Litchfield High Sports | The Journal-News

Guarded by Calvary's Kaleb "Chubs" Larson, Litchfield senior A.J. Odle looks for an open teammate during the first half of the Panthers' home game on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Odle had 24 points to lead all scorers on Tuesday, but a three by Larson in the final five seconds gave Calvary a 58-55 win.

Tuesday nights are made for hardwood battles and Simmons Gym in Litchfield hosted one on Jan. 23, when the Calvary Saints met the Purple Panthers. When these two teams meet, defense has not been … more

1/25/24

Taylorville's Mazie Fleming was a big obstacle for Madi Jenkins and the Litchfield girls basketball team during their game on Tuesday, Jan. 23, in Panther Gym. The 6'3" Fleming had 14 points in the first half, helping her team to double up the Panthers, 50-25.

Lady Tornadoes A Super Storm In Litchfield

On pace for back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in almost 10 years, the current edition of the Taylorville girls basketball team has caused plenty of problems for opponents in the recent … more

1/25/24

Litchfield Wrestling Second At Strength Of The South Tourney

The Litchfield-Mt. Olive wrestling team went 2-0 in their pool and finished second in the Strength of the South dual team tournament on Saturday, Jan. 20, as they improved to 16-12 on the season. … more

1/25/24

Litchfield's Nathan Schaake (#13) defends Drake Taylor of Nokomis during the seventh place game of the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 20, in Litchfield. Schaake and the Panthers snapped a 15-year drought against the Redskins, winning 47-26 for their first victory over Nokomis since Jan. 15, 2008.

Panthers Avenge Loss To Redskins

After averaging 59 points in their first three games at their home tournament, the Litchfield boys basketball team showed that they could get it done on the defensive end too on Saturday, Jan. 20, in … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/22/24

Triad Wins Third McGraw Title In Four Chances

The Triad High School boys basketball team defeated Civic Memorial 52-37 to win their second straight Rick McGraw Memorial Invitiational title on Saturday, Jan. 20, and their third championship in … more

1/22/24

Shells Hold On To Beat Panthers

In a five minute stretch in the third quarter, the Litchfield boys basketball team showed what type of basketball they could play. During that stretch they would outscore the Roxana Shells 14-2, but … more

1/22/24

Oilers Spoil Career Night For Diveley

East Alton-Wood River (EAWR) got a running start on the Lady Panthers on Thursday, Jan. 18, as they outscored Litchfield 18-6 in the first quarter of their meeting in Litchfield. As it turns out, the … more

1/22/24

Litchfield's Ethan Saathoff defends Civic Memorial guard Adam Ogden during the first quarter of the Panthers' final pool play game at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational in Litchfield. Ogden had 34 points, including 16 from the free-throw line, in Civic Memorial's 74-63 win over Litchfield, which moved them to Friday's championship round.

Eagles Slip Past Purple Panthers

After a convincing win in their first pool play game the Litchfield boys basketball team looked to wrap up pool play with an unblemished record and a chance to play Friday night basketball in Simmons … more

1/18/24

Litchfield Girls Latest Team To Fall To Father McGivney

While some of Father McGivney’s athletic programs have needed a few years to gather steam, but the Glen Carbon Catholic school’s girls basketball team isn’t one of them. Since the … more

1/18/24

Sandwiched in between Hillsboro's Kamdin Civitate (#34) and Jace Stewart, Litchfield's Victor McGill rises up for two of his 24 points in the Panthers' 63-32 victory over the Hiltoppers in both teams' first game at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational on Jan. 13. McGill nailed a three-pointer to start the game, becoming the 17th member of the program's 1,000 point club.

Panthers Beat Toppers In Opener

Two items of dramatic interest were decided early last Saturday afternoon, Jan. 13, 2024, when Hillsboro’s boys’ varsity basketball team took the floor against the host Litchfield Purple … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/16/24

Litchfield's Braxton Kieffer picked up two victories in the Panthers' triangular meet in Vandalia on Thursday, Jan. 11, including one against the Vandals' Keagan Turner (above). In addition to Kieffer, Vincent Moore and Jayden Ellinger also got two wins on the night for LHS.

Panthers Get Close Look At Vandal Milestone

The triangular meet in Vandalia on Thursday, Jan. 11, was just about everything you could ask for as a high school wrestling fan. With dozens of junior wrestlers honored in between matches and a … more

1/16/24

Litchfield Girls Better In Rematch With North Mac

When the Litchfield and North Mac girls basketball teams met at the Waverly Tournament almost two months ago, Litchfield fell to the more experienced team by 27. On Thursday, Jan. 11, the pair of … more

1/16/24

Litchfield's Vincent Moore, left, finished fourth at 113 pounds at the Princeton Invitational Tournament on Jan. 5-6. Moore was one of two Panther wrestlers to make the podium, with Braxton Kieffer finishing seventh at 144 pounds. Pictured with Moore are champion Hunter Robbins of Illini Bluffs, runner-up Cooper Morris of Coal City, third place finisher Ivan Munoz of Ottawa Township and fifth place finisher Carter Knobloch of Olympia.

Moore, Kieffer Medal At Princeton

Two Litchfield wrestlers medalled in the 60th Annual Lyle King Princeton Invitational Tournament on Jan. 5-6, which brings some of the best wrestlers in the state to the town of 7,800, 170 miles … more

1/11/24

McGraw Invite Tips Off Saturday In Litchfield

The 2024 edition of the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational tips off this Saturday, Jan. 13, at 2:30 p.m. with top seeded Triad facing ninth seeded Father McGivney in the opener at Simmons Gym in … more

1/11/24

Litchfield Boys Bounce Back Against Oilers

Two weeks ago East Alton-Wood River and Litchfield squared off on a neutral court, with the Purple Panthers walking away with a 34-point win. On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the Oilers and Purple Panthers met … more

1/11/24

Litchfield Puts It All Together Against Vandals

If the Litchfield boys basketball team didn’t have a win to hang their hat on going into their meeting with Vandalia on Jan. 5, at Simmons Gym, they had one after it. The Purple Panthers may … more

1/8/24

Pleasant Plains Powers Past Purple Panthers

After playing one of their best games of the year, the Litchfield boys basketball team took a small step back on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 6, at the Taylorville Shootout. The Cardinals from Pleasant … more

1/8/24

Litchfield Girls Fall To Gillespie In SCC Clash

The Litchfield girls basketball team fell to Gillespie 63-19 on Thursday, Jan. 4, thanks in part to some foul trouble and a strong first quarter by the Miners. Both Chloe Law and Kyndal Law had three … more

1/8/24

Litchfield's Harrison Thomas pushes his way past Mt. Olive's Gavin Kernebeck for two of his game-high 13 points in the Panthers' 83-12 win over the Wildcats. Thomas was one of 11 players to score for Litchfield, with nine of the 11 scoring five points or more.

Purple Panthers Gang Up On 'Cats

At the end of 2023, the Litchfield boys basketball team began to create a monster that dominated their opponents in the first half. That monster would not go away as the calendar turned, as the … more

1/4/24

Sangamon Valley's Ainsley Campbell makes contact with Emma Diveley as the Litchfield senior drives to the hoop during the 11th place game at the Riverton Christmas Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 28. Diveley had 18 points for the Lady Panthers, who beat Sangamon Valley 45-10 for their third win of the season.

Lady Panthers End 2023 On A Win

The Litchfield girls basketball team snapped a six-game losing streak on Thursday, Dec. 28, with a 45-10 victory over Sangamon Valley/Tri-City (SV/TC) in the 11th place game at the Riverton Christmas … more

1/2/24