SVM area roundup for Saturday, Oct. 21: Sterling boys XC team, Dale Johnson win regional titles

Boys & girls cross country

Class 2A Galesburg Regional: At Galesburg, the Sterling boys cross country team won its first regional championship since 2016, led by individual champion Dale Johnson, who won by nearly 15 seconds (15:44.60). The Sterling boys edged Geneseo 43-55 for the title in a field of eight teams.

Parker Janssen (6th, 16:53.70), Aalin Schmidt (7th, 16:54.20), Charles Johnson (12th, 17:07.40), Parker Blakeslee (18th, 17:33.70) and Owen Anderson (31st, 18:18.00) also placed in the top half for champion Sterling in a 67-runner field.

The Rock Falls boys placed fifth with a 121 score. Christian Cid led the Rockets with a 21st-place finish in 17:44.80, Gunnar Damhoff clocked an 18:03.40 for 27th, Brady Root ran an 18:09.30 for 29th and Jeffrey Sommer recorded an 18:21.20 for 33rd.

The Sterling girls finished third in a seven-team field with a 74 score, trailing only Dunlap (31) and Geneseo (73). The Rock Falls girls nabbed fourth with an 89.

In a 56-runner field, Rhylee Wade paced the Golden Warriors with a fifth-place finish in 20:14.80. Delia Block (10th, 20:43.60), Jaz’Mya Castaneda (17th, 21:17.40), Laney Zuithoff (19th, 21:37.50) and Connie Ibarra (23rd, 22:00.70) also finished in the top half for Sterling.

The Rock Falls girls had a trio of top-14 finishes. Ariel Hernandez paced the Rockets with a third-place finish in 19:31.70, Kat Scott secured seventh in 20:36.80 and Hana Ford nabbed 14th in 21:08.30.

All of the Sterling and Rock Falls boys and girls runners advanced to the Geneseo Sectional on Saturday, Oct. 28.

Class 1A Bureau Valley Regional: At Manlius, the Riverdale boys took the team title with a 42 score, Erie-Prophetstown finished second with 63, Newman took third with 86 and Bureau Valley earned ninth with 230 in an 11-team field.

E-P’s Charlie Link finished second out of 91 runners with a time of 16:39.30. Link was joined in the top 22 by fellow Panthers Lucas Dreisbach (10th, 17:11.10), Tyson Skinner (14th, 17:41.60), Gus Schultz (20th, 18:11.20), Alex Bomleny (21st, 18:12.50) and Wyatt Goossens (22nd, 18:15.40).

Newman was led by Lucas Schaab (6th, 17:05.70), Lucas Simpson (7th, 17:06.90) and Wyatt Widolff (23rd, 18:17.00). Ricardo Hernandez (27th, 18:28.40) and Carver Grummert (28th, 18:28.70) also placed favorably for the Comets.

Isaiah McDearmon ran an 18:30.60 to finish 29th for Morrison.

Adrian Gallardo (31st, 18:34.00) and Maddox Moore (36th, 18:41.30) led Bureau Valley.

On the girls side, Riverdale edged E-P 71-72 for the team title. Sarah Link paced the Panther girls with a fourth-place finish in 20:19.80, Jessie DeNeve took 12th in 21:29.40, Chloe Slock nabbed 18th in 22:14.20 and Clara Ashdown earned 28th in 23:14.60 in a 67-runner field.

Sophia McCoy (35th, 24:11.70) and Gianna Sagel (40th, 24:37.80) competed for Newman.

Morrison’s Emma Christin clocked a 22:43.80 for 24th.

The qualifiers advanced to the Oregon Sectional on Saturday, Oct. 28.

Class 2A Kaneland Regional: At Kaneland, the Dixon girls placed second out of 11 teams with a 65 score. Wheaton St. Francis took the team title with a 52.

The Duchesses placed all seven runners in the top 19 of a 75-runner field. Daniela Lovett led the way with a ninth-place finish in 19:49.20, Olivia Arduini clocked a 19:58.80 for 11th, Kate Boss ran a 20:03.10 for 14th and Emma Smith recorded a 20:06.40 for 15th. Teyla Wendt (16th, 20:07.90), Kamryn Rogers (18th, 20:08.20) and Emily Smith (19th, 20:16.30) rounded out a terrific team performance for Dixon, which advances to the Woodstock Sectional on Saturday, Oct. 28.

The Dixon boys placed fourth out of 11 teams with a 99 score. Aaron Conderman led the Dukes with a fourth-place finish in 15:41.40 in a field of 77 runners. Dean Geiger (11th, 16:15.70), Averick Wiseman (18th, 16:32.20) and Westin Conatser (25th, 16:56.80) also placed in the top third for the advancing Dukes.

[ Photos: Sterling vs Dunlap regional finals soccer ]

Boys soccer

Dunlap 4, Sterling 1: At Sterling, the Golden Warriors fell to the Eagles in the Class 2A Sterling Regional championship game.

Sterling trailed 1-0 at halftime, then cut the deficit to 2-1 on a Felipe Sandoval goal in the second half, but the Eagles pulled away with two unanswered goals.

Nick Lansford led Dunlap (15-4-3) with two goals, and Drew Chovanec and Tyler Shane scored one goal apiece.

Sterling finished the season 9-14-4.

Girls volleyball

Ashton-Franklin Center Tournament: At Ashton, Polo placed second with a 3-1 record. The Marcos defeated Hiawatha 25-21, 25-16; Serena 25-12, 25-22; and Sterling JV 25-8, 25-19. They lost to Ottawa Marquette 11-25, 21-25 in the championship match.

Bridget Call, who was named to the all-tournament team, compiled 38 kills and 33 digs to lead Polo. Madison Glawe totaled 56 digs and three aces; Camrynn Jones recorded 16 kills and 49 assists; Sydnei Rahn supplied 15 kills; and Ellie Wells chipped in 35 assists for the Lady Marcos.

Stillman Valley Tournament: At Stillman Valley, Fulton went 4-1, losing 25-14, 25-9 to Lena-Winslow and defeating Aquin 26-24, 25-16; Stillman Valley 21-15, 14-21, 15-4; DeKalb 21-7, 21-13; and Indian Creek 21-22, 20-9, 15-6.

Leaders for the Steamers were Miraya Pessman with 34 kills, 45 digs, 43 assists and eight aces; Brooklyn Brennan with 32 kills, 54 assists, 39 digs and eight aces; Resse Germann with 56 digs; Ava Bowen with 17 kills and 15 digs; and Reese Dykstra with 14 kills, 15 digs and six aces.