Category Archives: Sports Section

Knights Finish Regular Season with Back-to-Back Wins

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Photo by Keith Stewart ALAH celebrated their seniors last Thursday, including (from left to right): Thom Kongdetudomkul, David Emrick, Matthew Robinson, Blake Miller, Natalie Bicknell, Briana Morgan, and Cassandra Lambdin.

Photo by Keith Stewart
ALAH celebrated their seniors last Thursday, including (from left to right): Thom Kongdetudomkul, David Emrick, Matthew Robinson, Blake Miller, Natalie Bicknell, Briana Morgan, and Cassandra Lambdin.

Final victory not as dominate as hoped for

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

After finishing disappointingly with two losses and one tie at the Mattoon soccer tournament the week before, the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond soccer team rebounded by ending their regular season with back-to-back wins against Altamont and the Mattoon Green Wave JV team.

The Knights travelled to Altamont a week ago Monday and got off to a slow start but managed to take a 2-1 lead going into the half. In the latter portion of the game, the Knights’ offense got a boost, scoring three goals. Read More

Lancers Fall In Three-Set Marathon to Titans in LOVC Championship

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Long third set finally ends 33-31

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

For the third time in the last month, Tri-County and Arthur-Lovington squared off in volleyball and just as in their prior meetings, there was something big up for grabs. Last time it was the championship game of the Arcola Invite, this time it was the LOVC tournament crown. Read More

Well-Oiled Knights’ Offense Cruises Past Blue Devils for Playoff Berth

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Photo by Keith Stewart Jordan Feagin tries to escape the clutches of a Villa Grove defender during Friday night’s game. Feagin ran 65 yards on nine carries as well as had three receptions for 57 yards, including one for a touchdown.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Jordan Feagin tries to escape the clutches of a Villa Grove defender during Friday night’s game. Feagin ran 65 yards on nine carries as well as had three receptions for 57 yards, including one for a touchdown.

Defensive effort creates for well- rounded performance

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Traveling to LOVC rival Villa Grove Friday night, Arthur/Lovington-Atwood/Hammond not only had a conference matchup on the line but also their early qualification into the postseason. The Knights, who lost to VG last year 41-0 would have neither to worry about by the night’s end, as they cruised to a 49-22 win over the Blue Devils, improving to 6-1 on the season and 5-1 in the LOVC.

Villa Grove, however, was the first to strike, marching steadily downfield primarily with their run game, which accounted for the touchdown on fourth and goal on the three yard line. The point-after-attempt did not succeed, but Villa Grove took a 6-0 lead with 6:31 left in the first quarter. Read More

Sullivan Unable to Contend with Trojans in Conference Loss

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by Emily Scott
Reporting in Sullivan

In a conference volleyball game last Thursday, the Maroa-Forsyth Trojans had the power and skills to put away the Sullivan Redskins in a 25-13, 25-15 match.

The Redskins came out the first game ready to compete and despite a few communication errors, were able, at first, to keep up with the Trojans’  strong offense.  Read More

OVMS Takes Third at State Baseball Tournament

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Submitted Pictured is the OVMS baseball team with their third place trophy at the IESA State Tournament Saturday in East Peoria.

Submitted
Pictured is the OVMS baseball team with their third place trophy at the IESA State Tournament Saturday in East Peoria.

Ends season 20-2 in historic fashion

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

You could certainly say OVMS’s third place finish at the IESA state baseball tournament has been, for some time, in the making.

Taking the head coach position six years ago, Chris Nichols recalls first talking to his team in 2008 about a state run.

They ended up managing one win on the season.

But Nichols’ teams steadily improved each year, from that one win season to three-peat regional champions and now a third place finish at the state tournament. Read More

AL Downs OV in LOVC Tournament Opener

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Lancers advance to face Heritage in next round 

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

For the second time this season, Arthur-Lovington defeated Okaw Valley in volleyball, this time 25-6, 25-20.

OV junior Amy Orris started off the first set for the Timberwolves with an ace, but that would be their only lead of the set. OV would tie the first set again at 2-2 but then quickly decline thereafter. Read More

Ladies Earn First at Home Meet for Senior Day

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Photo by Keith Stewart SOV celebrated its seniors Tuesday evening at its final home meet of the season. Pictured, back row, from left to right are: Reagan Miller, Patrick Hogan, Devin Mosier, Noah Workman, Adam Davis, and Sam Harshman. Front row: Abigail Weybright, Brooke Mitchell, Mollie Bowman, and Liz Priest. Not pictured are Maggie Plank and Tori Floyd.

Photo by Keith Stewart
SOV celebrated its seniors Tuesday evening at its final home meet of the season. Pictured, back row, from left to right are: Reagan Miller, Patrick Hogan, Devin Mosier, Noah Workman, Adam Davis, and Sam Harshman. Front row: Abigail Weybright, Brooke Mitchell, Mollie Bowman, and Liz Priest. Not pictured are Maggie Plank and Tori Floyd.

Boys finish second behind Lehman’s second place

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Competing at home and in recognition of their seniors, the SOV cross country team hosted Shelbyville, Tuscola, and Arthur/Lovington for their final meet at Tabor Park for the season.

Boys and girls ran together Tuesday evening, with SOV’s girls finishing six in the top 10 to easily take first place, while the boys were led by junior Ethan Lehman, who after battling with a group of Shelbyville runners throughout most of the three mile trek catapulted to second place. Read More

Monticello Doesn’t Earn Win Easily as SOV Puts the Pressures On

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Photo by Keith Stewart SOV’s Devin Mosier leaps for the grab during Friday’s game at Monticello. The Redskins lost 27-14, but managed to do more damage than any other team Monticello has faced so far this year.

Photo by Keith Stewart
SOV’s Devin Mosier leaps for the grab during Friday’s game at Monticello. The Redskins lost 27-14, but managed to do more damage than any other team Monticello has faced so far this year.

SOV does what no other team this year has

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Coming into last Friday night’s matchup, Monticello’s defense had been touted as one of, if not the best defenses in the area. And rightfully so.

Allowing just over an average of six points per game through five weeks of football, the Sages had made a name for themselves among OVC huddles. They were even plastered across the front of the Decatur Herald and Review’s sports section earlier that day.

But none of this seemed to matter to SOV’s football team, who travelled to Monticello as the expected homecoming appetizer and though, yes, did lose, posted 14 points, the most any team has scored on the Sages this season and nearly half of what they had allowed all year, not to mention, making for a game that was either team’s win or loss up until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Read More

Redskins Fall In Three To Cardinals In Spite Of Supreme Effort

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Boyer injured, hopeful to return

Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

The struggles continued for the Sullivan Lady Redskins (5-15) as they faced off against Warrensburg in Sullivan Thursday, with hope that some home cooking would help them get another mark in the win column. Sullivan won the first set 25-19 but fell in the following two sets 27-29, and 25-16 and lost junior hitter Brittin Boyer to an apparent ankle injury late in the second set after she and senior Alex Love collided. Read More