Winnebago junior Chas Cross led the list of local boys basketball players who were named to this year’s Illinois Basketball Coaches’ Association All-State Team for classes 1A and 2A.
Cross, a 6-foot-7 center who led Winnebago to a fourth-place finish in the state, was one of 15 players in the state named to the first team. Cross averaged 16.9 points, 10 rebounds and 4.5 blocks a game for the Indians (31-2).
Two area players made the fourth team — Eastland senior forward Tyler Zumdahl and Rock Falls sophomore guard Jake Junis.
Polo, 58, Indian Creek 53: Grifin Buck had all the time in the world.
The Polo senior guard spotted up for a wide-open 3-pointer in the corner in the waning seconds of the Polo Regional championship game. Buck took a pass from a slashing Connor Lincoln and took his time before draining an open 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left that gave the Marcos a 56-53 win over Indian Creek Friday.
It was the first regional title for the Marcos (27-3) in 23 years.
Polo 66, Paw Paw 42: Matt Scholl did all his damage in the first half with 17 points to lead Polo.
No. 1 Polo advances to play Indian Creek at 7:30 p.m. in Friday’s finals of the Polo Regional.
Indian Creek defeated LaMoille 60-53.
The Marcos held a 51-20 halftime lead. Connor Lincoln (13) and Matt VanOosten (12) scored in double figures for Polo.
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Polo 67, Milledgeville 59: Polo trailed 43-37 after the third quarter but then outscored Milledgeville 30-16 in the fourth. Matt Scholl scored 15 of his 18 points in the final quarter, and the Marcos went 13 for 15 at the free-throw line in the fourth. Matt VanOosten and Connor Lincoln scored 21 and 20 points for Polo. Kirk Engelkens’ 21 points was the team-high for the Missiles.
Prophetstown 52, Polo 37: Julie Haye had 17 points for the Marcos. Prophetstown and Erie meet for the title on Friday.
Polo 59, Forreston 54: Another win, another night with numerous heroes.
That’s becoming the theme for the Polo boys basketball team as the Marcos needed every player’s best effort in their 59-54 win over Forreston.
“Every guy on this team can step up and take over a game,” Polo’s Grifin Buck said. “That’s what’s different about this year.
“Last year, we don’t win this game.”
Polo needed big efforts from multiple players, as the Marcos and Cardinals engaged in a seesaw affair.
Polo 46, Fulton 38:Polo jumped out to a 13-5 first-quarter lead. Brandi Tyne and Julie Haye led the Marcos with 15 and 12 points, respectively. No. 4 Polo plays top-seeded Prophetstown in Wednesday’s semifinals.
Polo 35, Pecatonica 31: Polo held on beat Pecatonica on Wednesday in Northwest Upstate Illini basketball action.
Julie Haye scored 21 of Polo’s 35 points. Vona Valenti and Taylor O’Brien each scored nine for Pecatonica.
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Polo 67, Freeport Aquin 62: Matt Scholl, honored before Friday’s game for reaching the 1,000 point mark earlier this season, showed he could he could effect the game in so many other ways.
Scholl recorded a quadruple double with 14 points, 16 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 steals to help Polo edge Freeport Aquin 67-62.
Scholl scored 10 of his 14 points in the first quarter to help the Marcos get out to an 8-2 lead that was cut to one by the end of the quarter. He was dominant around the rim in the quarter, grabbing nine of his 16 rebounds.
Polo 56, Orangeville 53: Megan Leverton led Orangeville with 20 points in a loss.
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Milledgeville 53, Polo 41: Polo took a 16-14 lead at the end of one, but couldn’t keep it resulting in a loss to Milledgeville.
Melissa Schleuning scored 13 points and Keali Engelkens had 11, while Andrea Herin chipped in 10 to lead Milldegeville past Polo.
Katelyn Grobee led Polo with 13 points.
Polo 76, Ashton-Franklin Center 43: Matt VanOosten scored 10 of his team-high 18 points for Polo in the Marcos’ 34-8 first-quarter run. Grifin Buck added 13 points — all of which came in the first quarter — and Garrett Scholl chipped in 12.
Polo 59, West Carroll 53: Polo held off West Carroll’s second-half charge to earn the victory.
With the score tied at 30 at halftime, Polo outscored West Carroll 29-23 in the second half.
Becca Fritz led West Carroll with 13 points, while Katie Wiersema added 12.
Polo 62, Dakota 48: Matt VanOosten scored 14 of his team-high 23 points in the first quarter when Polo outscored Dakota 24-12.
Scott Scholl and Connor Lincoln added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Polo beat Mooseheart 70-65 later in the day to finish 3-1 in the tournament.
SOUTH BELOIT — There’s no doubt anymore. South Beloit is the real deal.
The Sobos remained unbeaten with a convincing 72-52 win against Polo Saturday at South Beloit’s Martin Luther King Tournament.
