Wednesday's prep highlights: Westville volleyball keeps it going

Aug. 30—ICYMI — Thanks to @SJOFootball and @UnityFootball for joining @JoeyWright2000 and @mdaniels_NG on tonight's installment of Prep Football Confidential. We'll have coverage of their game on Friday at Hicks Field at 6:45 p.m. on @whms975.

Tonight's episode: https://t.co/IsU9J6EOyh pic.twitter.com/qkvVB004bT

— News-Gazette Preps (@ngpreps) August 31, 2023

On a day when Unity football visited for our weekly radio show, plenty of action also took place on the field:

In boys soccer

Argenta-Oreana tournament

➜ St. Joseph-Ogden 9, Meridian 0. Alex Acosta recorded a hat trick, Logan Mills and Spencer Wilson scored two goals apiece and Zach Harper and Steven Newman tallied additional goals to round out a convincing victory for the Spartans (4-0) against the Hawks. Harper, Carter Turner and Will Besson added assists while Jacek Slowikowski saved both of the shots he faced to protect the Spartans' shutout.

Nontournament

➜ Fisher/Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 4, Watseka 0. Three first-half goals — from Zack Zbinden, Jacob Chittich and Mason Doman — and a second-half connection from Zbinden on an assist from Isaiah Johnson helped the host Bunnies (4-0) cruise past the Warriors (2-2) in a nonconference match. Easton Stroh saved two shots to help the Bunnies clinch the shutout.

In volleyball

➜ Cerro Gordo-Bement 2, Meridian 1. The Broncos (4-0) remained undefeated by claiming a narrow 22-25, 25-13, 25-16 victory against the Hawks (2-1) thanks to 17 kills and seven digs from Ali Walker, 22 assists, nine digs and seven aces from Haylei Simpson, 15 digs from Skye Tieman, seven kills from Joie Auth and five kills apiece from Caroline Hill and Jadyn McCarty.

➜ Chrisman 2, Georgetown-Ridge Farm 0. The Cardinals (3-0) vanquished the Buffaloes (3-5) in a Vermilion Valley Conference rivalry match, winning 26-24, 25-20 despite seven kills from the Buffaloes' Milee Ellis and a 23-assist outing from Rubyrae Fraser-Soule. Kendall Roberts added 15 digs for the Buffaloes.

➜ Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 2, Ridgeview 0. The Falcons (3-4) soared past the host Mustangs (1-1) in their Heart of Illinois Conference opener, capturing a 25-17, 25-18 victory on the strength of five kills apiece from Sophia Ray and Abby Brown, six assists from Rylie Huls, two assists and an ace from Bailey Fitzpatrick and six aces from Natalie DeSchepper.

➜ Grant Park 2, Iroquois West 0. The Raiders (3-2) suffered a 25-13, 25-14 loss to the Dragons on their home court despite eight kills from Kenzie Tammen and 14 digs from ILyana Nambo.

➜ Heritage 2, Fisher 0. The host Hawks (4-1) flew past the Bunnies (3-3) in a 26-24, 25-13 nonconference decision despite four kills from Savannah Wiese, three kills from Paige Hott, four blocks from Jenna Clemmons and three blocks from Maddy Graves for Fisher.

➜ Watseka 2, Herscher 0. The Warriors (3-2) went on the road and captured a 25-17, 25-14 victory in nonconference play thanks to five kills from Thayren Rigsby, three kills from Ella Smith and eight digs from Brianna Denault. Smith and Noelle Schroeder combined for five aces to secure the outcome.

➜ Westville 2, Danville 0. The Tigers (9-0) tallied a 25-14, 25-13 to keep their undefeated season intact in a Vermilion County showdown against the Vikings (1-4). Lainey Wichtowski initiated the majority of Westville's offense with 30 assists that played into 14 kills from Ella Miller, nine kills apiece from Maddie Appl and Carlee Miller and six kills from Maddy Doggett. Appl and Doggett combined for six blocks while Wichtowski and Ella Miller combined for 13 digs.

In boys golf

➜ At Danville. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin was the only school to compete for a team score in its own nine-hole event at Turtle Run Golf Course, finishing at 181 thanks to a 40 from medalist Cooper Carpenter, a 44 from Ayden Golden and a 48 from Tyson Smith. Georgetown-Ridge Farm was led by Jase Latoz's 41, while Oakwood was paced by Vick Phelps' 67.

➜ At Fillmore. LeRoy carded a collective 168 to best Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley's 177 and Heritage's 246 in a nine-hole match at Indian Springs Golf Course. The Falcons' Carter Eichelberger was the medalist at 1-over 37, but the Panthers received solid contributions in the form of a 40 from Brycen Umstattd, a 42 from Nate McKnight and scores of 43 from Sam Edmundson and Tate Harden en route to the win. Ryan Carley shot 43 to help the Falcons' cause while Anthony Happ and Rylan White both shot 59 to pace the Hawks.

➜ At Monticello. Champaign Central and host Monticello tied for the team victory at 159 in the Sages' home event at Monticello Golf Club that also included Tuscola, which placed third at 197. Maddux Quick's 35 and Andrew Neef's 39 keyed the Sages, who also received strong rounds in the form of a 42 from Kross Reynolds and dual efforts of 43 from Hayden Klink and Connor Kuntz. Chris Timmons and Evan Kolb led the Maroons at 39 while Jeremy McCoy (40), Ben Bandy (41) and Jack Levitan (42) were close behind. Brayden Gough's 43 paced Tuscola.

➜ At Pontiac. St. Thomas More was led by a 38 from Wilson Kirby, a 40 from Jimmy Henderson and a 43 from Wyatt Kirby as the Sabers finished at 167 to place second to Bloomington Central Catholic's 162 at The Oaks at River's Edge.

➜ At Sheldon. Austin Marcier's 38 was good enough to claim medalist honors and lift Watseka (182) past Donovan (190) and Milford at Shewami Country Club. The Warriors also received a 45 from Hagen Hoy and a 48 from Mason Galyen, while the Bearcats were paced by Hixon Lafond's 65.

In girls' golf➜ At Monticello. Tuscola carded a collective 212 to earn a narrow win over host Monticello (215) and Champaign Central (255) at Monticello Golf Club. Zoey Thomason led the Warriors at 48 with Addyson Ring close behind at 50, while the Sages were powered by medalist Megan Allen's 47 and Macy Printy's 52. Neiman Shivers' 62 was the low score for the Maroons.

➜ At Sheldon. Watseka and Milford were the only two schools to compete for team scores at Shewami Country Club, with Jasmine Essington carding a 43 to lift the Warriors to a 219-263 victory. Kyah Bowling recorded a 60 for the Warriors and Layla Holohan shot a 61, while Milford was powered by Gracie Gregory's 62.

In girls' tennis

➜ At Champaign. Champaign Central was edged by Mattoon in a 5-4 decision on the Maroons' home court at Spalding Park despite singles wins from Mariclare O'Gorman (7-6, 6-4), Avery Boyer (7-6, 6-7, 10-6) and Fiona Leakey (6-1, 6-1) and doubles wins from O'Gorman and Kara Charney (6-3, 6-2) and Leakey and Eunice Kim (6-4, 6-4).

JOEY WRIGHT