Category Archives: Sports Section

Redskins Win Barn Burner in Overtime

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Photo by RR Best Head coach Chester Reeder watched the Redskins catch fire in the fourth quarter.

Photo by RR Best
Head coach Chester Reeder watched the Redskins catch fire in the fourth quarter.

Wild 4th Quarter

•December 16, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

Sullivan High School gym was the scene of a barn burning basketball game between the Redskins and Okaw Valley Timberwolves Dec 8.

It was a game that had the Redskins roaring back in the fourth quarter to throw the game into overtime.

And the overtime win came on the shoulders of 5’10” senior guard Kaleb Shumard at the free throw line.The final score was 86-85 Sullivan.

“Our kids were resilient last night,”  coach Chester Reeder said of the comeback effort.  “Zach Hrvol and Ty Molzen completely took over in the fourth quarter.”

Sullivan scored 35 points to the Timberwolves 17 points in the fourth quarter, then came back to win 9-8 in overtime.

“Kaleb Shumard had some key late game stops and made the game winning free throw,“ Coach Reeder continued.  “I’m unbelievably proud of our young men tonight.  Hopefully this will snowball into something great.”

The Redskins started the first quarter ahead of the Timberwolves 16-12. Okaw Valley had a 31 point run in the second quarter, putting  them up 43-34 at the half.

A dismal 8-17 third quarter put the Redskins in a 60-42 hole at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Read More

Powerful Green Wave Overtakes Lady Knights

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Photo by Mike Brothers Lady Knight Megan Fifer goes up for two of her six points against the Mattoon Green Wave during last Saturday’s game in Arthur.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Lady Knight Megan Fifer goes up for two of her six points against the Mattoon Green Wave during last Saturday’s game in Arthur.

•December 16, 2015•

A bigger, more powerful Mattoon Green Wave came to Arthur Saturday, defeating the Lady Knights 71-39.

The first quarter play ended with Mattoon up 29-14. A 17-13 second quarter sent the Green Wave to a half time lead 46-27. Mattoon outscored Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond in the third 16-8 and in the fourth quarter 9-4 for the win.

In the junior varsity game Mattoon won 41-17.

Hannah Wallen was high scorer for the Lady Knights getting most of her 10 points in the first quarter.

Megan Fifer came up with two field goals and two free throws for six points; Logan Kauffman hit one three point shot and a field goal for four points; Janette Comstock had one field goal and hit two free throws for two totaling four points; Alyssa Hershberger hit one field goal and two free shots for four points; Jazmine Arnett had one field goal for two points; Payton Wellbaum hit one field goal and one free throw for three points; Liz Shipman hit two from the field for four points. Read More

Warriors Dominate Knights in Tuscola

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•December 16, 2015•

The ALAH Knights’ basketball team traveled to Tuscola Dec 8 with the Warriors winning 47-18.

Tuscola and ALAH swapped 10-4 scores for three quarters with Tuscola scoring 17 to the Knights six points in the final quarter.

Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond hit seven of 28 from the field for 25 percent and four of nine free throws for 44 percent.

Tuscola made 21 of 38 from the field for 55 percent; three of seven three point shots for 42 percent and two of seven free throws for 28 percent.

The Knights had 18 rebounds with the Warriors getting 24. ALAH had eight steals with Tuscola getting 10. There were 24 ALAH turnovers compared to eight for Tuscola. Tuscola capitalized on turnover points with 15 while the Knights converted two. Read More

Cold Shooting Costs Lady Redskins

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•December 16, 2015•

Warrensburg-Latham shot well enough to overtake the Lady Redskins 32-29 at home Dec 10.

“You can’t shoot 11 percent from the field and expect to beat many teams,” said coach Sheri McCain. “We had three assists; that pretty much sums up the fact that we did not play team basketball.”

Sullivan started the first quarter ahead 7-4. The Lady Cardinals outscored the Lady Redskins 10-8 in the second quarter, with Sullivan retaining a 15-14 lead at the half.

A cold third quarter put three points on the board for Sullivan while Warrensburg-Latham scored eight. It was an 11-10 Sullivan fourth, but the Lady Cardinals came out on top. Read More

Raiders Outscore Timberwolves

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•December 9, 2015•

Central A&M outscored Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team 66-57 in a Saturday game.

