Players Drive the SOV Football Program

News Progress Posted on by

•August 9, 2017•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports

A complete transition and implementation of a new system is not easy.

For Sullivan-Okaw Valley football head coach Andy Kerley the first game of the season will be a good barometer in measuring what to expect for the rest of the season.

In his first year Kerley has had to get to know his players, install a new offense and defense, evaluate talent and figure out how to best utilize that talent.

As if that was not enough, Kerley’s 2017 varsity team will be comprised of only five seniors with 2/3 of the team underclassmen. Read More

OV’s Paige Robinson Commits to Drury University

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Photo furnished
Pictured is OV standout guard Paige Robinson.

•August 9, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

Okaw Valley standout guard Paige Robinson verbally committed to play basketball Friday for Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.

Robinson will play for coach Molly Miller who enters her fourth season as Drury University’s head women’s basketball coach.

The verbal decision should put aside any distractions in Robinson’s senior year.

In her junior year, Robinson won the female basketball player of the year award at the 9th Annual ESPN Decatur ESPY Awards in Decatur.

In 29 games, she averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.4 steals and 2.9 blocks. Read More

OVHS Seniors Play for Sky Ice Elite

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Pictured is OVHS senior Jared Bunfill.

•August 2, 2017•

Austin Hill and Jared Bunfill, Okaw Valley seniors, have had outstanding summers playing for the Sky Ice Elite.

The Sky Ice Elite 17U basketball team experienced one of the more successful seasons in the program’s short history. The team is comprised of players from Okaw Valley, Decatur, Champaign, Bloomington, Mt. Zion and Springfield.  The program, spearheaded by Eisenhower boys’ basketball coach Rodney Walker and MacArthur girls’ basketball coach Michael Williams, has provided an AAU experience for kids in grades 3-11.

This year’s 11th grade team was coached by Roy Gilmore who completed his third year with Sky Ice.

The team had two first place finishes in the 7-State Border War in Indianapolis and the Sky Ice Elite Belguim Showcase and a second place finish in the Shaun Livingston Classic in Peoria to open the season. In between, they have won at least two games in each of the tournaments played – finishing the year with 24 wins. Other tournament locations included Bolingbrook, Hammond, Ind., Macomb  and Pleasant Prairie, Wis.  They were usually placed in the toughest draw in each tournament so the boys played extremely well even if the number of wins didn’t reflect that.   Read More

Blue Dolphins Qualify for Summer Regional Championships

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Pictured is Blue Dolphin swimmer Anna Wooters

•August 2, 2017•

By J.D. Graham
for the Blue Dolphins

Sullivan Blue Dolphins had nine swimmers qualify to represent at the 2017 Summer Regional Championships.

Anna Wooters brought home three first place finishes for the Dolphins in the 100 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 100 backstroke. She finished out the weekend placing in the top three in five out of seven events.

Sofia Nuzzo followed close behind with two first place finishes out of five events. Brodie Goss finished first in the 200 butterfly, and third in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley.

Natalie Drury brought home a second place finish in the 100 breaststroke and third place in the 50 freestyle and 200 breaststroke.  Read More

Aquafest to be Held at Lake Shelbyville

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•July 26, 2017•

Aquafest at Dam West Beach is no ordinary day at the beach. The Lake Shelbyville, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host Aquafest noon-4 p.m. Saturday, August 5.

Children and adults of ages all are welcome to attend. The beach fee will be waived for the entire day to allow all beach users a chance to come out and enjoy the free games and activities.  Read More

OV Baseball Stand Out Commits to MacMurray College

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Pictured is Taylor Coleman.

•July 26, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

Recent Okaw Valley graduate Taylor Coleman committed last week to play baseball at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill.

Coleman had not thought about being a Highlander, until the MacMurray coach Justin Fuhler contacted him.

They started talking about Coleman attending and playing baseball in Jacksonville, and Coleman decided he wanted to become a part of something good at MacMurray.

“I chose MacMurray because when I first met coach Fuhler, he seemed like a coach who knew what he wanted and that he knows what’s going on,” said Coleman. “During my visit, I liked the campus, how everything works there, and it felt like it would be a good fit. The people on campus made me feel like it was a place where everyone knows everyone, and you’re supported.” Read More

Mo-Co Rush Softball Tryouts Set

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•July 26, 2017•

Tryouts for the Mo-Co Rush girls’ traveling softball will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 5 and 6 on the west diamond of Jurgens Park in Arthur.  The diamond is located next to ALAH high school and the four-way stop on 133.  The day will start with the 10U tryouts from 10 a.m –12:30 p.m., 11/12U will be from 12:30–3 p.m., and 14U will be from 3–5:30 p.m.  Registration and warm-ups will begin 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time.  Read More

Sports Briefs

News Progress Posted on by

•July 19, 2017•

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond sports was ranked No. 4 in overall girls’ programs by the News-Gazette last week.

The judges used a formula which combines volleyball, basketball, and softball wins together.

State champion Logan Hall (Class 1A 3,200 meter run) was listed on the 10-member all-interview team, and Kenli Nettles was listed as one of 10 fantastic freshmen in an area that includes Urbana, St. Joseph-Ogden, Champaign Central and Centennial, and Tolono Unity and Danville, just to name a few.

A-L-A-H boys’ and girls’ sports programs ranked 10th overall.  Read More

McClain Strives to Achieve More in Track and Field Competition

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At the Indoor MVC Meet, Amanda McClain holds the team’s second place trophy.

•July 19, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

In the last two years at Illinois State University, Amanda McClain has collected several accolades and was seen competing at the highest level of Division I track and field on ESPN and other national sports channels.

That has not stopped her from setting higher goals for next track and field season.

McClain already has her sights set on making it to the indoor nationals and winning both conference titles as a team.

For now, though, she is enjoying the summer at home with friends and working out.

When the school year begins, she will no doubt be back to adding to her accomplishments. Read More

OV’s Fritz Plans to Play for Rend Lake College

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Photo furnished

•July 19, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

Saturday, Okaw Valley baseball catcher Garrett Fritz made a verbal commitment to play at Rend Lake College in Ina, Ill.

“It was a good offer so I couldn’t really turn it down,” said Fritz. “And I talked to all my coaches and parents, and it just turned out to be the right fit for me.”

“He is one of the most competitive young men I have been around,” said OV coach Andrew Hagerman, “and I can tell you Rend Lake, as much as they may think they know about him now, landed a gem here. I look forward to his senior year here and following his success at the next level.”

Part of the good fit was the familiarity Fritz has with the Warriors and the distance.

He already knew a couple players who play for Rend Lake and a few more the Rend Lake coaches had interest in.  Read More