money All-star basketball | Freeport's back-to-back no-no's | Hononegah volleyball is growing
Welcome back to another edition of the Rockford Register Star's high school sports newsletter, which provides only the subscribers with an in-depth look into the area's sports world each and every week.
When it comes to keeping up with all the high school sports in the Rockford area, this is the best way to do it. Each edition includes the athlete of the week story with the poll attached, as well as the most recent top stories, features, lists of top players and teams to watch, and big-game and postseason coverage.
This week's Rockford Register Star High School Sports Newsletter will include a look at how the Rockford-area teams swept the NIC-10 squads in the annual Rising Stars Classic basketball games; how Freeport pitchers threw consecutive perfect game and no-hitter; how four basketball stars are keeping Hononegah undefeated in volleyball; how Hononegah baseball replaced multiple 4-year starters and remains an NIC-10 contender; and the athlete of the week.
So spread the word and let everybody know where to find us. Enjoy!
Rockford-area teams sweep NIC-10 in Rising Stars basketball games
Saturday, in one final go-around together, Winnebago's Miyah Brown and Renee Rittmeyer were again the two best players on the floor, combining for 45 points to lead the All-Area girls team to an 88-68 victory over the NIC-10 in the annual Rising Stars all-star game at Rock Valley College.
The boys, with Eastland’s Kellen Henze leading the way in the first half, then went on a late run to beat the NIC-10 seniors 105-99. That marked only the fourth time in the 24 years of the event that the smaller schools have swept both games, joining the 2010, 2013 and 2014 area teams.
Freeport baseball pitchers throw consecutive perfect game, no-hitter
Shaun Dascher had never seen a no-hitter since becoming Freeport’s head baseball coach in 2017.
Now he has seen two in two games.
Mason Lei needed only 55 pitches Monday to throw a perfect game in Freeport’s 10-0, five-inning victory over Auburn in the Pretzels’ NIC-10 opener.
Cole Trickel wasn’t nearly as precise the next day at Auburn. He walked four and had thrown 92 pitches through six innings Tuesday. Dascher was about to pull him, before his scorekeeper pointed out Trickel had a no-hitter going. Dascher changed his mind, gave “him a chance to do it,” and Trickel delivered with an eight-pitch final inning in the 7-2 victory. He finished with nine strikeouts.
How 4 basketball stars are keeping Hononegah undefeated in volleyball
The tallest high schoolers get pressured by their peers to play basketball and volleyball.
“I hear it all the time,” 6-foot-6 Hononegah junior Brandon Beck said. “Especially basketball. ‘You have to play basketball.’ ”
But you apparently don’t have to play both. NIC-10 basketball players don’t play volleyball. Or vice versa.
Except at Hononegah.
How Hononegah baseball remains a NIC-10 contender
All Maddux Hibbard and Landen Seymour have seen is Hononegah win: 50-4 in the NIC-10 since 2019. Fourth in the state last year.
But that was with Noah Goddard, Gabe Roessler and Braden Sayles playing catcher, shortstop and centerfield since they were freshmen. Hononegah returned four key starters, but thrust two new ones — Hibbard and Seymour — into the large No. 3 and 4 holes in the lineup vacated by Goddard and Roessler.
No problem. The two have stepped up and delivered and helped Hononegah, again, look like the best baseball team in the NIC-10. the two combined for five hits Monday as Hononegah walloped Harlem 14-0 in five innings in the conference opener to improve to 4-1 on the season.
Vote for a spring athlete of the week!
The spring seasons are off and running and there are plenty of Rockford-area athletes stepping up.
Here is your chance to vote for who you believe deserves the Rockford Register Star's high school sports athlete of the week.
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: All-star basketball | Freeport's back-to-back no-no's | Hononegah volleyball is growing
