Villa Grove sports report

By Tony Hooker
VGH Girls basketball
For 10 months, the girls’ basketball teams from Villa Grove Heritage and Tuscola had waited.  Not knowing if they would have a season, or what it might look like.

On Saturday afternoon, they got their answer, as the Warriors overcame a ten-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Blue Devils 43-41.

“I can stand here and say that they didn’t win, as much as we lost this contest,” VGH coach Dan Sappenfield stated.  “Our youth just wasn’t ready for their pressure at the end.”

Indeed, they weren’t as eight fourth quarter turnovers, and a pair of three-point daggers from Ella Boyer led to the narrow win for Tuscola.  Boyer would finish with 15 points to lead the Warriors, while jitterbug point guard Brynn Tabeling added 11.  Marissa Russo also reached double figures with 10.

For VGH,  Senior guard Kyleigh Block did everything but drive the team bus, scoring a game high 17 points, pulling down 10 rebounds and dishing out three assists.  Defensively, Block had three steals and two deflections.  Classmate Madison Burwell had 14 points and five rebounds and sophomore Maci Clodfelder pulled down seven rebounds and pilfered two steals.  Also helping out defensively were Vanessa Wright and Kaylee Arbuckle, who had four deflections each as the VGH defense limited the Warriors to just 17 points from their half court sets.  

VGJH Volleyball
Seventh grade cruises to victory in opener

Hayden Thomas served up 14 aces and Ryan Lillard pounded down 6 kills to lead the Blue Devils to a straight set 25-5, 25-6 win over Okaw Valley.  Ella Schweighart had four assists and Piper Kiser had two digs to help the cause.

Eighth grade scratched by Timberwolves

Hayden Thomas had six digs and four aces, but it wasn’t enough as the eighth graders lost to Okaw Valley 17-25, 20-25. Madison Hinds hammered five kills and snuffed 1-1/2 blocks for VGJH, who also received four assists from Piper Kiser.