March 4, 2015

A&M’s perimeter shooting proves problematic for Timberwolves
By Matthew Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

The Timberwolves came up just short in the second round of the ISHA Class 1A regional falling to Central A&M despite a 26 point performance by senior Devin Still.
Okaw Valley erased an 11 point second half deficit tying the game at 60-60 with two minutes remaining. However, the Raiders were able to hold on and advance, ending a gritty Timberwolves squad’s season.
After the game head coach Tony Sparks addressed his team’s calling card.
“Effort has been one of the signatures of this team all year long,” he said. “To lose a top scorer and leader going into the tournament, the team responded great. They just kept battling and never backed down. That is what we did all year. One thing this team did was play hard, and that is the one thing you want out of your team.”
Senior TJ Pieszchalski was the only Okaw Valley player with an offensive rhythm in the first half. Pieszchalsi, who finished with 10 points, scored eight of the first 19 for the Timberwolves and kept the team afloat. Coach Sparks was quick to compliment his player who has really grown down the stretch.
“TJ has been a good player for us for four years, and he’s played really well for us these last four or five weeks. He is another senior realizing that it was getting down to the end. So we have seen his effort go through the roof the last few weeks just playing harder and smarter.” Read More

February 25, 2015

Will take on host A&M Wednesday evening

By Matthew Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

While the Timberwolves lost one of their best players for the rest of the season on Tuesday in Peyton Hagerman, fans found a star for the future that same night in Dylan Park.
Park, a junior, put 20 points on the Windsor Blue Devils making four spot-up 3s and setting the tone scoring the game’s first six points.
“Dylan shot the ball well,” said head coach Tony Sparks. “He has been our second best shooter all year. They came out and ran some box-and-1 stuff on Devon Still, which left Dylan wide open in the corner, and he took advantage.”
The Timberwolves led 8-0 when Joe Jeffers knocked down a base line jumper at the five minute mark. Windsor quickly battled back to within two at 10-8. Out of a timeout Park hit his third three in the first four minutes of the contest sparking a 10-2 run with Drew Fruchtl adding a key trey leaving the score at 20-10 with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. Windsor nailed its first of two buzzer-beaters from NBA range to close the period with the score 20-13. Read More

February 25, 2015

Earn LOVC Regular Season Title

By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter

Not even the polar vortex could stop the red hot Knights from rolling to a 57-33 victory over Sangamon Valley Friday night in Niantic.
The Knights’ defense held the Storm to just two points in the first quarter and six points in the second cruising to a 34-8 halftime lead. With the win the Knights salted away the conference championship, and head coach Dale Schuring was quick to give all the credit to his players.
“We have won the conference before–I don’t know that we had done it undefeated, but this is the first time since I have been coaching the boys that we have won the tournament and the conference itself. So it was a great accomplishment by this group, and it has been a long time since we had done that.” Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Brittin Boyer sits crouched watching T-Town enjoy their regional title plaque last Thursday. Boyer was held to 10 points in Sullivan’s season-ending 56-54 loss.

February 18, 2015

Boyer held to 10 in season-ending loss

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Lady Redskins’ season may have started with a big win over T-Town, but last Thursday it ended in dramatic fashion to a Lady Shoes team that was markedly different in both makeup and strategy. Though without Chelsea Hardiek and Danielle Repking, the Shoes had Anna Hartke back from an ACL injury. And holding both Brittin Boyer and Emily Neuhauser below their average points per game, the Shoes were able to squeeze out a 56-54 victory over Sullivan to win the Pana regional championship–much to the horror of any Sullivan player, parent, or fan.
“Mental mistakes tonight I think is what cost us,” said head coach Sheri McCain. “They played a great game. They came in and were prepared and were disciplined offensively and did the little things they needed to. They’re T-Town; they do that every year.” Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
Okaw Valley’s Jessica Robinson tries to stand tall against Nokomis’ Ashley Schneider last Wednesday. Between Robinson and Natalie Jeffers, Schneider still scored 24 points in the regional semi-final victory over OV.

February 18, 2015

OV unable to stop Schneider’s post play

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Lady Timberwolves struggled to find an answer for Nokomis’ 5 foot, 10 inch senior Ashey Schneider last Wednesday in the Central A&M regional semi-final. Schneider finished with 24 points and seven rebounds and helped lead her team past OV 43-32.
“We knew what kind of player she was,” said Gardner. “We did our best. We were fronting her; we had different girls on her; we were trying to help weak side, but you have to give credit where credit’s due, and she had a phenomenal game. Had we had a shot fall here or there, then it could be the difference between a win or a loss. The girls battled hard, and they fought and did not quit. That’s the kind of team we are.”
OV was down 16-25 at the half after repeated issues getting shots to fall in both the first and second. But the Lady Timberwolves made a third quarter surge that was good while it lasted. Read More