Sweet victory for Rockets

Unable to contain her emotions, Unity pitcher Taylor Henry jumps with joy after watching teammate Allyson England catch a pop-up from Central Catholic's Isabelle Campbell in the top of the seventh inning signaling the last out of the game. The Illini Prairie Conference contest was knotted at four-all until Rockets' Ruby Tarr doubled on a 0-1 count allowing Taylor Joop to fly around the bases, from first to home, for the go-ahead run and the 5-4 victory. Henry pitched a complete game recording 13 strikeouts after 104 pitches tossed for the Class 2A state-ranked Rockets who improved to 5-0 on the season after the thrilling victory.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

IPC names volleyball First Team

Payton Vallee lines up a kill during St. Joseph-Ogden's Class 2A third place game against Rockford Lutheran. Vallee and six other Sentinel area volleyball players earned all-conference recognition for their efforts during the shortened 2020-21 season. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Last week, the best volleyball players this season in the Illini Prairie Conference were announced late last week. Kennedi Burnett and Payton Vallee from St. Joseph-Ogden High School join Unity's Emma Bleecher were awarded First Team All-Conference honors by the Illini Prairie Conference last week.

Rockets' Emma Flesman and the Spartans' Hannah Fox were two of ten players who earned Second Team honors from the conference coaches.

Three-sport athlete Taylor Henry and teammate Macie Knudsen, both from Unity, received Honorable Mentions.

Below is a complete list of this season's honorees.

2020-21 IPC All-Conference Volleyball Team

First Team

Kenna Wollard, Illinois Valley Central
Kaitlin Dean, Olympia
Caroline Kerr, Saint Thomas More
Renni Fultz, Monticello
Kennedi Burnett, Saint Joseph-Ogden
Payton Vallee, Saint Joseph-Ogden
Colleen Hege, Saint Thomas More
Emma Bleecher, Unity

Second Team

Mairen Mannon, Illinois Valley Central
Amaya Webb, Illinois Valley Central
Allie Carr, Monticello
Brooke Fox, Pontiac
Jenni Slagel, Prairie Central
Bella Shields, Rantoul
Hannah Fox, Saint Joseph-Ogden
Mallory Monahan, Saint Thomas More
Maci Walters, Saint Thomas More
Emma Felsman, Unity

Honorable Mention

Abby Cox, Central Catholic
Steph Hebel, Central Catholic
Mia Brady, Pontiac
Addison Masching, Pontiac
Natalie Graf, Prairie Central
Briley Hoffman, Prairie Central
Ashlee Freeman, Rantoul
Taylor Henry, Unity
Macie Knudsen, Unity