Jeremy Gagnon, Cooper Corder on to state semis: The Times Thursday Roundup

Boys wrestling

Corder, Gagnon start 2-0 at IHSA State: At the IHSA Boys Individual State Finals on Thursday at the State Farm Center in Champaign, The Times area’s six state qualifiers – all in Class 1A – opened competition. Sandwich’s Cooper Corder and Seneca’s Jeremy Gagnon both started 2-0 to earn berths into their respective weight classes' championship semifinals.

Marquette’s Alex Schaefer won his opening bout at 215 pounds, pinning Peoria Notre Dame’s Joe Culp midway through the third period. Schaefer then fell via a late first period pin to Coal City’s John Keigher and is scheduled to compete in wrestlebacks Friday.

Sandwich, a 1A team regional champion, sent two individuals down to Champaign.

At 144 pounds, Corder got off to a great start with a pair of victories – a third-period pin of Murphysboro’s Bryce Edwards and a 12-7 decision over Hope Academy’s Dylan Galvez – to send him into the semifinals against Richmond-Burton’s Emmett Nelson.

At 215, Devon Blanchard won his opener in the 215 bracket via a 7-2 decision over El Paso-Gridley’s Ryden Barker, then lost via overtime sudden victory 8-5 in the quarterfinals to Mt. Zion’s Keller Stocks. Blanchard moves to the left half of the bracket.

Seneca has three competitors at state, led by Gagnon at 285 pounds. The Fighting Irish senior won his opener with a pin of Byron’s Jared Claunch in 2:36, then punched his ticket to the semifinals via a 10-7, sudden victory win in overtime over Althoff’s Jason Dowell. Gagnon will face Hope Academy’s Roy Phelps in the semifinals.

The other two Fighting Irish state qualifiers lost their openers – Raiden Terry at 106 (9-5 decision) and Nick Grant at 165 (20-2 technical fall). Both return Friday for wrestlebacks.

Girls basketball

Yorkville Christian 48, Serena 41: In the championship game of the Class 1A Indian Creek Regional, the Huskers trailed by 10 at halftime and rallied but couldn’t stop Yorkville Christian from winning its first regional title.

Jenna Setchell, one of five Serena seniors, scored 12 points. Junior Kendall Whiteaker had eight points. Serena (23-8) sees its season close.

“They had a great year,” Serena coach Jim Jobst said of his squad. “They were conference champs and they battled here for a regional championship. We probably exceeded people’s expectations a little because we lost a lot last year.”

- Read Chris Walker’s full report on this game at shawlocal.com/illinois-valley.

Boys basketball

Woodland 60, Earlville 48: At the Warrior Dome in rural Streator, the Warriors (20-11) led 13-10 after one quarter, 27-22 at halftime and 47-35 heading to the fourth in the win over the Red Raiders.

Nick Plesko led Woodland with a game-high 23 points, with Connor Dodge adding 17 and Quentin Porter eight.

Adam Waite had 17 points and Easton Fruit 14 to led Earlville (13-18).

Flanagan-Cornell 73, Fisher 56: At Fisher, the Falcons topped the Bunnies in the Heart of Illinois contest.