By Jeff Vorva

One week after Manteno had its fun making history in basketball and wrestling, it was Peotone’s turn.

Kiernan Farmer put her name in the history books by winning the Illinois High School Association 170-pound state championship in girls wrestling. She is the first Blue Devil to win a state title.

She had to beat Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker, 9-6, for the title.

Last year, Tucker pinned Farmer in the semifinals at 155, but Farmer was able to get some revenge by stopping Tucker, 9-0, at the Geneseo Sectional on February 10 to advance to state.

Tucker opened the season 33-0 before running into Farmer in the sectional.

Meanwhile, the Blue Devils girls basketball team won its first sectional championship in school history with a 31-30 victory over Watseka February 22 in the Class 2A Iroquois Sectional title game.

Madi Schroeder scored more than half of Peotone’s points, as she scored 16.

The Devils were scheduled to face Robinson on February 26 in the Tolono Unity Super-sectional for a shot at making it to the state semifinals.

Manteno girls stopped

Manteno’s girls basketball team’s big season came to an end in the Class 2A Iroquois West Sectional semifinals as the Panthers dropped a 39-24 decision to Watseka.

The Panthers had won its first regional in 33 years, but the season was halted by Watseka on February 20.

Maddie Gesky led the Panthers (18-13) with 10 points, eight rebounds, and five steals. Sara Schmidt had 13 rebounds.

Terrific throwing

Beecher grad Maddie Boley of Monmouth College was named Field Performer of the Year for the second straight season after a 16.81-meter weight throw at the Midwest Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships February 24 at Ripon College in Wisconsin.

It is the fourth best throw in Monmouth history and it ranks 24^th in the country among NCAA Division III throwers.

Shepard leads Cobras

Former Beecher standout Abby Shepard had a career-high 26 points to lead Parkland, ranked No. 11 in the National Junior College Athletic Associations polls, to a 70-46 win over No. 9 Lincoln Land Community College.

Shepard hit four 3-pointers in the win and added four rebounds, four steals and four blocks. She is averaging 12.3 points per game for the Cobras, who won 23 of their first 26 games.   

Hoop star

In the talent-heavy Southland Athletic Conference, spots on the all-conference team are at a premium, but Crete-Monee sophomore Zyheir Gardner earned a spot on the team.