RK., TEAM REC. PREV. COMMENT
1. Danville 11-3 1 Led by All-Area Player of the Year Erin Houpt, Vikings made a run to the Big 12 Conference tournament championship game.
2. Tri-County 10-1 2 Titans received big efforts from first-team selection Tayler Barry and pals, who ended the year tied for fifth in Class 1A poll.
3. Sullivan 14-1 3 Standout Emily White received plenty of backing during a campaign that concluded with squad rated sixth in Class 2A rankings.
4. Salt Fork 13-0 4 The area’s lone undefeated team, led by Mackenzie Russell, staved off Watseka in triple-overtime thriller to end its season.
5. ALAH 13-2 7 Knights’ final week of the season included major wins over St. Teresa, Clinton and Tuscola, and Alexa Miller made first team.
6. Tuscola 15-3 5 Warriors’ three defeats came to Tri-County, Sullivan and ALAH amid daunting slate, navigated well by Brynn Tabeling and Co.
7. Watseka 17-1 8 Natalie Schroeder and the rest of her Warriors teammates wound up as the class of the Sangamon Valley Conference in 2021.
8. Mahomet-Seymour 8-8 6 Bulldogs struggled to end season but were area’s second-best big-school club (behind Danville), led by Savannah Orgeron.
9. Clinton 13-3 9 Led by Mallory Cyrulik, the Maroons ran roughshod over most of their schedule, winning all of its games by double digits.
10. Paxton-Buckley-Loda 9-4 10 Panthers couldn’t get by Watseka in two separate games, but Baylee Cosgrove and other Panthers delivered in Ford County.
Colin Likas covers Illinois football and high school sports at The News-Gazette. He can be reached at [email protected], or on Twitter at @clikasNG.
