Category Archives: Sports Section

OV Boys Take Arcola in Conference Match

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•February 21, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team finished the week 2-1 with wins against Arcola and Sangamon Valley but a loss to Dieterich.

Last Friday, OV knocked off Arcola 40-35 in a Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division game.

After a first quarter 7-7 tie, OV went on a 14-8 run to take a 21-15 at halftime lead.

Arcola battled back to take the lead, 30-29, by the end of the third quarter.

OV outscored the Purple Riders 11-5 in the fourth quarter to pull away for the win. Read More

Sullivan Boys Swim Team Places at Sectionals

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Sullivan Boys Swim Team Places at Sectionals
The Sullivan boys’ swimming team placed seventh in the IHSA Boy’s Swimming Sectional in Urbana Saturday.
“Not too bad for six kids,” said Sullivan coach Scott Bales. “Every swimmer dropped time in at least one race. Very proud of these young men.”
The six swimmers include Brodie Goss, Addison Graham, Ryan Schodlatz, Luke Bowman, Justin Helmuth and Julian Poston.
The relay team of Poston, Goss, Schodlatz, and Graham placed sixth in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:58.59 18.
The relay team of Schodlatz, Helmuth, Graham and Goss placed seventh in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:50.17.
“Brodie Goss had a great meet placing second in the 100 butterfly and a fourth place in the 100 breaststroke,” said Bales. “It was a great finish to the high school season.

Sullivan Redskins Pick Up Regional Win

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•February 21, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team finished up a strong week with a Central Illinois Conference win and an out of conference win last week before winning in first round of the Class 2A Vandalia Regional Monday night.

The Redskins knocked off Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg last Wednesday, Clinton last Thursday and Pana Monday night.

Against Clinton, the Redskins honored their seniors on senior night with a 43-37 win in overtime.

The back-and-fourth game was close the entire way.

Clinton took a 2-point lead into the second quarter, but Sullivan cut the lead to one at 16-15 at the half.

Sullivan had a 24-22 lead heading into the final quarter, but Clinton tied the game at the end of regulation to send it into overtime.

The Redskins took over in the extra period, outscoring the Maroons 11-5 for the 43-37 win. Read More

Okaw Valley Boys Split a Pair of Games

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•February 14, 2018•

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team split a pair of games this week.

The Timberwolves defeated Cerro-Gordo Bement Friday but lost to Decatur LSA last Tuesday.

Against CGB, OV improved its record to 13-12 overall and 2-2 in the LOVC NW with a 64-29 win.

Jared Bunfill poured in a game-high 27 points to go with three steals and two rebounds. Read More

Sullivan Lady Redskins Keep Finding Ways to Win

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Photo by RR Best
Sectional Bound: Sullivan Redskins Girls Basketball team celebrates winning the Regional Championship and with one sectional win behind them the team faces off with Teutopolis at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 at St. Anthony High School in Effingham.

•February 14, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

After defeating the No. 10 seeded Meridian in the first round of the IHSA Class 2A Arthur Regional, the Sullivan girls’ basketball team upset its way to the Sweet 16 on Feb. 12.

On their way to a sectional championship match, the Redskins upset No. 3 seeded Greenville and No. 2 seeded Tuscola to win the Arthur regional, then upset No. 1 seeded Marshall in the sectional semifinals Monday night in Effingham.

“Words can’t express how happy I am for these girls,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “They continue to defy the odds and find a way to win.”

Against top-seeded Marshall Sullivan played from behind almost the entire first half and went into the locker room down 25-19. Read More

Knights Take Sangamon Valley and Arcola 

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ALAH Kobe Wells takes the ball in for a dunk during the Sangamon Valley game.

•February 14, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team finished the week with a 2-1 record.

The Knights knocked off Sangamon Valley last Tuesday and Arcola Friday but lost to St. Elmo in the LOVC/NTC Shootout in Cumberland, Saturday, Feb 10.

“We played well, but inconsistently, this week,” said ALAH coach Dale Schuring. “It seemed that we started well in the games we won but didn’t finish as well as we would have liked.”

Against Arcola, ALAH jumped out to an early 15-7 first quarter lead then extended that lead to 13 at half, 32-18.

“We played a great first half against Arcola,” said Schuring. “We executed on both ends of the floor. We had good ball movement and got great shots.”

Arcola battled back in the second half to cut the lead, but it was not enough in the 61-53.

“The second half we didn’t value the ball as well and tried to score too quickly giving Arcola a chance to get back in the game,” said Schuring. Read More

ALAH Girls Take Tuscola Into Overtime, Senior Drive Not Enough

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•February 14, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

After defeating Villa Grove in the first round of the IHSA Class 2A Arthur Regional, the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball season came to an end with a loss to Tuscola last Tuesday.

In a back-and-forth barnburner, Tuscola took the early 10-8 first-quarter lead, but ALAH battled back to take a 27-24 halftime lead.

Tuscola clawed their way back in the third and tied the game in the fourth to send it to overtime.

In overtime, Tuscola outscored the Knights 4-2 for the 48-46 win. Read More

Tough Week for Sullivan Boys’ Team

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•February 14, 2018•

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped two Central Illinois Conference games this past week.

The Redskins lost to Central A&M Friday, Feb. 9, and to Shelbyville last Tuesday.

Against the Raiders, Sullivan fell behind seven points in the first quarter and trailed 22-10 heading into the half.

CAM kept the pressure on in the second half for the eventual 51-21 win.

Caden Ellis led the Redskins with seven points, and Dominick Kimberlin followed with five points. Read More

OV Girls’ Wild Weekend Propels Them into Sweet 16 

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The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team not only won its first regional championship in Timberwolves’ history but also earned a Sweet 16 bid with a win over Altamont in the first round of the Louisville North Clay Sectional Monday night.

•February 14, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

“It has been a wild weekend!” said OV coach Brad Ackers.

In Monday night’s sectional game, OV fell behind 11-6 early in the first quarter but battled back to tie the game at 13, and from there both teams went back and forth with the Timberwolves taking a one-point lead into the half, 25-24.

OV extended the lead to 46-43 by the end of the third quarter, but it was an 8-0 run in the fourth quarter that helped put the game away for the Timberwolves.

With a three-point lead, 48-45, a basket by Madison Vogel, four straight points from Paige Robinson and two free throws from Natalie Jeffers extended the lead 56-45 with about four minutes left in the game.

OV fought off Altamont the rest of the way for the 68-58 win.

Earlier in the year, Altamont had topped OV 49-45. Read More

Central A&M Top Redskins

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•February 7, 2018•

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped a game 87-50 to Central A&M to finish in eighth place in the Central Illinois Conference Tournament in Tuscola the last week.

CAM turned an eight-point first-quarter lead into a 37-25 halftime lead and did not look back in the second half. Read More