Oregon 63, Stillman Valley 51: Oregon earned a 63-51 victory over Stillman Valley on Tuesday in the first round of the Winnebago boys Class 2A regional. The Hawks play the host school Wednesday.
Oregon’s Nathan Todd tallied eight of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter when the Hawks outscored Stillman Valley 22-14. Drew Smith finished with 13 for Oregon, and Ryan Rosenbalm added 12.
Shay Bubnack (15) and Aaron Palmer (13) were the lone Cardinals in double figures scoring.
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Genoa-Kingston 58, Stillman Valley 54: Scott Suchy sank four 3-pointers and finished with 33 points for the Cogs. Ryan Muir chipped in 13 for G-K. Aaron Palmer (18), John Timm (13) and Shay Bubnack (12) were Stillman Valley’s leading scorers.
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Winnebago 83, Stillman Valley 60: Russell Fiori scored 22 points to lead Winnebago. Aaron Palmer had 16 points Stillman Valley.
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After being swept in the regular season by Stillman Valley and trailing 25-14 in the third quarter of the 2A regional championship, it was beginning to look like that Rockford Lutheran’s Big Northern West title may have been a fluke.
That’s when sophomore Callie Rezin started a rally that Laura Rushing and Dawn Martin continued and Heather Baier capped off for a 46-42 Crusader win.
“This is important,” Lutheran coach Joni Carlson said. “It validates our conference championship.”
Elgin St. Edward 57, Stillman Valley 48: A 22-12 third-quarter push provided the boost for Elgin St. Edward. Aaron Palmer had 21 points and Shay Bubnack 15 for Stillman Valley.
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Stillman Valley 71, Forreston 56: Just when it looked like Forreston had taken control with a 25-10 second-quarter run, Val McKnight (22 points) and Cassie Glendenning (18) wrenched it back for Stillman. The No. 2 seeds opened the second half with a 35-9 run as McKnight and Glendenning repeatedly drove to the basket.
“We tried to get (the left-handed) Glendenning to go right, but we couldn’t,” said Stephanie Conkey, who led Forreston (20-10) with 18 points. “She was so quick. And McKnight is lightning fast.”
Stillman Valley 64, Oregon 56: Shay Bubnack had 19 points and Aaron Palmer 15 for Stillman Valley.
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The last stopped Stillman Valley from being first.
And also showed why the last is first.
Genoa-Kingston proved its No. 1 seed in its own Class 2A regional isn’t a fluke when it denied the Cardinals a share of the Big Northern West title with a 53-51 upset Friday.
“This means a lot. This is one of the best feelings we’ve had in a long time,” said Molly Meier, who scored 19 points to lead the Cogs (12-13, but last in the BNC West at 2-8). “We know we’re a good team; we just have a tough conference. This shows that we deserve that No. 1 spot.”
Byron 65, Stillman Valley 43: Byron’s Kyle Smith got the Tigers off to a good start with 11 first-half points, and Justin Rosecke helped finish off Stillman Valley with nine second-half points. Smith finished with a game-high 16 points and Rosecke added 13. Stillman Valley had three players with 10 points each.
Stillman Valley 67, Pecatonica 60: The Cardinals had four players score in double figures, led by Shay Bubnack’s 17-point effort, and made 30-of-34 from the free-throw line to stave off Pec.
The Indians led by three heading into the fourth quarter, but Stillman Valley made 16-for-18 from the line in the final period to outscore Pec by 10. The Indians got 17 points from Kenzi Peyton and 15 from Josh Benters.
Stillman Valley 63, Rockford Lutheran 60: Shay Bubnack scored 19 points Friday night to help Stillman Valley to a 63-60 overtime upset of Big Northern West second-place Rockford Lutheran.
The Cardinals (4-15, 1-5) have now won two games in a row after ending a nine-game losing streak. But they’ve also given undefeated Winnebago, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A, it’s closest game, losing by eight points to the Indians.
Winnebago 50, Stillman Valley 44: Austyn Ford (15) and Emily Myers (10) led Winnebago’s scoring effort against Stillman Valley.
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Winnebago 67, Stillman Valley 59: Despite four 3-pointers and 24 points from Aaron Palmer, the Cardinals could not catch up to Winnebago.
The Indians jumped out to a 22-9 lead in the first quarter and held on. Brad Reinke scored 16 for ’Bago.
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Aquin 61, Stillman Valley 37: Noah Diemer had five 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 20 points for the Bulldogs.
Aquin jumped out to a 24-10 lead after shooting five 3-pointers in the first quarter.
John Timm had 14 points for Stillman Valley.
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ROCKFORD — Cassie Glendenning couldn’t do it by herself. But once Val McKnight and Stillman Valley’s press kicked into gear, Lutheran’s undefeated days were over.
Glendenning scored a career-high 30 points and McKnight added 17, all in the final 20 minutes, to help the Cardinals rally from 10 points down in the second half and knock off the Crusaders 63-52 Friday.
The loss by Lutheran (8-1, 0-1 Big Northern West) leaves Dakota and Oregon as the area’s only unbeaten girls basketball teams.
FORRESTON — Freeport Aquin held on for a 59-58 win against Oregon on Wednesday at the Forreston Tournament.
Aquin led 28-23 at halftime, but the Hawks outscored the Bulldogs 35-31 in the second half.
Amboy 58, Christian Life 57, OT: Amboy survived a tight match that was tied at 25-25 at halftime and again at 51 at end of regulation.
River Ridge 65, Dakota 40: Dakota hung early with River Ridge, but a 29-point third quarter would secure the win for the Wildcats. River Ridge led 23-19 at halftime, but extended it to 52-36 by the end of the third.
