All-conference awards for girls volleyball and boys soccer have been released by most of the area’s leagues, along with the state’s eight-man football awards. Here is a rundown of those honors:
Girls volleyball
Little Ten Conference: Regular-season co-champion and conference tournament champion Newark boasted four selections as the Little Ten All-Conference Volleyball Team was released this week.
Lauren Ulrich (S, jr.), Taylor Kruser (L, sr.) and Kiara Wesseh (jr., OH) were unanimous selections. Aubrey Benesh (DS, sr.) was the Norsemen’s fourth all-conference selection.
Serena and Earlville tied for third in the conference standings, and each had two players chosen. For Serena, Paige Sexton (OH, sr.) and Sophie Thompson (S, sr.) were unanimous selections. For Earlville, Brooklyn Guelde (S, jr.) and Nevaeh Sansone (OH, jr.) were unanimously chosen All-Little Ten.
Somonauk had one selection on the 13-girl all-conference team, Josie Rader (MH, jr.), with the remaining spots filled by Indian Creek, IMSA and Hinckley-Big Rock standouts.
In a separate honor, Ulrich also was named to the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association’s Class 1A/2A All-State Team as a member of the second team.
Illinois Central Eight Conference: The Streator Bulldog Spikers had two players named to the Illinois Central Eight All-Conference Team released last week.
Rilee Talty (DS, jr.) and Emma Rambo (S, so.) were Streator’s all-conference selections.
Interstate 8 Conference: Ottawa’s Haley Waddell (DS, jr.) was a unanimous selection, and Sandwich’s Claire Allen (OH, sr.) also was selected all-conference by the Interstate 8 Conference at the conclusion of this past season.
In addition to Allen’s all-league honor, Sandwich’s Alexis Sexton (S, sr.) received honorable mention.
Olivia Evola (S, jr.) and Melana Pries (MH, sr.) were honorable mention All-Interstate 8 for the Ottawa Pirates.
Kaneland’s Mia Vassallo (DS, jr.) was selected as the conference MVP for 2022.
Tri-County Conference: Marquette Academy’s Kaylee Killelea was announced late last week as the 2022 Tri-County Conference Volleyball Player of the Year after helping lead the Crusaders to the conference title.
Killelea (sr.) was one of five Marquette players honored, a first-team pick alongside teammate Lindsey Kaufmann (sr.). Eva McCallum (sr.) was a second-team selection, while Maera Jiminez (jr.) and Mary Lechtenberg (jr.) received honorable mention.
Regular-season runner-up Woodland had four players selected as all-conference – second-team picks Cloee Johnston (jr.) and Emma Highland (jr), and honorable mentions Shae Simons (jr.) and Malayna Pitte (so.).
Three Seneca players also were voted all-conference. Sophie Cato (sr.) and Neely Hougas (sr.) were first-team picks of the TCC. Leslie Klicker was a member of the second team.
Dwight’s lone selection was Kassy Kodat on the All-TCC second team.
Boys soccer
Illinois Central Eight Conference: Five Streator Bulldogs were named to the Illinois Central Eight All-Conference Team this season.
They included Brady Grabowski (F, sr.), Landon Muntz (M, jr.), Noah Russow (M, so.), Parker Phillis (D, sr.) and Adam Williamson (D, sr.).
Interstate 8 Conference: Three Ottawa Pirates and two Sandwich Indians were honored by the Interstate 8 Conference when it released its all-conference teams.
For Ottawa, Evan Snook (M, so.) was an all-conference selection, while teammates Ethan Cela (F, sr.) and Zander Houk (D, jr.) received honorable mention.
For Sandwich, Luis Baez (F, sr.) was named all-conference, with honorable mention awarded to Kayden Page (F, so.).
Football
Illinois 8-Man Football Association: Four Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland football standouts were named All-Illinois 8-Man Football Association for the Central 1 Region.
On the first team are Jesse Simpson (RB, sr.) and Jase Torrez (OL, sr.). Payton Quaintance (WR, jr.) was selected for the second team. Masen Persico (QB, sr.) received honorable mention for FCW.