Jake Wendling and Nolan Canfield played key roles as Manteno baseball won its first regional title since 2021, beating Beecher 8-1 on May 24 in the Class 2A U-High final at Illinois Tech in Chicago.
The Panthers led 2-1 going into the bottom of the fifth, when they scored five times to break the game open. Wendling’s two-out, two-run single on a full count capped the rally.
Canfield pitched one-run, one-hit ball over five innings, striking out eight and walking one, to improve his record to 7-2 and lower his ERA to 1.97. Braden Campbell threw two innings of scoreless relief, striking out three.
Maddox Toepper and Jake Stevens also drove in two runs each for the Panthers (21-7).
Ryan Cruz had an RBI single for Beecher, which finished 14-17.
Manteno cruised past King 23-0 in the semifinals on May 22. Toepper was 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and six RBIs. Winning pitcher Connor Harrod drove in three runs and Campbell had two doubles and two RBIs.
Beecher walked off the host Maroons in the semifinals, winning 9-8 on May 22 on Ryan Murphy’s bases-loaded walk to cap a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Nolen Lane was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs for the Bobcats, while Chasten Clegg went 2-for-4 with two runs. Santino Imhof was the winner in relief.
Blue Devils soccer in Sweet Sixteen
Peotone girls soccer advanced to the Class 1A Sweet Sixteen by edging Herscher 2-1 in the Coal City Sectional semifinals on May 23.
Allie Werner’s goal with 12:35 remaining broke a 1-1 tie for the Blue Devils (12-6-1). Nayeli Horta scored in the first half for Peotone.
The Blue Devils blanked Joliet Catholic 2-0 on May 21 in the Chicago Christian Regional final. It was Peotone’s fourth straight regional title.
Heading to Charleston
Crete-Monee senior Joshua Hill qualified for the IHSA Class 3A state track and field meet in Charleston by winning the triple jump at the Class 3A Lockport Sectional on May 21 with an effort of 45 feet, 7.25 inches.
Manteno sophomore Briggs Cann advanced to state in 2A by winning the 400 meters at the Pontiac Sectional on May 21 with a time of 50.30 seconds.
Beecher freshman Wences Baumgartner qualified for state by winning the high jump with a 5-10.75 clear at the Class 1A Seneca Sectional on May 21.
Illinois Lutheran junior Dawveed Holland also advanced from Seneca, finishing second in the triple jump with a 41-9.25 effort.
State record for Milburn
Crete-Monee senior Bren Milburn has broken the IHSA baseball single-season stolen-base record. Through last week, he had 88 in 33 games, 15 more than the previous record shared by Odin’s Jeff Burton (1988) and Lane’s Joe Perez (2001).
The Warriors were 21-12 through last week and won the Southland Athletic title with a 15-3 record.
Sports bits
Manteno softball’s season ended with a 10-7, nine-inning loss to Bishop McNamara in the Class 2A Coal City Regional semifinals. The game began on May 20 and was suspended because of rain before being finished the next day. Ava Peterson had three hits for the Panthers, who finished 21-8-1. Julie Ott had two hits and two RBIs.
● Peotone baseball beat Leo 3-2 in the Class 2A Chicago Christian Regional semifinals on May 22 before falling 10-0 to the host Knights on May 24. Ruben Velasco was 2-for-2 with a two-run homer against Leo and Josh Barta added an RBI. Tyler Leitelt struck out seven over five innings to earn the win and Joe Hasse fanned four over two innings to pick up the save.
Everett Carder was 1-for-2 against Chicago Christian for the Blue Devils, who finished 10-19.
● Peotone’s softball team was edged 4-3 by Wilmington in the Class 2A Beecher Regional semifinals on May 21. Louisville-bound pitcher Sophie Klawitter finished 11-12 for the Blue Devils (13-14) with 314 strikeouts in 152 2/3 innings.
● Crete-Monee cross country runner Amy Mojica committed to Indiana Northwest.