Free Throws Drive Redskin Win Against St. Teresa

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•January 18, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team split a pair of games this past week.

The Lady Redskins defeated St. Teresa in a Central Illinois Conference matchup Thursday and lost to Charleston in a nonconference game Monday.

Against St. Teresa, it took a strong bench play from freshman Avery Still and good free throw shooting to win in overtime, 57-52.

Sullivan had the game under control until the fourth quarter.

The Lady Redskins led 26-19 at half, but a tough third quarter allowed St. Teresa to come back with a couple steals. Read More

Robinson Hits 1000

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Submitted Photo
Robinson Hits 1000
Okaw Valley junior Paige Robinson hit a high school milestone Thursday that only a few players reach.The 5-10 guard scored her 1,000th point on a layup with 1:27 remaining in the second quarter of the Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division game against Cerro-Gordo-Bement. Okaw Valley has won six straight and improved their overall record to 13-7 and 2-0 in the LOVC. Robinson is leading the area in scoring with more than 20 points per game, two points more than any other player in the area.

Blue Dolphins Compete in Xtreme Meet

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•January 11, 2017•

The Sullivan Blue Dolphins Swim Club made a big splash competing in the COHO IMX Winter Invitation held in Deerfield Dec 3 and 4. USA Swimming has established the Individual Medley Xtreme (IMX) Challenge as a method of motivating swimmers to develop their full potential by increased participation in distance events.

The IMX series features five or six events that are at longer distances than most meets. Once a swimmer has completed the IMX program they earn “powerpoints”, which may be compared to other swimmers from around the country.

Highlights for our nine-and-unders include Johnathan Iacobazzi, fifth of 23 (1140.29 pts) and Kaiden Smith, 22nd out of 23 with (38.50 pts).  Read More

Oblong Shots Fall in for Win over Knights

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•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team dropped a Little Okaw Valley Conference home game to Oblong Friday night.

Oblong doubled the Knights’ first quarter scoring, 12-6, but ALAH hung in the game, keeping the deficit to less than double digits heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter though, Oblong outscored the Knights 24-11 to put the game out of reach for the eventual 60-38 win.

A major difference in the game was shooting percentage.  Read More

Redskins’ Varsity Start Strong Against Warriors

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•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan boys’ varsity basketball team dropped its Central Illinois Conference opener 50-46 when it traveled to Tuscola Friday night.

“(We) played three really good quarters,” said Sullivan coach Chester Reeder. “Unfortunately, we play basketball and not hockey.”

Sullivan jumped out to a 19-10 first-quarter lead, but Tuscola battled back in the second quarter to take the lead 26-23 at half.

The Warriors extended that lead to six heading into the fourth quarter. Read More

Okaw Valley Girls Score Double Wins

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•January 11, 2017•

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team took care of two more non-conference teams Thursday and Monday.

Thursday, the Timberwolves knocked off Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 63-52 with a balanced offensive attack.

OV took an early 10-point lead in the first quarter and kept that lead through the rest of the game.

Windsor cut the lead to 48-40 in the third quarter but couldn’t come any closer. Read More

ALAH Girls’ Basketball Team Overcomes Tuscola

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•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team picked up a non-conference win at home against Tuscola Monday night.

Liz Shipman scored a game-high 19 points to help the Knights overcome Tuscola 55-50.

Hannah Wallen followed with 11 points, including two 3-pointers, and Megan Fifer hit double-digits with 10 points. Fifer also made 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Read More

Little Okaw Valley Tournament Approaches

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•January 11, 2017•

The Little Okaw Conference has announced the girls’ Little Okaw Valley (Northwest) Tournament schedule for this week.

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond and Okaw Valley girls’ teams earned a first-round bye in the tournament hosted by Cerro Gordo.

The Knights (13-3) captured the No. 1 ranking and Okaw Valley (11-7) followed with a No. 2 ranking. Read More

Timberwolves Outside Shooters Turn the Tale on Cumberland

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•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team has won its last 7-of-10 games to even its record to 8-8 for the season.

“We have been trending upward as the season has moved along,” said OV coach Brooks Inman. “Hopefully we can continue this trend into conference play.”

This week the Timberwolves split a pair of games, defeating Cumberland Friday and losing to Central A&M in a rescheduled game Saturday.

Against Cumberland, OV played from behind most of the game, trailing by four at the half, 21-17.

Down 23-20, the Timberwolves put together one of the best quarters the team has had all season.

“Against Cumberland, we executed pretty well in the first half,” said Inman. “We just didn’t knock down our shots. We came out in the third quarter and started connecting.”

While turning the ball over in the entire third quarter, OV made 4-of-5 3-pointers in the quarter, and in a span of less than three minutes, the Timberwolves scored 10 unanswered points.

With 5:50 left in the third, Taylor Coleman hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

“Taylor Coleman picked us up big-time with nine points in the quarter as well,” said Inman. Read More

Winning Week for Sullivan Girls’ Basketball Team

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Photo by RR Best
Lizzie Green (#2), Laine Cameron (#22) and Chloe Riley (#24) trap a Cowden-Herrick player during a Redskin home game Thursday.

•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Lady Redskins’ basketball team finished the week 2-1 with wins against Cerro Gordo and Cowden-Herrick and a loss to Neoga.

Against Cerro Gordo Monday, Sullivan blanked the Broncos in the first quarter 15-0 and didn’t look back, holding Cerro Gordo to less than nine points in each quarter for the eventual 63-17 win.

“It was a great team effort tonight, especially defensively,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “We caused 42 turnovers as a team.”

Ester Miller tallied a game-high 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Tatum Ellis followed with 13 points, including three 3-pointers.

Haley Rose’s defense caused a team-high seven steals, and Elizabeth Green dished out a team-high five assists and scored three points.

Chloe Riley and Josie Orris scored nine and eight points, respectively, and Kirsten O’Neal and Avery Still each added three points

Laine Cameron rounded out the Lady Redskins’ scoring with a bucket.

Against Cowden-Herrick Thursday, Sullivan again jumped out to an early lead. Read More