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

Photo by RR Best
Chanley Heykoop makes a run for the end zone Saturday night. Heykoop had 161 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

October 15, 2014

First post-season in store since 01

by Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

The Sullivan Okaw-Valley Redskins bounced back strong Saturday night in a victory over the Shelbyville Rams. Senior quarterback Nick Frerichs put up a five touchdown game setting the tone for what would be a dominant performance for the Redskins. The win ends a decade old postseason drought as the Redskins move to 6-1 on the season, solidifying a playoff spot with two weeks left in the regular season.

“Nick understands what we want done,” said SOV head coach Gerald Temples. “He is a great leader and a heck of a competitor. He stays after people, and that’s a positive for us. He just does a great job and is such a competitor who wants to do well. I just can’t say enough about him.”

But early on, it was Shelbyville who put the first points on the board taking the opening drive down all the way. Read More

Photo by Joe Wheller
SOV’s Jake Eaton hits his gap for the touchdown Friday night against Meridian. Eaton ran for 50 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries.

October 1, 2014

Redskins roll in one-sided rout of Meridian

By Joe Wheeler
NP Reporter

It was all Redskins Friday night as the boys in red opened up the field on the Meridian Hawks in a 47-7 win.

SOV was 4-0 going into this past week’s matchup and was looking to keep things going versus a Meridian squad who has had trouble getting things going this season. The Hawks, 1-4 after Friday night, could not do anything to stop the high-powered offense of Sullivan-Okaw Valley.

“We were able to get some things going in not only the running game, but also the passing game,” head coach Gerald Temples said. “Our kids really did a great job of executing the game plan tonight.” Read More

Photo by RR Best
Alec Ballinger (no. 15) and Jake Eaton celebrate after SOV took a 15-14 lead over Tuscola Friday night.

September 17, 2014

Victory keeps SOV atop CIC with Shelbyville

by Matt Kracht
NP Sports Writer

First place in the newly formed Central Illinois Conference was on the line Friday night at Victory Field. The Redskins rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat the Tuscola Warriors 28-22 improving to 3-0 on the season. Homecoming fans battling the elements looked on as two of the area’s top quarterbacks squared off in an instant classic.
Coming down to five minutes to go in the four quarter and the score tied 22-22, Ty “white shoes” Molzen calmly set himself at the line of scrimmage. Facing 3-and-9 Molzen was hit in stride on a slant pass from Nick Frerichs and then it happened. Molzen, per Bill Cosby, transformed into “an amoeba splitting himself in half leaving the half without the football with the tackler.” After applying the brakes causing one Tuscola defender to fly by, Molzen hit the gas and accelerated past a second, before finally carrying a man on his back and falling forward for the biggest first down of the night. Frerichs scored three plays later on a quarterback sprint putting the Redskins on top for good. Molzen finished the night with two catches for 40 yards. Read More

Photo by the Tintype
Pictured is the newly formed ALAH marching band.

September 3, 2014

After five years without, new ALAH marching band forms

by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Lovington Reporter

Not only have different schools joined together to form a new district, ALAH (Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond), but students are learning to march together to the same tune-literally.
After almost five years without a formal marching band due to a lack of participating students, the district now has one.
For the 2014-2015 school year, the increased number of students joining the marching band has been music to both the district and the community’s ears. Band director Richard Moma notes that the community has been extremely supportive of the students too. Read More