
Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV Baseball Seniors
Okaw Valley High School honored the baseball seniors before the game on May 10. Seniors included Cale Roley, Braeden Nichols, Tyson Montgomery, Kadan Miller and Jakob McQuire.

Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV Baseball Seniors
Okaw Valley High School honored the baseball seniors before the game on May 10. Seniors included Cale Roley, Braeden Nichols, Tyson Montgomery, Kadan Miller and Jakob McQuire.

Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV holds Wolfie Awards
Okaw Valley held its 1st Wolfie awards on Friday, May 6, 2022. Tyson Montgomery and Bailey Bennett were named Athletes of the Year. OV Graduates Dustin Yoder, Class of 2006, and Amanda McClain, Class of 2015, were inducted into the OV Athletic Hall of Fame.

Photo furnished
The Sullivan Blue Dolphins participated in the Saluki International at Carbondale from April 30-May 1. Pictured from left to right: Emily Crosier, Deanna Clark, Liam Donovan.
•May 18, 2022•
by Sara Cremeens
NP Guest Writer
Sullivan Blue Dolphins were back in the pool recently. April 30 through May 1, 2022, swimmers participated in the Saluki International at Carbondale, IL. Third place high point winners 13-14 girls, Emily Crosier, boys Liam Donovan. Deanna Clark took home the third place high point winner for the open girls. In the 10 and under, Claire Standifer took second place girls, while Eli Crosier took the third place boys. Read More

Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV Track Senior Night
Senior night for the Okaw Valley Track team was held on May 3, 2022. Seniors include Ikra Gunsoy, Mia Harris, Kylie Stauder, Karlie Stauder, Damien Coney and Seth Webner.
•April 20, 2022•

Photo furnished
Sullivan High School Co-op swimming recently held a swim banquet. Front row: Zoe Conlin, Lilly Graham, Madalyn Booker. Back row: Asst Coach Megan Zindel, Isaac Chambers, Matthew Wesselman, Ethan Schmohe, Head Coach Jason Drury.
Sullivan High School Co-op Swimming of Sullivan, Shelbyville and Okaw Valley held the swim banquet Wednesday, April 13.
Senior Lilly Graham was named Captain and Most Improved for the girls. Junior, Madalyn Booker, earned the High Point award with her two second place podium finishes at Sectional.
Audrey Summers Junior and Freshman teammates Zoe Conlin and Linnea Graham were recognized.
Junior Ethan Schmohe was named Captain and earned the High Point Award.
Matthew Wesselman was awarded Most Improved and recognized for breaking the 500 freestyle record of 5:11.03.
Sophmore Isaac Chambers was recognized.


Photos furnished
Grooms Sisters Compete in DeKalb
Gabby and Grace Grooms competed in the USA Gymnastics Illinois State Meet in DeKalb, IL on March 27. They are the daughters of Nick and Heidi Grooms and train at Mattoon Academy of Gymnastics, Mattoon. In order to qualify for state, a gymnast must receive an all around score of 34 or higher in earlier gymnastics competitions. Gabby received a third on floor in Level 3 Senior D age 10. Grace was the Vault Champion for Level 3 Junior E age 9.

Photo submitted
Local Athlete on Men’s Golf Team
Andrew Rogers is a member of the Central College men’s golf team.
The Dutch used a young lineup to record a pair of top-two tournament finishes during the fall season after tying for third last spring at the American Rivers Conference tourney. Central has won a record 32 conference championships and made 33 NCAA Division III Championships appearances.
The squad opened the spring season at the 36-hole Pinecrest Invitational in Longview, Texas March 14-15. The team will play host to the Ryerson Invitational April 11 at the Bos Landen Golf Club in Pella. Coach Mel Blasi has six returning letter winners on the squad.

Photo Submitted
Darush to Require Season-Ending Surgery
Addison Darush, junior golfer at Missouri Baptist University in Saint Louis, MO, had a good fall golf season, playing number one for the Spartans.
Preparing for the Spring season, Addison tore her meniscus and will require season-ending surgery. Teammate Maclovia Stubblefield stated “We are really going to miss her out there.” The Spartans, competing in the American Midwest Conference (NAIA), have had two tournaments thus far, finishing fifth and eighth respectively.
The Orthopedic Surgeon stated the best case scenario, no crutches, out four to eight weeks; worse case scenario crutches, out four to six months. Depending on if he can repair the meniscus or it has to be trimmed or removed. This is the second knee injury that has sidelined Addison. She had a torn ACL/MCL ending her basketball season as a sophomore in high school.
Addison is a Sullivan High School alumni.
•March 30, 2022•
Three seniors finished the indoor track season at Indoor State on Friday, March 25. Results were: Karlie Stauder - 2nd in Pole Vault and 20th in the 200, Kylie Stauder - 7th in Pole Vault and 15th in the 200, Mia Harris - 10th in High Jump.

Photo by Wurstbaugh Photography
Ethan Schmohe was one of three swimmers from the Sullivan Blue Dolphins that qualified for Illinois Swimming Senior State Championship meet. The other two were Madalyn Booker and Matthew Wesselman. Schmohe also qualified for the Speedo North Zone Sectional meet.
•March 30, 2022•
Submitted by Sara Cremeens
NP Guest Writer
Coming off a successful Regional Championship meet, three Blue Dolphins qualified for Illinois Swimming Senior State Championship meet. The weekend of March 4 through 6 found Ethan Schmohe, Madalyn Booker and Matthew Wesselman competing against the best in the state. Swimming is not based on divisions it is based on time cuts and Illinois Swimming has some of the toughest in the Nation. Ethan Schmohe came in with four events and made it to finals all three days of the meet. Read More