Area Players Make All-Conference Teams 

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•March 7, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

Okaw Valley and Arthur-Lovington-/Atwood-Hammond represented the All-Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division basketball team with eight players, and three Sullivan players earned All-Central Illinois Conference honors.

Okaw Valley seniors Paige Robinson and Natalie Jeffers were unanimous selections for first-team all-conference honors.

Robinson and Jeffers also earned first team honors last season, and this was Robinson’s third-straight first-team selection.

Jeffers earned second-team honors as a sophomore.  Read More

7th Grade Volleyball Advances to State

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7th Grade Volleyball Advances to State
The 7th grade girls volleyball team advanced to the State Tournament  on Monday night with a 25-15, 25-7 win over South Central (20-1) . The girls will play in Pawnee on Friday night at 8:15 against undefeated A-C Central (25-0). OV is now 18-3 on the season. Okaw Valley Middle School seventh grade girls’ volleyball team won the regional March 1 with 25-5 and 25-15 wins over CHBC.

Tough Workouts Prepare Sullivan Girls’ Track Team 

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•March 7, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

In her 10th season as head coach of the Sullivan girls’ track team, Kali Taylor has had one of the best first weeks of practice, and she and her athletes have high expectations and goals for this season.

“I’m very proud how the girls responded to some very tough workouts that I gave them,” said Taylor. “We started off the season with an indoor meet at ISU on Saturday with 682 student-athletes competing. I only took two individuals, Madalyne McPheeters and Katherine Kite, but they held their own against some tough Class 2A and 3A competitors and both won their heats of the 60m and 1,600m.”

For the first time in several years, Taylor has had six to eight athletes consistently participating in her three-day a week off-season speed and agility workouts throughout the winter.

“That has really helped create a more competitive practice environment for the athletes who were coming off of a winter sport and didn’t join us until the first week of practice,” said Taylor. “Several of our athletes are coming off an outstanding girls’ basketball season so we are looking to add more accolades in the spring season.” Read More

First in Backstroke

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First in Backstroke
Anna Wooters, (center), a junior at Okaw Valley High School and a member of the Sullivan Blue Dolphins, competed this weekend at the Regional Swim Championships in Bloomington. She earned first place in the 100 backstroke, second in the 50 freestyle, and both of her relays (400 medley, and 200 free medley) earned first place medals. Anna will head to Wisconsin in two weeks to compete in the Midwest Championships.

A State Finals Run that Put Okaw Valley on the Map

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Photo by Sonya Best
The Okaw Valley Lady Timberwolves took Findlay, Bethany and surrounding fans on a wild ride as Regional, Sectional, and Super-sectional champs. The historic run took the team and their fans to their first appearance at the Class 1A Illinois State Finals at Redbird Arena. The team is pictured with fourth place trophy.

•February 28, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team brought home the first state basketball trophy in the school’s history to a reception of fans at the high school in Bethany Saturday, Feb. 24.

Despite not being ranked in the top 10 all season, the Timberwolves took their fans on an incredible run that ended at the Illinois High School Association Class 1A State Tournament in Redbird Arena in Normal Friday and Saturday.

Though OV lost both games, the players, coaches and fans got to experience how special a trip to state can be.

“The trophy means everything to the communities here,” said Ackers. “We accomplished a lot of things that have never been done in school history. I could run through them; it’s a laundry list. That will sink in more as we look back here.” Read More

Redskins Face St. Anthony at Vandalia Regional

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•February 28, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan boys’ basketball team gave the No. 1 seeded Effingham St. Anthony (26-3) all it could handle in the IHSA Class 2A Vandalia Regional last Tuesday.

Sullivan took a 12-10 lead into the second quarter and kept an 18-17 lead at the half.

The first half of the third quarter was back-and-forth, but after Jacob White hit a basket to tie the game at 10, the Bulldogs went on a 12-4 run to grab the biggest lead of the game. Read More

ALAH Ends Season

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•February 28, 2018•

After knocking off Georgetown-Ridge Farm in the first round of the IHSA Class 2A Salt Fork Regional in Catlin, the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team lost 64-45 to host Salt Fork last Tuesday to end its season.

“The game was disappointing in that we did not defend well enough to give ourselves a chance to win,” said ALAH coach Dale Schuring. “Salt Fork executed very well on both ends of the floor and deserved to win the game.”

Salt Fork jumped ahead in the first quarter with a 20-7 lead, then extended the lead to 31-15 at the half. Read More

Windor Regional Ends OV Boys’ Season

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•February 28, 2018•

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team’s season came to an end with a 49-45 loss to Mulberry Grove in the second round of the Class 1A Windsor Regional games last Wednesday.

OV fell behind 7-0 to start the game but battled back to tie the game in the second quarter, then took a 28-24 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Timberwolves could not get shots to fall, but their defense kept them in the game. Read More

OV Timberwolves Trio Triumphs With Trip to State Finals

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Photo by RR Best
The Okaw Valley girls’ Super Sectional win over Mounds Meridian improved their overall record to 29-5, which set another school record for most wins in a season. The Timberwolves are scheduled to play Stockton at 11 a.m. Friday at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena in Normal.

•February 21, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

Three years ago as sophomores, Paige Robinson, Natalie Jeffers and Hope Ruppert saw major playing time for the Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team.

The Timberwolves finished that season 16-7 overall and 4-1 in the Little Okaw Valley Conference.

More importantly, the seeds were sown.

Last year the trio had high expectations for the team, and though the OV finished 18-9 overall and 3-1 in the LOVC, the Timberwolves were bounced out of the regional by a tough Central A&M team.

This year as seniors, the trio of Robinson, Jeffers, Ruppert and the team’s strong supporting cast were not going to be denied. Read More