The Journal-News

Fans of the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team came prepared for history if the opportunity arose on Tuesday, Sept. 21, as Topper Head Coach Jason Burke entered the game with 199 career wins. Those brave enough to weather the dreary conditions in Litchfield on Tuesday greeted Coach Burke with signs signifying his latest accomplishment after the game as he picked up win number 200 with a 6-0 victory over the Purple Panthers.

Burke Reaches 200th Career Coaching Victory

Sixteen years after picking up his first win as head coach of the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team, Jason Burke reached a milestone that few in the sport have attained. On Tuesday, Sept. 21, … more

9/23/21

Toppers Down Panthers In Route 16 Rivalry

Fresh off a back and forth battle on Monday against one of their Montgomery County rivals, the Lincolnwood Lancers, that finished in a 1-1 draw, the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team traveled to … more

9/23/21

Hillsboro’s Sally Mattson returns a shot during her singles play match against Nina Walters of Alton Marquette on Monday, Sept. 20, at the Hillsboro Sports Complex. While Walters would get the win in singles, Mattson and doubles partner Paige Lucykow picked up an 8-6 win over Monica Wendle and Alexis Williams for Hillsboro’s only win over the Explorers.

Tennis Toppers Face Ex-SCC Foes

The Hillsboro girls tennis team hosted a pair of former South Central Conference foes in their last two matches as they played Roxana on Sept. 16 and Marquette on Sept. 20. In the Roxana match, … more

9/23/21

It’s Guinn’s Turn On Top As Panthers Win Again

Litchfield senior Carly Guinn has been near the top of the leaderboard in most of her matches in 2021, but hadn’t finished first individually going into the Panthers’ match on Tuesday, … more

9/23/21

County Boys Golf Rivalry Determined By Fifth Man

The difference between the Hillsboro and Litchfield boys golf teams proved to be thinner than the blades of grass they played on Tuesday, Sept. 21, as the two Montgomery County teams took to the … more

9/23/21

Hillsboro, Lincolnwood Girls Play At Timber Lakes

While neither of the two Montgomery County teams factored into the final decision on Monday at Timber Lakes, results don’t get much closer than the quad meet in Staunton on Sept. 20. Despite … more

9/23/21

Vandals Go Two-Over As A Team At Hillsboro

Vandalia put four scoring rounds in the 30s on Monday, Sept. 20, to win the triangular meet at the Hillsboro Country Club over the Toppers and PORTA. Led by Dylan Halford’s 2-under 34, … more

9/23/21

Hillsboro’s Matt Page (in black) gets a foot on Levi Weir’s shot during the second half of the Toppers’ home game against Lincolnwood on Monday, Sept. 20. The two seniors resulted in the only two goals of the 1-1 tie between the two rivals.

No Winners, No Losers In Shoal Creek Shootout

The parity between the Hillsboro and Lincolnwood boys soccer teams has been evident for years and Monday’s contest in Hillsboro was no exception as the two rivals tied 1-1 in the Shoal Creek … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 9/23/21

Hillsboro's Blaine Stewart sprints past Vandalia defensive back Ryan Kaiser during the Toppers' home game on Friday, Sept. 17. Vandalia jumped out to a 19-0 first quarter lead, then held on for a 33-20 win, despite 101 yards and two touchdowns from Stewart.

Vandals Hold On Against Hillsboro

It may not be a permanent change (game adaptations seldom are) but in a classic closer-than-the-score-indicates game against the visiting Vandalia Vandals, Hillsboro’s offense had an effective … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 9/20/21

Hillsboro's Austin Loskot (left) and Lincolnwood's Levi Weir (right) take their time around the green during the Montgomery County match-up at Shoal Creek on Sept. 16.

Lancers Edge Toppers At Shoal Creek

It was a close match against close neighbors on Thursday, Sept. 16, in Raymond as the Lincolnwood-Morrisonville boys golf team defeated Hillsboro by just two strokes at Shoal Creek Golf … more

9/20/21

It was senior night for the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team on Thursday, Sept. 16, and the Toppers celebrated with a 5-0 win over Greenville. Seniors, with their families, from the left, are Trevis, Ayden and Jill Brewer; Matt, Ethan and Brandi Lentz; Chris, Gavin and Jill Matoush; John, Keegan, and Nicki Murray; Dan Page, Matt Page, and Coral Christian; and Doug, Devin, and Lori Speiser.

