Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield senior Zach Leitschuh rounds the turn near the start of the 200 meter dash at the South Central Conference Championships on Tuesday, April 30, in Virden. Leitschuh was also a part of the Panthers 4x200 meter relay team that won earlier in the day, one of five SCC championships for Litchfield, who won their first conference title in boys track since 2012.

Last year, the 4x400 meter relay was a Hail Mary for the Litchfield boys track team at the South Central Conference Championships. On Tuesday, April 29, it was a victory lap. After losing by … more

5/2/24

Staunton's Lilly Trettenero and Hillsboro's Samantha Page (center) and Amya Greenwood were in perfect sync going around the first turn during their heat of the 200 meter dash at the South Central Conference Championships on Tuesday, April 30, in Virden. Page finished second in the event, one of 11 top six finishes for the Toppers, while Greenwood was seventh by a hundredth of a second. Greenwood had her moment earlier in the day, taking first in the triple jump.

Hillsboro Girls Third At SCC Track Meet

“If we had a standout distance girl, they may have been close to second.” Coach Zach Reed was right in his analysis of the Hillsboro girls track team at the South Central Conference … more

5/2/24

Litchfield's Kendall Stewart (right) and North Mac's Emma Crawford leap over a hurdle during the 300 meter hurdle race at the South Central Conference Championships on Tuesday, April 30, in Virden. Stewart, who played a part in 36 of Litchfield's 56 points, finished second to Crawford in the event, running a 50.43.

Lady Panthers Pick Up Pair Of SCC Titles

A few scratches cost the Litchfield girls track team some points at the South Central Conference Championships on Tuesday, April 30, but the defending champions still made quite the impact on the … more

5/2/24

Hillsboro's Kaeden Smith finished in the points in both hurdles events at the South Central Conference Championships on Tuesday, April 30, in Virden, placing fourth in the 110 meter hurdles and sixth in the 300 meter hurdles.

Toppers Snag Top 5 Finish At North Mac

The Hillsboro boys track team set eight new personal records and finished in the top five in the team standings at the South Central Conference Championships on Tuesday, April 30, in Virden. In … more

5/2/24

Hillsboro's Ava Pollard (in black) vies for possession near midfield during the Lady Hiltoppers' game against Gillespie on April 29. Pollard scored the first of three first half goals for the Toppers, who went on to win 4-2.

Strong First Half Lifts Toppers Past Gillespie

The Hillsboro girls soccer team was back at home on Monday, April 29, as they braved the soupy conditions at the Hillsboro Sports Complex to hand the Gillespie Miners a 4-2 loss. Despite a … more

5/2/24

Despite Nokomis first baseman Jayde Gonet going all out for the catch, Lincolnwood's Jenna Matli managed to beat out the throw for an infield single during the county clash on Tuesday, April 30. The play at first was one of several impressive picks Gonet had during the game, in addition to picking up a hit and an RBI in the Lady Redskins' 8-3 win over the Lancers.

Five-Run Frame Pushes Nokomis Past Lancers

The Nokomis Lady Redskins snapped a six-game losing streak at the expense of county rival Lincolnwood on Tuesday, April 30, beating the Lancers 8-3. The Redskins went down in order in the first, … more

5/2/24

Witt Sets New LMS 400 Record

Litchfield Middle School eighth grader Ryker Witt ran a 54.2 in the 400 meters during the Panthers’ home meet on April 24, breaking a 44-year-old school record. The son of Jon and Kelsey Witt … more

5/2/24

Vandalia Gets Past Hillsboro In 12th Inning

Baseball games can be exciting, even though the eventual result should never have a lasting effect on a person, a team, or a community. Most are brief chances for competition, to be enjoyed by … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/2/24

Lady Hiltoppers Wallop Vandalia For SCC Win

After wet field conditions kept Hillsboro and Vandalia from playing on Monday, the two teams were able to get their game in on Tuesday, April 30, as the Lady Vandals came to Hillsboro looking for … more

5/2/24

Senators A Good Test For Litchfield Baseball

Tuesday’s game in Springfield was one of those that the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team knows will make them better in the future, even if they don’t get the win. Taking on … more

5/2/24

Tornadoes Beat Lancers In Pitcher’s Duel

Pitching took center stage on Monday, April 29, in Buffalo as Tri-City edged Lincolnwood-Morrisonville in MSM Conference play 2-1, with just five hits allowed between the two teams in the game. … more

5/2/24

Five-Run Fourth Lifts Comets Past Litchfield

A five-run fourth inning by Greenville erased a 2-0 Litchfield-Mt. Olive advantage on Tuesday, April 30, as the Lady Comets held on for a 6-3 win in Bond County. Despite playing on the road, the … more

5/2/24

Purple Panthers To Host Youth Baseball Camp

The Litchfield High School baseball program will be hosting a youth camp for students going into fourth through eighth grades on July 15-19 at the Litchfield High School baseball field. … more

5/2/24

For the first time in his pro career, Hillsboro racer Chase Saathoff finished atop the podium in the American Flat Track Singles series, winning the Texas Half-Mile at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on April 27. Saathoff, pictured above with team owner Bryan Bigelow, is currently second in the overall points and is one of just two racers to finish in the top five in each of the first four races.

Hillsboro's Saathoff Chases Down First Pro Win

Ask anyone who follows the American Flat Track racing series and they’ll tell you that it wasn’t an “if” in regards to Chase Saathoff’s first victory, but a … more

4/29/24

Litchfield senior Alyssa Lohman (#6) was one of six seniors honored prior to the Panthers' 7-0 victory over North Mac on senior night, Thursday, April 25. Lohman and company have won six straight, outscoring opponents 37-2 during the span with five shutouts.

Scoring Surge Has Litchfield On Target

The Litchfield girls soccer program is no stranger to scoring goals, but by even the Lady Panthers’ lofty standards, what sophomore Chloe Law did on April 23 was at another level. Already … more

4/29/24

Litchfield senior Ian Otto snags a pop up in foul territory at first base during the Purple Panthers' trip to Greenville on Thursday, April 25. Otto hit a solo home run for the Panthers, who went on to beat the Comets 4-1 for Greenville's first South Central Conference loss.

Panthers Hand Comets First South Central Loss

Nearly a month ago, the Purple Panthers and Greenville Comets tangled in a non-conference slugfest as a combined 26 runs were put on the board. On Thursday evening, April 25, the two teams … more

4/29/24

Hillsboro's Nathan Matoush dives back into first ahead of the tag by Nokomis' Bryce Gillock during the county showdown in Nokomis on April 25. A little later, Matoush got the final two outs in the Toppers' 4-2 win over the Redskins.

Hiltoppers Avenge Tourney Loss To Nokomis

When Nokomis defeated Hillsboro 2-0 in the first round of the Montgomery County Baseball Tournament in mid-April, Drake Taylor was the winning pitcher while Dylan Lessman absorbed the loss. Perhaps … more

4/29/24

Gipson Perfect Against Purple Panthers

Emma Gipson pitched a four-inning perfect game and went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and six runs batted in on Thursday, April 25, as Gillespie remained perfect in the South Central … more

4/29/24

Cook Serves Up No-Hitter To Ramsey In 19-0 Victory

After losing a heartbreaker to Nokomis on Wednesday, the Lincolnwood-Morrisonville baseball team released some frustrations on Thursday, April 25, as they defeated Ramsey 19-0 in a four-run no-hitter … more

4/29/24

Cavies Slip Past Toppers In Non-Conference Bout

When Hillsboro faced Carlinville in conference play on April 12, the Toppers won 11-1 in five innings by scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The game was vastly different this past … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 4/29/24