Thursday's prep highlights: Hart, Rangel help Comets clinch VVC title

May 15—In baseball

's two-hit performance led the Falcons (7-18) in a nonconference setback against the Saints, with contributing a double and driving in a run to stand out among the team's seven-hit offensive performance.

hit a double and a single, drove in two runs and scored twice to motor the Rockets (20-7) in a nonconference home loss.

hit a double and a single to help the Panthers (8-14) take down the host Tigers in nonconference play, with and totaling hits of their own to help the winning cause.

A double and a single from , two singles from and a double from gave the Spartans (28-2) the edge against the visiting Raiders in nonconference play, with Fitch striking out four batters and allowing seven hits in seven complete innings of pitching work.

scored twice, collected a pair of hits and hit a triple to pace the Knights (18-8) in a nonconference home loss to the Sabers (12-15), while and each throwing three innings and combining for eight strikeouts.

and each had three hits for the Vikings (11-15) as they secured a Big 12 win against the Chargers (4-16), with Foster and driving in three runs apiece for good measure at the plate. Danville pitcher gave up three hits in the circle, but struck out two batters and allowed three walks.

hit two singles and and hit doubles for the Panthers (33-0) to key a nonconference home win against the Blue Devils (12-17), with pitcher striking our four batters and scattering five hits in seven complete innings of pitching work. hit two home runs for BHRA, which also received a double from .

Two hits apiece from , and helped the Bearcats (14-5) take down the Raiders (10-13) in VVC play, with Schwartz striking out three batters and yielding five hits and a walk in seven complete innings of pitching work. hit a double and a single to lead the Raiders.

drove in in the bottom of the ninth inning to clinch the Vermilion Valley Conference title for the Comets (18-10), with each totaling two hits to help produce the thrilling win. collected two hits for the Comets, while singled and scored a run to sink the Tigers (19-5).

Two doubles from , a double from and two runs from helped the Eagles (15-13) take down the visiting Blue Devils (19-12) in nonconference play. and led Villa Grove with two hits, while Sherrick fanned nine batters in six innings in the circle to earn the pitching win.

Three hits from and two hits apiece from and helped the Warriors (15-9) upend the Tigers in nonconference play, with Kingdon striking out eight batters and allowing seven hits in seven complete innings of pitching work.

had three hits and drove in two runs as the Rockets (25-7) toppled the Trojans thanks to a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Harris, Reese Frye and Adilynn Wilson scored runs for Unity, while struck out six batters in seven complete innings of pitching work.

In girls' soccer

The Bulldogs (16-4-2) were kept off the board in a nonconference draw against the host Potters.

In girls' track and field

Mt. Zion scored 128.5 points to win a Class 2A sectional hosted by Mattoon, with Danville (83), Unity (70), Effingham (53.5) and Paris (50) rounding out the top five of the 17-team field. Local state qualifiers included Danville's (100 meter dash, 12.13 seconds and 200 dash, 24.74), Danville's Jhe'Nyi Parker (200 dash, 25.84), Urbana's (200 dash, 25.85), Unity's (200 dash, 26.08), Argenta-Oreana's (400 dash, 1:00.89), Urbana's (800 run, 2:21.89), Unity's (800 run, 2:24.48), Monticello's (1600 run, 5:17.30), St. Joseph-Ogden's (1600 run, 5:17.71), Monticello's (3200 run, 11:18.32), Danville's 400 relay team of Esther, Parker, and (47.89), Unity's 400 relay team of Swisher, , and (48.33), Danville's 800 relay team of Brown, Esther, Shaw and Parker (1:41.58), Unity's 800 relay team of Swisher, Wherley, Tempel and Schlittler (1:43.78), Unity's 1600 relay team of Wherley, Schlittler, Pound and (4:10.37) and Unity's 3200 relay team of Pound, , and (9:58.94). Field event qualifiers included Urbana's (shot put, 36 feet and 6 1/4 inches), St. Joseph-Ogden's (shot put, 36-3 1/2 and discus, 130-1), Danville's (discus, 115), Argenta-Oreana's (high jump, 5-0 1/2), Danville's (pole vault, 12-9), (10-2 3/4) and Unity's Schlittler (long jump, 18-3 3/4).

Local state qualifiers from a Class 1A sectional hosted by Maroa-Forsyth included Fisher's (200 dash, 26.89), Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley's (1:00.49), Uni High's (800 run, 2:31.15), St. Thomas More's (1600 run, 5:02.31), Fisher's (1600 run, 5:23.95 and 3200 run, 11:20.94), GCMS' (1600 run, 5:29.75 and 3200 run, 12:10.27) and Fisher's (100 hurdles, 15.59 and 300 hurdles, 46.36).