Area roundup: Dixon’s Faley to swim at IHSA State Meet in two events

Dixon senior Carson Faley helped lead the Byron co-op swim team to a fourth-place finish at its own IHSA sectional on Saturday, setting a new pool and sectional record in the 500 freestyle, and besting the state qualifying time in the 200 freestyle.

Faley won the 500 free in 4:37.06, smashing the old sectional record of 4:38.95 by nearly two seconds. He won the race by a whopping 25 seconds over Belvidere’s Brayden Atkisson, who finished second in 5:02.07. The fact that he swam so well at his home pool made it extra special for the senior.

“My goal going into sectionals was to get that pool record. All season I’ve been really working toward it, and it means the most out of anything to me,” Faley said. “Anytime it was hard at practice, I’d think about that record, and it would push me to keep working. I was very focused for the race, and I knew I could get it – and when I saw the time, it felt amazing, I was so happy.”

He took second in the 200 free in 1:43.06, beating the state qualifying mark by 1.11 seconds. Rockford East’s Camden Taylor won the event in a sectional-record time of 1:39.81.

“I thought I’d have a chance to make it on time, because just from the start, it felt like a pretty good race for me,” Faley said. “He was pretty far ahead of me, but I didn’t really let it throw me off my race. I knew if I could keep going after that 1:50 mark, I knew I could get under the state cut.”

Faley will be making his third trip to state in the 500 free, and his second in the 200 free. He qualified for the 500 free as a freshman and sophomore in 2019 and 2020, and added the 200 free in 2020. Last year’s state meet was canceled because of COVID.

He will be joined next weekend at Westmont’s FMC Natatorium by Tiger Shark teammates Levi Schamper, who won the 100 butterfly in 52.98 seconds, and Nathan Bell, who won the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.15.

DeKalb won the team title, squeaking past runner-up Hononegah by four points, 232-228. Belvidere North took third (160), and Byron finished fourth (148), just one point ahead of Boylan (147).

Boys basketball

Eastland 43, Morrison 34: The Cougars survived an upset attempt by the Mustangs, hitting nine free throws in the final 1:32 to pull away for the 1A Eastland Regional quarterfinal win in Lanark.

Kellen Henze’s basket with 3:04 to play was the last field goal for Eastland, which will face Newman in a regional semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Lanark. Henze had 22 points for the Cougars, and Andy Anderson finished with 15.

Alex Anderson scored 14 points to pace Morrison, while Danny Mouw added eight and Brenden Martin chipped in six.

Fulton 62, Pearl City 22: The Steamers jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a 1A Eastland Regional quarterfinal at Stan Borgman Court.

Ian Wiebenga and Ethan Price both scored 14 points to lead Fulton, which will play Aquin in the regional semifinals at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Lanark.

Aquin 68, Milledgeville 58: The Missiles’ season came to an end with a loss in a 1A Eastland Regional quarterfinal in Freeport.

Indian Creek 41, Amboy 26: The Clippers led 9-7 after one quarter and 17-16 at halftime, but were outscored 16-2 in the fourth quarter of a 1A Indian Creek Regional loss in Shabbona.

Connor Simpson scored 10 points, and Ian Eller added nine for Amboy.

Grant Schlorff hit four 3-pointers and scored 20 points for Indian Creek.

Earlville 80, AFC 40: The Raiders lost a 1A Indian Creek Regional quarterfinal game in Earlville.

AFC led 13-12 after one quarter, but was outscored 25-10 in the second, 23-9 in the third, and 19-8 in the fourth. Lane Koning scored 14 points for the Raiders, with Carson Rueff and Kaleb Goldman adding six points apiece.

Griffin Cook had 21 points, and Bryar Keller scored 19 to lead Earlville. Ryan Browder hit three 3-pointers and finished with 16 points, Garrett Cook added 11, and Diego Vasquez chipped in 10.

Dakota 53, Polo 45: The Marcos fell in a 1A Alden-Hebron Regional quarterfinal in Dakota.

Byron 56, Oregon 29: The Hawks’ season came to an end with a 2A Oregon Regional quarterfinal loss to the rival Tigers in Byron.

Mendota 64, Bureau Valley 56: The Trojans knocked off the Storm in a 2A Hall Regional quarterfinal at the Storm Cellar in Manlius.

Carter Salisbury scored 28 points to lead BV (15-16), which cut a 10-point deficit to four, 48-44, with 4:32 remaining before Mendota pulled away.

Rafa Romero had 21 points, and Ted Landgraf added 11 for the Trojans (8-22), who led 22-19 at halftime and 42-37 through three quarters.

Erie-Prophetstown 95, Alleman 43: The Panthers rolled to victory in a 2A Riverdale Regional quarterfinal in Prophetstown, and will face Rockridge in a regional semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Port Byron.

Rockridge 91, West Carroll 14: The Rockets built a 50-10 halftime lead and rolled to a 2A Riverdale Regional quarterfinal win over the Thunder in Edgington.

Garrett Law paced West Carroll with four points, while Tanner Diestelmeier and Connor Townsend added three points each.

Caleb Cunico and Kameron Bohnsack scored 18 and 12 points, respectively, to lead Rockridge.

Men’s basketball

Sauk Valley 82, Malcolm X 67: The Skyhawks led 47-24 by halftime and cruised to victory in Dixon.

Andre Brandon led a balanced effort by Sauk (14-13) with 17 points and eight rebounds, and Beau Bailey added 12 points and four assists. Devon House scored 11 points, Montez McCoy finished with 10 points and four assists, and Riek Riek chipped in nine points and nine rebounds. Davin Fields-Johnson scored six points, and Derian Duncan and Cade Nailor both finished with five; Duncan dished six assists, and Nailor grabbed five rebounds.