Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield’s A.J. Sypherd, shown here after receiving his all-state recognition at the IHSA football state championships, is one of just 126 senior football players in Illinois to be selected for this year Illinois Coaches Association Shrine All-Star Game, to be played June 15 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.

The 2024 Illinois Coaches Association 50th Shrine All-Star Game will be played on Saturday, June 15, at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington and one Litchfield High School senior will be … more

12/28/23

Kieffer Makes Most Of Second Shot At State

Braxton Kieffer may have missed a trip to the IHSA State Finals by one win, but the Litchfield High School sophomore has made the most out of his second chance at state. By virtue of a pair of … more

3/7/24

Vandals Slip Past Toppers Tuesday

When the Hillsboro High baseball team invaded Vandalia Tuesday afternoon, March 19, a four run rally in the top of the seventh meant a 5-5 tie entering the bottom of the seventh. The Vandals, now 2-1 … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 3/21/24

Schwab 2nd, Litchfield 3rd At Olney Invitational

In theological circles, St. Anthony is the patron saint for recovery of lost items, but in high school golf, St. Anthony doesn’t lose much of anything. The defending Class 1A state champions … more

9/5/23

The Edinburg-South Fork and Nokomis volleyball teams painted the Wildcats’ gym pink on Tuesday, Oct. 10, in honor of Kincaid’s Kathy Harris. The event raised $3,455 for Harris, who has been fighting breast cancer since May, and her family. In front, from the left are Grace Royer, Maddison DeWerff, Paisley Pruett, Grace King, Angelina Ippolito, Libby Watson, Ella Huelson, Paisley Swinger, Cloey Dirks, Adalyn Watson, Camryn Engelman, Reese Beckham, Kinley Stolte and Jensen Armintrout. In the middle are Kennadie Johannsen, Fallon Knodle, Natalie Brownback, Lilly Wake, Jara Shoulders, Becca Hill, Jayden Neal, Presley Mehochko, Caitlyn Foster, Mackenzie Mehochko, Bella Sapetti, ReJeana Carriker, Remi Tester, Assistant Coach Amy Stolte and Head Coach Megan Mehochko. In the back row are Assistant Coach Madison Peacock, Head Coach Brooke Hickey, Leah Emerson, Meadow Gribbins, Alivia Sabol, Reaghan Jonas, Addison Glenn, Abby Brandon and Elizabeth Hill.

Redskins Go Pink In Edinburg

Friends of the Harris family of Kincaid adopted the rallying cry, “Nobody Fights Alone” after Kathy Harris was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in May, and throughout the … more

10/12/23

Sign-Ups For Jr. Toppers Set For November 2nd

Don’t know the difference between a single-leg and a singlet, but have a kiddo who is interested in wrestling? The Hillsboro Jr. Topper Wrestling program can help you out. Coach Paul … more

10/30/23

Litchfield's Keenan Powell (#0) scored 22 points in the Panthers' 65-39 victory over Lincolnwood at the T. Todt Shootout on Saturday, Dec. 9, in Litchfield.

Fourth Quarter Pushes Panthers Past Lancers

The Litchfield boys basketball team has been a little bit like fireworks so far this season. When the Purple Panthers are on, it’s a thing of beauty. When they’re not? Things can blow up … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 12/11/23

Lincolnwood's Jonah Elvidge hounds Bunker Hill guard Will Manar during the Lancers' home game against the Minutemen on Dec. 19. The Lancers' held Bunker Hill to seven points in the second half to score a 44-26 victory over the Minutemen.

Lancers Get Back To Even With Win

It's been a long way back to .500 for the Lincolnwood-Morrisonville boys basketball team, but after starting the season 0-4, the Lancers have reached that mark before Christmas. Since going … more

12/21/23

Nokomis’ Brody Steele and Reece Lohman try to wrestle the ball away from Wyatt Hildebrandt of Okaw Valley during the Redskins’ opening game at the Vandalia Holiday Tournament on Tuesday, Dec. 26. Lohman had 24 points for the Redskins helping them to a 63-54 victory over the Timberwolves.

