Category Archives: Sports

Fall Sports Preview Night

News Progress Posted on by

Photo courtesy Lisa Dickens/Bliss Photography Fall Sports Preview Night On Friday, August 19 Sullivan school district sports enthusiasts got a chance to see their favorite teams in action. Fans were invited to watch football practice which concluded on the game field. Athletic introductions of all the Sullivan schools’ fall sport participants were held at 6 p.m. including football, cheerleading, band and color guard, cross country, golf, swimming, middle school baseball, middle school softball with volleyball introductions in the elementary school gymnasium. Volleyball team members (pictured) then held a scrimmage to conclude the event.

Photo courtesy Lisa Dickens/Bliss Photography
Fall Sports Preview Night
On Friday, August 19 Sullivan school district sports enthusiasts got a chance to see their favorite teams in action. Fans were invited to watch football practice which concluded on the game field. Athletic introductions of all the Sullivan schools’ fall sport participants were held at 6 p.m. including football, cheerleading, band and color guard, cross country, golf, swimming, middle school baseball, middle school softball with volleyball introductions in the elementary school gymnasium. Volleyball team members (pictured) then held a scrimmage to conclude the event.

Reflecting on Years as a Blue Dolphin

News Progress Posted on by

•August 24, 2016•

By Brynna Sentel
NP Columnist

I wasn’t even supposed to medal in this event. In prelims I finished 11th. Only the top nine were supposed to medal. But some stroke of luck occurred, and two people scratched; suddenly I was in the ready room with eight other swimmers who I thought were better than me.

I almost let my nerves get the best of me. Almost every swimmer will probably agree that the first time in the ready room is terrifying, especially when you are a small town girl such as myself.

I thought back to the time another team member and I made it to Zones. Zones is where swimmers represent their state rather than their club team. I was representing the state of Illinois against other swimmers representing their own states. So, Zones is a step higher than the State meet.  Read More

Cubs Reel off 11 Straight, USA Women’s Rowing Does the Same

News Progress Posted on by

•August 17, 2016•

By Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports Columnist

For the 2020 Games in Tokyo the two will be coupled together for the first time—along with softball and three other sports—but for this go-around they are separate, but still the source of high-quality entertainment for young and old.

To highlight the diamond happenings, the Cubs tore off 11 straight games before succumbing to the Saturday and Sunday to the Cards—in spite of Kyle Hendricks’ 12 strikeouts—and as of print date hold a 12 game lead in the NL Central.

Only a truly catastrophic Cub-like collapse could save the Cards now.

In those weekend losses, the Cubs bullpen blew substantial leads, so stay tuned, folks.

Now to Rio. Read More

Sullivan Golfers Place in Junior Open

News Progress Posted on by

Photo furnished Sullivan Golfers Place in Junior Open Two Sullivan Golfers Placed in the Decatur Junior Open. Drew Rogers shot a two day total of 184 to win the 12-13 year old division and Logan Westjohn shot a 206 to finish fourth in that division. Both will be in eighth grade in Sullivan this year. They played at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur July 25 and 26.

Photo furnished
Sullivan Golfers Place in Junior Open
Two Sullivan Golfers Placed in the Decatur Junior Open.
Drew Rogers shot a two day total of 184 to win the 12-13 year old division and Logan Westjohn shot a 206 to finish fourth in that division. Both will be in eighth grade in Sullivan this year.
They played at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur July 25 and 26.

Sullivan MVP

News Progress Posted on by

Photo furnished Sullivan MVP Jackson Matheson of Sullivan played in the Cal Ripken State and Ohio Valley Tournament with the Mattoon 9u All-stars team. Matheson was awarded MVP during the championship game in Galesburg. After winning the state tournament, the All-stars advanced to Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. The five-state tournament included teams from Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky,  Michigan and Wisconsin.   During a skills competition, Matheson won the fastest pitch with a speed of 57 mph. He also received another MVP for hitting a two run out-of-the-park home run over right field.  

Photo furnished
Sullivan MVP
Jackson Matheson of Sullivan played in the Cal Ripken State and Ohio Valley Tournament with the Mattoon 9u All-stars team. Matheson was awarded MVP during the championship game in Galesburg. After winning the state tournament, the All-stars advanced to Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. The five-state tournament included teams from Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky,  Michigan and Wisconsin.  
During a skills competition, Matheson won the fastest pitch with a speed of 57 mph. He also received another MVP for hitting a two run out-of-the-park home run over right field.

Olympics, Hall of Fame, NFL Training Camp, Oh My!

News Progress Posted on by

•August 10, 2016•

Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports Columnist

We are headed for the golden time of the year in American sports.

Major League Baseball is heating up as playoff pushes are being made, National Football League training camps and pre-season games are underway with the Hall of Fame Game this past Sunday.

Longtime Packers quarterback Brett Favre, Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and head coach Tony Dungy—two key cogs of Indy’s Super Bowl XLI win over the Bears— highlight the class. Rams and Steelers sack master Kevin Greene, former Rams left tackle Orlando Pace, along with former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, and two late greats in former Raiders quarterback Ken “The Snake” Stabler and former Lions offensive guard Dick Stanfel rounded out the largest class since the inaugural 1963 group.

Then there are the Olympics in Brazil.  Read More

Griffey Jr. and Piazza Officially Hall of Famers

News Progress Posted on by

Cubs Snag Chapman from the Bronx

•July 27, 2016•

Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports Columnist

This week in sports was highlighted by the induction of longtime outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. and catcher Mike Piazza into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Griffey, the first overall pick in the 1987 MLB draft at the ripe young age of 18, led the American League in home runs from 1993 to ’99 maxing out at 56 bombs in ‘97 and ‘98 consecutively, part of 630 dingers over a 21 year career. “Junior” compiled a .284 batting average to boot, proving himself not just a power threat.

Griffey, said by some sports writers to have the sweetest swing in MLB history, was a part of the controversial home run renaissance after the strike that cost baseball its only World Series but was never connected to performance enhancement use as several others of his era.

Also of note, Junior received the highest vote total to enter Cooperstown to date, receiving 99.32% of votes in his first year on the ballot. Read More

Gottfreidt Hitting Stride at Lindenwood

News Progress Posted on by

Gottfreidt s:KirkFollowing a Dream

•July 20, 2016•

Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports Reporter

2014 Sullivan grad Taylor Gottfriedt was an All-OVC catcher when Sullivan softball won their home regional over ALAH in 2014.

After catching at Lincoln College for one season, Gottfriedt transferred to Lindenwood University in Belleville—an NAIA D1 softball program, which is equivalent to NCAA DII.

Midway through last season, Gottfriedt—who earned the starting catcher’s position for the pre-season 23rd nationally ranked Lynx— sustained a shoulder injury and was lost for the remainder of the season.  Read More

Seegmiller Keeps Rolling at Millikin

News Progress Posted on by

Seegmiller w: KirkAll in, All Out, All the Time

•July 20, 2016•

Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports Reporter

2012 and 2013 were special years for Arthur-Lovington volleyball.

In those two seasons, the Lancers won the last two of their three consecutive regional crowns and advanced to the Sweet 16; ousted by Tri-County and eventual state runner-up Stewardson-Strasburg respectively.

A key cog of those two teams was 2015 graduate Emily Seegmiller.

Before Seegmiller took her talents to Millikin University, she was the best server the Lancers had and one of the most feared hitters in the area.  Read More