Category Archives: Sports Section

Garrett Fritz Makes All-State Team

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•June 14, 2017•

Okaw Valley baseball catcher Garrett Fritz was named to the Class 1A IHSA All-State Baseball team.

The soon to be senior earned unanimous first-team All-Little Okaw Valley Conference selections.

“Garrett is arguably the best overall player in the area,” said Hagerman.

Despite teams pitching around him all season, Fritz hit over .500, had an OBP of over .600 and hit seven home runs.

“He is an exceptional defensive catcher as well,” said Hagerman. “He controls the game when he is behind the plate.”

Healthcom 5K at Wyman Park Brings Fun to Fund Raising 

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Healthcom 5K participants prepare for the event to begin last week in Sullivan. More than 50 participated in the first walk/run for Mid-Illinois Senior Services .

•June 14, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Over 50 men, women and children turned out at Wyman Park Saturday to participate in Healthcom’s 5Krun/walk to benefit the Mid-Illinois Senior Services. The race started promptly at 9 a.m. with runners, walkers and some seniors walking a mile on the high school track.

One of those was Art Welch who is recovering from hip replacement surgery. With the support of his family and wheelchair he completed several laps on the track. Read More

Sullivan MVP Among Blue Devils

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Photo furnished
Sullivan MVP Among Blue Devils
The Kaskaskia College Blue Devils Baseball Program recently handed out its end of season individual awards. Student athletes honored were: Bryce Beckmann (Germantown) – Dale “Smiley” Renschen Hustle Award, Nick Brunson (Champaign) - Defensive Player of the Year; Austin Blasevic (Plainfield) - Offensive Player of the Year; Nick Frerichs (Sullivan) – MVP; Nick Bates (Tuscola) – Freshman of the Year and All-Conference; coach Mitch Koester. Not pictured Austin Buzick (Granite City) – Pitcher of the Year

All Conference Honors for OV and ALAH Players

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•June 7, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Little Okaw Valley Conference NW announced all-LOVC honors last week.

Several Timberwolves and Knights earned honors.

For Okaw Valley, junior Austin Harshman earned first team as a pitcher.

“Austin was a God-send to our roster this year,” said OV coach Andrew Hagerman. “He played exceptionally well in the outfield and hit pretty well for his first varsity season of hitting. Pitching-wise, without him our season would have not gone as well.”

OV had a key injury to the staff, and Harshman ended up leading the team in innings pitched, wins and saves.

“He is extremely accurate, controls three pitches well and really just understands the game and what he wanted to do with certain hitters,” said Hagerman. Read More

SOV Football Camp Focuses on Fundamentals

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Sullivan Okaw Valley summer football camp Monday morning.

•June 7, 2017•

Sullivan-Okaw Valley summer football camp kicked off the first of two summer camps this week.

Sullivan High School hosted the first camp June 5, 6 and 8 at 7-9 a.m. on the practice field.

SHS will host the second camp July 17, 19 and 20 at 7-9 a.m. on the practice field. Read More

ALAH Softball Achieved Season Goals

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Photo by RR Best
WSS Wins Sectional
The Windsor Stew-Strasburg softball team took first place over ALAH in the Sectional Tournament Championship held Saturday, May 27.

•May 31, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond softball team achieved all three goals the players and coaches set for this season.

The Knights won the non-conference part of the schedule, the Little Okaw Valley Conference championship and a Class 1A regional title.

In the Okaw Valley sectional in Bethany, ALAH defeated Cumberland in the semifinals, but the Knights could not carry that momentum into the championship game against Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg.

“To win a game in the sectionals and get to the sectional championship was icing on the cake,” said ALAH coach Jerry Lane. “The excitement the team generated at the end of the season for the communities and the school was tremendous, and everyone should be very proud of their accomplishments.” Read More

ALAH Qualify Two For State Finals

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•May 31, 2017•

Kobe Wells and Logan Hall, of Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond both qualified for the State Finals in Track and Field Saturday, May 27.

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ track team placed 12 with 18.5 points and junior Logan Hall took home the state title in the 3200-meter run in the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field in Charleston Friday and Saturday. Read More

OV and ALAH Players on All Conference Team

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•May 31, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Little Okaw Valley Conference officials announced the 2017 LOVC Northwest All Conference Softball Team this past week.

Okaw Valley and Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond players fielded 12-out-of-20 of the selections.

First-team LOVC pitchers included senior Timberwolves hurler Maddie Perrine and sophomore Knight Shelby Frederick.

Perrine was first team pitcher for the second year in a row.

She was 15-9 on the season and finished with 41 career wins.  Read More

Sports Physicals Offered for Athletes

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•May 31, 2017•

Decatur Memorial Hospital will be conducting sports physicals for junior high and high school athletes for $25 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. July 19 at Sullivan High School. Incoming freshmen next fall will need to have a regular physical done with their personal physician as sports physicals do not count as incoming freshmen physicals. Read More

OVHS Softball Team Gets Past Morrisonville

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•May 24, 2017•

By Kirk Whitaker
for the News Progress

When the wind is blowing in at over 20 miles per hour, that’s normally a sign that home runs and big outputs of offense probably won’t be coming.

Okaw Valley High School’s softball team didn’t get that memo.

The Lady Timberwolves (17-11, 6-2 LOVC) hung a 10-spot in the top of the fourth inning en route to a 16-3 win in five innings over Morrisonville. This sets up a chance for the Timberwolves third-straight Regional championship.

Okaw Valley worked a staggering 10 walks—four from Natalie Jeffers and three from leadoff hitter Grace Harlin—along with two hitters, batters getting hit by pitches, followed by timely hitting in a winning mix.  Read More