Redskin Baseball Drops Three in Two Days

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Photo by RR Best Alec Ballinger sprints for first base Friday.

Photo by RR Best
Alec Ballinger sprints for first base Friday.

Fall in double-header Saturday

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Sullivan baseball team  took three more losses between last Friday and Saturday, falling to 0-4 on the year.

Friday, they hosted Mattoon and were crushed 10-2.

The Green Wave got off to a quick 4-0 lead after two innings.

Sullivan’s Nick Frerichs and Shane Atchison each had an RBI in the third to cut Mattoon’s lead to two, but the Green Wave stormed back with three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, and two more in the seventh for good measure. Read More

OV Hangs Tough to Pull Out 9th-Inning Win Over Windsor-Stew/Stras

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Photo by Keith Stewart Peyton Hagerman makes the tag at home on Windsor/Stew-Stras’ Christian Vonderheide in the bottom of the seventh, preventing the Blue Devils from winning.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Peyton Hagerman makes the tag at home on Windsor/Stew-Stras’ Christian Vonderheide in the bottom of the seventh, preventing the Blue Devils from winning.

Pitching duo Hagerman and Still strikeout 20

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Early on in Friday’s ball game it looked as though the score would be heading for double digits. Okaw Valley’s bats had earned seven hits and five runs after just two innings and Windsor-Stew/Stras had kept just a pace back with three hits and three runs. Windsor would tie the game at 5-5 in the fourth, but little did either team realize that just one run over the course of five more innings would decide the game. Read More

Winning Big

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Submitted Winning Big The level three gymnasts at Mattoon Academy of Gymnastics had their state competition the weekend of March 7-9 in St.Charles, Ill. The girls competed against more than 800 other qualifying gymnasts in the state, and all of the level three gymnasts had to earn a 33.00 all around throughout the year in order to be eligible to compete at the state championship. Mattoon Academy brought home 13 individual event awards and three all around state title awards. From Sullivan, Kylie Godden (2nd row, far right) took 11th place on uneven bars, while Zoe Walton (2nd row, middle) placed in the all-around, taking second on vault, ninth on bars, second on floor and third all-around. The level three gymnastics team is coached by Michelle Gardner, Laura Sculley, and Lis White.

Submitted
Winning Big
The level three gymnasts at Mattoon Academy of Gymnastics had their state competition the weekend of March 7-9 in St.Charles, Ill.
The girls competed against more than 800 other qualifying gymnasts in the state, and all of the level three gymnasts had to earn a 33.00 all around throughout the year in order to be eligible to compete at the state championship. Mattoon Academy brought home 13 individual event awards and three all around state title awards.
From Sullivan, Kylie Godden (2nd row, far right) took 11th place on uneven bars, while Zoe Walton (2nd row, middle) placed in the all-around, taking second on vault, ninth on bars, second on floor and third all-around. The level three gymnastics team is coached by Michelle Gardner, Laura Sculley, and Lis White.

Winter Regionals for SBD

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Submitted Winter Regionals Pictured is the Sullivan Blue Dolphins team that went onto the Springfield winter regional championships hosted by the Academy Bullets. Finishing with either eighth place or better: Natalie Drury: first-100 back; second-50 back & 100 IM; sixth-50 fly; seventh-200 back & 100 breast; eighth-50 free & 100 free. Charlie Goss: first 50 free, 100 breast, 200 back, 100 back, 200 breast, & 200 IM; second-100 fly & 100 free. Bryce King: fourth-100 fly & 100 back; eighth-400 IM. Grant King:first- 200 fly & 100 back; second-200 back; fifth-100 fly & 400 IM; sixth-200 IM. Dalace Ray: fifth-100 breast. Connor Russell: second-200 fly; seventh-100 fly & 400 IM. Dylan Sanders: second-200 fly; fifth-500 free; sixth-100 fly. Brynna Sentel: second-500 free, 100 free, & 200 IM; third-200 free; sixth-100 fly. Gabrielle Spain: second-200 free; third-100 fly & 50 fly; fourth-100 IM; fifth-500 free; sixth-100 back;eighth-100 breast. Pictured front row: Gabrielle Spain, Noah Spain, Sophia Nuzzo, Mackenzie Erixon, and Calista Clark. Back row:Connor Russell, Dylan Sanders, Bryce King, Brynna Sentel, Dalace Ray, McKenna Kull, Natalie Drury, Jessica Renfro, Charlie Goss, and Grant King. Not pictured is Madison Fox, Anna Wooters, and Lauren Russell. In all, 18 swimmers qualified to compete in the Springfield regional. Goss, Spain, Sentel, and both Grant and Bryce King advanced to the State Age Group meet held March 13-16. Full results from the Springfield winter regional may be viewed at www.results.teamunify.com/ilabsc.

