The sports seasons truly cross now and bring in the opposite ends of the spectrum. World Series baseball ended Saturday, Nov. 5 with the championship of Houston over Philadelphia, and, although professional basketball started in late October, college basketball started earlier this week and high school basketball will be a few days prior to Thanksgiving Day. See below.
The football seasons, professional, college, high school, are going strong. In the high school playoff games, Yorkville and Batavia High Schools constructed elation with overtime victories Saturday, Nov. 5 and will meet in a Class 7A quarterfinal game at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 in Batavia. Host Yorkville slipped past Moline, 34-31, in four overtimes. Host Batavia outlasted visiting Hersey, 19-13, in two overtimes. See page 9 for scores and schedules in eight classes, from biggest schools in 8A to the smallest schools in 1A.
Hersey was stopped by a spirited Batavia defense, led by all-around Tyler Jansey with 15 solo tackles, four assists, and three tackles for loss. Ryan Whitwell rushed 25 times for 115 yards and one touchdown, Drew Gerke scored a touchdown on a 95-yard kickoff return, and Jack Sadowsky made 12 solo tackles.
According to Batavia head coach Dennis Priron the Bulldogs were in a game that included a safety, blocked extra point, the kick return touchdown, onside kick, fake punts, no score in the first overtime, 60 mile-per-hour wind gusts that raged all day, and Tyler Jansey.
Yorkville survived four overtimes. Head coach Dan McGuire said, “Happy for our players, students, and community. It was one of the best games I have ever attended and it was nice to be able to win such a hard-fought game.”
Yorkville stopped Moline on fourth-and-one at the end of the fourth overtime to preserve a 34-31 score and take the victory. Saturday, Nov. 12 weather forecast calls for chilly temperatures. There should be more than a few competitive playoff games.
North Central College football aim Saturday: Undeeated regular season
Men’s college basketball scores in openers this week: University of Illinois, 87, Eastern Illinois, 57; Northwestern, 85, Chicago State, 54; Illinois-Springfield, 83, Northern Illinois 77. Northern Illinois will play at Northwestern Friday, Nov. 11. Aurora University beat Maranatha, 97-49. North Central College will play at Aurora University, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.