Photo by Keith Stewart
Colton Yeakley is seen with his seventh place medal in the discus at the IHSA state track meet in Charleston May 31.

June 11, 2014

Sophomore hopes for more to come

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond discus competitor Colton Yeakley says he isn’t the most patient when it comes to waiting on his turn to throw.

“I’m not a good waiter,” said Yeakley. “Usually when we throw prelims and then finals, a half hour later, that wait in between kills me.”

So when scattered thunderstorms made their way to Charleston early on Thursday afternoon, causing one lightning delay after another, Yeakley wasn’t sure how he or anyone would react.

“They got done with flight one and two, then we got out there to warm up and there was a lightning delay. So we had to go back to the camp,” he explained. “We waited for about an hour and a half till three, and they said they were letting everyone back in. So we got back in there to do our 20 minute warmups and we’re about done with our warmups, and they put us in another lightning delay. Then we sat for three, three and a half hours before they finally let us in around six.” Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Sullivan-Okaw Valley’s girls’ track team hoists up their third place team trophy at
Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium Saturday afternoon after placing in six events, including first in the 400m and 4x200 relay. 

4x2, 400m championships lead banner day for SOV

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

For Sullivan-Okaw Valley’s girls’ track team, Saturday’s third place team trophy at the state track meet has its roots in a ticket stub.

“On the back of our shirts, it says get on the bus,” explained head coach Kali Taylor. “I had read a book over the winter called the ‘Energy Bus’, and it was all about positive energy and changing mindsets. So at the beginning of the season I gave them tickets and invited them on the bus. Then we put our goals up, and I told them from the get go that our goal was to walk away from every meet in the top three, and there were a couple times we didn’t. But now we’re walking away with a third place trophy.”

The group first got started on Thursday, sending five girls in seven events, tied with three other teams with the most qualifiers. All but one would then qualify for Saturday’s finals, setting up the historic team finish. Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Pictured are Okaw Valley’s two seniors who were recognized before Tuesday’s game against Decatur LSA: Kainan Bushert (left) and Colton Sroka (right).

Marks 10th win in a row after conference championship

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

For some teams, after having won nine games in a row, including three double headers–one of which earning them the conference championship– they would have a let down.

Not Okaw Valley’s baseball team.

After a grueling double header sweep on Saturday against Villa Grove/Heritage to win the LOVC championship outright, the Timberwolves hosted Decatur LSA Tuesday for senior night, recognizing Colton Sroka and Kainan Bushert. Although they certainly didn’t receive LSA with warm reception. Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
ALAH’s Noah Yantis warms up at the mound during the first inning of Saturday’s game as Windsor head coach Mike Taylor (right) and WSS’s Christian Vonderheide (left) each watch from third base.

Windsor/Stew-Stras Takes Advantage of early miscues

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

All Windsor/Stew-Stras had to do at the plate Saturday consisted of one big inning–the first to be exact.

The Comets took advantage of a poor start at the mound by Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond’s Jeremy Plank–six walks and four earned runs in 2/3 an inning–to score nine of their 14 runs on the day, en route to a 14-1 five inning victory.

“You have to throw strikes,” said ALAH coach Craig Moffett. “If pitchers don’t throw strikes, you don’t really have a chance to do anything defensively.” Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Brody Elder makes his way to second after doubling deep to center field in the third inning. Elder would later get batted in by Jacob Piper, giving Sullivan its first of two runs in their 2-1 win over Central A&M Tuesday.

Final inning nearly provides comeback for Raiders

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

Pitching has been pretty good recently for the Redskins baseball team.
Saturday Nick Frerichs two-hit Danville Schlarman en route to a 14-0 win, and Tuesday Shane Atchison returned the favor with a complete game two-hit gem of his own against Central A&M, striking out nine and walking three along with the two hits.
“Shane has been solid all season,” Redskins head coach Troy Rogers said. “He knows how to pitch, he’s a bulldog on the mound—he’s out there with no sleeves because he’s crazy—he worked ahead in the count with a relatively small and low strike zone. In the last inning specifically he kept his composure and finished exceptionally well.” Read More