Soccer Toppers Shine on Senior Night

Fresh off their big 1-0 victory over the Carlinville Cavaliers 48 hours before, the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team returned to the field Thursday afternoon, Sept. 16, as they played host to … more

9/20/21

The four senior members of the Hillsboro High School boys golf team were honored prior to their match with Pana on Sept. 13, at the Hillsboro Country Club. From the left are Drake Vogel, with parents Barb and Rick Vogel; Dillon Smail, with parents Carrie and Donovan Smail; Dom Haggard, with parents Chrissy and John Mekala; and Preston Lyerla, with parents Luke and Angie Lyerla.

Smail Lands Eagle As Toppers Score Win

It was senior night for the Hillsboro boys golf team on Sept. 13, and the four 12th grade Toppers made the most out of the day honoring them. All four seniors contributed scoring rounds and were … more

9/16/21

The Hillsboro girls golf program celebrated the contributions of lone senior Meagan Jorn before their match with Lincolnwood on Friday, Sept. 10, at the Hillsboro Country Club. Pictured with Jorn (center) are her parents, Troy and Paula Bartz (left) and Denny and Marcy Jorn (right).

Jorn Shines On Senior Night

It was senior night for the Hillsboro girls golf team on Friday, Sept. 10, however, it’s pretty much been Meagan Jorn’s night all season long. The Toppers’ lone senior shot a 47 … more

9/16/21

Toppers Get All-Important Win At Carlinville

If you were there, you know, and if you weren’t you missed out. That’s just about all that can be said for the soccer game that took place on Tuesday evening, Sept. 14, between the … more

9/16/21

Quarton, Fenton Take Top Fives

Camden Quarton and Myka Fenton both finished in the top five individually at the PORTA Invite on Saturday, Sept. 11, as the Panthers made the trip to Petersburg for the annual event. Quarton ran a … more

9/16/21

Toppers, Panthers Play At Mattoon Invite

Thirty-eight high school boys golf teams, including Hillsboro and Litchfield, descended on Mattoon on Sept. 10-11, for this year’s Craig Dixon Invite. Hillsboro finished 26th overall with a … more

9/16/21

Topper Defense Blocks Griffins Road To Victory

With 10 days until their next game, a win on Monday, Sept. 13, would go a long way for the Hillsboro volleyball team in terms of momentum after the break. Facing off against Father McGivney for … more

9/16/21

Vandals Double Down To Beat Tennis Toppers

A doubles sweep kept the Hillsboro girls tennis team from a win on Thursday, Sept. 9, as the Toppers fell to Vandalia 5-4 at the Hillsboro Sports Complex. Hillsboro held a 4-2 advantage after … more

9/16/21

The Hillsboro High School volleyball team took time for a picture with Charlotte Herschelman, the sister of the late Grace Herschelman, before their game in Saturday's Grace-Filled Tourney. Pictured in front, from the left, are Layne Rupert, Isabella White, Charlotte Herschelman, Kinley Richardson and Abbigail Schreiber. In the back row are Tatum Christian, Alayna McCario, Emilee Roemelin, Adyson McCammack, Sophia Blankenship and Kenadie Carlock

Toppers 8th At Grace-Filled Tourney

The Hillsboro High School volleyball team more than doubled previous win total and finished eight out of 16 teams at this year’s Montgomery County Invitational on Sept. 10-11. The Toppers, … more

9/13/21

Blaze Helton (#44) led Hillsboro in rushing with 119 yards on 19 carries and scored the Toppers' only touchdown in their 42-8 loss to Carlinville on Friday, Sept. 10.

Cavaliers Drop Toppers To 0-3

For the third time this season, Hillsboro players, coaches, parents, and fans were forced to accept the inevitable; if the team Hillsboro is facing has superior speed in its receiving corps and in … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 9/13/21