Nokomis Boys Split First Two Games At Vandalia

The Nokomis boys basketball team jumped out to a big lead, then withstood a three-point barrage by Okaw Valley to come away with a 63-54 win in their opening game of the Vandalia Holiday Tournament … more

12/28/23

Third Lifts Athens Past Lincolnwood

An 11-run third inning for Athens paved the way for a 17-0 victory over Lincolnwood on Tuesday, March 19, as the Lady Lancers fell to 2-3 on the season. Playing on their home field, Lincolnwood … more

3/21/24

Frailey Second At Hillsboro Country Club

Hillsboro’s Sam Frailey was just a stroke off of medalist honors on Friday, Sept. 1, as the Lady Toppers hosted Vandalia and Auburn at the Hillsboro Country Club. Frailey shot a 52 on the day … more

9/5/23

The Gillespie boys cross country team won their first South Central Conference title since 2000 on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Southwestern High School. From the left are Lucca Kapp, Carter Sies, Hank Fletcher, Leo Page, Marshall Garwood, Chaz Oberkfell, AJ Reisinger, Matthew Plovich and Coach Jay Weber.

Quarton Completes South Central 3-Peat

For the third straight year, no one in the South Central Conference was faster than Camden Quarton in the world of cross country. Quarton, who also finished second in his freshman year, earned … more

10/16/23

White Rolls 800 Series At Litchfield Bowl

For the first time in seven years, a 800-plus series was rolled at the Litchfield bowling alley. Bobby White of Litchfield, bowled a 258, a 279 and a 287 for an 824-scratch series on lanes five … more

12/21/23

Third Quarter Pushes Nokomis Past Litchfield

A 20-7 third quarter advantage gave Nokomis a 55-48 win over Litchfield on Wednesday, Dec. 20, as the Redskins moved to 4-6 and Litchfield moved to 7-5. Both teams held leads in the third … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 12/28/23

Taylorville’s Lincoln Coffey (#32) tries to stay a step ahead of Lincolnwood’s Charlie Clavin (#8, via Nokomis) during their game at Terry Todt Field in Raymond on Sept. 2. Behind five goals from junior Ian Keller, the Lancers improved to 5-1 on the season with an 8-0 victory over Taylorville. More photos from this game can be found at nokophoto.smugmug.com.

Keller, Lancers Score A Glut Of Goals

Like all sports, soccer has its own terminology. A brace is two goals. Three goals is a hat-trick. Four goals is a haul. But five goals? Five goals is a glut. By definition, a glut is an excessively … more

9/5/23

Toppers Roll Past Miners

The Hillsboro volleyball team went on a 12-point run to end the first set of their conference game with Gillespie on Thursday, Oct. 12, then rolled to a second set win to improve to 21-7 overall and … more

10/16/23

Litchfield's Chloe Law puts up a shot over Lincolnwood's Lilly Terneus during the T. Todt Shootout on Saturday, Dec. 9, in Litchfield. Law scored 13 points to lead the Lady Panthers to their second win of the season, 29-22 over the Lancers..

Litchfield Girls Beat Lancers For 2nd Win

While the Litchfield girls basketball team has been improving throughout the first part of the season, the improvement hadn’t yielded results in the winning column…yet. That ended on … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 12/11/23

Litchfield High School grad Trevor Geggie

College Report: Geggie Wraps Up Track Career At Knox

If you listed the qualities you wanted in a college athlete, in most cases, passion/intensity would be near the top of most people’s lists. It is for recent Knox College graduate Trevor … more

12/21/23

Toppers Finish Off Busy, Successful Week

After finishing off the Kickoff Classic on Route 66 as the overall champions, the first Classic title in school history, the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team returned home Thursday afternoon to … more

9/5/23

Shorthanded Lancers Gut Out MSM Win

Coming into the 2023 season, the Lincolnwood-Morrisonville volleyball team had four players on their roster with varsity experience. Now, with just two weeks until the postseason, the Lancers are … more

10/12/23