Hillsboro High Sports | The Journal-News

With Coach Jim Luckett looking on, Hillsboro senior Tycen Thacker chips on to the green on the eighth hole at Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River at the Class 2A Roxana Regional on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Both Thacker and teammate Colton Weiss finished in the top ten at the regional to move on to next Monday's sectional in Anna.

Hillsboro's Thacker, Weiss Bounce Back At Regionals

Hillsboro’s Tycen Thacker and Colton Weiss both shot 3-over-par 39s on the back nine at Belk Park to secure their spots in the sectional on Monday, Oct. 7. Playing in the IHSA Class 2A Roxana … more

10/3/24

It was senior night for the Hillsboro High School girls tennis team as the Toppers took time to honor three of their own on Monday, Sept. 30, during their match with Vandalia. Zoey Spinner, Aly Leisure and Sara Milanos were 3-0 on the day, with Spinner and Leisure winning the number one and number two singles, then teaming up to win the number one doubles, while Milanos partnered with Reagan Voyles to pick up a win in the number three doubles match. From the left are Victoria Spinner, Zoey Spinner, Matthew Spinner, Damon Leisure, Aly Leisure, Chrissy Leisure, Angelo Milanos and Sara Milanos.

Toppers Score Seventh Win On Senior Night

Monday, Sept. 30, was senior night for the Hillsboro girls tennis team and the Tennis Toppers celebrated with a 7-2 victory over Vandalia, with the three seniors going 3-0. The Toppers picked up five … more

10/3/24

Lady Lancers Advance Two To Golf Sectionals

Two members of the Lincolnwood-Morrisonville golf team are headed to sectionals after playing in the Class 1A Williamsville Regional at The Rail in Sherman on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Senior Anna Jones and … more

10/3/24

Hiltoppers Head To Pana

Topper football fans who follow their team to Pana this Friday, Oct. 4, have a chance to enjoy the loudest, most visible scoreboard in the South Central Conference; it’s complete with fireworks … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/3/24

Hillsboro's Elijah Patton scrambles to try to avoid Litchfield's Max Leitschuh (#44) during the Hiltoppers' home game on Friday, Sept. 27. Leitschuh and the Panther defense held Hillsboro to 185 yards of offense in a 28-0 shutout that boosted Litchfield's record to 2-3.

Purple Panthers Shut Down Toppers

Football is a game of momentum, and occasionally momentum comes in the strangest forms. Litchfield perhaps didn’t need momentum to down Hillsboro as the Toppers tried valiantly to defend their … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 9/30/24

Litchfield, Hillsboro Prepare For Girls Golf Postseason

After playing in the South Central Conference Tournament on Tuesday, Sept. 24, the Litchfield and Hillsboro girls golf teams were together again on Sept. 25 and 26 for meets in Pana and Vandalia. On … more

9/30/24

Topper Golf Takes First At Taylorville

A lot changed between the initial date for the Taylorville Invite on Aug. 15 to the day the tournament was actually played on Sept. 26. Due to the rain on Monday, the tournament was one of two at … more

9/30/24

Hillsboro's Brady Stritzel (#25) and Nico Clark (#3) meet up at the feet of Riverton's Jaxson Miller (#20) during the Toppers' game on the Hawks' home field in Riverton. Clark had three goals in Hillsboro's 6-1 victory, their 11th in a row.

Soccer Toppers Make It 11 In A Row

Fresh off a huge 9-0 against North Mac on Thursday, the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team traveled to Riverton Saturday morning for a non-conference tilt against the Hawks. For the … more

9/30/24

Members of the Lincolnwood and Hillsboro soccer teams take a group photo with the family of Grace Herschelman following the second annual Grace Cup game between the two rivals. After finishing in a tie last year, Hillsboro won this year’s game by a 4-0 final score to take possession of the Grace Cup traveling trophy.

Grace Cup Goes To Toppers In 2024

There are two sides of the Lincolnwood/Hillsboro soccer rivalry. There is the feel good side. It’s the side that sees two teams come together to compete for the Grace Cup, a traveling … more

9/26/24

Litchfield's Brody Dykema looks for an opportunity to get the ball away from Hillsboro's Will Yeske during the South Central Conference clash in Litchfield on Tuesday, Sept. 24. The Toppers scored twice in the first half and three more times in the second to pick up a 5-1 win over the Panthers.

