Photo by Keith Stewart
The Okaw Valley varsity girls' basketball team secured their holiday tournament crown Tuesday evening with a 55-41 win over Heyworth.

December 26, 2014

Take tourney crown for first time since 2004

By Matt Kracht
NP Sport Reporter

Christmas arrived on Tuesday night for Okaw Valley basketball fans as the Lady Timberwolves secured their first holiday tournament championship since 2004.
Amanda McClain had a double double sporting an impressive 12 point and 14 rebound line, while Megan Dash had her best performance of the season adding 10 points, six of which came in the fourth quarter to go along with nine rebounds. With the three tournament wins the Lady Timberwolves are now 11-2 on season.
All-tourney selection Amy Orris has what coaches’ call “in the gym range,” and after getting the scoring started with a coast to coast drive, Orris set the tone knocking down two NBA threes in the first few minutes of play.
Behind Orris’s strong start Okaw Valley stole momentum and held the early 15-14 lead after the first period. Orris, who was undoubtedly the floor general for the Lady Timberwolves, finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
In the second quarter McClain dominated the boards and on one memorable possession claimed four consecutive offensive rebounds before cashing in with a layup. The second chance points pushed the Okaw Valley lead to five at 23-18 before Paige Harlin nailed a deep 3-pointer making it 28-20 with two minutes remaining in the first half. Harlin also shot her way to an all-tourney selection adding another six points on the night on two long 3-pointers. After the game Coach Gardener had high praise for his shooting guards. Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
The Knights’ Colton Yeakley pauses before going back up for the bucket Tuesday evening. Yeakley left the game with over three minutes left in the first quarter after he was struck above the left eye.

December 17, 2014

Worst night of shooting so far spells ALAH demise

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Knights may have suffered their first loss of the season Tuesday night, but it wasn’t all that bad of a thing.

In fact, for head coach Dale Schuring, it was almost nice.

“Obviously there are a lot of things we didn’t do well– a lot of things we can learn from the game, but the bright spot of it is, we lost by 10, and we couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean,” said the Knights’ head coach. “I mean, if we’re going to shoot like that, we’re not going to beat anybody. I don’t care who it is. They had a very good defense and game plan, but if we make half the shots we normally make, I think we probably come out on top, and that’s not a slight to them, but it’s just who we are and what we do, and tonight we were just awful other than Jeremy [Plank], who I won’t say was consistent but streaky tonight.”

After managing to keep a meager 7-6 lead over St. Teresa after one quarter of play, the Knights succumbed to a 5-0 run in the second, which would be just enough breathing room for the Bulldogs to eventually take and run with it.

While neither team shot well in the opening period, including the Knights’ knocking down just one field goal in addition to their five free throws, the Bulldogs recovered in the second, while Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond continued to miss. Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Sullivan's Elissa Stewart watches the loose ball after stripping it away from Tuscola Thursday night. Stewart's five steals were part of her team's 16 on a night where the Lady Red won the conference opener 61-40.

December 5, 2014

Four Lady Red score double-digits, including Boyer’s 1000th career point

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A little blood never hurt anyone.

In fact, for Elissa Stewart, it may have helped.

After getting hit in the face with the ball Thursday night and exiting the court with a bloodied nose early in the second quarter, the senior point-guard for Sullivan would re-emerge and become a juggernaut both offensively and defensively to help lift the Lady Red past Tuscola in a 61-40 conference opening win.

“I was happy to see her back on the floor,” said head coach Sheri McCain. “Elissa, as lighthearted as she is, she came right back in, and she just makes a difference. She’s the floor general. She is the true point guard for this team. She gets them fired up.”

Stewart’s offensive performance included three 3-pointers, all in the third quarter, part of her 17-point performance on the night. And her timing could not have been any better.

After her exit just 18 seconds into the second quarter, Sullivan went stale. The Lady Red didn’t post one point from the field and instead had just one lone free-throw from April Shuman, and even that didn’t come until over six minutes into the second period. Tuscola meanwhile, pulled within one and trailed Sullivan 19-18 heading into the locker room. Read More

Photo by RR Best
Sullivan’s Brittin Boyer officially signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Eastern Illinois University last Thursday afternoon. Pictured, front row, left to right are: sister Kailyn Boyer, mother Sara Boyer, Brittin Boyer, and father Dave Boyer. Back row, left to right: Sullivan girls’ head coach Sheri McCain, and Central Illinois Storm head coach Barry Wolfe.

November 19, 2014

Sullivan’s Boyer to become a Panther next year

By Matthew Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

Brittin Boyer’s mom Sara remembers reading the note as if it happened yesterday.

Four years ago Brittin was attending EIU’s basketball camp as an eighth grader. As a camp coach filled out an evaluation form, he wrote “I hope to recruit you one day.”

To this day Sara Boyer is, “not sure if they put that on every form, but it was great foreshadowing.” Flash forward four years and Brittin Boyer gets a call on a Sunday in July. She runs down the stairs excited to tell her parents that Eastern Illinois University just called to offer her a scholarship. According to Mom, “That was the best moment for us as parents because playing Division I basketball is a big goal, and you want your kids to chase their dreams.”

Sullivan head coach Sheri McCain, who was Boyer’s third grade teacher, complimented her after the signing. Read More

Members of the SOV football team hold up their Central Illinois Conference championship plaque Friday night after defeating Clinton 54-14. The Redskins split the title with St. Teresa, who also finished 6-1 in the conference after a week seven loss to Shelbyville.

October 29, 2014

Finish regular season 8-1

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

You could say Cinderella.

But they’d prefer businesslike.

SOV rounded out their regular season Friday night with a 54-14 drubbing of Clinton, ending the regular season 8-1 on the year and earning a share of the Central Illinois Conference championship along with Decatur St. Teresa.

Oh, and was it mentioned already that the Redskins are playoff bound–and at home?

The heap of rewards bestowed upon SOV Friday night, including the praises of the senior class, had to wait until after the game however. Finishing 8-1 on the year would prove pivotal in the playoff matchup, not to mention securing a share of that conference title. Read More