Category Archives: Sports Section

Redskins Drop Three Games

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•December 11, 2019•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped three games this past week.
The Redskins lost to Pana Saturday, St. Anthony Friday and Windsor-Stewardson/Strasburg last Tuesday.
Against the Panthers Saturday, Sullivan fell behind 12-5 early but hung in the game the rest of the way.
The Redskins played from behind were down more double digits late in the fourth but would not go away.
Ian Plank hit a jumper in the lane 90 second left in the game to cut the lead to eight, then with under a minute left Plank hit a 3-pointer to the lead to seven.
Sullivan could not get closer though in the 55-46 loss.
Plank finished with 22 points, five rebounds and two steals. Read More

Fourth Quarter Run Falls Short for OV

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Photo by R.R. Best
Shyanne Harding works to make a play during the fourth quarter run by Okaw Valley during the St. Anthony game.

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

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team placed seventh in the Pana Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday then lost a non conference game against St. Anthony Monday.
Against the Bulldogs Monday, OV fell behind 21-14 at the half and 31-22 after the third quarter.
OV made a run in the fourth quarter, outscoring St. Anthony 18-15, but it wasn’t enough. They eventually lost 46-40.
Senior Kate Jeffers scored a game-high 21 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.
Freshman Avery Bruns scored six of her eight points in the fourth quarter, and
Freshman Bailey Bennett and sophomore Mia Harris each scored four points.
In the Pana Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday, the Timberwolves fell to Central A&M (52-18) and Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran.
Centralia CORL nearly doubled OV up in the first two quarters to take a 23-12 halftime lead.
Silver Stallions extended its lead in the second half for the eventual 49-25 win and sixth-place finish. Read More

Sullivan Girls Basketball Team Knocks off Arcola

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

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team kicked off its season with four straight wins before losing to Teutopolis on the road Tuesday.
After winning the 2nd Annual Maroa-Forsyth Tip-off Classic last week, the Redskins knocked off Arcola 45-19 last Tuesday.
Senior Avery Still recorded a double-double with 12 points, ten rebounds and two steals.
Sophomore Lilly Null tallied 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and five steals. Read More

Timberwolves Kick off Season

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

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team opened its season in the Cumberland Thanksgiving Tournament this past week.
The Timberwolves defeated Vandalia to kick off its season but lost the next two games to finish fourth.
Cameron Sharp and Eli Hagerman made the all-tournament team.
Against Vandalia last Tuesday, OV played from behind most of the game but came back in the fourth quarter to pull out the 42-40 win.
Sharp finished with 14 points, and Luke VanderBurgh added seven. Read More

Knights Take Season Opener from Redskins

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

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond and Sullivan boys’ basketball teams opened their respected season’s last Tuesday.
Though the Knights kept the lead for nearly the entire game, Sullivan would not go away.
Sullivan was down five at half, but ALAH crept the lead to nine by the end of the third quarter.
ALAH added three more points to its lead in the fourth quarter for the eventual 66-55 win.
The Knights had balance scoring with four players in double digits. Read More

ALAH Girls Basketball Team Outscores Rams

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

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team finished the week 1-2.
The Knights defeated Shelbyville, but lost to Salt Fork and Oakwood.
Against Shelbyville last Monday, the Rams took a 12-10 first quarter lead, then extended that lead to six at halftime, 22-16.
ALAH came out in the second half a different team, outscoring the Rams 15-9 to tie the game at 31.
The Knights pulled away in the fourth for the 48-41 win. Read More

Sullivan and OV Players Earn CIC Honors

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•December 4, 2019•
The Central Illinois Conference announced all conference teams last week.
Two Sullivan/Okaw Valley players earned honors.
Junior Luke Vander Burgh earned second team all-conference honors as linebacker.
He was named to the honorable mention team the last two years.
Ian Plank was named to the honorable mention team as a wide receiver.
The Redskins finished the season 0-9 for the second straight season.

Helping Hands Swim with the Dolphins

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Photo furnished
Helping Hands Swim with the Dolphins
Helping Hands is a non-profit organization in Sullivan. They are always looking for fun activities for children with disabilities to have time to interact with their non-disabled peers outside of the school day. In a Blue Dolphin’s board meeting, J.D. Graham, Vice President of the Sullivan Blue Dolphins, brought up the idea of having children with Helping Hands swim with the Blue Dolphin swimmers.
On November 14th after swim practice, the Blue Dolphins had several older swimmers step up and offer to stay to swim with children from Helping Hands. This was a great opportunity for the Dolphins Swim Team to interact with their peers and to show other children some swimming techniques. This is one of many examples of how Helping Hands and the Blue Dolphins are organizations that commit to our community. All of the children had a great time meeting each other and swimming together.
Photo courtesy Jamie Crosier
Pictured from left to right: Aaron Schrock, Liam Donovan, J.D. Graham, Brant Jesse, Cadence Schmohe, Max Kersten, Miles Kersten, Mary Crist, Olivia Hullum, Isaac Chambers, Libby Henry, CJ Chapman, Diannah Booker, Zoe Conlin, Noah Smith, Kennedy Fultz, Deanna Clark, Alivia Melvin, Lilly Graham, Linnea Graham, Sophie Foster, Landon Nuzzo

All Conference Volleyball Teams for Lincoln Prairie

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•November 27, 2019•
The Lincoln Prairie Conference and the Central Illinois Conference announced all-conference volleyball teams this week.
In its inaugural year, the LPC unanimously voted Okaw Valley hitter Kate Jeffers to the first team.
OV senior Paige Coleman and Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond junior Mackenzi Bowles earned second team honors.
Okaw Valley finished 23-11, and ALAH finished 12-24.
In the CIC, Sullivan senior Avery Still received honorable mention honors.

ALAH Knights Pursue Turnaround Season

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•November 27, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boy’s basketball coach Brad McGill expects a turnaround season from last year.
How big of a turnaround is yet to be determined.
“The players are well aware of the season we had last year and are excited to change the results,” McGill said. “They have had a great attitude, bought in to what we are doing and are excited to do some very good things this season.”
Last season, McGill’s first year as Knights’ head coach, the team finished with a 3-22 overall record and 1-6 record in the Little Okaw Valley Conference.
The Knights lost their last four games, including a first-round loss to Broadlands in the Heritage Regional. Read More