NUIC Sports Weekend Preview

By Al Zipsie

East Dubuque's boys are the highest ranked NUIC basketball team in the latest AP State rankings Wednesday.

East Dubuque (19-1) moved up to third from sixth in the 1A poll. Eastland (19-2) were fourth in the 1A girls rankings. The Stockton girls (17-2) moved into tenth in the 1A poll.

Other Stateline teams ranked was the Boylan girls still unbeaten in 20 outings second in 4A. In 2A boys, Winnebago, 13-1 were fourth.

Here are the latest Stateline Sports Hub NUIC basketball rankings. East Dubuque boys and Eastland girls are our two state-ranked teams.

Boys

East Dubuque 19-1
Polo 15-5
Milledgeville 11-4
Pearl City 9-4
Aquin 9-7
Lena-Winslow 12-5
River Ridge 11-6
West Carroll 10-9
Forreston 7-6
Eastland 9-10

Girls

Eastland 19-2
Stockton 17-2
East Dubuque 16-2
Aquin 17-4
Galena 12-6
Dakota 12-8
Ashton Franklin Center 13-7
Pearl City 11-9
Durand 11-8
Forreston 11-10

In NUIC wrestling both Dakota and Lena-Winslow/Stockton remain highly ranked.

Lewin/Stockton's only dual loss came to Dakota 36-33 last week. Those teams will not meet in another dual this season. Lewin/Stockton, is the defending State champs while Dakota had won it the four straight years before.

In the first state 1A rankings since Dakota's dual win over LW/Stockton. The Rob Sherrill rankings had Dakota first followed by LW/Stockton, Aurora Christian and Coal City. However, the Illinois Matmen had Aurora Christian first, Dakota second, Lena-Winslow/Stockton third and Coal City fourth.

The rankings or the dual result really don't matter much as the Dakota and LW/Stockton are on a collision course for the highly anticipated Individual Regional. Only the winner of the Individual Regional with the most team points will advance for a chance to win the dual state championship.

Dakota beat Stillman Valley 45-29 Wednesday. The record of of 16-8 is misleading as they have yet to lose to a 1A school. They ran into a buzz-saw in the top ranked 3A and nationally ranked Lombard Montini, who shut them out.

In the match Dakota's 220 pounder Maverick McPeek lost his first match of the year 3-1 in sudden overtime to top Montini wrestler.

McPeek also that week beat the Wisconsin state champion for the second time this year. The first for the Dvorak title. McPeek, also won the Princeton Invitational over the other top 220 pounder from Orion.

Others from Dakota in the 1A Individual State rankings besides top ranked McPeek. Include, Connor Elmer at 106, Lucas Sutherland 113, Caleb Alber at 132, Evan Riggle 138, Cade Slayton 145, Andrew Wenzel at 152 and Chad Gallagher at 182.

Lena-Winslow/Stockton is hoping for a trio of state champions in Hunter Luke at 138, Rahveon Valentine at 170 and Ian Kuehl at 285.