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Signs to Attend Aurora
Leighton Burcham signed his Letter of Intent to compete in Track and Field at Aurora University on Tuesday, May 21 at 2:45 p.m. in the Sullivan High School gym. Pictured during the signing are Leighton with parents Cheri and Brad Burcham of Sullivan.
Photo by R.R. Best
Okaw Valley pitcher Camden Coleman got the win over Central A&M last Wednesday to set up OV baseball’s sixth straight regional title appearance.
•May 22, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The chances of the Okaw Valley baseball team winning its second straight regional title did not look good in the Class 1A Moweaqua (Central A&M) Regional against Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division foe Decatur LSA Saturday.
The Timberwolves had already lost to LSA twice this season (2-1 and 10-4) and fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning.
OV was able to cut the lead to 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the first inning and another run in the third inning.
Decatur LSA extended its lead 4-2 with a run in the fifth inning.
Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, a second consecutive regional title and fourth OV regional title in six years looked out of reach.
But a 3-run comeback rally, capped off with Hank Yowell doubling in two runs, gave OV a 6-5 lead heading into the seventh inning.
Tyson Montgomery came in and closed out the game in a one-two-three scoreless seventh inning for another Timberwolves’ regional championship win.
Eli Hagerman got the win by relieving starting pitcher Dalton McGill in the first inning. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
SMS State Bound
Sullivan Middle School Track and Field team members Cassidy Short and Brent Bushue competed in the IESA state meet in East Peoria last weekend. Short competed in the long jump and Bushue in the pole vault. Pictured with the state qualifiers are coaches Jim Palmer, Cindy Yoder, Angie Westjohn and head coach Don Typer. Short finished 17th and Bushue 19th.
•May 22, 2019•
Sullivan senior Esther Miller competed in the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet at Eastern Illinois University last Thursday.
Miller placed 10th in the 400-meter dash with a personal best of 1:01.12 in the prelims Thursday.
She missed qualifying for finals by .08 seconds.
Miller also finished 16th in the triple with a jump of 35 feet 4.75 inches. Read More
•May 22, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond softball team took home the Class 2A Newton Regional after defeating host Newton 7-3 Friday.
The Knights scored a run in each of the first, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, and scored two runs in the third inning.
Newton scored three runs in the sixth inning when Knight pitcher Makenzie Brown walked batters before a double down the line.
The only other hit Brown allowed was a bunt single. Read More
•May 22, 2019•
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond junior track and field sensation Kenli Nettles took home three gold medals before the Class 1A state track and field meet ended last weekend.
She placed first in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and high jump for the medallion hat trick
Nettles ran the 100-meter hurdles in 14.29 and the 300-meter hurdles in a personal best time of 43.68.
She high jumped a season-best height of 5 feet 7 inches.
She also placed fifth in the 200-meter dash with a personal best time of 25.39.
Photo by R.R. Best
Up and away with Jadon Nuzzo at the state track meet held at Eastern Illinois University. Nuzzo ranked second in pole vault, Class 1A in the state.
•May 22, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Sullivan boys’ track and field team hosted the Class 1A Sectional last Thursday.
The Redskins placed 10th out of 14 teams with 26 points, while Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond placed eighth with 40 points.
Pana won the meet with 87 points.
For Sullivan, Jadon Nuzzo pole vaulted 15 feet for first place to qualify for the state track and field meet at Eastern Illinois University.
Nuzzo’s best height ranks him second in Class 1A.
Brodie Goss broke Sullivan’s school record in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.79, and Leighton Burcham long jumped 20 feet 5.5 inches for fourth place.
“Overall our young team ended the season on a very positive note, with 12 more personal records set that night,” said coach John Bertetto.
For the Knights, Austin Romine qualified for state in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:03.20. Read More
•May 22, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
Calla Roney pitched a 1-hit shutout to help the Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg softball team down Morrisonville 10-0 to win the Class 1A Regional Championship at Pawnee Friday.
After a 1-0 lead, the reigning state champions scored six runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth.
Roney struck out 11 batters and allowed a walk in five innings.
At the plate, she was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base, and Karlie Bean doubled twice and scored two runs.
Carson Cole doubled in a run, and Natalie Hayes doubled in two runs and stole a base. Read More
•May 22, 2019•
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond Knights’ season ended against Shelbyville in the Pana Class 2A Regional Thursday.
After taking a 4-1 lead, the Rams plated seven runs in the fifth inning to end the game at 11-1.
Dario Ayala was 1-for-2 with one RBI, and Logan Brough and Brady Borntreger each were 1-for-2.
Quentin Day scored the Knights’ lone run. Read More
•May 15, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg softball team’s 32-game winning streak ended in the last regular season game against Mt. Zion, Friday.
The Hatchets finished the regular season with an overall record of 32-1-1.
Earlier in the week, WSS defeated Cowden-Herrick/Beecher 20-0 on Thursday and Cumberland last Tuesday 4-1.
Against Mt. Zion Friday evening, the Braves plated five runs in the first inning and four runs in the second inning for an early 9-0 lead.
The Hatchets answered with three runs in the third inning and two runs in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 9-5.
The teams traded runs from there for the final 12-8 score.
Megan Schlechte suffered her first loss of the year, lasting only 2/3 inning. Read More