LOCAL ROUNDUP: Bobcats make a fresh start

Dec. 1—DANVILLE — The Vermilion County Bobcats are over a month into the season and are making a clean start.

After firing coach T.J. Sarcona on Tuesday, the Bobcats hired new coach Chris Blaisius and added more parts to the hockey staff.

Blaisius has been the head coach in the Indy Jr. Fuel 16U AA team, leading the team to the USA Hockey Tier II Nationals.

He also has been a head coach and General Manager for the Rochester Ice Hawks and a USA Scout and Hockey Operations Assistant for the NAHL's Fairbanks Ice Dogs from 2010-16 and has scouted for the NAHL's Lone Star Brahmas, Johnstown Tomahawks and Kenai River Brown Bears and the USHL's Tri-City Storm.

The Bobcats also added Matt Phipps as head equipment manager. Phipps has worked in the UHL, IHL, CHL and for the Peoria Rivermen when they were in the American Hockey League.

Haley Cruz joins the staff as the Athletic Trainer. She is a 2022 Master of Athletic Training Degree graduate of Boise State University and worked with the Idaho Steelheads during the 2021-2022 season.

The last addition for the team is Sean Zears as Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations. Zears, from Rankin, has been broadcasting for teams since 1993 and was the play-by-play broadcaster for the Wenatchee Wild of the BCHL.

The new-look Bobcats will return to action on Friday, when they will head to Peoria to face the Rivermen.

PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

Unity 55, BHRA 46

BISMARCK — The Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin boys basketball team had a tall order for its home opener against Unity on Tuesday.

While the Blue Devils hung around against the Rockets, they ended up losing 55-46.

Hayden Rice had 19 points to lead BHRA, who was down 25-21 at halftime, while Micha Stanford and Isiah Tidwell each had six and Brett Meidel and Chaz Dubois each had five points.

The Blue Devils will host Cissna Park on Tuesday.

Salt Fork 53, Arcola 36

ARCOLA — The Salt Fork boys basketball team started the season on Tuesday with a 53-36 win over Arcola.

Blake Norton led the Storm with 25 points, while Garrett Taylor had 18 points and Ty Smoot added four points.

The Storm will stay on the road to face Tuscola on Friday.

Oakwood 63, ALAH 38

ST. JOSEPH — The Oakwood boys basketball team continued its unbeaten start on Tuesday with a 63-38 win over Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond in the Toyota of Danville Tournament.

Jackson Dudley led the Comets with 17 points, while Tanner Pichon had 12 points, Alec Harrison and Joshua Ruch each had 11 and Brody Taflinger added six points.

The Comets will face Schlarman Academy on Friday in the tournament.

Westville 42, Tri-County 31

KANSAS — The Westville boys basketball team hit the road and got a 42-31 win over Tri-County on Tuesday.

Drew Wichtowski and Landon Haurez each had 11 points for the Tigers, who outscored Tri-County 14-5 in the fourth quarter, while Kamden Maddox added eight points.

The Tigers will return home to face Villa Grove on Friday.

PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

Seeger 65, N. Vermillion 29

WEST LEBANON, Ind. — Aubry Cole went over 1,000 points in her career on Tuesday as the Seeger girls basketball team beat North Vermillion 65-29 in Wabash River Conference action.

Cole had 30 points for the Patriots, while Paige Laffoon had 12 points and Rylea Wetz and Anna Moore each had nine points.

Braxtyn Dunham led the Falcons with seven points, while Callie Naylor and Olivia Pearman each added six points.

Geo-RF 33, Chrisman 15

GEORGETOWN — The Georgetown-Ridge Farm girls basketball team rebounded from a loss to Neoga on Saturday for a 33-15 win over Chrisman on Tuesday.

Sydney Spesard had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Buffaloes, while Kendall Roberts had eight points and six assists, Bryleigh Collom had six points and Addi Spesard had four points and 19 rebounds.

McKenzie Mitchell had 10 points to lead the Cardinals.

Georgetown-Ridge Farm will play Milford on Monday.

A-P 33, Covington 28

ARMSTRONG — The Armstrong-Potomac girls basketball team won its home opener on Tuesday with a 33-28 win over Covington.

Sydni Crain had nine points for Covington, while Kali Pettit had six points with 13 rebounds and two blocks and Lilly Hacquet had five points.

Armstrong-Potomac will host Milford today while Covington will travel to North Montgomery today.

PBL 41, BHRA 36

PAXTON — The Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin girls basketball team lost on the road Monday to Paxton-Buckley-Loda 41-36.

Beth McMahon had 15 points to lead the Blue devils, while Mikayla Cox had five points and Aubrey Peters, Mazyee Myers, Ava Acton and Draycee Nelson each had four points.

The Blue Devils will host Oakwood on Monday.

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

DACC 85, Olivet JV 68

KANKAKEE — The Danville Area Community College men's basketball team beat the Olivet Nazarene Junior Varsity on Monday 85-68.

Tyshay Epps had 16 points to lead the Jaguars, while Kendall Taylor had 14 points and six rebounds, Stephen Atkinson had 13 points, four steals and three assists and Terrence Ringo had 11 points.

The Jaguars will return to action on Thursday to play Southeastern Illinois Community College at 6 p.m.

WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Illinois 92, Pittsburgh 71

PITTSBURGH — The Illini rebounded from its first loss of the season on Sunday with a blowout win over the Panthers in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Adalia McKenzie had a career-high 25 points for Illinois, who made 14 3-pointers, while Makira Cook had 22 points with nine assists, Jada Peebles had 20 points with six 3-pointers, Genesis Bryant had 17 points with four 3-pointers and Kendall Bostic had six points and 14 rebounds.

The Illini are 7-1 and will open Big Ten play on Sunday against No. 5 Indiana.