Photo by RR Best
Pictured is the Sullivan varsity baseball team with their Central Illinois Conference title plaque, which they won following a 6-2 win over Clinton last Thursday. Pictured, front row, left to right: Brody Elder, Dylan Hart, Jacob Piper, Matthew Sparrow, Blake Stewart, and Nick Frerichs. Back row: head coach Troy Rogers, Zach Hrvol, Levi Nadler, Drew Harris, Dylan Liddiard, Dakota Clayton, and Alec Ballinger.

Will begin regional play next week

May 13, 2015

By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

The Sullivan Redskins secured the CIC(Central Illinois Conference) inaugural championship Thursday at Leon Lane Memorial Field thanks to a strong pitching performance by Jacob Piper, who went five innings of shutout baseball, ultimately allowing just two runs on two hits over the complete game. Sullivan ran its way to a lead early and held off a sixth inning rally to claim the program’s first conference title in more than 15 years.
Celebrating with his team after the win, head coach Troy Rogers gave all the credit to his players. “These are a great group of kids who played a lot of baseball over the years, and I couldn’t be more proud of them. They deserve it.”
Rogers also complimented Piper who was starting just his second game on the season.
“He had just had some relief appearances, and he is 2-0 now after starting last weekend versus Okaw Valley. I know he is going to throw strikes, keep them off balance, and let his defense work. We have been playing solid defense behind him. We had one hiccup where we gave Clinton a couple extra outs, but Jacob did a good job getting out of it, keeping that four run cushion.” Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Okaw Valley sophomore Taylor Coleman reaches for first on a throw-out attempt Monday.

Still, still undefeated from the mound

April 29, 2015

By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

Okaw Valley starter Devon Still (7-0) won his seventh game in as many starts while improving the Timberwolves overall record to 18-1, after defeating Decatur LSA. Still had an all-conference day fanning 10 of the opposition over seven innings of one-run ball, and helping his own cause at the plate going 4-4 with three RBIs.
Coach Andrew Hagerman expected nothing less from his senior lefty.
“Devon pitched well which is no surprise. He located all his pitches, and he played like a senior, and he has been doing it all year.”
Still pitched out of a first inning jam thanks to a web gem by his third baseman and then struck out the side in the second, twisting right handed batters into the ground with nasty movement down and in. Still flashed some leather of his own in the third inning coming off the mound to make an excellent play on a would be bunt single. Still whirled and delivered a missile across the diamond beating the runner to first. Capping off the performance Still struck out the side again in the fifth overmatching the LSA hitters with a mix of velocity and movement. Coach Hagerman thought the defensive effort was a big factor in the win. Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Second baseman Peyton Hagerman hurls the ball to first Tuesday evening. Hagerman had two clutch throw outs at first in their game against Neoga.

OV ends Neoga’s unbeaten streak

April 15, 2015

by Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

Okaw Valley baseball notched their 12th victory on the season Tuesday over undefeated Neoga 3-0. Dylan Park blanked the Indians across seven innings with five strikeouts in a complete game shutout. Drew Fructhl drove home the game winner in the third inning, and Garrett Fritz sewed it up with a two RBI double in the fifth.
Both pitchers tossed a pair of scoreless frames to start the contest before the bottom of the third when a leadoff walk and steal by Joe Jeffers set up an RBI chance for Drew Fruchtl, who drove home the game’s first run on a sharp single and advance to third on the throw home. The lone run would turn out to be all Park needed. Playing the role of insurance man Fritz hit a two-out two-run double to the gap in right center which let Timberwolves fans breathe easier heading into the final two innings.
Head coach Andrew Hagerman credited Neoga’s pitcher for making it an uncomfortable day for Okaw Valley at the dish, but in clutch times the team came up big. Read More

Photo by RR Best
Sullivan’s Kailyn Boyer gets ready to take a swing during Monday afternoon’s contest against Neoga.

Stewart’s in-the-park homer caps off performance

April 8, 2015

By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

Heidi Clements and Maddie Wall combined to throw a perfect game Monday evening against Neoga. Facing the minimum over five innings without allowing a runner to reach base, the pair peppered the strike zone and trusted the defense to have their backs. Making sure the strong pitching performance did not go to waste the Lady Redskins scored nine runs in the first inning, three runs in the second, seven in the third, and one more in the fourth for good measure. Head coach Ben Richter summed the performance up nicely after the win.
“It was perfect– a perfect game between the two of them,” he said. “No one on base. Maddie Wall came in and pitched well in the fourth and fifth innings, and Heidi Clements pitched great the first three.”
The offense for the Lady Redskins was keyed by a patient approach at the plate. Neoga’s starting pitcher struggled with command all day, and Sullivan took full advantage. A leadoff walk started off the first inning rally for Sullivan’s offense, and after a stolen base, an RBI double brought home the Redskins’ first run of the game. The carousel then took on a life of its own as 11 players came to bat in the bottom of the first. The Redskins scored four runs in the first on passed balls alone racking up five walks in the frame. Coach Richter commented that some of the patience came out of necessity. Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
ALAH junior Jakob Brewer rounds the final turn of the 4x200 relay, which finished 22nd. Brewer also competed in the 60m hurdles, in which he placed sixth with a time of 9.31 seconds.

Yeakley takes fourth, Uphoff earns fifth

March 25, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Neither the SOV or Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond boys’ track and field teams placed in the top half of last weekend’s Charleston Indoor Invitational at Eastern Illinois University. Out of 33 class A schools, the Redskins finished 29th while the Knights took 23rd. But that didn’t mean each wouldn’t covet a few top performances.
Junior Colton Yeakley led the immediate area taking fourth place in the shot put with a throw of 47 feet, 11 inches.
“Colton had a personal best in shot put with that throw, and there was solid competition at that meet,” said head coach Ryan Whelan. “It’s good to see his development in shot put (he threw 42 something at the same meet last year). It gives credit to the time and effort he puts in throughout the year with his throwing. It will be good to see what he starts off with throwing discus on Tuesday, since that’s been his 'better' event the last two years.” Read More