Sullivan Redskins Boys Work on Offense and Defense

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•December 5, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

After winning its season opener, the Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped its next two games last week.
“I think we are heading in the right direction,” said Sullivan first-year coach Craig Black. “The guys are working hard everyday in practice, and they are still trying to learn our defensive and offensive systems. Our goal is to be playing our best at the end of the season, and I think we will be able to do that.”
The Redskins lost to St. Anthony at Effingham Friday and Stewardson-Strasburg/Windsor last Tuesday.
St. Anthony overwhelmed Sullivan with a 25-5 first-quarter run and did not look back to its 69-32 victory. Read More

OV Girls Play in Pana Thanksgiving Tournament

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•November 28, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team dropped three games in the Pana Thanksgiving Tournament this past week.
The Timberwolves lost to Mt. Pulaski, Athens and host Pana.
Monday night, OV finished up tournament action with a 63-26 loss to Mt. Pulaski.
OV fell behind 10 points in the first quarter and could not recover.
Senior Bella Benning led OV with nine points, including two 3-pointers, and nine rebounds.
Junior Kate Jeffers collected a team-high 10 rebounds to go with two points. Read More

T-Town Takes Tough Win Over Sullivan Team

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Photo by R.R. Best
Sullivan’s Esther Miller kept the ball going as she scored 25 points in each of her last two games.

•November 28, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team lost its first game of the season to Teutopolis Monday night.
After a tight first quarter, the Wooden Shoes outscored the Redskins 15-5 in the second quarter for a 27-16 halftime score.
Sullivan battled back in the third quarter, outscoring Teutopolis 14-7 to cut the lead to 34-30.
“We played a tremendous second half defensively,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “Anytime you can hold a T-town team to single digits is a good day. I know the scoreboard has us losing; however, our girls played their hearts out tonight.”
In the fourth quarter, Teutopolis held on for the 48-42 lead.
“In my mind, one single stat was the deciding factor in the outcome of the game, and that was free throws,” McCain said. “We lost by six, and we were 12 for 21 from the line. I am still very proud of this team. This time last year we lost to T-town 59-29.” Read More

Tough Week for Timberwolves Basketball

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•November 28, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team could not find a win in its first four games of the St. Anthony Holiday Tournament this past week.
The Timberwolves dropped games against Tolono Unity, Mattoon, Robinson and Breese Central.
Saturday against Tolono, OV took a 19-16 lead into halftime, but the Rockets exploded for a 21-9 run in the third quarter to take control of the game.
Tolono held on in the fourth for the final 52-41 score.
Individual stats were not available.
Friday, OV lost to Mattoon 66-27. Read More

OVHS Cheer Squad

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Photo furnished
OVHS Cheer Squad
Okaw Valley High School Cheerleading Squad. Front row from left: Seniors Riley Kesterson, Sadie Zimmerman, Kailey George, Angela Robinson, Isabella Benning. Back row from left: Julia Hildebrandt, Shaukana Tipsword, Marissa Bell, Chloe Harris, Shelby Woodall, Kalie Reed, Haven Caulfield

ALAH Girls Hold On to Beat Oakwood

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•November 28, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team split a pair of nonconference games this past week.
The Knights defeated Oakwood in a close game Monday night but lost to Salt Fork last Tuesday.
Against Oakwood Monday, the Knights jumped out to an early lead then held on for the one point win.
ALAH took a 16-11 first-quarter lead then extended the lead by six at half, 29-18.
The Comets cut the lead to three points after the third quarter and outscored the Knights 20-13 in the fourth quarter.
The Knights were able to hold off the Comets for the final 56-55 score. Read More

Sullivan Opens Basketball Season With a Bang

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•November 28, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Craig Black, who kicks off his tenure as Sullivan boys’ basketball coach, faced off in his first game of the year against another first year coach, Brad McGill, who took over Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond’s team.
But this game was not about two first-year coaches.
It was about Sullivan senior Caden Ellis who took over in the second quarter to help the Redskins pull away with a comfortable lead.
In the first quarter, ALAH took an early six-point lead after senior Adam Day and senior Austin Romine both hit jumpers, and senior Adam Hingson scored on a transition put-back basket.
After a Sullivan timeout, sophomore Ian Plank hit a corner three to cut the lead to 6-3.
In the middle of the first quarter, Caden Ellis put back a missed free throw, and sophomore Dom Kimberlin hit a jumper off a long rebound to take the lead 8-6. Read More

Three Make All Tourney Team

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•November 28, 2018•

Last week the Sullivan girls’ basketball team kicked off its season by winning the Maroa-Forsyth Round Robin Tip-off Classic.
This week the Maroa-Forsyth Round Robin Tip-off Classic announced all-tournament team members which included three Sullivan players.
Esther Miller, Lilly Null and Emily White each made the all-tournament team.

OVJH Student Competes on the World Gymnastics Stage

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•November 21, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

It is not often an Okaw Valley Junior High student gets to tell her friends that she’s jetting off to New York, North Carolina and Russia.
But that was the journey Reese Nichols just finished taking.
Nichols competed for the Team USA in the double mini trampoline event at the World Age Group Competition in Russia this past weekend including top athletes from each participating country.
She finished 10th in the world but missed advancing by two spots (3/10 of a point). Only the top eight moved on to the finals.
“She’s heartbroken and feels she could have done better,” said her father Chris Nichols, “but the competition was obviously elite.”
Chris stayed home while his wife, Bethany, made the trip with Reese to Russia, where Reese competed at 2:30 a.m. Read More