High School Sports

Rock Falls senior Aydan Goff reached 1,000 career points in a win over Stillman Valley, and the Oregon wrestling team won the Stillman Valley Holiday Tournament on Saturday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

For a while, it looked like Saturday’s first-round Forreston Holiday Tournament game between Newman and Forreston would be a close one. In the third quarter, the Comets erased all doubt, cruising to a 58-38 win.

Downers Grove North freshman Campbell Thulin played with the savvy of an upperclassman Saturday, scoring a career-high 15 points while holding Downers Grove South star Allison Jarvis to two baskets in the Trojans' 43-25 crosstown win.

Senior guard Owen Thulin had nine points, two assists and one momentum-turning steal as Downers Grove North turned away upset-minded Downers Grove South 41-37.

Joe Kone scored 19 points and Alexander Konoff added 12 as Westmont boys basketball beat Peotone for its 11th straight win, A.J. Levine scored 23 points in York's win over IC Catholic Prep, and Glenbard West boys and girls basketball were both winners in Saturday's roundup.

The Streator boys basketball team - now winners of seven straight games - used 33 points and 12 rebounds from Christian Benning, a solid first quarter, and a pair of runs in the second half to earn a 65-56 victory over Pontiac at Pops Dale Gymnasium on Saturday night.

Nationally-ranked Dillan Johnson was one of four Joliet Catholic wrestlers to win their weight division as the Hilltoppers repeated as champions at the 57th Rex Whitlach Invitational at Hinsdale Central. Downers Grove South and Glenbard West finished in the top 10.

Sterling used a relentless defense and scored the first 14 points of the second half to build a big lead in a 58-38 victory over rival Rock Falls in the Day 1 finale of the 24th annual Sterling Shootout on Saturday evening at Musgrove Fieldhouse.

York's gymnastics team was a close second to Glenbrook South at the 37th Annual Palatine Invitational, while York's Angela Stangarone was second in the all-around and Melania Veselovsky tied for fifth.

Henry Guo won the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke, leading Hinsdale Central's swimming team to the Neuqua Valley Invite championship on Saturday as the Red Devils won 10 of 12 swimming events.

Anna Filosa made the go-ahead 3-pointer and blocked the potential game-tying basket as York beat Lyons in overtime, Elle Bruschuk's 27 points and 19 rebounds carried Willowbrook past Downers Grove South in 2OT and more in Friday's roundup.

Huntley's Steve Raethz, who has over 400 career wins, was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Dec. 6. Raethz has led the Raiders to 11 regional and seven Fox Valley Conference titles. Plus more in this week's girls basketball notes.

For her record-setting senior season that led the Rock Falls Rockets to a third-place finish at the Class 2A State Finals, outside hitter Claire Bickett is the 2023 Sauk Valley Media Volleyball Player of the Year.

For guiding the Rock Falls Rockets to a third-place finish at the Class 2A State Finals in the final season of her 26-year tenure, Sheila Pillars is the 2023 Sauk Valley Media Volleyball Coach of the Year.

Waubonsive Valley held DeKalb to five points in the fourth quarter while Blissett scored eight points on the offensive end in the final 8 minutes of a 49-45 win, securing their ninth straight win to start the season.