Submitted
Winter Regionals
Pictured is the Sullivan Blue Dolphins team that went onto the Springfield winter regional championships hosted by the Academy Bullets. Finishing with either eighth place or better: Natalie Drury: first-100 back; second-50 back & 100 IM; sixth-50 fly; seventh-200 back & 100 breast; eighth-50 free & 100 free. Charlie Goss: first 50 free, 100 breast, 200 back, 100 back, 200 breast, & 200 IM; second-100 fly & 100 free. Bryce King: fourth-100 fly & 100 back; eighth-400 IM. Grant King:first- 200 fly & 100 back; second-200 back; fifth-100 fly & 400 IM; sixth-200 IM. Dalace Ray: fifth-100 breast. Connor Russell: second-200 fly; seventh-100 fly & 400 IM. Dylan Sanders: second-200 fly; fifth-500 free; sixth-100 fly. Brynna Sentel: second-500 free, 100 free, & 200 IM; third-200 free; sixth-100 fly. Gabrielle Spain: second-200 free; third-100 fly & 50 fly; fourth-100 IM; fifth-500 free; sixth-100 back;eighth-100 breast.
Pictured front row: Gabrielle Spain, Noah Spain, Sophia Nuzzo, Mackenzie Erixon, and Calista Clark. Back row:Connor Russell, Dylan Sanders, Bryce King, Brynna Sentel, Dalace Ray, McKenna Kull, Natalie Drury, Jessica Renfro, Charlie Goss, and Grant King. Not pictured is Madison Fox, Anna Wooters, and Lauren Russell.
In all, 18 swimmers qualified to compete in the Springfield regional. Goss, Spain, Sentel, and both Grant and Bryce King advanced to the State Age Group meet held March 13-16.
Full results from the Springfield winter regional may be viewed at www.results.teamunify.com/ilabsc.

Area High School Award Banquets

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Area High School Sport Banquets

Sullivan's boys' basketball team and cheerleading squad as well as Okaw Valley's boys' and girls' basketball teams and Arthur-Lovington's boys' basketball team recently held their award banquets. Read More

Kibler Makes USTA National Team

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Ariel Kibler

Ariel Kibler

Ariel Kibler is a sophomore at Arthur-Lovington High School and the daughter of Angie and James Welker. Kibler has been training trampoline and double mini since the third grade in hopes of qualifying for the USTA National Team. Over the last four months Kibler has competed in three national team qualifiers to help her reach her goal as a member of the Sun Elite Athletic Club team. In order to qualify, an athlete must compete in at least two of the three events and is encouraged to take part in the third, as team standing is determined by points earned in their best two performances.

On December 7, 2013 the first team trial was held in Salem where Kibler placed seventh on the double mini and 23rd on the trampoline.

The second team trial was held on February 15 of this year in Decatur where Kibler placed 12th in both events. The final trial was held March 15 in Hammond, Ind. There, Kibler placed fourth on the trampoline and tied for first place on the double mini.  Read More

Sroka’s Home Run Ignites OV Offense in Victory Monday

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Photo by Keith Stewart Devon Still racked up 11 strikeouts against Central A&M Monday evening and was relieved after throwing 100 pitches in the still cool spring temps.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Devon Still racked up 11 strikeouts against Central A&M Monday evening and was relieved after throwing 100 pitches in the still cool spring temps.