Genoa-Kingston Tournament
GENOA — Molly Meier (24 points) and Lauren Strohmaier (17 points) combined to score 41 of G-K’s points in the Cogs’ 68-44 win against South Beloit. Kristen Saari poured in 28 points for the Sobos.
Byron 41, Stillman Valley 39
STILLMAN VALLEY — It probably still smells like gun powder in Stillman Valley this morning.
The cannon that celebrates every Cardinals’ touchdown went off eight times during Stillman Valley’s postseason opener. The Cardinals beat Rockford Christian 58-14 Friday to advance to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.
Stillman Valley will be on the road next week against the winner of today’s game between Aledo-Westmer (8-1) or Lisle (5-4).
The Cardinals rushed for 379 yards in the running-clock win. It was the fourth time this season they have scored at least 50 points.
STILLMAN VALLEY — Stillman Valley’s first couple turnovers were forgivable. Field conditions were less than perfect, after all, and Oregon was bound to make the same mistakes.
But the Hawks, being every bit the two-time defending conference champs they are, did not.
Oregon capitalized on five Stillman Valley turnovers to beat the Cardinals 28-0 Friday and win its third straight Big Northern West title. The Hawks (9-0, 5-0 BNW) became the first Big Northern team since 2004 to finish the regular season undefeated.
ROCKFORD — Nick Snyder ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns on only five carries as Oregon blew out Lutheran 41-0 and set up a showdown with fellow unbeaten Stillman Valley for the Big Northern West football title next week.
Oregon, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A, outrushed Lutheran by 356 yards. The Hawks had 338 and Lutheran minus-18. Jake Koehler completed 16 of 31 passes for 93 yards for Luthearn.
Oregon plays next week at Stillman Valley, ranked No. 6 in Class 4A.
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STILLMAN VALLEY – When Shay Bubnack intercepted Genoa-Kingston’s pass to win Friday’s game in overtime, the Stillman Valley senior sprinted up the field to celebrate with his teammates, the Cardinal fans erupted in the stands, and coach Mike Lalor crouched down silently with his head in his hands.
"I’m exhausted," Lalor said after his team’s 36-28 thrilling OT home win against the Cogs. "We did just enough to win this ballgame."
WINNEBAGO - Stillman Valley scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to survive a scare and walk away with a 34-24 win at Winnebago Friday.
The state-ranked Cardinals (7-0, 3-0 Big Northern West) trailed Winnebago (2-5, 0-3) 21-15 at halftime but outscored Winnebago 19-3 in the second half for the win.
This was the closest game of the season for Stillman Valley, which was ranked sixth in Class 4A this week. Winnebago scored first on a 4-yard run by Seth Gustafson, but Stillman Valley answered with a 24-yard run by Cody Brewington and the Cardinals led 8-7 after the first quarter.
BYRON – Stillman Valley coach Mike Lalor earned his 100th career victory with a 56-15 win at Byron Friday.
The three-time state championship coach is in his 10th season with the Cardinals, which gives him an average of 10 wins per season.
“I think that says a lot about the great teams and great players we’ve had here,” Lalor said. “You don’t get to 100 wins that quickly without having an outstanding amount of kids through the years.”
The Cardinals (6-0) clinched a playoff spot for the ninth time in Lalor’s career with the road win.
STILLMAN VALLEY - Six different players scored touchdowns for the Cardinals (5-0). Shay Bubnack started the game with a 40-yard interception return. He added five extra-point kicks.
Brandon Schwengels (50 run, 57 run) and Alex Cox (50 run, 49 run) scored twice, and Cody Brewington (43 run), Keegan Myrvold (1 run) and Tyler Larson (100-yard interception return) also scored.
Schwengels (4 carries, 155 yards), Alex Cox (6-127) and Shawn Cox (5-88) were Stillman Valley’s leading rushers. Jake Koehlere had 228 yards passing for Lutheran and scored on a 7-yard run.
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STILLMAN VALLEY — Mike Lalor has coached dozens of outstanding athletes in his 10 years at Stillman Valley.
He’s pushed them in the weight room, demanded perfection on the football field, and led them to state titles.
But Lalor’s most important athlete came into his life just before his eighth year of coaching.
His son, Logan, was born June 8, 2006.
There were physical complications from the start. Lalor’s years of pushing athletes to their highest potential took on a different meaning. He now had to use that same drive to help his own son.
MARENGO — Stillman Valley scored 47 unanswered points before Marengo finally got on board at the end of the third quarter.
Keegan Myrvold led the Cardinals (4-0) with two 40-yard touchdown runs. Shay Bubnack, Alex Cox, Shawn Cox and Brandon Schwengels also scored touchdown runs, and Shawn Haas added a 40-yard TD reception from Cody Brewington.
Bobby Gaines (2 run) and Scott Donley (9 run) scored for Marengo.
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STILLMAN VALLEY - After Stillman Valley's 21-0 win over Richmond-Burton, what impressed coach Mike Lalor most was how coachable this year's team is.
Dressing only 23 players, the Cardinals gave R-B a textbook lessen in effective labor practices.
"In practice, only one person sets in scrimmages," Lalor said. "Everyone gets reps. That's helps in a game."
ST. JOSEPH — Stillman Valley survived a 92-yard touchdown return after its first touchdown to dominate annual state power St. Joseph-Ogden, 44-25.
The Cardinals (2-0) led 22-6 after one quarter, despite that return. Shay Bubnack sandwiched 2- and 1-yard TD runs around Shawn Haas’ 47-yard TD reception from Cody Brewington as Stillman dominated a team that has finished second in state four times since 1989.
Bubnack added a third TD run, this one of 91 yards, and Alex Cox added two short TD runs of 1 and 3 yards.
