June 30, 2025
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Briefs: PC’s Andrew Pyszka named Tri-County Baseball Player of the Year

By Shaw Local News Network
Putnam County's Andrew Pyszka (2) makes the throw to fist for the out against Marquette during the Baseball 1A Harvest Christian Sectional at Judson College in Elgin on Saturday, May 28, 2022.

Putnam County's Andrew Pyszka makes a throw to first for an out against Marquette during the Class 1A Harvest Christian Sectional on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at Judson College in Elgin. Pyszka was voted the 2022 Tri-County Conference Player of the Year. (Mark Black for Shaw)

Putnam County junior Andrew Pyszka was named Tri-County Conference Baseball Player of the Year.

Pyszka, a unanimous choice, was one of three Panthers on the first team along with senior Drake Smith and junior Jackson McDonald.

Henry-Senachwine sophomore Lance Kiesewetter also earned a spot on the first team, while the team was rounded out by Marquette’s Logan Nelson (unanimous) and Brady Ewers Seneca’s Matt Cruise and Tyler Sulzberger and Roanoke-Benson’s Chase Martin (unanimous).

Cruise was named TCC Pitcher of the Year.

The second team includes Henry-Senachwine’s Troy Westerdahl; Marquette’s Taylor Waldron, Aiden Thompson, Sam Mitre and Hayden McKenna; Midland’s Riley McFadden; Seneca’s Paxton Giertz and Casey Clennon; and Dwight’s Jack Duffy. Receiving honorable mention were Putnam County’s Nicholas Currie; Henry-Senwachwine’s PJ Ehrat and Preston Rowe; R-B’s Isaiah Beyer, Luke Sauder and Nolan Hunter; Dwight’s Luke Gallet; and Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell’s Will Weber.

In softball, Seneca’s Sam Vandevelde was voted Player of the Year, and Marquette’s Kaylee Killelea was tabbed Pitcher of the Year.

They are joined on the first team by Marquette’s Eva McCallum, Seneca’s Zoe Hougas and Alyssa Zellers, Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell’s Ella Sibert and Cheyenne Burns, Henry-Senachwine’s Kaitlyn Anderson and Dwight’s Jordan Schultz.

Second-team picks are Putnam County’s Zofia Uzella, Henry-Senachwine’s Lauren Harbisn, Marquette’s Izzy Garkey and Lindsey Kauffman, WFC’s Cloee Johnston and Olivia Chismarick, Seneca’s Maddie Klicker and Madi Mino and Dwight’s Erin Anderson.

Putnam County’s Maggie Richetta, Marquette’s Avery Durdan, WFC’s Shae Simons, Henry-Senachwine’s Hope Self, Midland’s Sophie Milloy and Dwight’s Rachael Heath and Alexis Thetard were honorable mention selections.

Area baseball players earn All-Three Rivers East honors

Area teams are well represented on the All-Three Rivers Conference East Division baseball team, including five unanimous picks: Hall’s Ethan Plym (pitcher) and Kyler Lapp (catcher), Mendota’s Krew Bond (infielder) and Bureau Valley’s Sam Rouse (pitcher) and Carter Salisbury (infielder).

Other first-team selections from the area are Hall’s Mac Resetich (outfielder) and Riley Coble (utility) and Princeton’s Ryan Brucker (infielder) and Matt Lucas (outfielder).

Local second-team picks are St. Bede’s Seth Ferrari (pitcher) and Luke Story (infielder); Hall’s Payton Dye (pitcher) and Gabe Lucas (outfielder); Princeton’s Danny Cihocki (pitcher), Ean Compton (pitcher), Augie Christiansen (outfielder) and Jordan Reinhardt (utility); and Bureau Valley’s Brock Foster (infielder) and Logan Johnson (outfielder).

St. Bede’s Colin Nave (infielder), Hall’s Max Bryant (pitcher) and Drake Garland (infielder), Mendota’s Izaiah Nanez (pitcher), Princeton’s Ace Christiansen (catcher) and Bureau Valley’s Sam Wright (catcher) were honorable mention selections.

St. Bede’s Sons earns ICA Coach of the Year

First-year St. Bede softball coach Shawn Sons was named the Illinois Softball Coaches Association Section 8 Coach of the Year.

Sons led the Bruins to a 20-4 record, the Three Rivers Conference East Division title, a regional championship and a sectional final appearance.

Registration open for IV Men’s Golf Championship

Registration is open for the 2022 Illinois Valley Men’s Golf Championship, which is July 30-31.

The first round is at Senica’s Oak Ridge Golf Course on Saturday with the second round at Deer Park Golf Club on Sunday.

To be eligible, players must be 16 or older and a resident or member of a course in Bureau, La Salle or Putnam counties.

The entry fee is $60, which includes greens fees at both courses, one meal each day and a tournament polo.

Divisions are Championship (4.9 and under handicap), A Class (5.0-8.9), B Class (9-14.9), C Class (15 and over) and Senior Class (Age 6+, 7+ handicap).

The field will be limited to 172 golfers.

To register, visit ivmensgolfchampionship.com.