Category Archives: Sports Section

SOV Redskins Battle Nokomis at Victory Field

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Photo by Leslie Caulfield
Ian Plank lines up on defense.

•September 4, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan-Okaw Valley football team dropped its season opener to Nokomis 31-24 at Victory Field Friday night.
With 9:19 left in the first quarter, Luke Vander Burgh broke a couple of tackles and ran the ball from the Sullivan’s own 32-yard line into the end zone.
An Ian Plank kick gave Sullivan a 7-0 lead.
Around the seven minute mark in the second quarter Nokomis tied the game with a run up the middle.
Sullivan answered with a little more than three minutes left in the second quarter when Dillon Wallace scored on a 5-yard run.
The extra point kick was good and Sullivan took a 14-7 lead into the half.
Nokomis tied the game at the 4-minute mark in the third quarter with a screen pass from the 4-yard line. Read More

Okaw Valley Boys Golf Team Returns with Experience

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•September 4, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

In his first year as Okaw Valley boys’ golf coach, Andrew Fultz returned top golfers Addison Webner, Miles Harlin, Hayden Carleson, and Seth Webner.
It will be difficult for OV to replace last season’s top scorer, Case Crawford, but the team did return several players with match experience.
“My hopes are that they are ready for the year a year older and a year wiser,” Fultz said. “They have been there before since there were only six by the end of the year last year. That experience will help us win matches early on in the year. We can build on that and it carries us and helps out the new golfers.”
For this season, Fultz is looking for solid scores out his top two golfers. Read More

Sports Briefs 9-4-2019

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Knights’ Volleyball Team Falls to Tuscola
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond volleyball team fell to Tuscola 25-20, 25-20 in Arthur Thursday, Aug. 29.
Michaela Powell had two aces and five digs, and Mackenzi Bowles recorded five kills.
Sarah Rafferty dished out 10 assists and had three digs, and Kaylee Teakel had three kills.
Addi Trikle collected to kills and two digs and Charley Condil had four digs. Read More

Sullivan Volleyball Team Looks Forward to Season

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•August 28, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Sullivan volleyball personnel are hoping the third time is a charm.
In the spring, Sullivan hired Christy Molzen to return this season for her third stint as varsity volleyball coach.
Molzen coached Redskin’s volleyball from 1997-2003 and again in 2011, and she finished with an overall record of 138-117.
This season, though, might be her most challenging attempt.
Molzen replaced Jennifer Young, who combined for a 1-89 overall record during the last three seasons.
To reestablish Sullivan as a competitive team night in and night out, Molzen has returned to fundamentals and built from there.
“We have quite a few new players so we are working at becoming more confident with volleyball skills in general,” she said. “The goal is to get better as the season progresses.” Read More

Sullivan Girls’ Golf Builds on Experience

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•August 28, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Andy Wagner is looking forward to another positive year on the golf course for the Sullivan girls’ golf team.
Wagner returns two golfers from last year’s sectional qualifying team in Erin Wallace and Alyssa Shriver.
“Having some experience will be great for our program,” he said. There are three new to the game this year, and I’m really excited to see their continued improvements”
Sullivan kicked off its season at the Charleston Country Club in the Charleston Scramble last Monday. Read More

ALAH Volleyball Team Faces Increased Competition Level

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•August 28, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

When 2019 volleyball practice began, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond coach Emily Crossman knew she had to get everything she could out of the limited hours before the first match.
Unlike former years, Crossman saw this season’s starting positions as “up for grabs” because of the level of competition.
During preseason practice, she focused on coming together as a team.
“Finding the right combination of players,” Crossman said, “we have tried so many different line-ups. We are just seeing who clicks together and who can earn and keep a starting spot.” Read More

Benning Closes Out Coaching Three Daughters at OV

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Photo furnished
The Benning family posed in 2016 after winning a regional championship. Left to right: Keeley (class of 2015), Bella (class of 2019), and Camille (class of 2012).

•August 28, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

After losing a close 2-1 game to Nokomis in the Bethany Regional on May 13, Dave Benning stepped down as Okaw Valley softball coach.
“When I took the softball job, I had a goal in mind that I wanted to stick with it for all three of my daughters’ high school careers,” Benning said. “I achieved that. I got to coach all three girls, and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
In his nine years (2010-19), Benning finished his softball-coaching career at OV with an overall record of 138-134.
His teams won two regional titles (2015, 2016) and won the 2015 Little Okaw Valley Northwest Conference title.
When considering his some of his favorite coaching moments at OV, Benning thought back to the two regional championships.
He also recalled a couple games in his second year of coaching, in the regional quarterfinals.
“We were the home team, and we ended up scoring seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win,” he said. “We had a walk-off grand slam to win that game. At the time, it was one of the most exciting games I’ve been involved in whether it was softball or baseball.”
Benning also noted last year’s game-two of a doubleheader at Arcola. Read More

2019-2020 Area Sports Schedules

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•August 28, 2019•
Game listings are by day, date, opponent, level, location,and time.

 

ALAH High School Football:
Fri 08/23/19 Red and Gold Varsity Home 7:00 pm
Fri 08/30/19 Tri-County Varsity Oakland 7:00 pm
Mon 09/02/19 Tri-County Jr. Varsity Oakland 6:00 pm
Fri 09/06/19 Decatur Lutheran Varsity Arthur 7:00 pm
Mon 09/09/19 St. Teresa Jr. Varsity Decatur 6:00 pm
Fri 09/13/19 Cumberland Varsity Arthur 7:00 pm
Mon 09/16/19 Cumberland Jr. Varsity Arthur 6:00 pm
Fri 09/20/19 Arcola Varsity Arcola 7:00 pm
Mon 09/23/19 Arcola Jr. Varsity Arcola 6:00 pm Read More

ALAH Knights Returning Lettermen Drive Team Forward

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•August 28, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

In his first year as Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond varsity football coach, Ryan Jefferson’s squad finished the season with an overall record of 2-7.
In his second year, Jefferson hopes to utilize his team’s speed, including 12 returning letter winners, to push for a playoff berth.
“Our goals are to be competitive in the conference and to make playoffs,” Jefferson said. “If a conference championship is a realistic possibility later in the season, that’s great. But we want to be consistently competitive, and we’re hopeful that if we are, it will translate to a playoff berth from five or six wins.”
In practice and Friday’s scrimmage, Jefferson has been stressing the importance of the little things, including simple alignment on defense and sharpness with our offensive execution.
“We lacked in both areas last year, and I believe we have already made huge improvements there,” he said. Read More

Blue Dolphin Achieves Amazing Three Weeks of Competition

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Blue Dolphin family with Ethan Schmohe.

•August 28, 2019•
By Jamie Crosier
for The Blue Dolphins

Sullivan Blue Dolphin Ethan Schmohe finished out the summer swim season with three major weekends of swimming.
Head coach Jason Drury said, “Illinois swimming is one of the hardest states. Ethan started his three-week accomplishments at Peoria where he swam at the Regional Time Qualifying Meet. He has been working hard at practice and I knew he had the ability to hit his goals.”
At Regionals, he competed in four events. He had more qualifying events, but his goal was to get a state cut in all four. This is a lofty goal, but he came in focused and achieved the additional State cuts to advance to the State Meet with a full load of events. Schmohe not only got the needed cuts, he dropped time in all four events and took first and second in these four. Read More