The subbies reached the end of their phenomenal cross country season Saturday morning at the IESA Class A state meet in Normal. Uni was represented by four runners who all finished in the top 50, led by Mara Dolan's 11th-place performance.

The subbie cross country team has been having a great season, and the success continued Saturday at the IESA sectional meet at Kickapoo State Park. Four Illineks advanced to state, including girls champion Mara Dolan. Look inside for more about how the subfreshmen did.

Uni athletes made the top 10 in five events at the Illinois Elementary School Association's Class 8A state track and field meet this weekend. Sarah Vaughen led the Illineks with a sixth-place finish in the girls 1,600-meter run. Nealay Kalita finished seventh in the boys 200 dash. Check inside for more results from the two-day meet in East Peoria.

Four Uni subfreshmen have qualified for the Illinois Elementary School Association's Class A track and field state meet. Emma Hoyer, Bissy Michael, and Sarah Vaughen advanced in a total of four girls events, while Nealay Kalita qualified in two boys events. The athletes competed Saturday in the St. Malachy sectional at Rantoul High School.

For the second straight year, St. Matthew ended Uni's postseason hopes. In 2008, the teams met in the regional title game. Tonight they faced off in the semifinals. Despite guard Tarik Koric's 13 points, including three treys, the defending champs were too much for the Illineks, who nevertheless enjoyed a superlative year.

After wrapping up a 14-2 regular season, the Uni boys showed they were ready for postseason action, defeating Judah Christian 39-33 in this morning's regional quarterfinal. The Illineks will play St. Matthew in Tuesday's semifinal — a rematch of last year's regional final, which Uni lost 40-34.

With all the great feats accomplished by Uni varsity athletes during the fall semester, it was easy to overlook a remarkable subfreshman who is poised to become the latest in the long line of outstanding Illinek female runners. Meet Sarah Vaughen, who has already established herself as one of the top up-and-coming runners in the state.

In their first year in the newly formed Illini Conference, the Uni High subfreshman boys have shown they belong at the top of their class. The Illineks won the inaugural Illini Conference eighth-grade tournament Tuesday night after a hard-fought 27-21 win over host Judah Christian.

Subfreshman Sarah Vaughen finished first Saturday at the Illinois Elementary School Association sectional meet at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, qualifying her for the IESA state championship meet in Normal next Saturday. Vaughen ran the two-mile course in a time of 13 minutes, 4 seconds, outpacing the field of 51 runners.

Despite a spirited comeback attempt, the Uni subfreshman boys fell just short of becoming the first subbie basketball team to win a regional championship. The St. Matthew Raiders defeated Uni 40-34 Thursday in the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 8-2A Regional 4 title game. With a 2-1 record in the playoffs, including a semifinal win over No. 1 seed Chrisman Scottland, the Illineks finished their season 8-5.

The subfreshman boys will face second-seeded Champaign St. Matthew on Thursday night in the Class 8-2A Regional 4 title game. Uni has already won two regional games, including an 11-point upset of No. 1 seed Chrisman Scottland. The championship game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Led by top scorer Jamie Blue, the Uni girls defeated Judah Christian 27-20 Monday in the opening round of the eighth-grade regional playoffs — the first time a subbie girls basketball team won a regional game. On Tuesday the girls almost outdid themselves, nearly pulling off a huge comeback win against top-seeded St. Matthew.

Jamie Blue scored 20 points but the subfreshman girls basketball team fell to Thomasboro 38-35 in overtime Thursday. With the loss, the girls are 4-4 on the season.

The subfreshman girls basketball team defeated Gifford 28-21 Monday to raise its season record to 4-3. Jamie Blue was the team's high scorer with 14 points.

The subfreshman girls basketball team defeated Ludlow 33-11 Tuesday to raise its season record to 3-3. Jamie Blue was the team's high scorer with 14 points.