Briefs: L-P, St. Bede players named to FND Team of the Week

Area football teams were well-represented on the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week for Week 5 of the spring football season.

La Salle-Peru landed three players on the team after the Cavaliers rallied to beat Morris 20-19 to stay undefeated on the season.

Senior offensive lineman Andrew Demaso, senior defensive end Weston Wenzel and junior linebacker Chris Swayne were selected for L-P.

Demaso helped the Cavs overcome a 13-0 halftime deficit as L-P scored three second half touchdowns.

Wenzel made 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while recovering a fumble and tipping the Redskins’ game-winning field goal attempt with two seconds left, while Swyane recorded 14 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble.

St. Bede had two players chosen as well in junior receiver Tyreke Fortney (6 receptions, 173 yards, 3 TDs, 4 carries, 42 yards, TD) and senior center Shawn Schwemlein (helped Bruins to 173 rushing yards, 173 receiving yards in 35-16 win at Bureau Valley).

Kaneland running back Corey Phillips was named MVP after running for 199 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Ottawa.

More than 7,000 votes were cast by nearly 5,000 people. Team of the Week voting runs each Sunday morning through 8 p.m. Monday.

L-P volleyball tops Sandwich

Ashley Urbanski had 11 points, four kills and a pair of blocks Tuesday to help the La Salle-Peru volleyball team to a 25-14, 25-17 victory over Sandwich in an Interstate Eight Conference match in La Salle.

Avery Urbanski had 10 assists and eight points, Kenzie DeFosse put down four kills and had eight digs, Jaidynne Lash recorded 10 digs, Taylor Martyn served for 13 points, and Emma Thompson and Sarah Peters added four kills each.

Princeton, Fieldcrest ranked in coaches, AP polls

The Princeton and Fieldcrest football teams both remained ranked in the Shaw Media Coaches and the Associated Press polls.

The Tigers (5-0) stayed No. 3 in Class 3A in the coaches poll with 74 points – just one point behind No. 2 Quincy Notre Dame – and remained No. 2 in the AP poll.

Princeton, which received one first-place vote in the AP poll, closes out the season Friday against Fulton (5-0), which is ranked No. 3 in Class 1A in the AP poll and No. 4 in the coaches poll.

The Knights, who finished the season 4-0 and did not play in Week 5, remained No. 5 in the coaches poll and dropped to No. 7 from No. 5 in the AP poll.

Mendota boys soccer lands seven on All-BNC team

The Mendota boys soccer team had seven players honored on the All-Big Northern Conference Team.

Yahir Diaz and Rafael Romero were unanimous first-team selections, Josue Arteaga, Ricky Orozco and Johnathan Cortez were named to the second team, and Manny Trejo and Alex Mandujano were honorable mention.

The Trojans finished 8-2 overall and placed third in the BNC Tournament.

Area girls basketball players earn AP All State

A trio of area girls basketball players earned accolades on the prestigious Associated Press Class 1A/2A All-State Girls Basketball Team for the 2020-21 season. Serena junior guard Katie Baker (16.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.9 apg, 6.3 spg) in Class 1A; Fieldcrest sophomore guard Ashlyn May (12.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.6 apg, 4.1 spg), the La Salle News-Tribune Girls Basketball Player of the Year, in Class 2A; and Seneca senior point guard Brooklyn Giertz (13.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 6 apg, 5 spg), The Times Girls basketball Player of the Year, in Class 2A, all earned Honorable Mention AP All-State honors.