Central’s Raiders went to a 18-10 first quarter lead over the Timberwolves. In the second quarter an additional 22 points put them ahead 40-18 at the half.

The Timberwolves had a good third quarter with a 19-7 run and was able to hang on in the fourth outscoring the Raiders 20-19 but not enough to make up the deficit. Read More

Meridian Hawks Over ALAH Knights

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•December 9, 2015•

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond Knights lost 55-39 to Meridian Saturday, Dec. 5.

Meridian started the first quarter outscoring the Knights 13-6, then entered the half ahead 26-14. The Hawks remained strong in the third quarter with a 16-11 run with the Knights scoring 14 to Meridian’s 13 in the final quarter. Read More

Comets Dominate Knights at Home

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Photo by Mike Brothers Senior forward Jakob Brewer scores on this fade away shot late in the Oakwood - ALAH game last Friday.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Senior forward Jakob Brewer scores on this fade away shot late in the Oakwood - ALAH game last Friday.

•December 9, 2015•

It was a slow start for the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team in the 53-27 home game loss to the Oakwood Comets Dec 4.

The Comets controlled both ends of the court during the first quarter, holding the Knights scoreless. At the half Oakwood was ahead 30-6. ALAH started putting some plays together in the third quarter scoring 12 points to the Comets 16.

The fourth quarter Knights’ scoring was 9-7 over Oakwood.

Oakwood hit 19 of 49 field goals for 38 percent; seven of 22 three pointers for 31 percent and hit eight of 10 free throws for 80 percent.

ALAH hit 13 of 42 shots for 30 percent from the field; one of three, three point attempts yielded 33 percent with no free throws shot.

Oakwood had 33 rebounds; 12 on offense and 21 defense; seven steals, 13 turnovers and committed 12 fouls.

ALAH had 26 total rebounds; 11 offense, 15 defense; seven steals, 18 turnovers and committed 14 team fouls.ALAH 5 Cade Day
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Lady Knights Score Home Win Over Cumberland

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Photo by Darian Hays Lady Knight sophomore guard Abi Duzan gets around Cumberland defender during the ALAH 57-24 win last week.

Photo by Darian Hays
Lady Knight sophomore guard Abi Duzan gets around Cumberland defender during the ALAH 57-24 win last week.

•December 9, 2015•

The ALAH Lady Knights’ 57-24 win over Cumberland Dec. 3 was  accomplished the old-fashioned way: two-pointers and good defense.

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond team held the Lady Pirates to three points in the first quarter while the Lady Knights went on a 19 point run.

ALAH added another 14 points in the second quarter, going into the half ahead 33-9.

Third quarter action found the Lady Knights adding 16 points while the Lady Pirates made seven points. An eight to eight fourth quarter led to the 57-24 final score.

Megan Fifer led Lady Knight scoring, hitting two field goals in the first quarter, three in the second and two in the third for 14 points.

Hannah Wallen had a big first quarter with three field goals, followed by two in the second and four in the third quarter for 12 points.

Janette Comstock hit two field goals in the first quarter and one each in the second and third quarter for eight points. Logan Kauffman hit a couple of field goals in the second quarter and made a free throw for five points. Read More

Honors for Redskin Football

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File Photoo Sullivan Redskin Alec Ballinger was selected News Gazette All Area First Team and received Honorable Mention All State Illinois High School Coaches Association team.

File Photo
Sullivan Redskin Alec Ballinger was selected News Gazette All Area First Team and received Honorable Mention All State Illinois High School Coaches Association team.

•December 9, 2015•

Sullivan Okaw Valley football Redskin Alec Ballinger was selected for Honorable Mention on the All State Illinois High School Coaches Association team for 2015

In addition he was selected to the News Gazette First team, All Area Championship as the punter.

Ballinger was all conference the previous year proving a valuable wide receiver and punter for the Redskin football team.

“He is an outstanding athlete, a great kid and a joy to coach,” said Redskin head football coach Gerald Temples.

Temples explained that the Redskin team success is testimony to a bunch of hard working players during the season.

“We had a good team, Alec has the athletic ability and the competitive intensity that deserves this recognition,” the coach concluded.