•August 23, 2017•
The Sullivan boys’ golf team defeated Windsor-Stew-Strasburg at Fox Prairie last Wednesday.
The Redskins finished with a score of 164 to WSS’s 219.
Caden Ellis and Leighton Burcham each shot a 38 to lead Sullivan. Read More
Category Archives: Sports Section
Sullivan Girls Compete at Charleston Scramble
•August 23, 2017•
The Sullivan girls’ golf team opened its season by finishing fifth out of 12 schools in the Charleston Scramble last Monday and defeated Windsor last Wednesday.
“It was a beautiful day for the girls to play, and they really look forward to building from this start,” said coach Ben Richter.
Addison Darush and Irie Dulin each shot a 42 for eighth place, and Alexis Britton and Esther Miller each shot 44 for 13th. Read More
Okaw Valley Golf Team Has State Ambitions
Photo furnished
OVHS Golf Wins First
The Okaw Valley High School varsity golf team won the six team Moweaqua Invite Thursday, August 10 to open the season. The team shot a 336 to win. Junior Case Crawford was individual medalist with a 78. Remaining individual scores: Cameron Nickerson 84; Tanner Coleman 85, Austin Harsman 89, Grace Harlin 92 and Ethan Macklin 107. Photo front row: Cameron Nickerson, Austin Harshman, Grace Harlin; back Row - Ethan Macklin, Tanner Coleman, Case Crawford. The OV golf team is coached by Steve Nickerson. They play their home matches at Eagle Creek golf course.
•August 16, 2017•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports
If the Okaw Valley golf team wants to make a run at state this year, then it has started off the season in correct fashion.
The Timberwolves won its first meet of the season, the Meridian Early Bird Invite, Thursday.
Junior Case Crawford, the most improved award winner from last season, won the Individual with a score of 78.
Senior Cameron Nickerson placed fourth with a score of 84.
Head coach Steve Nickerson in his second year returns a senior and junior filled team including eight letter winners and six senior boys and one senior girl.
“They have played with one another for a few years now,” Steve Nickerson said, “and have a lot of confidence this year as they have continually progressed and have really started to see some results and had some really good finishes.” Read More
Sullivan Golf Teams Increase Team Matches
•August 9, 2017•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports
In his fifth year as Sullivan golf coach, Ben Richter has high expectations for his 2017 girls’ and boys’ teams.
“We expect to win conference for both the boys’ and girls’ teams,” said Richter. “Hopefully, go undefeated like last year.”
Last season, the boys’ team was 15-6 overall and 10-0 in the Central Illinois Conference but came up short in the CIC tournament.
The girls’ team finished 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the CIC. Read More
Players Drive the SOV Football Program
•August 9, 2017•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports
A complete transition and implementation of a new system is not easy.
For Sullivan-Okaw Valley football head coach Andy Kerley the first game of the season will be a good barometer in measuring what to expect for the rest of the season.
In his first year Kerley has had to get to know his players, install a new offense and defense, evaluate talent and figure out how to best utilize that talent.
As if that was not enough, Kerley’s 2017 varsity team will be comprised of only five seniors with 2/3 of the team underclassmen. Read More
OV’s Paige Robinson Commits to Drury University
Photo furnished
Pictured is OV standout guard Paige Robinson.
•August 9, 2017•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports
Okaw Valley standout guard Paige Robinson verbally committed to play basketball Friday for Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.
Robinson will play for coach Molly Miller who enters her fourth season as Drury University’s head women’s basketball coach.
The verbal decision should put aside any distractions in Robinson’s senior year.
In her junior year, Robinson won the female basketball player of the year award at the 9th Annual ESPN Decatur ESPY Awards in Decatur.
In 29 games, she averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.4 steals and 2.9 blocks. Read More
OVHS Seniors Play for Sky Ice Elite
Photo furnished
Pictured is OVHS senior Jared Bunfill.
•August 2, 2017•
Austin Hill and Jared Bunfill, Okaw Valley seniors, have had outstanding summers playing for the Sky Ice Elite.
The Sky Ice Elite 17U basketball team experienced one of the more successful seasons in the program’s short history. The team is comprised of players from Okaw Valley, Decatur, Champaign, Bloomington, Mt. Zion and Springfield. The program, spearheaded by Eisenhower boys’ basketball coach Rodney Walker and MacArthur girls’ basketball coach Michael Williams, has provided an AAU experience for kids in grades 3-11.
This year’s 11th grade team was coached by Roy Gilmore who completed his third year with Sky Ice.
The team had two first place finishes in the 7-State Border War in Indianapolis and the Sky Ice Elite Belguim Showcase and a second place finish in the Shaun Livingston Classic in Peoria to open the season. In between, they have won at least two games in each of the tournaments played – finishing the year with 24 wins. Other tournament locations included Bolingbrook, Hammond, Ind., Macomb and Pleasant Prairie, Wis. They were usually placed in the toughest draw in each tournament so the boys played extremely well even if the number of wins didn’t reflect that. Read More
Blue Dolphins Qualify for Summer Regional Championships
Photo submitted
Pictured is Blue Dolphin swimmer Anna Wooters
•August 2, 2017•
By J.D. Graham
for the Blue Dolphins
Sullivan Blue Dolphins had nine swimmers qualify to represent at the 2017 Summer Regional Championships.
Anna Wooters brought home three first place finishes for the Dolphins in the 100 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 100 backstroke. She finished out the weekend placing in the top three in five out of seven events.
Sofia Nuzzo followed close behind with two first place finishes out of five events. Brodie Goss finished first in the 200 butterfly, and third in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley.
Natalie Drury brought home a second place finish in the 100 breaststroke and third place in the 50 freestyle and 200 breaststroke. Read More
Aquafest to be Held at Lake Shelbyville
•July 26, 2017•
Aquafest at Dam West Beach is no ordinary day at the beach. The Lake Shelbyville, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host Aquafest noon-4 p.m. Saturday, August 5.
Children and adults of ages all are welcome to attend. The beach fee will be waived for the entire day to allow all beach users a chance to come out and enjoy the free games and activities. Read More
OV Baseball Stand Out Commits to MacMurray College
Photo submitted
Pictured is Taylor Coleman.
•July 26, 2017•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports
Recent Okaw Valley graduate Taylor Coleman committed last week to play baseball at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill.
Coleman had not thought about being a Highlander, until the MacMurray coach Justin Fuhler contacted him.
They started talking about Coleman attending and playing baseball in Jacksonville, and Coleman decided he wanted to become a part of something good at MacMurray.
“I chose MacMurray because when I first met coach Fuhler, he seemed like a coach who knew what he wanted and that he knows what’s going on,” said Coleman. “During my visit, I liked the campus, how everything works there, and it felt like it would be a good fit. The people on campus made me feel like it was a place where everyone knows everyone, and you’re supported.” Read More