Still’s 11 K’s, Hagerman’s clutch play leads OV past A&M

by Kirk Whitaker
Reporting in Bethany

Bases loaded, no outs, and Okaw Valley in the field. The season’s opening game was in danger of being blown wide open from 2-1, with Central A&M leading Okaw Valley in the top of the sixth inning. The Raiders had scored their two runs in the second off two errors and Devon Still’s only walk of the day, but senior Colton Sroka answered big with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead in half, but that all was a distant memory.

“We hadn’t had a hit to that point,” Timberwolves head coach Andrew Hagerman said. “It was a nice way to get off the snide, and he roped it. The team needed it, and it definitely gave us some momentum. Being down 2-0 that late in the game it feels like you’re down more, but with that and Devon’s great pitching we were right back in it.” Read More

Lady Pages Finish Third in 1A State Volleyball Tourney

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Submitted Pictured is the Arthur-Lovington seventh grade volleyball team that finished third in the state tournament Tuesday evening in Heyworth.

Submitted
Pictured is the Arthur-Lovington seventh grade volleyball team that finished third in the state tournament Tuesday evening in Heyworth.

Defeat Seneca 25-20, 26-24

by Kirk Whitaker
Reporting in Heyworth

The Arthur-Lovington seventh grade volleyball team signed off as the third best team in class 1A Tuesday with a victory over Seneca. But they had to first win two prior state  matches to get there.

Behind solid hitting from Taylor Powell and Marissa Herschberger, Arthur-Lovington’s seventh grade volleyball team first took down Blue Ridge 25-16 in the first set of Saturday’s Class 1A State Tournament in Heyworth. With a 22-16 advantage in the second, AL forced a Blue Ridge timeout, and it looked as if there would be déjà vu and an easy state win for the Pages, who brought a 21-1 record to the tourney.  Read More

Lady T-Wolves Win Home Opener

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Photo by Keith Stewart Junior Amanda McClain had a phenomenal season opener Monday against Central A&M, as she struck out 15, walked one, and had a double in the bottom of the first to get OV’s offense going.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Junior Amanda McClain had a phenomenal season opener Monday against Central A&M, as she struck out 15, walked one, and had a double in the bottom of the first to get OV’s offense going.

McClain goes distance with 15 Ks, 1BB

by Emily Scott
Bethany Reporter

In the first game of the season, timely hitting, consistent pitching, and a rally in the third inning allowed the OV Lady Timberwolves to get an opening win against the Central A&M Raiders.

After two weeks of preparation for the game, OV coach Dave Benning said he expected to see moments where his team would struggle defensively as well as solid hitting. Both of his predictions came true.

During the bumpy first inning, the T-Wolves allowed the Raiders to score when their leadoff hitter stole home base after getting on base due to an error. OV came back at the plate with a double from Amanda McClain and a single from Addessa Kesterson, after which Paige Harlin had an RBI to score McClain to tie the ballgame. Read More

SOV Girls Take Fifth out of 33 in Indoor Track Meet

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Photo by Keith Stewart ALAH shot putter Karly Goodman prepares to release Saturday morning at EIU’s Field House. Goodman’s throw of 39-1 1/4 bested her entire junior year and earned her first place.

Photo by Keith Stewart
ALAH shot putter Karly Goodman prepares to release Saturday morning at EIU’s Field House. Goodman’s throw of 39-1 1/4 bested her entire junior year and earned her first place.

ALAH’s Goodman takes first in shot

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

What better way to set the tone for the track season than with beginning it in an indoor meet just a building over from where it could all culminate come May’s outdoor state meet in Charleston?

That is where both Sullivan-Okaw Valley and Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond’s girls’ track teams officially began the season Saturday, just two of 33 teams to compete in the Field House at Eastern Illinois University. Read More