Sauk Valley Shootout shot down
The Sauk Valley Shootout has been shot down in part.
The long-running boys basketball Thanksgiving Tournament has been discontinued, but will remain intact on the girls’ side next year, according to Rock Falls athletic director Rich Montgomery.
The unexpected news has left the Princeton boys scrambling for alternatives. PHS coach/athletic director Jesse Brandt said he is exploring options, but has nothing concrete.
Princeton played at Kewanee Wethersfield’s Wally Keller Invite before departing for the Sauk Valley and once held its own Turkey Tournament for several years.
• The Bucs stops here: Defending champion Belvidere (5-2) claimed the top seed for the upcoming Plano Christmas Classic, which will mark its 50th anniversary beginning Dec. 22. The Bucs return four starters from the 2011 title team.
Seneca, which improved to 8-0 with Tuesday’s 39-32 win at Princeton, is the second seed. The Irish last won the tournament in 2009.
Princeton (3-6) will square off against the host Reapers at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 22, their winner feeding into the top-seeded Irish at 8 p.m. Dec. 26.
Mendota, which is playing for the championship at the Colmone Classic Saturday night, took the fourth seed behind No. 3 Yorkville. Remaining top eight seeds include No. 5 HBR, No. 6 Lisle, No. 7 Genoa-Kingston and No. 8 Indian Creek.
The top eight seeds all drew first-round byes in the tournament field which expanded to 24 teams a year ago.
• Bruins No. 2: The St. Bede boys drew the 2 seed at Marseilles tournament, drawing an opening day contest vs. LaMoille/Ohio at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 26. Kewanee (6-2), one of six newcomers to the field, was seeded first. Putnam County, the fifth seed, will play Hartsburg-Emden at 3:30 p.m. PC coach Josh Nauman previously coached at Hartsburg.
Kewanee, St. Bede and Fieldcrest are the top four seeds for the Lady Bruin Classic.
Other tournament sites include boys — Erie (Bureau Valley) and Princeville (DePue); girls — Erie (Bureau Valley) and Prophetstown (Hall).
• Regional assignments: Hall will host the local 2A girls’ regional, featuring the host and defending champion Lady Devils, St. Bede, Princeton, Bureau Valley and Ottawa Marquette. The Hall Regional feeds into the Somonauk Sectional.
LaMoille/Ohio will travel to Serena in 1A, Putnam County and DePue head to Midland while Annawan hosts it own small school regional. IVC will play host to 1A sectional.
Mendota will travel to Sterling in 3A, joined by Dixon, Rochelle, Rock Falls and Sterling.
• Olson earns IBCA call: Former L-P and Rock Falls coach Scott Olson has been selected to be inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in April. He one of five coaches up for the honor.
Olson compiled a 413-248 record in 24 years as a head coach at Orion, East Moline, Danville, LaSalle-Peru, and Rock Falls high schools. During this time, his teams won 24 championships including nine regionals and eight conference titles.
No other Hall of Fame information was available.
