Heritage High School volleyball evened their season record (1-1) with a two-set sweep at Salt Fork on Thursday, 25-22, 25-23.

Olivia Sorensen handed out 17 assists. Bri Struck (seven kills) and Aliya Holloman (five kills) were the offensive catalysts. Struck and Anna Sanders each collected six digs.

Holloman served two aces and totaled two blocks. Bree Buck also had two blocks.

Heritage will return to action on Tuesday at Oakwood.

Villa Grove/Heritage Football

The Blue Devils suffered a 55-14 first-game loss at state-ranked Tuscola on Friday. Tuscola was tied for second in the first Class 1A state poll.

Kehm Shirley was the top VG/H ground-gainer, rushing for 106 yards on 15 carries. As a team, the Blue Devils had 181 yards rushing on 38 attempts.

Shirley scored one touchdown. Logan Nohren scored the second TD on a 3-yard pass from Blake Smith.

Smith was 5 for 15 passing for 60 yards. Carson Howard hauled in two of the receptions, totaling 24 yards.

The other VG/H points were on two conversion kicks by Zayzen Price.

Tuscola built a 34-0 lead before Shirley scored on a 10-yard run.

The Blue Devils return to action on Friday at home against Tri-County (0-1).

Girls’ cross-country

Villa Grove/Heritage finished 14th as a team in Saturday’s Saber Corn Classic, at St. Thomas More.

Teammates Kyleigh Price and Emma Buesing finished next to each other. Price was 57th with a 3-mile time of 24 minutes, 3.9 seconds. Buesing was 58th in 24:13.8.

Other team leaders were Kate Eisenmenger (74th in 27:14.3), Allison Kneer (75th in 27:18.1), Madison Logan (78th in 27:32.8) and Regan Blanton (84th in 30:12.5).

The team returns to action in Saturday’s Cowchip Classic, at Chrisman.

Boys’ cross-country

The Blue Devils didn’t have enough runners to be scored as a team, but had four individuals compete in Saturday’s Saber Corn Classic, at St. Thomas More.

Rowan Denmark-Collins was the VG/H leader with a 3-mile time of 19 minutes, 38.8 seconds.

The team’s other competitors were Kaleb Miller (104th in 23:10.1), Kylee Witte (109th in 24:01.6) and Fletcher Hannah (111th in 4:21.9).

VG/H is back in action on Saturday in Chrisman’s Cowchip Classic.

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fred@mahometnews.com

Oakwood lost its season-opening football game on Friday when Watseka scored a tie-breaking touchdown in the final two minutes at home to claim a 28-21 triumph.

Colby Smiley rushed for 239 yards on 29 carries for the Comets. He scored two touchdowns, each pulling Oakwood into a tie.

Quarterback Rhett Harrison completed 4 of 10 passes for 96 yards, including a 68-yard score to Jack Carey.

Caleb Lashuay kicked the extra-point conversion after each TD.

Defensively, the team leaders were Caide Borden (12 tackles) and Bryce Harrison (11 tackles).

Oakwood returns to action on Friday at home against Warrensburg-Latham (1-0).

Soccer

Colin Merritt and Brady Tevebaugh each scored two goals on Thursday as the Comets topped Unity 6-1.

Caleb Lashuay scored the first goal of the match, on an assist by Tevebaugh.

Sam Howie hit a goal that lifted the Comets into a 2-0 halftime lead. Grant Powell assisted Howie.

Other second-half goals were assisted by Caleb Lashuay and Joe Lashuay.

Overall, Oakwood had 14 shots on goal, while Unity had six. Comets’ goalkeeper Chris Winkler had five saves.

Oakwood (2-0-1) returns to action today at home (Oakwood Grade School) against Monticello.

Girls’ cross-country

Oakwood finished eighth in the 14-school Saber Corn Classic, on Saturday at St. Thomas More.

The Comets’ top placer was Grace Davis, who was 34th in a field of 96 competitors. Her 3-mile time was 21 minutes, 27.1 seconds.

Other team leaders were Mackenzie Russell (42nd in 22:40.2), Ally Morris (56th in 24:03.5), Katie Fritz (64th in 24:56.8) and Cassie Fugate (77th in 27:31.8).

Oakwood returns to action on Saturday at Chrisman’s Cowchip Classic.

Boys’ cross-country

The Comets had two runners who participated in the Saber Corn Classic, on Saturday at St. Thomas More.

Ethan Brewer was 103rd with a 3-mile time of 21 minutes, 47.0 seconds. Teammate Bryce Tucker was 110th in 24:11.1.

Oakwood, which didn’t have enough runners to be scored as a team, returns to action on Saturday at Chrisman’s Cowchip Classic.

Volleyball

Oakwood senior Katelyn Young was chosen for the Cissna Park Timberwolf All-tournament Team after helping the Comets to the title in the third-place pool.

In the season’s first week, Oakwood played seven matches, winning four.

On Saturday, the team dispatched Cissna Park (25-17, 25-23) and Fisher (25-11, 25-12).

Oakwood totaled 18 kills and 14 assists against Cissna Park, and 16 kills and 12 assists against Fisher.

On Thursday, in a non-tournament match, Rantoul topped the Comets 25-19, 25-8. The Comets were limited to nine kills.

On Wednesday, Oakwood rallied to beat Watseka 15-25, 25-23, 15-3. In that match, Young and Alyssa Romito combined for 39 kills. Young collected five blocks.

“The whole team brought the energy,” coach Lynn Anderson said.

Oakwood returns to action on Tuesday for its home-opener, against Heritage. The Comets’ lineup includes two seniors, one freshman and, Anderson said, “five with just one year (experience) under their belt.”

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