Photo by R.R. Best

•March 17, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team ended the season by winning its final Central Illinois Conference and knocking off rival Okaw Valley.
The Redskins also said goodbye to four seniors who recorded impressive high school careers: Jerra Goad, Taylor Orris, Zoe Walton and Emily White.
These four seniors finished their careers with a record of 78 wins and 25 losses. They have been a part of two regional titles, two Sweet 16 appearances, and have won the conference outright twice and were co-champs once.
In four years, they finished with a CIC record of 23-5
“It was a very emotional start to tonight’s game,” said McCain, “but I am glad they played hard to finish out a great season. I wish they could have had a post season so we could have seen just how far this group of girls could have went … They did a great job leaving their legacy behind, and we wish them all the very best in their future endeavors.”
The Redskins ended this season with a 14-1 overall record.
Sullivan took advantage of a 17-7 second-quarter run for a 26-14 halftime lead.
The Redskins came out in the third quarter and put the game away with a 21-4 run for the eventual 50-21 victory. Read More

Photo by Jason Brown
Layton Hall (left) in his sophomore year and Logan Hall (right) in his senior year line up to start the 2018 STM Saber Corn Classic Invitational.

•November 18, 2020•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports

Saturday, Oct. 31, Layton Hall competed the IHSA Class 1A Cross Country Sectional at Hickory Point Golf Course to officially end his high school cross country running career.
The senior won the meet with a time of 15:27.6.
The ALAH Knight also competed in the unsanctioned ShaZam Cross Country Club Championships at the Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe Friday, Nov. 6.
Hall ran a 15:58.89 for fifth place.
The ALAH boys’ team, which ran under the name 4 City Striders, placed second with 102 points behind the Harvest Christian Academy team (90 points) that ran as the Elgin Holy Cow Athletics.
The day before the ShaZam Cross Country Club Championships, Hall verbally committed to run for Indiana State next fall. Read More

Photo submitted by Coach Richter
Ben Richter, Brett Bushue, Will Haegen, Leyton Ellis, Logan Westjohn, Drew Rogers, and Camden Dwyer pose after winning Sullivan’s fourth-straight IHSA Class 1A golf regional champsionship.

•October 14, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports

In a year when the Sullivan boys’ golf team has an average team score to compete with nearly every Class 1A team in the state, the IHSA will not be holding a state golf tournament.
“It really is a shame that this group doesn’t get to fight for a state championship because when we play to our ability, we can score very low,” said Sullivan coach Ben Richter.
Despite no state tournament, Sullivan won its fourth-straight IHSA Class 1A golf regional Oct. 6 at the Moweaqua Golf Course.
The Redskins’ low score of 330 took the regional title, and Monticello’s team score of 334 earned second place. Read More

•June 10, 2020•
Franklin College junior swimmer Brynna Sentel has been named the 2020 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s (HCAC) Female Athlete of the Year, announced by the league on Monday (Jun. 8) afternoon.
The Sullivan native becomes the second Franklin female athlete to earn the league’s top individual honor, joining 2015 winner Anna Murdock. Sentel earned the award after putting together a dominant season in the pool, qualifying for the NCAA National Championships and being named an NCAA All-American for the second straight year. Read More

Photo by R. R. Best
Okaw Valley coach Brooks Inman screams words of encouragement to his players during the regional championship Friday.

•March 4, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team won two games to reach the Class 1A Bethany Regional championship, but came up short against Casey-Westfield.
In the championship game, OV fell behind by double digits in the first half but kept the score within striking distance.
In the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves made their move.
Down by 16 in the fourth quarter, OV battled back to cut the lead to six with seven minutes remaining.
But the Warriors’ defense, which helped OV to 14-of-44 (.318) shooting from the field, including 1-of-11 (.090) from three-point range, stifled OV the rest of the game to go on a 19-1 run and pull away for the eventual 57-37 win. Read More