Tournament: Ottawa’s No. 3 doubles team of Adalyn Borowski and Bianca Sipula won their bracket from the No. 5 seed at the Interstate Eight Conference Tournament.

Ottawa also received top-five finishes from No. 2 singles Layne Krug (2nd), No. 1 doubles Mika Moreland and Aubrey Sanders (3rd), No. 2 doubles Peyton Bryson and Lexi Innis (3rd) and No. 1 singles Makenzie Eichelkraut (5th).

Sophomore/JV football

Ottawa 20, Woodstock 6: At King Field, the Corsairs were led by the running of Garrett Cupples (59 yards) and Weston Averkamp (25 yards), TD scores from Packston Miller on a 76-yard punt return and 14-yard fumble return, Haydon Swett’s 18-yard TD run and two fumble recoveries by Gavin Freeman.

Marquettte 22, LeRoy 8: On Monday, the JV Crusaders (1-4) defeated LeRoy. Offensively, Payton Gutierrez rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown. Jacob Smith rushed for 45 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, Gutierrez had eight tackles, Smith had a fumble recovery, and Sam Mitre added a sack.

Freshman volleyball

Vikings capture 3rd: Ottawa’s freshman team took third place in the Mendota Invitational on Saturday