All Star Games Highlight Local High School Talent

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All-Stars: Hope Ruppert, Natalie Jeffers and Paige Robinson hug after the SkyWalker All-Star Game in Decatur last Friday. Robinson won the MVP award and the 3-point contest, but had to play against her three-year co-starter in the game.

•April 18, 2018•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports

Several area girls’ basketball players participated in two different all-star games this past week, but it was Okaw Valley guard Paige Robinson who won the MVP award for both games.

Three players from Sullivan and one from Okaw Valley participated in the Marshall School Foundation Game in Marshall, Ind. and two Timberwolves played in the SkyWalker All-Star Game in Decatur.

In the Marshall School Foundation game Sunday, Redskins Chloe Riley and Haley Rose played for the Red Team, and Elizabeth Green played for the White Team.

For OV, Robinson played for the White Team, which won the game 88-63.

Robinson scored 28 points, including three 3-pointers, to go with double digit assists and a handful of rebounds to win the Co-MVP of the tournament.

“Paige had about four to five AAU teammates down there,” said OV coach Brad Ackers, “and so I know she enjoyed herself and competed against some girls she knows. A number of Sullivan girls were there too.”

Green scored in the first quarter for a total of four points for the White team.

For the Red Team, Riley scored seven points and Rose added two.

Riley made two of three free throws and made two baskets in the third quarter, and Rose scored her two points in the third quarter. Read More

Local Swimmer Hits Her Stroke at Franklin

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Sullivan High School graduate Brynna Sentel winning one of the relays at the Liberal Arts Championships in Iowa.

•April 18, 2018•

Brynna Sentel was a Blue Dolphin team leader in Sullivan inspiring many to push themselves to achieve swimming goals.

Sentel has achieved a few goals of her own since leaving Sullivan for

Franklin College in Indiana.

The daughter of Lori Sentel of Sullivan was named NCAA Liberal Arts Championships Female Swimmer of the Year.

She scored a perfect 60 points at the conference championship, the most ever by a Franklin female swimmer, won all three individual events, placing first in the 200 free, 500 free, and 100 back, achieved the NCAA National B cut in 100 back, swam on four gold-medal-winning relays and broke Franklin team records in the 100 back, 500 free and 200 free style. She also won the Franklin College Female Rookie of the Year Award as well as the Swimming & Diving Female Athlete of the Year Award.[/s2If]

Three Straight Wins for ALAH Softball Team

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•April 18, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond softball team picked up three-straight wins this past week.

The Knights knocked off Rantoul, Cerro Gordo and Neoga.

Against Rantoul last Friday, ALAH’s offense exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning to take a 10-5 lead.

Each team scored a run late in the game for a final of 11-6

Addi Tinkle was two for four with two RBIs, and Reagan Miller knocked in two runs. Read More

Sullivan Softball Dominates Back and Forth With Arcola

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•April 18, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan softball team finished the week 1-2 and had Monday’s game against Clinton postponed.

The Redskins defeated Arcola but dropped games to Central A&M and Shelbyville.

Against Arcola, Sullivan took an early lead in the first, but the Purple Riders tied the game in the second.

Sullivan took the lead again in the third with a run, but Arcola answered with four runs in the third to take a 5-2 lead.

The Redskins cut the lead to 5-4 in the fourth inning, then scored three runs in the sixth inning to recapture the lead.

Sullivan scored one in the seventh for the 7-5 win. Read More

Okaw Valley Baseball Shuts Out Three During Streak Week

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•April 18, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Okaw Valley baseball team stretched its winning streak to 10-0 to start the season by shutting out Cerro Gordo, Beecher City and Neoga this past week.

In the three games OV outscored its opponents 40-0.

The Timberwolves overwhelmed Cerro Gordo 15-0 in a 3-inning game.

OV plated two in the first inning, eight in the second inning and five in the third inning and totaled 13 hits.

Cody Drake, Trey Yarnell and Austin Harshman each recorded two hits. Read More

Hatchets Come Back From First Loss

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•April 18, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

It was bound to happen.

After 10-straight wins, the Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg softball team suffered its first and second loss of the season.

Despite losing to Flora and a heartbreaker to Charleston, the Hatchets knocked off Altamont and Teutopolis this week.

“This week was a great opportunity to face four quality teams and experience adversity,” said WSS coach Craig Moffett. “We responded well for the most part. It also shows us how important each pitch can be in close games and how important playing clean defense is to winning versus good teams.”

Last Thursday, WSS routed the Wooden Shoes 11-1. Read More

OVHS Athletes Recognized

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•April 18, 2018•

Garrett Fritz and Natalie Jeffers were named JGTC athletes of the week. Fritz was the winning pitcher against Greenfield throwing an inning and two thirds and allowing two hits with five strikeouts, no walks and no runs. At the plate for the week he was 4-for-6 (.667) with four runs, a double, three stolen bases and a run batted in.

Jeffers was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a double, two home runs and five runs batted in from her leadoff spot in a 17-3 victory over CHBC.

OV All StarPlayers

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OV All StarPlayers
Okaw Valley seniors Paige Robinson, Hope Ruppert, and Jared Bunfill participated in the first annual Skywalker All-Star game held in Decatur. Robinson won the three point contest by hitting 10 threes and also was named MVP of the game recording a triple-double. She had 14 pts, 10 asst., 10 rebounds and four blocks. Pictured OV All stars are Ruppert and Robinson wearing the OV one last time and Jared Bunfill.

OV Girls Basketball Award Winners

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OV Girls Basketball Award Winners
Okaw Valley girls’ basketball award winners are Miaya Lehman -- JV Defensive MVP; Ciera Perry -- JV MVP; Hope Ruppert/Natalie Jeffers -- Varsity Defensive MVP (tied votes); Paige Robinson -- Varsity MVP.

Eleven Run Inning Seals Win For Okaw Valley  Softball

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•April 11, 2018•

Last Thursday, the Okaw Valley softball team improved its record to 3-3 with a 17-3 win over Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City.

The game was the Timberwolves first since March 22 against Morrisonville.

After a scoreless first inning, OV plated a run in the second inning and one in the third inning.

OV took a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning, but it was an 11-run seventh inning that put the game away. Read More