Category Archives: Sports Section

OV Girls Win Little Okaw Conference Opener

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•January 9, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

After dropping two nonconference games, the Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team won its Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest division opener against Argenta-Oreana Monday night.
The Timberwolves jumped out to a 15-8 lead in the first quarter and did not look back.
OV added four more points before the half for a 34-12 lead.
The Timberwolves doubled the Bombers score in the third, 16-8, and held on in the fourth quarter for the 50-36 win.
Bella Benning scored a season-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, to go with six rebounds, and Madison Vogel hit double-digit scoring with 12 points and collected eight rebounds.
Kate Jeffers nabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to go with three points, and Shyanne Harding added five points and six rebounds.
Ciera Perry and Mia Harris each scored six points.
Saturday, OV lost on the road to Nokomis 44-33. Read More

Redskins Score a Win at Dieterich Holiday Tournament

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•January 2, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team finished the Dieterich Holiday Tournament 1-3 with a win over Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City and losses to Dieterich, Newton and Arcola.
Against Arcola Dec. 28, Sullivan fell behind 18-9 for a first-quarter deficit and 12-points by the half, but the Redskins could not overcome the deficit in the second half in the 59-48 loss.
Sullivan senior Caden Ellis scored a career-high 37 points to go with eight rebounds.
Dalton Rogers finished with seven rebounds and five points.
Sullivan picked up its lone win of the tournament against Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 69-49 Dec. 27.
Sullivan used a 24-11 third-quarter run to pull away for the 69-49 win. Read More

ALAH Knights Travel to Oblong

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•January 2, 2019•

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team dropped three games in the St. Teresa Christmas Tourney last week.
The Knights lost 56-41 to Arthur-Okaw Christian Dec. 18, Riverton 62-27 Dec. 21 and St. Teresa 67-20 Dec. 22.
The losses dropped the Knights record to 0-9 on the season.
ALAH is scheduled to take on Oblong Friday Jan. 4 at home, then travel to Paris Monday.

Vandalia Tourney Tough on OV Team

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•January 2, 2019•

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team lost the seventh place game in the 47th Annual Vandalia Holiday Tournament 71-47 to Pana Friday.
Cameron Sharp led OV with 13 points, and Tyson Montgomery scored 10.
To reach the seventh-place game, OV also lost to host Vandalia in a close 57-53 game Dec. 26.
Sam Hagerman scored 12 points, and Cale Roley added 11 points. Read More

Sullivan Wins Classic Championship Over Improved Knight Squad

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Photo by Jason Brown
Zoe Walton (#14) pulls up for a jumper.

•January 2, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team knocked off host Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond in the championship game of the Knights Holiday Classic December 22.
Unlike the first meeting between the two teams a month before in which Sullivan was up by 20 before halftime, Sullivan had a more difficult time putting the Knights away.
Sullivan jumped out early to a 17-7 first quarter lead, but the Knights outscored the Redskins 9-4 in the second quarter to cut the lead to 26-21 at halftime.
Sullivan stretched the lead in the third quarter to 10 points.
“We did not play exceptionally well today, and that is in large part due to the fact that ALAH played us pretty tough,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “The girls have played four games in three days, and tonight I think fatigue showed a bit in our outside shooting.” Read More

Two Timberwolves Make All-Tourney Team

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•January 2, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team lost the third-place match in the Meridian Holiday Express Girls Basketball Tournament over break.
Timberwolves Madison Vogel and Kate Jeffers were named to the Meridian Holiday Express All-Tournament Team.
In the third-place game Dec. 21, OV lost a close game against host Meridian.
After taking a 4-point lead into the halftime, Meridian cut the lead to one by the end of the third quarter. Read More

Signs with KCC

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Photo by Mike Brothers Signs with KCC Alexis Britton signed a letter of intent to play softball at Kankakee Community College Dec. 12 before an audience of classmates at the Sullivan High School gym. Pictured during the signing front row: Amanda Britton (sister), Brian Britton (father), Alexis Britton, Sarah Britton (mother). Back row: Coach Katie Tate (SMS head & SHS assistant softball coach), Coach Keith Cooper (Kankakee Community College softball coach), and Coach Andy Wagner (SHS head softball coach).

Wins Keep Rolling for Top Ten Sullivan Girls’ Basketball Team

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Photo by R.R. Best
Redskin Esther Miller (No. 23) ties up Okaw Valley’s Mia Harris (No. 2) while Madison Vogel (No. 12) helps.

•December 19, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The No. 10 Class 2A state-ranked Sullivan girls’ basketball team kept on rolling last week with three more nonconference wins.
The Redskins knocked off Mattoon Monday, Pana Saturday and Okaw Valley Thursday to improve its record to 11-1 on the season.
Monday night against the Green Wave, Sullivan jumped out to a 12-0 lead with just under three minutes in the first quarter when Emily White hit a 3-pointer on an out-of-bounds play.
Mattoon cut the lead to 16-11, but Sullivan scored the next four points for a 20-11 halftime lead.
To start the third quarter, Avery Still made two baskets, and Josie Orris hit a shot to extend the lead to 26-11.
Mattoon battled back to 26-17 until Lilly Null pulled up at the top of key hitting a three pointer for a 29-17 lead.
Null followed that with a transition basket to extend the lead to 31-18.
With just less than two minutes in the third quarter, Esther Miller stopped a Mattoon run at 37-27 with a steal at half court and a transition layup.
The score stayed the same until Miller hit two free throws to make it 39-27 with about seven minutes left.
Still extended the lead to 11 points 43-32 with a rebound put-back and another shot down low with 4:41 left in the game.
Miller scored down low and later made free throws to extend the lead to 47-33 with three minutes left in the game. Read More

OV Girls Knock Off LSA at Holiday Tourney

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•December 19, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team entered the Meridian Holiday Express Tournament this week.
The Timberwolves split two games in the tournament.
Friday, OV lost to Warrensburg-Latham in a close game, 47-43 but bounced back to knock off Decatur LSA 50-28 Saturday.
The Timberwolves pounced to a 17-3 lead in the first quarter and took a 31-16 halftime lead.
OV outscored LSA 15-8 in the third quarter and 11-4 in the fourth for the 58-28 win.
Okaw Valley’s Kate Jeffers and Madison Vogel led the way in the win with 16 points. Jeffers had 12 in the second half. Bella Benning hit four three-pointers and finished with 15 points. Read More