Category Archives: Sports Section

It Isn’t How You Start. It’s How You Finish

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Photo by Jason Brown
Avery Still works through traffic.

•February 13, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

During the IHSA Class 2A girls’ basketball tournament, so far, the Sullivan girls’ team has been a team of two halves.
In the semifinal of the regional, the No. 1 seeded Sullivan team trailed No. 7 seeded Warrensburg-Latham by one at halftime.
In the regional championship game, Sullivan and No. 4 seeded Villa Grove were tied.
In the semifinal of the sectional, the Redskins committed 15 turnovers and trailed Edwards County by five points at halftime.
But Sullivan coach Sheri McCain’s motto all along has been, “It isn’t how you start; it’s how you finish.”
And in the second half of each of these tournament games, Sullivan outscored its opponents by a combined total of 52 points to win all three games and advance to its second-straight sectional championship. Read More

Knights Outscored

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•February 6, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond dropped a Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest division game 57-27 against Decatur Lutheran Friday night.
The Lions outscored ALAH in each quarter, extending the lead from four points in the first to 11 at halftime.
Decatur Lutheran put the game away with a 17-7 third-quarter run. Read More

Okaw Valley Boys Pick up Conference Win

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•February 6, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team picked up another Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division win with a 73-34 win over Sangamon Valley Friday.
After a 12-8 lead in the first quarter, OV outscored Sangamon Valley 21-11 in the second quarter and 23-12 in the third quarter to blow the game open.
Two Timberwolves hit double-digit scoring. Read More

Sullivan Girls Basketball Clinches CIC Championship

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Photo by R.R. Best
Josie Orris shoots underneath the basket.

•February 6, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

After a hiccup in the Central Illinois Conference Tournament in Decatur last week, the Sullivan girls’ basketball team clinched the regular CIC championship by defeating Tuscola on senior night Friday.
To avenge the upset loss in the semifinals of the CIC tournament to the Warriors, who eventually won the tournament, Sullivan had to wait an extra day because inclement weather Thursday postponed the game until Friday.
“We had such a fun and exciting night for, not only our seniors, but our entire team,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “We had such an amazing crowd and student section tonight. These girls played with such intensity. They were on a mission and that was to avenge the loss from the tournament and win the conference outright. I am so very proud of these young ladies.”
Sullivan took advantage of a 12-1 second-quarter run to squash any ideas of another upset.
After the 22-9 halftime lead, Sullivan tacked on four more points to its lead in the third.
In the fourth quarter the Redskins blew open the game with a 21-6 run and the 56-24 win.
“It was a great way to end our regular season on senior night,” McCain said. Read More

ALAH Girls Take Okaw Valley on Senior Night

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Photo by Jason Brown
Knight Emma Harris boxes out Kate Jeffers for one of her four rebounds on the night.

•February 6, 2019•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team defeated Okaw Valley on senior night to place each team tied for second place in the regular season Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division in Arthur Saturday.
The Knight’s 44-28 win set each team’s LOVC regular-season record to 5-1, behind undefeated Kansas/Shiloh/Oakland in the LOVC.
The Knights took an early lead when Marissa Herschberger stole the ball and converted in transition, then scored again on another layup in transition to make the score 8-2 with just less than three minutes left in the game.
After a 15-5 lead, ALAH Marcy Petersheim hit a jumper to make it and a Knight steal and score push the lead to 19-5 with 2:56 left in the second quarter, forcing OV to take a timeout. Read More

Redskins Place in Tourney

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•February 6, 2019•

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team placed sixth in the Central Illinois Conference Tournament Saturday.
The Redskins lost to Shelbyville 68-43 and finished the tournament 1-2.
Senior Caden Ellis led the team with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Read More

ALAH Knights Snap Streak with Sangamon Valley Defeat

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•January 30, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team snapped its six-game losing streak by defeating Sangamon Valley last Wednesday at Nancy Stiff Gym in Arcola.
The Knights took a 15-point lead after the first quarter then went on a 14-8 run in the second quarter for a 33-12 halftime lead.
The Knights held onto the same lead in the third quarter before pulling away in the fourth for the 62-37 win.
Austin Plank contributed a season-high 23 points to go with four rebounds, three assists and three steals to help earn the seventh-place finish in the Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division Tournament.
Austin Romine hit double digits with ten points and added three rebounds, two assists and two points. Read More

Okaw Valley Girls’ Basketball Gains Strength with Wins

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Senior night for Madison Vogel and Bella Benning pose for senior night before the Arcola game Monday night.

•January 30, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team has picked a good time to start a winning streak.
The Timberwolves knocked off Arcola in a close Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division game to win its fifth-straight game and stay undefeated in the LOVC Monday night.
The back-and-forth game started strong for OV.
The Timberwolves took a 15-4 lead in the first quarter, but the Purple Riders battled back to cut the lead to 22-18.
Arcola took the lead heading into the fourth quarter, but OV fought back in the fourth for the 45-42 win.
Kate Jeffers recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Madison Vogel added 10 rebounds and eight points.
Bella Benning contributed six points, and Mia Harris added four.
Miaya Lehamn, Shyanne Harding and Ciera Perry each scored two points. Read More

Sullivan Boys’ Basketball Team Upsets Meridian

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•January 30, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team lost its first game against No. 1 seeded Central A&M in the Central Illinois Conference Tournament at Warrensburg Saturday but bounced back Monday to upset No. 5 seeded Meridians.
Monday night against Meridian, No. 8 seeded Sullivan needed all of its 22-10 first-quarter lead to hold off the Hawks.
Meridian battled back in the middle quarters, outscoring Sullivan 33-26 to cut the lead to four.
Sullivan fought off the Hawks in the fourth quarter for the 67-65 win.
Four Redskins hit double-digit scoring.
Caden Ellis had a team-high 22 points, and Dominick Kimberlin followed with 16.
Dalton Rogers and Ian Plank each scored 10 points. Read More