The Journal-News

First Win Earns Litchfield Spot In Third Place Game

It was a game of firsts for the Litchfield Lady Panthers and it was also a memorable night as Coach Rob Corso’s varsity squad showed marked improvement and recorded their first win of the … more

11/23/22

It was a night to celebrate Litchfield High School boys basketball on Saturday, Nov. 19, as the Panthers’ annual Purple and White Scrimmage kicked off the start of basketball season. New to the event this year, which was supported by McGraw Family Companies (McDonald’s, Hampton Inn and Nancy’s Pizzeria in Litchfield) and Pizza Man of Litchfield, was the LHS Alumni Game. With 14 cheerleaders and 24 alums, the event was a big success and plans are already underway to bring it back next year. Cheerleaders, in front, from the left, are Britney Murphy, Shamera Robinson, Kayla Blom and Jamaica Sellers. In the second row are Alexis Zeller, Lexi Vega, Kailea Dobrinich, Abby Kuehn, Alisha Heyerdahl, Alyssa Clements, Caitlin Magnuson and Brooke Gorowski. In the third row are Brittany Winans and Trisha Fenton. Players from the left are John Corso, Billy Beckham, Mike McGraw, Logan Treece, Kyle Saxby, Eric Barccum, Jackson Wilson, Nathan Divley, Kyle Bishop, Connor Simmons, Dylan Trecce, Rocky Giannuzzi, Alex Hull, Dale Vollentine, Rick Weatherford, Kevin Young, Greg Hires, John Odle, Tim Reynolds, James Odle, Anthony Robinson, Chase Lauderdale, Corbin Govaia and Jay Verstreater. This year's crop of Purple Panthers started their season on a high note on Tuesday, Nov. 22, with a 64-52 victory over Decatur St. Teresa at the Riverton Thanksgiving Tournament.

Litchfield Wins Opening Game

Litchfield tipped off the tournament on Tuesday night, Nov. 22, against the St. Teresa Bulldogs from Decatur. more

11/23/22

Litchfield's Hailey Rentz skirts Carlyle defender Raelyn Harris to find an open teammate during the Panthers' opening game of the Litchfield Thanksgiving Tournament. Carlyle's tenacious defense held Litchfield to just 15 points as the defending champions won 56-15 over the home team.

Carlyle Too Much For Panthers

A persistent and agitating ball press was the catalyst to a 56-15 Carlyle win over the Litchfield Lady Panthers in opening round play of Litchfield’s six-team tournament. Nokomis beat the … more

11/21/22

Brownstown Spoils Panther Home Opener

It was the home season opener for the Litchfield Lady Panthers on Nov. 17 but Brownstown had little sentimentality for their hosts as the Lady Bombers defeated the purple and white 47-33. After … more

11/21/22

Big Goals On The Horizon For Litchfield

“We were an eight seed,” has been echoed throughout Simmons Gym since Nov. 7. An echo by outsiders but a motto or motivational tool from the insiders. The insiders, the 29 Litchfield … more

11/21/22

Litchfield's Emma Walch tries to track down Hailey Engelman of Nokomis during the county rival game on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Engelman led Nokomis with 17 points in the Redskins' 51-19 win over the Purple Panthers.

Redskins Club Purple Panthers In Debut

It was a rough season opener for the Litchfield Lady Panthers as they traveled to Nokomis Tuesday evening, Nov. 15, and absorbed a 51-19 loss. While neither team established much of a threat on … more

11/17/22

Senior Leadership Drives Lady Panthers To 16 Wins

Although the varsity Lady Panthers volleyball team did not fulfill their pre-season goal of finishing the season as regional champions, there are many reasons to celebrate the success of one of the … more

11/10/22

While Camden Quarton was the only Litchfield runner on the soggy course at Detweiller Park on Saturday, Nov. 6, Quarton’s coaches and teammates braved the wet weather in Peoria to cheer on the junior standout in his second state trip. From the left are Coach Jeremy Palmer, Quarton, Sam Horn, Kenny Traylor and Assistant Coach Vincent Fanelli.

