OVHS Softball Improves Record with Villa Grove Win

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•April 5, 2017•

The Okaw Valley softball team defeated Villa Grove 10-3 to improve its record to 3-2 at Villa Grove/Heritage Friday.

“We came out flat on Friday against a good hitting Villa Grove team,” said Dave Benning. “However, I was impressed with our timely hitting especially by Natalie Jeffers, Kailyn Boyer, and Paige Robinson to tie the game and then put it away with three good rallies.”

VGH took a 2-0 lead before OV scored four runs in the third inning when Grace Harlin and Kayla Wheeler lead off the inning with back-to-back walks.

Natalie Jeffers hit a double down the left-field line to score Harlin and Wheeler to tie the game.

Paige Robinson walked and advanced to second when Jeffers stole bases on consecutive pitches. Read More

SOV Track Teams Place Well in Area Meets

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•April 5, 2017•

The Sullivan-Okaw Valley boys and girls’ track and field teams competed in two meets this past week.

Girls’ Team

At the Macon Meridian Quad Thursday, the girls’ team competed against Warrensburg-Latham, Athens and Meridian.

Top finishers for the Redskins included Madalyne McPheeters, who placed second in the 200-meter dash with a time of 29.8.

Katherine Kite took second place in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 6:22, and Esther Miller high jumped 4’6” for second place.

The 4x400 and 4x200 took fist place with times of 4:41 and two minutes flat, respectively. Read More

AOC Defeats Crossroad

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Photo furnished AOC Defeats Crossroad Crossroad’s player (right) beats a pickoff attempt as Arthur-Okaw Christian’s Darrin Beachy applies the tag at Moore Park in Arcola April 1. Arthur-Okaw Christian defeated Crossroad in a double-header 8-3, 10-9.

Three Big Wins for ALAH Softball Team

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•April 5, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond softball team improved its record to 5-0 with three blowout wins this week.

The Knights swept Champaign Central in a double header Saturday and Georgetown-Ridge Farm last Wednesday.

In the first game of the double header, ALAH shellacked Central 25-4 in three innings.

The Knights scored 10 in the first inning, but Central scored four to cut the lead to six.

The Knights blew the game open with a 15 run third inning.

The team batted .643. Read More

Title Winners

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Photo furnished
Title Winners
The Okaw Valley seventh grade track and field team won the Arthur Invite Saturday.

OV Graduate to Enter National Baseball Hall of Fame

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•April 5, 2017•

Okaw Valley 2013 graduate Eldon Yeakel will be entering the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on June 5.

Not as a player, of course, but instead as an intern.

Yeakel is the recipient of the 2017 Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development that last from June 5 to Aug. 11.

“I always enjoyed playing and watching sports growing up and once my love for history started to expand then it was a perfect combination of my two interests,” Yeakel said. “I was really intrigued with the internship given that the family that funds the internship was an avid baseball card collector and a Pittsburgh Pirates fan and I have been a huge Pirates fan since I was young and have collected a large sum of baseball cards.”

To be selected, Yeakel’s application that included a cover letter, resume, and three recommendations warranted an interview about why he applies, what he wanted to do at the museum and what he planned to do as a career. Read More

SOV JFL Sign up Time

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•April 5, 2017•

Sullivan Okaw Valley junior football league sign ups for boys and girls entering the 4th-8th grades in the 2017-2018 school year are Sunday, April 9 from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

They are held at the Bethany Firehouse where a board meeting will follow. For more information www.sovjfl.com

Knights Bring Big Bats Out for Bulldogs

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•March 29, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond baseball team kicked off its season with a 1-2 record, winning over St. Teresa and losing to Monticello and Central A&M.

Against the Bulldogs of St. Teresa, the Knights exploded for 12 runs in the fifth inning to overcome a 6-3 deficit and blow the game open.

ALAH went on to win 20-12.

Shandon Herschberger recorded a game-high six hits (6-for-6) and four runs scored. He also knocked in three runs.

Lucas Otto recorded three hits, two runs scored and three runs batted in. Read More

Sullivan Baseball Splits Pair of Games

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•March 29, 2017•

The Sullivan baseball team split a pair of games this week, defeating Villa Grove-Heritage and losing to Neoga.

Against Villa Grove-Heritage last Wednesday, the Redskins scored five runs in the third inning and seven in the fourth to blow the game open for the 14-4 win.

Heritage scored one run in the first inning, two in the second and one in the fifth.

Brett Tuttle recorded four hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.  Read More

SOV Track Returning a Solid Distance Crew

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•March 29, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

In his fourth season as head coach of the Sullivan-Okaw Valley boys’ track and field team, John Bertetto had to replace a strong graduating class, but Bertetto believes he has a few top returners who will step up this year.

“Our strengths this year will be our pole vaulters and distance crew,” said Bertetto. “Both Jadon Nuzzo and Logan Pedigo should earn points in the pole vault at most of our meets, and our distance crew should be very solid this season with JT Bland and Isaiah Plank leading the way. We will hopefully be able to keep everyone healthy and training all season, leading up to our conference, sectional, and state meets.”

The team returned 16 letter winners and 13 seniors.

Pole vaulters Nuzzo and Pedigo will have a good shot at qualifying for the state meet.

SOV also returned JT Bland, who was last season’s top point earner in the distance events.  Read More