Category Archives: Sports Section

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

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