Hillsboro High Sports | The Journal-News

Several members of the inaugural Hillsboro High School volleyball team were recognized prior to the start of the Hillsboro volleyball game on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 50 years after their first game. From the left are Rhonda “Fred” Sanford, Sarah Hamby, Jody (Downs) Schnarre, Deb (Dalzotto) Compton, Nancy (Eickhoff) Lowe, Sherry (Smith) Terneus, Martha (Sewing) Johnson, Jeanne Winkler and Sue (Jagosh) Kunz.

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Hillsboro High School volleyball program recognized the three senior members of this year’s team. But Addison Lowe, Tatum Christian and Reagan Lentz weren’t the … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/7/24

While it was a trying season at times for the Hillsboro High School football team, the Hiltoppers are hopeful that they will be able to take those lessons and improve in 2025.

2024 A Tough Test For Topper Football

Statistics never tell the complete story of any team’s adventures in any sport in any season, but the tale of yards gained and yards surrendered in Hillsboro’s 2024 football season helps … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 11/7/24

Toppers Save Best For Last Against 'Birds

The Toppers not only played their best offensive game in the last tilt of the season, they saved the best of their best for the last quarter, when they outscored Piasa Southwestern 20-0. Of course … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/31/24

Hillsboro’s Kearstynn Davis (#10) and Shelbyville’s Jaycee Brinkoetter meet at the net during the regional semifinal in Litchfield on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Davis had three kills in the game, but Brinkoetter and the Rams came away with a 25-17, 27-25 victory to move on to Thursday’s regional championship against Staunton.

Rams Slip Past HHS

For the second year in a row, the Shelbyville Rams ended Hillsboro’s season earlier than the Toppers hoped as the Rams defeated the Lady Hiltoppers in two sets at the Class 2A Litchfield … more

10/31/24

Hillsboro's Kamdin Civitate has a firm grasp on Southwestern's Blake Rimbey during the Toppers' season finale in Hillsboro on Oct. 25. The Piasa Birds barely escaped Sawyer Field with a victory, winning 41-40 over the Hiltoppers.

Toppers Shoot It Out With Southwestern

Continued from 9A This time, to Piasa’s surprise, Patton sent the kickoff into the Birds’ endzone for a touchback. Hillsboro’s defense had to reclaim the ball during the next … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/28/24

Hillsboro Girls Tennis Wraps Up 2024 Season

The Hillsboro girls tennis team wrapped up their season recently, with the team’s end-of-season banquet held on Oct. 21, at The Abbey on Broad. For the second year in a row, the team qualified … more

10/28/24

The Hillsboro High School volleyball team's win over Pana not only gave the Toppers their 20th win of the season, but it was also the 200th victory for Coach Emily Zimmerman. In front, from the left are Albany Kindernay, Amya Greenwood, Briley Kirby, Peyton Christian and Reagan Lentz. In the back are Kailey Weiss, Kaya Connor, Peyton Chappelear, Kearstynn Davis, Addison Lowe, Tatum Christian, Liberty Helton and Head Coach Emily Zimmerman.

Pana Win Is Toppers' 20th, Coach's 200th

While the Hillsboro High School volleyball team was one win away from their second straight 20-win season coming into last week, there was no guarantee that the Hiltoppers were going to reach that … more

10/28/24

Birds Will Try To Spoil Topper Senior Night

Win or lose, athletes spend much time and energy representing their high schools during the four years they have to participate. Their efforts are too often discounted as seasons progress, but … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/24/24

Hillsboro's Landon Lipe tries to flick a shot past Greenville keeper Cale Ackerman during the first half of the regional championship game at the Hillsboro Sports Complex on Oct. 22. Ackerman shut the Toppers out in the first half, allowing his team to hold a 2-0 lead at the break, en route to a 5-1 Greenville victory.

Comets Take It To Toppers

On paper, everything lined up perfectly for Hillsboro to capture their fifth regional title in boys soccer in 13 years. The Toppers were 15-8-1 while facing their hardest schedule in years. They were … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 10/24/24

Hillsboro's Brodie Clinard sends a cross past Pana's Griffin Hawker (#12) during the regional semifinal game in Hillsboro on Saturday, Oct. 19. Clinard and company peppered the Panthers with shot attempts, with five finding the back of the net as Hillsboro advanced to Tuesday's regional championship game with a 5-0 victory.

