URBANA - Urbana High School’s boys tennis team dropped its home match to visiting Morton on Tuesday at Blair Park, falling 8-1 in a nonconference contest. The lone win for the Tigers came courtesy of Samuel Sherwood at No. 3 singles.
Sherwood earned a straight-sets victory over Morton’s Max Roosa, winning 6-4, 6-2, to account for Urbana’s only point on the day. He later paired with Xander Ashley in a closely contested No. 1 doubles match, falling to Morton’s Ryan Klopfenstein and Joal Larson in a super tiebreaker, 1-6, 6-2, 13-11.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Urbana Sam Sherwood follows through on a shot while playing against Uni-High earlier this month. The junior walked away Wednesday's match against the Potters with a victory.
Morton swept the remaining singles and doubles matches, though Urbana pushed the Potters in several spots. At No. 2 singles, Karl Bonita took the first set before falling to Larson, 5-7, 6-2, 10-2. Zach Olson came within reach of a second team point at No. 5 singles, forcing a third-set tiebreak before ultimately dropping a 6-1, 1-6, 16-14 decision to Tate Darcy.
In doubles, Urbana’s No. 2 team of Theodore Nevins and Gus Rund lost 6-2, 6-4, while Olson and Kavi Patel came up short at No. 3 doubles in a tight first-set tiebreaker before falling 7-6 (1), 6-2.
Urbana is scheduled to return to the court today, facing St. Thomas More at the Atkins Tennis Center on the University of Illinois campus. First serve against the Sabers is slated for 4:30 p.m.
University High's Robert Gao celebrates after grueling doubles victory against Urbana's Karl Bonita and Santi Lleras. Narrowing taking the first set, and dropping the second, Gao and partner Kyle Fan won the tiebreak, 10-7. See more match photos below.
URBANA - Despite less-than-favorable weather conditions—a steady breeze and temperatures in the mid-40s—at Atkins Tennis Center, the Uni High boys tennis team swept all six singles matches Tuesday in a home contest against crosstown rival Urbana High School, cruising to an 8-1 victory.
Freshman Jameson LaFave defeated Urbana junior Xander Ashley 7-6 (5), 6-2 at No. 1 singles. Ashley bounced back in doubles, teaming with Sam Sherwood for the Tigers' lone win of the day. The Urbana duo rallied past Josh Persiani and Ian Pan at No. 2 doubles, winning 2-6, 6-1, 10-7.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Urbana's Sam Sherwood lines up backhand shot during his double match with partner Xander Ashley at No. 2 doubles.
At No. 1 doubles, Urbana’s Santi Lleras and Karl Bonita dropped the first set 7-6 (5) but made dozens of sharp plays and dominated serve-plus-one points to take the second set 6-2. However, Uni High’s Robert Gao and Kyle Fan showed resilience in the third-set tiebreak, capturing the final three points after a 7-7 deadlock to close out the match.
Urbana returns to action Wednesday for a nonconference match against St. Thomas More at Atkins. The Illineks will travel to Bloomington on Saturday before hosting St. Teresa at 4:30 p.m. Monday.
Match Results
Singles:
No. 1 - Jameson LaFave, Uni def. Xander Ashley, Urbana 7-6 (5), 6-2
No. 2 - Swapnil Kumar, Uni def. Karl Bonita, Urbana 6-1 , 6-3
No. 3 - Robert Gao, Uni def. Santi Lleras, Urbana 6-2 , 6-2
No. 4 - Kyle Fan, Uni def. Samuel Sherwood, Urbana 6-2 , 6-2
No. 5 - Josh Persiani, Uni def. Theodore Nevins, Urbana 6-3 , 6-4
No. 6 - Ian Pan, Uni def. Gus Rund, Urbana 6-2 , 1-6 , 10-5
Doubles:
No. 1 - Robert Gao - Kyle Fan, Uni def. Santi Lleras, Urbana - Karl Bonita, Urbana 6-3 , 2-6 , 10-7
No. 2 - Xander Ashley - Samuel Sherwood, Urbana def. Josh Persiani - Ian Pan, Uni 2-6 , 6-1 , 10-7
No. 3 - Collins Rosch - Tristen Ting, Uni def. Theodore Nevins - Gus Rund, Urbana 7-6 (5), 6-2
CHAMPAIGN - Urbana's Emiliano Bedolla shoots in to grab Geneseo's Devan Hornback leg during their Class 2A 132-pound first-round match at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals on Friday. Bedolla fell by technical fall to Hornback 21-4 in the third period and was eliminated from the tournament.
St. Joseph-Ogden's Maddie Wells (left) wrestles Urbana's Rickasia Ivy in dual meet in December. Wells and Ivy, who took second place, qualified for the IHSA Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals in Bloomington Feb. 28 - Mar. 1.
HIGHLAND - At the beginning of the season in December, when asked what she wanted to accomplish this season, St. Joseph-Ogden's Maddie Wells said, "I'm really hoping to qualify for girls' state for the first time." Mission accomplished.
Wells, a junior who started wrestling three years ago, is a warrior. Yesterday, she became the first St. Joseph-Ogden female athlete to qualify for the IHSA's Girls Wrestling State Finals. Finishing third in the 140-pound division, the junior's grueling path through the bracket to punch her ticket to the state tournament in Bloomington was sealed after six matches at the Highland Sectional.
"I was kind of in disbelief and I was happy for all my friends that I’ve made along the way that also qualified," Wells said after her third-place finish. "I was most excited to eat Chipotle, though."
Except for her quarterfinal loss to Collinsville's Taylor Dawson, who won the sectional title in their division, Wells won four matches by fall and recorded a techfall in her consolation semifinal win over Mt. Vernon's Daniya Musgrave.