Polo (13-3) was one of the area’s top preseason picks and reached the finals of the Forreston Holiday Tournament last month. But the Marcos couldn’t keep up with the fast-paced Sobos (16-0), who forced seven turnovers in the deciding third quarter while also hitting 11 3-pointers in the game.
MILLEDGEVILLE — In the battle of two of the top teams in the NUIC East, and one of the area’s best rivalries, Polo and Milledgeville put on another dramatic game, with the Marcos prevailing, 54-50.
“It’s always a hard-fought, clean game when Polo and Milledgeville play,” Polo coach Matt Messer said. “I’m really proud of the way my kids played, and I’m as proud as I can be of the Milledgeville kids.”
The game, and the top players on the floor, lived up to their billing, as Milledgeville led only once, but Polo was never in total control of the game.
FORRESTON - Chas Cross stands out on the court because of his height.
But the 6-foot-7 Winnebago junior is more than just tall.
“He’s tall, and he’s got a seven-foot wingspan, his arms are so long,” Winnebago coach Joe Murphy said. “And he can move on top of it.
“If I was on the other side of the court, I’d be frustrated by him, too.”
Cross was too much for anyone to handle at this week’s 49th Annual Forreston Holiday Tournament. A two-year-starter, Cross led the Indians to their second-straight title with a 62-49 win against Morrison in Friday’s championship.
HEYWORTH — After Heyworth outscored Polo 16-14 in the first quarter, the Marcos shut down Heyworth (8-2) the last three quarters in Class 1A action. Polo won the game 26-16.
Matt Scholl led Polo (7-3) with 135 yards and two touchdowns (6 and 11 yards) on 24 carries.
Drew Cheatham added 79 yards and a 1-yard TD on 18 rushes, and Steve Frano scored the only touchdown of the second half on a 5-yard run in the third quarter.
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GALENA — It wasn’t pretty, but for Galena, it was good enough.
At times Friday night, the Pirates (8-1, 7-1 in the NUIC-Upstate) were their own worst enemy, incurring killer penalties and committing a big turnover in the red zone.
But in the end, Galena was good enough, topping Polo 21-7.
“I thought we shot themselves in the foot a couple times,” Galena coach Ed Freed said. “But Polo’s a good team, and they’re going to do that to teams.”
POLO - Polo (6-2) clinched a playoff spot with a 21-7 win over A-FC. Matt Scholl led the Marcos with 136 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries, while Drew Cheatham and Steve Frano added one TD run apiece.
Polo held A-FC to total 105 yards. Kyle Bridgeman scored A-FC’s lone TD on a 15-yard run.
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FREEPORT — In a game filled with big plays and sweeping shifts in momentum, it was ultimately two onside kicks that propelled the Aquin Bulldogs to a 34-31 home victory over the Polo Marcos on Friday night.
With Aquin clinging to a 3-point lead in the waning seconds of the game, Noah Diemer secured Polo’s onside kick to seal the Bulldogs’ victory.
Aquin executed their own onside kick to perfection to open the second half with the game tied at 14.
POLO - Matt Scholl ran for 172 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries, scoring from 9, 3, 52 and 15 yards.
Polo finished with 363 yards rushing.
Scott Smith led the Marcos’ defense with 12 tackles and a safety.
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POLO — Matt Scholl and Drew Cheatham combined for all five of Polo’s touchdowns.
Scholl had 121 yards and three TD runs of 37, 7 and 42 yards on 10 carries. Cheatham added touchdown runs of 4 and 5 yards.
John Allen led West Carroll rushers with 47 yards on seven carries.
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ORANGEVILLE - Three big plays spelled the difference between Polo and Orangeville on Friday night, as the Marcos earned a hard-fought 12-8 victory on the Broncos' home field.
Polo running back Drew Cheathem opened the scoring, racing 58 yards up the middle on the third play from scrimmage for the Marcos, to put the visitors a touchdown ahead with just under five minutes gone in the first quarter. A two-point conversion attempt failed, and Orangeville faced a 6-0 deficit.
MILLEDGEVILLE — Polo needed a touchdown and 2-point conversion to force overtime. The Marcos got it. Once. But they couldn’t repeat the feat in overtime, and Milledgeville escaped with a 24-22 NUIC Upstate football victory Friday night.
Matt Scholl completed his only pass, a 27-yarder to Connor Lincoln, to force overtime after he added the 2-point conversion run. Kirk Engelkens, who earlier ran for TDs of 26 and 13 yards, put Milledgeville (2-0) ahead in overtime with a 12-yard pass to Nate Ebersole. He then passed for the 2-point conversion.
POLO — Big plays and a stiff first-half defense provided Polo a victory over Durand Friday night.
Led by senior quarterback Matt Scholl, the Marcos jumped to an early lead and used a solid ground game to control the final outcome, 44-12.
