Category Archives: Sports Section

ALAH Girls Basketball Team Bounces Back

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•December 19, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

After losing to Central A&M Thursday and Effingham St. Anthony in a close game Saturday, the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team bounced back to knock off Argenta-Oreana in a Little Okaw Valley matchup Monday night.
After a tied 13-13 first quarter, the Knights went on a 23-6 second-quarter run to take a 36-19 halftime lead.
ALAH added four to that lead in the third quarter, then held on in the fourth for the 64-45 win.
Senior Marissa Herschberger led the Knights with 19 points, three assists and three steals.
Senior Emma Harris filled up the stat box with six points, five rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
Freshman Alexa Miller and senior Marcy Petersheim each scored 11 points.
Miller added five rebounds to go with a team-high six points and six steals.
Petersheim also recorded a team-high seven rebounds to go with two assists and three steals. Read More

All-Conference Selections Announced

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•December 19, 2018•

The Central Illinois Conference and Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest announced all-conference teams this past week.
For the LOVC NW, two Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond players earned first-team honors.
Linemen Isaac Ashenfelter and linebacker Lucas Otto, who was a unanimous choice, earned first-team honors. Read More

Sullivan Heads Into Holiday Tourney Time

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Photo by R.R. Best
Sullivan senior guard Gabe McGregor reaches for the ball during the LSA game Friday.

•December 19, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped three games this past week.
The Redskins lost to Pana Saturday, LSA Friday and Arcola last Tuesday.
Against Pana, Sullivan fell behind 18-7 in the first quarter and was behind at half 32-17.
Sullivan put together a good third quarter, outscoring the Panthers 17-10, but it was not enough in the 54-41 loss.
Caden Ellis led the Redskins with 15 points.
Ian Plank hit double digits with 12 points, and Gabe McGregor and Dominick Kimberlin each dropped five points.
Dalton Rogers and Kanin Elder each scored two points.
Friday night, the Redskins lost to LSA 52-42 in Decatur.
The game was close throughout.
The first half was back-and-forth, until Sullivan took a 28-26 lead into halftime.
With just more than a minute left in the third quarter, Caden Ellis hit a 3-pointer to take a 38-31 lead. Read More

Local Schools Earn All-Area Honors

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•December 19, 2018•

The Decatur Herald and Review and the News Gazette announced all-area teams last week.
Players from Sullivan, Okaw Valley, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond and Stewardson-Strasburg earned honors.
In volleyball, several WSS players earned honors.
Senior outside hitter Megan Schlechte earned all-area first team for both newspapers.
She averaged 5.8 kills, 3.6 digs and 0.7 aces per set.
Senior libero Carson Cole earned all-area second-team honors from the HR.
Senior setter Mackenzi Tabbert made the seven-member third team for the NG, and Mackinzee Reynolds was named to the NG’s honorable mention team.
WSS finished 32-7 and reached the Class 1A Sweet Sixteen. Read More

Raiders Capture Win Over Timberwolves

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•December 19, 2018•

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team lost a non-conference game 69-41 to Central A&M at Moweaqua Friday.
The Raiders jumped out early with a 23-9 first-quarter lead and did not look back.
CAM extended the lead by eight in the second quarter and by 10 more points in the third.
For OV, junior forward Cole Nichols scored a team-high 11 points. Read More

Pirates Reap Bounty from ALAH Knights

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•December 12, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team dropped two games this past week.
The Knights lost to Cumberland Friday and Tuscola last Tuesday.
Friday Cumberland took advantage of a 21-6 second-quarter run to pull away for a 39-17 halftime lead.
The Pirates held in the second half for the 72-46 win.
Sophomore Austin Plank hit double digits with 10 points, including two 3-pointers, to lead the Knights. Read More

OV Girls Win Over Martinsville

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•December 12, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team ended an eight game-losing streak with a 43-33 win over Martinsville Monday night.
OV took a one-point lead after one period and tacked on two more points for a 22-19 halftime lead.
The Timberwolves extended the lead with a 14-7 third-quarter run and held on the fourth for the win.
Okaw Valley’s individual stats were not available.
Thursday (Dec. 6), OV lost to Altamont 73-22.
Altamont outscored OV 24-5 and 22-5 in the first two quarters. Read More

Indians’ Fourth Quarter Cost Redskins’ Chance at Win

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R.R. Best photo
Dom Kimberlin shoots a runner in the lane. He finished with 10 points and five rebounds.

•December 12, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped three games this past week.
The Redskins lost to Villa Grove/Heritage Saturday, Neoga Friday and Okaw Valley last Tuesday.
Against Villa Grove/Heritage, Sullivan fell behind 26-7 in the first quarter and could not recover in the 67-30 loss.
Dominick Kimberlin scored a season-high 17 to go with three rebounds and two steals.
Ian Plank added seven points and two rebounds, and Dalton Rogers and Elder each had three points. Rogers also had two assists, and Elder collected with two rebounds.
Friday at home Sullivan stuck with Neoga until the fourth quarter when the Indians outscored the Redskins 15-8 for a 53-39 win.
Neoga outscored Sullivan by six in the first quarter, and Sullivan outscored Neoga by six in the second quarter for an 18-18 halftime tie.
Three Redskins hit double-digit scoring.
Layten Ellis recorded a team high 11 points and nine rebounds, and Kimberlin collected 10 points and five rebounds.
Gabe McGregor contributed 10 points and two rebounds, and Plank had six points, four rebounds, two assists and five steals.
For results from the Okaw Valley game, see the Timberwolves article.
The losses dropped Sullivan’s overall record to 1-5.
The Redskins are scheduled to host Lutheran School Association Friday (Dec. 14) and then travel to Pana Saturday to take on the Panthers.

Okaw Valley Boys Pick Up Win Over Sullivan

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•December 12, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team picked up its first win of the season against rival Sullivan last Tuesday but dropped a close Little Okaw Valley Conference game Friday.
Against Sullivan at Bethany, both teams struggled to put points on the board.
OV led 9-5 after the first quarter, and the second finished similarly at 8-5 for the 7-point halftime lead.
After each team scored eight points in the third quarter, the Timberwolves tacked on to the lead in the fourth for the 40-30 win.
For OV, Cole Nichols scored a game high 19 points and collected a team-high seven rebounds.
Eli Hagerman finished with seven points, and Tyson Montgomery had five. Read More

Sullivan Girls’ Basketball Cracks Class 2A State Top Ten

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Photo furnished
Sullivan Coach Sheri McCain directs traffic from the sideline.

•December 12, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team toppled two Central Illinois Conference foes this past week and cracked the Associated Press’ top ten as the No. 10 Class 2A ranked team in the state.
The Redskins easily took care of Meridian Monday night and Warrensburg-Latham Thursday (Dec. 6).
In Macon Monday, Sullivan wasted no time with its early pressure and outscored Meridian 22-8 in the first quarter.
The Redskins did not look back in the 70-32 rout.
Lilly Null had team-highs in three categories with 16 points (including two 3-pointers) eight steals and seven assists.
Emily White followed with 14 points, and Avery Still also broke double digits 11 points and collected six rebounds.
Jerra Goad recorded six points and six rebounds, and Josie Orris dropped seven points. Read More