Category Archives: Sports Section

Wood Wins Mr. EIU in First Year Competing

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Wood3Sullivan native already looking to next year

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

After several years of training, Sullivan native and EIU junior kinesiology major Alex Wood recently won the annual Mr. EIU bodybuilding competition last month.

“I found out about the Mr. EIU competition my freshman year, in 2011,” Wood said. “I went and watched and knew I wanted to compete before I graduated. I originally was going to compete in 2012, but I decided on waiting so I could improve even more. Winning Mr. EIU is awesome. I can’t really put it into words. People asked me how I felt after the show, and I honestly just couldn’t believe it. It took a few days for it to finally settle in, and it finally hit me.”

Wood said he started lifting weights for the first time as a ‘skinny’ framed eighth grader, and through hard work, learning as much as possible, and continuous goal setting and reaching has he achieved as much success as he has. Read More

SOV Boys, Girls Each Earn First in Triangular Meet Tuesday

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Photo by Keith Stewart SOV’s Annie Hogan hands off to Amy Monroe during the 4x8 relay.

Photo by Keith Stewart
SOV’s Annie Hogan hands off to Amy Monroe during the 4x8 relay.

Both now set sights on Arthur Invite Friday

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Competing for the first time outdoors this track season, both the SOV boys’ and girls’ teams took first overall in a triangular meet at home.

For the boys, they compiled 91 points, besting second place Tuscola by 27 points and third place Cerro Gordo by 67 points.

Those taking first place for the boys included Zach Devore  in the 400m dash (58.46 seconds), Dalace Ray in the 110m hurdles (21.87), Gage Duran in the long jump (5 feet, 6 inches), Adam Davis in the pole vault (10-00), Ethan Lehman in the triple jump (36-10), Trey Schlieker in the discus (122-06), and the  4x200 relay of Calen Landrus, Jacob Cameron, Zane Uphoff, and Davis (1:42.50). Read More

Lancers Earn First Win of the Season vs LSA 9-3

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Photo by Keith Stewart Mycaela Miller makes contact during last Friday’s 9-3 win over Decatur LSA. Miller went 3-4 on the day including two doubles, a triple, and three RBIs.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Mycaela Miller makes contact during last Friday’s 9-3 win over Decatur LSA. Miller went 3-4 on the day including two doubles, a triple, and three RBIs.

Miller goes 3-4, batting in three 

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

After a 5-4 loss to Tuscola and a surprising 7-2 loss at Argenta, Arthur head softball coach Matt Darling knew there needed to be a switch in the lineup. So before Friday’s game against LSA, Arthur brought freshman Mycaela Miller up to lead off from fifth, junior Brooke Tabb went from leadoff to second, and freshman Logan Kauffman dropped from second to eighth in the order.

The change worked. Read More

Errors, Lack of Offense Do Redskins in vs T-Town

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Photo by Keith Stewart Zak Hrvol listens as head coach Troy Rogers speaks just before putting the sophomore in at the mound during the third inning Tuesday. Hrvol went on to throw a mixed bag of pitches that helped cool off T-Town. Errors earlier in the game proved too many, however, as Sullivan fell 10-2.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Zak Hrvol listens as head coach Troy Rogers speaks just before putting the sophomore in at the mound during the third inning Tuesday. Hrvol went on to throw a mixed bag of pitches that helped cool off T-Town. Errors earlier in the game proved too many, however, as Sullivan fell 10-2.

Nine unearned runs cost Sullivan potential upset

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

Take away the second and third innings in the field against Teutopolis Tuesday and in the end, there would have been a 2-1 upset win for the Redskins against a perennial state power instead of a 10-2 loss; if only that would have happened.

A home run over the left centerfield wall was the only run in the first, and turned out to be the only earned run allowed by Sullivan in the game.

That was when the Redskin defensive woes that plagued them in losses to Cerro Gordo-Bement, Pana, and Mattoon returned. Read More

Lady Red Earn Top Finishes at Indoor State Meet in Bloomington

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ALAH’s Goodman earns first in shot put

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

SOV’s nucleus of four girls (Emily Neuhauser, Amanda McClain, Mollie Bowman, and Ashlynd Risley), qualified for six events at the indoor state track meet last Saturday in Bloomington. And while the meet did not, this year, tally team scores, head coach Kali Taylor says, according to her math, the team would have finished near fourth place overall. Read More

St. T No-Hits Knights, Blank ALAH 8-0

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Let-down in the fourth spells demise

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

There was only one inning that went totally awry for the ALAH Knights last Wednesday vs St. Teresa in a non-conference matchup on the diamond. But one inning is all that is needed.

Atwood junior Ross Ryan held the Bulldogs in check through the first three innings of play.

“Ross did a great job for us today,” Knights head coach Craig Moffett commented. “He threw a lot of strikes for us early, and these were his first innings of the year. He stepped up with runners in scoring position—second and third in the first with two out and in the second with a runner on third and no outs—and he put us in a place where we could have done something.” Read More

OV Girls Rebound After Two Losses

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Tough conference tests later this week

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

After losses to both Windsor/Stew-Stras and Maroa-Forsyth last week, the Okaw Valley softball team rebounded with two strong performances to improve to 3-2 on the year.

First taking on Argenta last Wednesday, the Lady Timberwolves blew open a close game in the bottom of the fifth with four runs to help solidify their 8-5 win. Read More

Lady Red Succumb to Altamont in Pitcher’s Duel, 1-0

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Photo by Keith Stewart Sullivan’s Kailyn Boyer goes to bunt Monday evening against Altamont’s Deidre Ledbetter, who struck out 14 Lady Redskins.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Sullivan’s Kailyn Boyer goes to bunt Monday evening against Altamont’s Deidre Ledbetter, who struck out 14 Lady Redskins.

One hit surrendered, 14 K’s from Altamont’s Ledbetter

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

Sullivan played the first 5 2/3 innings of softball perfectly in the field against Altamont Monday.

Zeros were on the scoreboard for both sides, no errors either way, and sophomore Heidi Clements looked as if she could throw all night.

Then there was the one that got away. Read More

Tough Start for SOV Boys, But Personal Improvements Still Made

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Photo by Keith Stewart Trey Schlieker prepares to release during the shot put Saturday. He finished 10th with a throw of 42-7 1/2 feet.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Trey Schlieker prepares to release during the shot put Saturday. He finished 10th with a throw of 42-7 1/2 feet.

Knights finish tied for last with three points

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Neither area boys’ track team had a strong performance at Saturday’s indoor meet hosted by Charleston at EIU’s Field House. Sullivan-Okaw Valley didn’t earn any points, while Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond tallied just three. Nonetheless, both teams did see some personal improvements on which they hope to add as the outdoor season begins later this week. Read More