Category Archives: Sports Section

Sullivan Loses to Meridian in Football, Posts Win in Volleyball

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Photo by R.R. Best
Quarterback Luke Vander Burgh hands off the ball to Cody Browne.

•March 24, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

This past week, the Sullivan/Okaw Valley football and volleyball teams kicked off what should have been their fall season sports.
The Redskin football and volleyball teams each competed against a Central Illinois Conference foe, the Meridian Hawks.

Football
The football team hosted Meridian at Victory Field Friday night.
Sullivan fell behind 6-0 with about five minutes left in the first quarter when the Meridian quarterback kept the ball for a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
The Hawks extended their lead to 22-14 at halftime.
Sullivan/Okaw Valley battled back and cut the lead to 28-21 with a score in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter with about 5:30 left in the game, on first down and goal at the four-yard line, quarterback Luke Vander Burgh kept the ball and scored on a run up the middle. The extra point tied the game at 28-28. Read More

ALAH Loses to Cumberland 21-16

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•March 24, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

After nearly 16 months of waiting, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond Knights football coach Ryan Jefferson could not wait to start the football season.
The Knights kicked off their season with a 21-16 loss to a tough Cumberland team at Toledo Friday.
ALAH took a 3-0 lead with a 33-yard field goal by Aaron Likens, but Cumberland scored on the next two possessions for 14-3 lead in the second quarter.
The Knights scored again to cut the lead to 14-10, and then both teams traded touchdowns for the final score. Read More

Okaw Valley Senior Girls Basketball

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Okaw Valley Senior Girls Basketball
Okaw Valley High School held their basketball senior nights recently. Girls basketball senior are Foreign Exchange Student Meike Zenker and seniors Delaney Johnson and Miaya Lehman.

Sullivan and Okaw Valley Boys’ Basketball Wrap Up Their Seasons

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•March 17, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan and Okaw Valley boys’ basketball teams wrapped up their seasons this past week.
Though there is no post season for this year, the two teams had successful seasons in their own ways.
Okaw Valley finished at the top of the Lincoln Prairie Conference with only one loss that came at the hands of rival Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond.
The Sullivan boys’ basketball team (in a full season) would have at least doubled its win totals from the last two years.
Sullivan lost its last two games of the season, including to rival Okaw Valley Friday night.
The Redskins lost to St. Teresa, Tuesday, March 9, and Friday night against Okaw Valley. Read More

Sullivan Girls’ Basketball Knocks Off Rival Okaw Valley 50-21

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•March 17, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team ended the season by winning its final Central Illinois Conference and knocking off rival Okaw Valley.
The Redskins also said goodbye to four seniors who recorded impressive high school careers: Jerra Goad, Taylor Orris, Zoe Walton and Emily White.
These four seniors finished their careers with a record of 78 wins and 25 losses. They have been a part of two regional titles, two Sweet 16 appearances, and have won the conference outright twice and were co-champs once.
In four years, they finished with a CIC record of 23-5
“It was a very emotional start to tonight’s game,” said McCain, “but I am glad they played hard to finish out a great season. I wish they could have had a post season so we could have seen just how far this group of girls could have went … They did a great job leaving their legacy behind, and we wish them all the very best in their future endeavors.”
The Redskins ended this season with a 14-1 overall record.
Sullivan took advantage of a 17-7 second-quarter run for a 26-14 halftime lead.
The Redskins came out in the third quarter and put the game away with a 21-4 run for the eventual 50-21 victory. Read More

Okaw Valley Senior Cheerleaders

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Okaw Valley Senior Cheerleaders
Okaw Valley High School held their basketball senior night recently. Senior cheerleaders are Macie Fleshner, Autumn Burns, Julia Hildebrandt, Marissa Bell, Haven Caulfield and Danae Nave.

ALAH Boys’ Basketball Finishes Season

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•March 17, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team finished the season with five-straight wins for a league-leading 8-1 Lincoln Prairie Conference record and a 12-2 overall record to end the season.
The Knights knocked off Clinton Tuesday, March 9, Cerro Gordo/Bement the following night and then defeated Warrensburg-Latham 84-54 Friday to end the season.
Against the Broncos, the Knights cruised to a relatively easy win.
For ALAH, Jamison Rocke scored a game-high 29 points to go with five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Wyatt Romine contributed 20 points and ripped down a team-leading eight rebounds.
Austin Plank drained eighteen points and had a game-leading seven steals. Read More

Sullivan Boys’ Basketball Finishes the Week 1-2

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•March 10, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Redskins knocked off Villa Grove/Heritage Saturday but lost to Tuscola in overtime last Tuesday and Cerro-Gordo-Bement last Monday.
In a nonconference matchup against Villa Grove/Heritage Saturday, Sullivan outscored the Blue Devils by five points in the first quarter and five points in the second quarter for a 30-20 halftime lead.
Sullivan extended the lead ten more points in the third quarter on its way to a 59-37 win.
Senior Ian Plank scored a team-leading 21 points, seven steals and four assists to go with three rebounds.
Leyton Ellis followed with 20 points, three rebounds and three steals.
Ben Bushue collected a team-high seven rebounds to go with four points. Read More

Sullivan girls’ basketball captures CIC championship

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•March 10, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team picked up a nonconference win against rival Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond and two conference wins to capture the Central Illinois Conference championship.
In a season without IHSA playoffs, Sullivan zeroed in on the CIC championship, and after defeating Meridian 64-30 Wednesday, March 3 they accomplished that goal.
“The girls clinched the CIC title tonight and I am so proud of them,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “With no post season, this was our only goal, and they accomplished that. This senior class now owns two CIC titles and one co-championship.”
Sullivan did not leave any doubt from the start. The Redskins jumped out to a 27-7 first-quarter lead did not look back.
Emily White scored a game-high 26 points and 10 steals to record a double-double. Read More