Category Archives: Sports Section

Redskins Football Returns with a Youthful Team

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SOV coach Jeff Myers has 15 returning lettermen.

•August 22, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Usually, a high school football coach does not return youth and experience in the same year.
But that was exactly what Sullivan-Okaw Valley football coach Jeff Myers inherited in his first year as head coach.
Myers returns 15 lettermen but only six seniors.
This leaves the Redskins little room for injury this season.
“Without question the biggest weakness we have is depth,” said Myers. “Staying healthy will be a key to our success.”
Even with a young squad that has learned three offense and defenses in the last three years, Myers believes his varsity experience will help provide a balanced offense in terms of run to pass.
His expectations are pretty simple.
“We expect to win football games,” he said, “compete for a CIC championship and be a playoff team.”
For this to happen, the Redskins’ quarterback Luke Harlin will have to play a huge role for the offense to be successful.
“We require a lot of the quarterback in this system” said Myers. “He has to be a thrower, a runner, a leader, an orchestrator, and a coach on the field. This far Luke has exceeded my expectations in all those areas, and I am really excited to see what kind of season he puts together.” Read More

ALAH Football Team Returns with Experience

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•August 22, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

In his first year as Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond head football coach, Ryan Jefferson believes the 2018 squad can take the next step from last season’s 3-6 record into making the playoffs this fall.
In 2017, the Knights lost two games by a combined nine points, and with the experience and returning letter winners, Jefferson believes his team can win those games and potentially be playoff eligible at 5-4 or better.
“I believe we have a playoff-caliber team because of the combination of talent, experience, and leadership going for us,” he said, “but I also realize that we are in a challenging conference with a lot of other teams who bring back experienced and talented kids who are going to give their best effort on Friday nights.”
The Knights return six seniors and 13 letter winners, including the entire interior offensive and defensive line.
“We return a lot of speed,” Jefferson said, “and overall the team will have a lot of experience from the upperclassmen since most of them have started on varsity since they were freshmen.”
In practice, he has been working on HEART, which is what he defines as the team’s focus and effort. Read More

Strasburg Lions Club Slow Pitch Softball Tournament

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•August 22, 2018•

The Strasburg Lions club will host a slow pitch softball tournament September 8 in the Strasburg Park. Teams may have up to 15 players and a minimum of eight players. Cost to participate is $200 per team. The Lions will serve hamburgers and porkburgers for lunch and ribeye and tenderloin sandwiches for supper. All teams must be signed up and paid by September 1. For questions or to register, contact Lion Mike Antonacci at 217-343-9789.

SMS Hosts Tournament

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•August 22, 2018•

Sullivan hosted a round robin tournament with Teutopolis and Taylorville Saturday. Sullivan took second place. Teutopolis defeated Sullivan 4-1 and Sullivan defeated Tayorville 11-1. Teutopolis also defeated Taylorville 14-13.
Individual results are Rylee Roehrs- one hit, one RBI, one run; Chloe Smith-three hits, one RBI, one run; Bella Brownlee-one B, two RBIs; Izzy Hay-two hits, 1 RBI; Kylie Dyer-one B.
Maddie Probus-Winning pitcher against Taylorvile, one single, two doubles, two runs; Lexie Hay-three hits, two RBIs, three runs; Alaina Moore-three B, one HR, four RBIs, four Rs; Ava Shriver-one R.

OV Golfer Shoots 78 at Meridian

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OV Golfer Shoots 78 at Meridian
Okaw Valley golfer Case Crawford kicked off his season in style.
The senior golfer won the Meridian Hawk Invite with a score of 78 August 9.
The Timberwolves’ team finished third in the seven-team invite with a score of 409.
Maroa-Forsyth/Warrensburg-Latham won the tournament with a score of 369.
Okaw Valley golfer Hayden Carlson shot a 108, and Addison Webner finished with a 111.
Myles Harlin followed with a 112.
The Timberwolves are scheduled to travel to Arcola to take on Arcola and Clinton Tuesday, Aug. 21 and then to Blue Ridge at Woodlawn Country Club Thursday.

Sullivan Golf Tees off At St. Anthony Invite

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•August 15, 2018•

The Sullivan boys’ golf team teed off its season with a third place finish at the St. Anthony Invite Thursday and finished with a team score of 321.
Caden Ellis was Sullivan’s top scorer, placing third with a 73.
Leighton Burcham scored an 80 for ninth place. Read More

Wine Tours To Help Fund Bethany Gymnast’s Trip To Russia

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Reese Nichols is Russia bound.

•August 8, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Reese Nichols is a diminutive 12-year-old gymnast with big dreams and high hopes of participating in an international gymnastics competition in Russia in November.
Reese is the daughter of Bethany Police Chief Chris Nichols and his wife Bethany who is a nurse. Reese has a brother, sister and a dog named Theo.
Besides gymnastics she plays on a softball team, and her favorite subject in school is science.
She recently won first place in all-round competition at a national meet in North Carolina. All-round is the most difficult because she must compete in all events: floor exercises, vault, parallel bars and beam. Read More

Defensive Player

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Defensive Player
Defensive Player of the Year for the Moultrie-Douglas Junior American Legion baseball team is Ian Hill. Ian is the son of Chad and Jennifer Sutton of Sullivan and great-grandson of Sharon and Jim Daniels of Sullivan.

SOV Football Team Official Practices Begin

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•August 8, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan-Okaw Valley football team kicked off the 2018 season with its first official practice at the high school Monday.
But for SOV head coach Jeff Myers the first day was just a continuation of the two-straight camps the Redskins had before last week’s IHSA dead week.
Overall, the first day was a good one.
Myers was also pleased to see athletes whom he had not seen during the summer because of summer jobs and other responsibilities.
“We slowed the pace slightly just to get some kids brought up to speed somewhat,” said Myers. “Tuesday, which is another day in just helmets, will be more of the same.” Read More

Knights Volleyball

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Knights Volleyball
The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond volleyball team competed in the St. Thomas More League for the last three weeks of July. The Knights’ first match of the year is scheduled for Aug. 23 in Tuscola.