Mentally and emotionally, she said her first match of sectionals was the most stressful.
"My qualification match was my toughest," she admitted. "My previous two years I had been knocked out in this round so I was the most nervous."
Wells won her sectional opener, pinning Salem's Alan Finney at 1:44. Her quarterfinal loss to Dawson lasted 42 seconds. She bounced back from the defeat to win her next four bouts.
All the work Wells put in during the off-season paid dividends. She heads to the state tournament at Grossinger Motors Arena with an 18-6 record.
"I do a lot of open gyms," she said. She also attended camps at the University of Illinois during the summer to sharpen her technical skills. "And, I did some off-season girls tournaments."
Now a trailblazer for the Spartan girls' program and one of two girls on this year's squad, she hopes that her success will influence other female athletes to join the sport.
"I feel privileged to be able to pave the path but I feel excited to see the girls that follow," she said. "I hope I inspired girls younger than me to not be afraid of trying new things despite their gender and being able to follow their dreams."
Maddie Wells sectional match results:
Champ. Round 1 - Maddie Wells won by fall over Alana Finney, Salem - Fall 1:44
Quarterfinal - Taylor Dawson, Collinsville 32-3 won by fall over Maddie Wells - Fall 0:42
Cons. Round 2 - Maddie Wells won by fall over Kaisley Shotkoski, Mahomet-Seymour - Fall 1:15
Cons. Round 3 - Maddie Wells won by fall over Jacee Mardirosian, Carterville - Fall 3:34
Cons. Semi - Maddie Wells won by tech fall over Daniya Musgrave, Mt. Vernon - TF-1.5 2:18 18-0
3rd Place Match - Maddie Wells won by fall over Lillien Roughton, Unity Christian - Fall 3:09
URBANA - In a career performance, Lai'yonna Harper scored a game-high 21 points in Urbana's home basketball game against Prairie Central on Tuesday. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to help the Tigers secure the "W' in the 48-35 non-conference loss to the Hawks.
Junior Madison Shade finished with seven points, and Sofia Recio rounded out the top three UHS scorers with three points.
The visiting Hawks were led by Jayla Hammond's 14 points, the sophomore and one of two team captains, delivered nine in the third quarter. Two other players notched double figures. Cami Slagel finished with 13 points, and the other captain Abi Nimbler chipped in another 11.
The Tigers play their next three contest on the road, starting with a trip to Peoria to take on Richwoods for a 12:30 PM varsity game on Saturday. The team then heads to Normal University High School for a non-conference game against the Pioneers. Then, on Thursday, it is another trip west to Peoria for a Big Twelve battle with the Rams of Manual.
The Urbana boys basketball team suffered a 75-44 loss to Trinity Christian Academy (Jackson, TN) on Saturday, December 28.
Down by five after the first quarter, Trinity exploded with a 26-8 run to end the first half up, 45-22. The Lions cruised to victory from that point on.
Senior Brayden Waller led all scorers with 19 points. Gabe Lee finished 17 points, and Kaleb Williams notched 14 for the Trinity Christian (9-5).
The Tigers will attempt to better its 3-5 season record on the road this Friday at Normal Community.
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Girls' Basketball
Champaign Central 58 - Rantoul 50
The Maroons had three players finish their non-conference home game finish in double figures. The win improving Central's record to 3-5.
Junior Khalia Williams led the team with 15 points and seven rebounds. Samara McArthur finished with 12 points and five boards. Meanwhile, senior Alex Parastaran collected 10 points while dishing out a team-high nine assists and snatching five steals.
Thursday night, Williams and the Maroons host Danville (4-7) in a Big Twelve conference contest.
Oakwood 42 - Armstrong 45
Down 28-17 at the half, Oakwood made up the deficit in the second half but came up short, taking a loss in Vermilion Valley Conference play. Bella Bradford scored a team-high 14 points in the Comets' road game on Tuesday. Fellow senior Rylee Wright finished the loss with ten points.
Boys' Basketball
Champaign Central 71 - Unity 59
Chris Bush drained 19 points and collected six rebounds in the Maroons' road game at Unity (3-3). Sophomore Cayden Love shined, scoring 18 points to bolster Central's record to 5-3.
The Maroons travel to Decatur to take on the Eisenhower (4-4).
Hoopeston 46 - Cissna Park 44
Brayden Walder delivered 16 points in Hoopeston Area's VVC non-conference win over Cissna Park (3-8).
Cole Miller, who scored four points, had eight rebounds. Trenton Montez, a senior, also finished with eight boards along with seven points.
The Cornjerkers play at home on Friday, hosting the Storm of Salt Fork.
Urbana 51 - Sacred Heart-Griffin 79
The Cyclones handed the Tigers their fourth-consecutive loss. Urbana looks to improve their early-season record after Friday's road game at Peoria Notre Dame.
St. Thomas More 55 - Clifton Central 60
The Sabers (4-6) were outscored 8-3 in the overtime period by the Comets (7-4).
St. Thomas More is back in action on Saturday at the Eureka College Shootout where they will face Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.
Urbana U-High 32 - Westville 75
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Junior Madison Shade finished with seven points, and Sofia Recio rounded out the top three UHS scorers with three points.
The visiting Hawks were led by Jayla Hammond's 14 points, the sophomore and one of two team captains, delivered nine in the third quarter. Two other players notched double figures. Cami Slagel finished with 13 points, and the other captain Abi Nimbler chipped in another 11.
The Tigers play their next three contest on the road, starting with a trip to Peoria to take on Richwoods for a 12:30 PM varsity game on Saturday. The team then heads to Normal University High School for a non-conference game against the Pioneers. Then, on Thursday, it is another trip west to Peoria for a Big Twelve battle with the Rams of Manual.
We are looking for great photos
