Despite the cold weather and rash of cancellations Friday, Lockport played on. The Porters boys basketball team not only honored more than 100 veterans – the oldest of which was 104 years old – at their 11th annual Veterans Appreciation Night, but they also scored a 56-36 Southwest Suburban Conference win over visiting Lincoln-Way East.

“Going in, we know it’s special to honor them,” said Lockport’s Nedas Venckus, who combined with twin Nojus Venckus for 38 of Lockport’s 56 points. “It’s just a great event for Lockport, and I like it.”

“It’s an amazing event,” L-W East coach Luke Yaklich said. “Having a grandfather who served in World War II and was a social studies teacher, I have great respect for this. Tonight was an incredible event to honor those veterans.”

• Read Randy Whalen’s full story from this event at www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Area champions at Southwest Prairie Tournament

Yorkville’s boys wrestling team claimed the team title for the fifth straight time at Saturday’s Southwest Prairie Conference Tournament, edging runner-up/host Minooka and third-place Joliet West.

Herald-News area individual champions included Bolingbrook’s Julian Medina at 106 pounds, Plainfield South’s Chase Pierceall (190), Joliet West’s Nick Murdock-Schey (113) and Jacob Tyderek (215), Plainfield North’s Aiden Durell (126), and Minooka’s Maddux Tindal (132), Mason Vogt (157), Robbie Murphy (285) and Kaden Meyer (165).

“I just knew I could do it,” Murdock-Schey said of his title at 113. “All the practice we’ve been doing has led us up to this.”

• Read Hart Pisani’s full story from this game at www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Wilmington works overtime (twice)

Wilmington’s boys basketball team needed overtime to make it happen, but stayed alive and well in the Illinois Central Eight Conference title hunt with a 47-42 victory Friday over rival Coal City.

Wilmington (14-6, 6-3) forced Coal City into 15 turnovers, while the Coalers (8-11, 0-8) forced Wilmington – missing starting point guard Brysen Meents due to an injury – into 23 turnovers.

Dane Noffsinger and Parker Jacovec scored 12 points apiece for Coal City. Declan Moran scored 15 points and Ryan Kettman 14 for the Wildcats.

“We got the win. That’s the big thing,” Kettman said. “Some guys who haven’t played much this year were able to get in there, and they stepped up.”

On Saturday, Wilmington won a second consecutive overtime thriller, rallying to top Morris 48-46.

• Read Rob Oesterle’s full story from this game at www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Other notable weekend action

Lockport and Joliet Catholic’s competitive dance teams captured sectional championships – Lockport winning the Class 3A Champaign Central Sectional title, and JCA the 1A Geneva Sectional title. Lincoln-Way West, Lincoln-Way Central, Minooka and Plainfield North also advanced in 3A, while Morris is dancing down to Bloomington for state via its third-place finish in 1A at Geneva.

Joliet West’s boys basketball team earned a 67-61 win Saturday over Glenbard West.

The Lockport boys wrestling team captured the SWSC Tournament team championship, with Anthony Sutton, Evan Curry, Justin Wardlow and Noe Hernandez all winning their weight classes.

Joliet Catholic’s boys wrestling team placed second at the ESCC Tournament, led by champions Adante Washington, Jason Hampton, Lukas Foster and Ryker Czubak.

Minooka’s boys bowling team followed up its regional championship by winning its own Minooka Sectional at Morris’ Echo Lanes. Ben Clark (1,439 over six games) was Minooka’s high roller. Lockport and Lincoln-Way West also advanced to state out of the Naperville Central Sectional.

Bolingbrook’s boys basketball team lost 75-69 to Neuqua Valley on Saturday, which has now won 18 straight games. TJ Williams scored 19 points for Bolingbrook (14-6).