Toppers To Play For Regional Title

After going 2-4-1 during a stretch of seven games in eight days to start the month, it was easy to forget just how good the Hillsboro boys soccer team had been leading up to that rough patch. On … more

10/21/24

Hillsboro's Tytin Wells runs past a cavalcade of Cavaliers during the Toppers' game in Carlinville on Oct. 18. Wells ran for 51 yards and a touchdown, but the Toppers fell 36-14 to the Cavies.

Hiltoppers Fall To Carlinville In Week 8

On a night in Carlinville that favored big plays, the Cavaliers had the more spectacular ones, especially on defense, in an explosive first half that resulted in a convincing victory for the hosts … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/21/24

Lady Hiltoppers Make It Five Straight In SCC

After losing their first two South Central Conference games, the Hillsboro High School volleyball team has won five straight in conference play, with the latest victory coming on Oct. 17, in Virden. … more

10/21/24

Players from Mt. Olive/Litchfield, Morrisonville/Lincolnwood and Hillsboro joined players from Edinburg to make up the South Central squad in the eighth grade girls Junior High All-State Showcase at the Future Champions Sports Complex in Jacksonville on Oct. 5-6. From the left are Libby Knes and Koralyne Jones of Mt. Olive/Litchfield; Kinlee Paprotth, Karissa Ferrill and Brianna Boyd of Morrisonville/Lincolnwood; Gracelynn Crayne of Hillsboro; and Reagan Swinger, Daisy Shanks, Paige Lareau, Cally Cooper and Keely Westenhaver of Edinburg/South Fork.

Junior High Softball, Baseball Wraps Up

IESA Class 1A Baseball Morrisonville Regional Tuesday, September 24 • (4) Springfield St. Agnes 7, (5) Jerseyville St. Francis Holy Ghost 0 • (2) Morrisonville-Lincolnwood 16, (7) Bunker … more

10/21/24

Lady Hiltoppers Get Fourth SCC Victory

After losing their first two South Central Conference games of the season the Hillsboro High School volleyball team picked up their fourth straight conference win on Tuesday, Oct. 15, with a 25-12, … more

10/17/24

Toppers To Take On Cavies In Week Eight

Hillsboro’s senior football players have one last away football game to enjoy when the Toppers travel to Carlinville Friday night, Oct. 18. Their last football game ever will be at home against … more

10/17/24

Tennis Toppers Fall To Taylorville In Home Finale

The Hillsboro girls tennis team played their final home match of the season on Monday, Oct. 7, as they played host to Taylorville at the Hillsboro Sports Complex. The two teams split singles play … more

10/15/24

Hillsboro's Ethan Hamby looks to create some running room between himself and the Vandalia defender during the first half of the Toppers' 47-20 loss to the Vandals on Oct. 11.

Vandals Pick Up Sixth Win In Hillsboro

To say that Hillsboro was vandalized Friday night on the football field would be both trite and an understatement; their spread offense working out of a shotgun formation had more weapons than the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/15/24

Hillsboro libero Briley Kirby was one of three Toppers with double digit dig totals in Hillsboro's win over Gillespie on Oct. 10. Kirby and teammate Albany Kindernay (#13) both had ten digs apiece, while Kailey Weiss led the Toppers with 15 as Hillsboro improved to 17-10 on the year.

Hillsboro Girls Kill It In Gillespie

Senior Addison Lowe put down a season-best 15 kills to help Hillsboro secure it’s third straight winning season on Thursday, Oct. 10, with a three set victory over Gillespie. Playing on … more

10/15/24

Hillsboro's Lennon Guinn and Carlinville's Vandon Sproull go shoulder to shoulder in pursuit of a loose ball deep in the Cavaliers' end during the second half of the South Central Conference game in Carlinville. Guinn scored earlier in the game, putting back a rebound on a penalty kick saved by the Cavies, but Carlinville picked up a 2-1 to force a three way tie for the conference title between Carlinville, Hillsboro and Staunton.

Win Gives Cavies Share Of SCC Title

The fact that Hillsboro still earned a share of the South Central Conference soccer championship was no consolation to the Toppers after their 2-1 loss to Carlinville on Tuesday, Oct. 8, but the fact … more

10/10/24

Lancers Beat Hillsboro In Annual Grace Game

In 2016, the Hillsboro and Lincolnwood volleyball programs played twice, just two days apart. The second of those two games was the first “Grace Game,” with both teams trading in their … more

10/10/24