MONTICELLO – Despite some chilly and rainy weather, the spring sports season kicked off for several teams last week.
For the Monticello girls soccer team, the season started on Tuesday. Addison Finet tallied the only goal of this nonconference girls’ soccer match, lifting Monticello to a 1-0 home win over Arthur Christian. Finet’s marker came 10 minutes into the second half via corner kick for the Sages (1-0). The Conquering Riders (0-1) received two keeper saves from Liana Kauffman and three keeper saves from Libby Henry in defeat.
On Thursday, Lucy Maxwell delivered a hat trick to propel host Monticello girls’ soccer to an 8-1 nonconference triumph versus Meridian.
Addison Finet generated five points — two goals and three assists — to further aid the Sages (2-0), who held a 5-1 lead at halftime. Leah Renne added one goal and two assists for Monticello, supporting a two-save goaltender performance from Ally Nebelsick.
The Monticello baseball season began Wednesday.
Monticello 11, Villa Grove 1. Biniam Lienhart tripled twice, drove in one run and scored three times for the host Sages (1-0), who kicked off their season with a five-inning, nonconference triumph versus the Blue Devils (0-1). Lienhart also pitched a scoreless inning of relief as one of four individuals to combine on a one-hitter for Monticello. Jack Buckalew led that quartet, striking out all seven batters he faced in two innings of work. Luke Teschke (three strikeouts in one inning), Lienhart (two strikeouts in one inning) and Spencer Mitze (two strikeouts in one inning) followed Buckalew on the mound. Jacob Trusner (two hits, two RBI, three runs), Colton Vance (two hits, two RBI) and Logan Chupp (two RBI) also aided the Sages’ offense.
On Wednesday, softball season started for four area teams.
Villa Grove 9, Monticello 2. Maci Clodfelder tripled among three hits, drove in three runs and scored three runs for the visiting Blue Devils (1-0), who eclipsed the Sages (0-1) in nonconference action. Cassidee Stoffel’s two hits and one RBI keyed Monticello, which took in two hits from Sadie Walsh and one RBI from Marrissa Miller.
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 8, Rantoul 4. The host Knights (1-0) leaped out to a 4-1 lead after one inning versus the Eagles (0-1) and rode that to a non-league win in a game that ended after six innings because of a lack of sunlight.
Clinton 15, Cerro Gordo/Bement/Decatur Lutheran 0. The host Maroons (1-0) needed just 3 1/2 innings to dispatch the Broncos (0-1) in a nonconference game.Haylei Simpson and Maddie Gant each clubbed a hit for Cerro Gordo/Bement/Decatur Lutheran.
Tri-Valley 17, Blue Ridge 2. Alexis Wike and Cassie Zimmerman each collected two hits for the visiting Knights (0-1) in their nonconference loss to the Vikings. Zimmerman also drove in a run for Blue Ridge during a game that lasted four innings.
Cerro Gordo Bement officially hired Elizabeth Owens as their new head volleyball coach. Elizabeth is a Cerro Gordo HS graduate and has previously coached 4 years at LSA.