Quarton Makes Return To State Meet

Since 2002, only one Litchfield runner had ever competed in the IHSA Cross Country State Finals in back-to-back years. On Saturday, Nov. 6, Camden Quarton made it two. Quarton joined 2005 grad … more

11/7/22

Alumni, Skills Test Added To LHS Scrimmage

A high school skills competition and an alumni game have been added to the annual Litchfield High School boys basketball scrimmage, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. at Simmons … more

11/7/22

Hillsboro, Litchfield Land Six On All-SCC Volleyball Teams

The Hillsboro and Litchfield high school volleyball teams each landed three players on this year’s South Central Conference All-Conference list after finishing second and third respectively in … more

11/3/22

10 Toppers, 4 Panthers Earn All-Conference Boys Soccer Accolades

The Hillsboro High School boys soccer team was rewarded with a conference-best 10 honorees on this year’s 34-member South Central Conference all-conference teams, while Litchfield added in four … more

11/3/22

For the second year in a row, and the first time as an individual, Camden Quarton is going to the IHSA Class 1A Cross Country State Finals. Quarton, pictured with Litchfield cross country Coach Jeremy Palmer, finished eighth overall in a talented field at the St. Joseph-Ogden Sectional in Champaign on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Eight Great For State

Last year Camden Quarton became the first Litchfield boys cross country runner to medal at state. Next Saturday, he’ll have the chance to become the second as well. Quarton and the … more

10/31/22

Backed by libero Alli Frerichs (#6), Litchfield's Annika Rhodes gets under a ball to set up the attack for the Purple Panthers during their regional quarterfinal game against Carlinville on Monday, Oct. 24. Litchfield rebounded from a 25-21 loss in the first set to win the second set 25-19, but fell to the Cavies in the rubber match, 25-20, to end their season.

Cavaliers Upset Lady Panthers

Unlike tournament play, during the regular season a team can absorb an early loss and still have the opportunity to play their way to a respectable finish, but such is not the case in the post … more

10/27/22

Zane Duff looks for an open receiver as Litchfield's Caiden Lamb bears down on the Hillsboro quarterback during the week nine clash between the two rivals on Oct. 21, in Litchfield. Duff ran for 100 yards and passed for 72 more in the Toppers' 48-36 come-from-behind victory over the Purple Panthers.

Toppers Come Back To Beat Panthers

In a game with more pivotal moments than a marching band provides during a halftime performance, Hillsboro outlasted an outmanned (in terms of number of available players) Litchfield Purple Panther … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/24/22

The Litchfield girls cross country team took fifth at the Shelbyville Regional on Saturday, Oct. 22, earning themselves a berth in next Saturday's sectional in Champaign. From the left are Myka Fenton, Darby Braasch, Alex Gasperson, Delanie Ulrich, Emma Diveley and Joelle Hughes.

Lady Panthers, Quarton Advance To Cross Country Sectional Meet

With three runners in the top 25, the Litchfield Lady Panthers were one of seven teams to make it out of the Shelbyville Cross Country Regional at Dacey Trail on Saturday, Oct. 22. Freshman Darby … more

10/24/22

Panthers Falter In Final Week Of Season

Three losses in three straight days was not exactly the way Coach Kari Dragoo envisioned the last week of the regular season would unfold, but the week has come and gone and the focus of the … more

10/24/22

Litchfield’s Amy Frerichs was one of eight players to earn all-tournament honors at the Civic Memorial Eagles Varsity Classic on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Frerichs Named To All-Tournament Team

Litchfield went 2-2 in this year’s Civic Memorial Eagles Fall Classic and finished fifth in the eight-team volleyball tournament held on Saturday, Oct. 15, in Bethalto. Last … more

10/20/22

Bulldogs Clinch SCC Title With Win Over Panthers

Coach Jeanene Lucykow’s Staunton Lady Bulldogs captured their third consecutive South Central Conference championship Tuesday night, Oct. 18, as they disposed of Litchfield in straight sets … more

10/20/22

It was a big day for the Litchfield High School cross country team as the Litchfield girls won their first South Central Conference title since 2016, while the boys finished second at the conference meet, held Saturday, Oct. 15, in Piasa. In front, from the left, are Joelle Hughes, Emma Diveley, Delanie Ulrich, Alex Gasperson, Myka Fenton and Caitlyn Travis. In the back are Assistant Coach Vincent Fanelli, Mitchell Floyd, Peyton Baugher, Lucien Quarton, Sam Horn and Head Coach Jeremy Palmer. Not present for the photo were Darby Braasch, Kenny Traylor and Camden Quarton.

Ulrich, Panthers Are SCC Champs

After coming agonizingly close to a South Central Conference title last year, the Litchfield girls cross country team landed their first conference championship since 2016 on Saturday, Oct. … more

10/17/22

Quarton Repeats As Conference Champion

After finishing second to Carlos Ruvalcaba of Roxana in his South Central Conference Championship debut in 2020, Litchfield’s Camden Quarton won the conference cross country crown last year as … more

10/17/22