Win Keeps Hillsboro In SCC Title Hunt

The Hillsboro/Litchfield boys soccer game on Tuesday, Sept. 24, was as close to a must-win in terms of the South Central Conference title race. The Toppers entered the game with eight straight … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 9/26/24

North Mac Doubles Up At SCC Golf Tournament

Going into the 2024 South Central Conference golf tournament the same school had finished atop the standings in both the girls and boys tournaments seven times. On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the North Mac … more

9/26/24

Toppers, Panthers To Tangle Friday

The rivalry between Hillsboro and Litchfield High Schools isn’t as intense as it seemed to be sixty years ago when the ten miles between them weren’t as easy to travel, but it still … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 9/26/24

The Hillsboro High School volleyball team went 3-1 at the Vandalia Tournament on Sept. 21, beating Cowden-Herrick-Beecher City, East Alton-Wood River and Vandalia’s JV team before falling to Carlyle in a close championship game. In front, from the left, are Albany Kindernay, Amya Greenwood, Briley Kirby, Peyton Christian, Reagan Lentz. In the back row are Kailey Weiss, Kearstynn Davis, Addison Lowe, Tatum Christian and Peyton Chappelear.

Lady Toppers Take Second At Vandalia

For the second time this season, the Hillsboro High School volleyball team left a tournament with a winning record and a second place trophy as the Lady Hiltoppers were the runner-up in the Vandalia … more

9/26/24

Soccer Toppers Win Seventh Straight

The Hillsboro High School boys soccer team won their seventh straight game Thursday, Sept. 19, as they traveled to Greenville to face off against the Comets in a South Central match-up both sides … more

9/23/24

Thanks to a hole opened by Jesse Ringhausen (#76) and the Hillsboro offensive line, junior running back Amony Anderson found some running room early in the Toppers' match-up with Gillespie on Sept. 20. Anderson scored a 33-yard touchdown to give Hillsboro a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but 21 unanswered points by the Miners gave them their first win of the season.

Gillespie Gets First Win Against Hiltoppers

“If only...” aren’t happy words for sports teams, coaches or fans to hear or think, but they certainly applied to Hillsboro’s fate in the football game played in Gillespie … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 9/23/24

Hillsboro's Claire Matthews returns a shot at the net during her match with partner Zoey Spinner during the Highland Doubles Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 14. The tournament was part of a busy six days for the Toppers, who beat Bunker Hill/Staunton, East Alton-Wood River and Roxana in the days after the trip to Highland.

Toppers Collect Wins During A Busy Week

It was a busy six-day span for the Hillsboro High School girls tennis team as the Lady Hiltoppers played in a doubles tournament and three regular season matches between Sept. 14 and Sept. 19. The … more

9/23/24

Lincolnwood Girls Add To Victory Total

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville girls golf team continues to hone their skills as the season winds down, with the Lady Lancers playing some of their best golf as of late. In their two matches to … more

9/23/24

Hillsboro’s Mitchell Cunningham (#7) celebrates with teammates Alec Pollard (#9) and Clayton Rufus (#12) after Mark Mattson (#10) put the Toppers on the scoreboard against Civic Memorial on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Hillsboro Sports Complex. Hillsboro went on to beat the Eagles 3-0 for their fifth consecutive win after starting the season with three losses in their first four games.

Hiltoppers Shut Down Bulldogs, Eagles

Fresh off big back-to-back wins against the Southwestern Piasa Birds Tuesday and the St. Anthony Bulldogs Wednesday, the Hillsboro High School boys soccer team traveled west Thursday afternoon, Sept. … more

9/19/24

Hillsboro's Tycen Thacker shot a 3-over-par 39 at the Hillsboro Country Club on Monday, Sept. 16, helping the Toppers to a 172 as a team.

Albatross Helps Marquette Swoop Past Hillsboro Boys

Golf was for the birds on Monday, Sept. 16, at the Hillsboro Country Club, as the Hillsboro boys golf team hosted Alton Marquette and Pana. Marquette junior Andrew Belkin used a three hybrid to hole … more

9/19/24

Hillsboro Football Looks To Get Right In Gillespie

The football Toppers travel to Gillespie Friday, Sept. 20, for a contest between the only zero win teams in the South Central Conference; neither has cobbled together a win in the three games each … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 9/19/24