Litchfield High Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield High School To Host Youth Volleyball Camp

The new coaches of the Litchfield High School volleyball program will be hosting a youth and junior high volleyball camp for players going into third through eighth grades on July 8-12. The camp … more

6/13/24

Members of the Litchfield High School girls soccer team who made all-conference in 2024, from the left, were Chloe Law, Kyndal Law, Daphney Hartel, Haley Bryant, Avery Stewart, Alli Frerichs and Carly Favre.

Breakout Season Puts Seven Panthers On All-Conference

The good news for Litchfield is that they had seven players on this year’s South Central Conference girls soccer all-conference team. The bad news for everyone else is that five of those seven … more

6/6/24

Six players from Montgomery County schools were named to this year's South Central Conference all-conference baseball teams. Those players were Nathan Matoush of Hillsboro and Matthew Bywater, Carson Saathoff, Drake Gasperson, Tate Dobrinich and Ethan Saathoff.

Six From County Make All-SCC List

Litchfield and Hillsboro took up eight of 42 spots on this year’s South Central Conference all-conference baseball team, which was voted on by the coaches of the SCC. Five of those eight … more

5/30/24

Three players from Montgomery County schools were named to this year's South Central Conference all-conference softball teams. Those players were Hillsboro's Aubrey Evans, Litchfield's Elise Walch and Hillsboro's Peyton Chappelear.

County Trio Earn All-SCC Accolades

Three first time all-conference selections from Montgomery County were among the 39 players honored with all-conference recognition by the coaches of the South Central Conference at the conclusion of … more

5/30/24

With his coaches Anthony Robinson and Jeremy Palmer watching from the rail, Litchfield's Keenan Powell makes his first jump in the triple jump at the IHSA Class 1A Boys State Track and Field Championships in Charleston on May 23. Powell went 45'10" on his first jump, which would have been enough to win the championship, but just for good measure, the recent grad went ahead and uncorked a 46'8" jump on Saturday in the finals to seal Litchfield's first state title since 1980.

Powell Goes Out As State Champ

Last year at the IHSA Class 1A Boys State Track and Field Championships, Litchfield junior Keenan Powell beat his personal best and the school record in the triple jump by almost half a foot, giving … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/28/24

Litchfield Seniors Leave Lasting Legacy

While Keenan Powell’s state championship in the triple jump was the highlight of Litchfield’s trip to the IHSA Class 1A Boys State Track and Field Championships, there was plenty of other … more

5/28/24

Three days after a dramatic 2-1 win over sectional host Pleasant Plains, the Litchfield/Mt. Olive baseball team pulled out their second straight upset as they defeated Sacred Heart-Griffin 2-1 to advance to the super sectional for the first time since 1985. In front, from the left, are Laidyn Jones, Briley Viviano, Max Gretjak, Titan Hires, Drake Gasperson, Landon Wernsing, Maddix Compton (manager) and Cooper Martin. In the back are Head Coach Rocky Giannuzzi, Landon Tooley (Manager), David Schoen, Matthew Bywater, Carson Saathoff, Brayden Alexander, Ethan Saathoff, Tate Dobrinich, Max Leitschuh, Josh Boerckel, Assistant Coach Clay Murphy and Assistant Coach Jacob Frerichs.

Litchfield Baseball Scores First Sectional Title In 39 Years

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared.” Litchfield Head Coach Rocky Giannuzzi wasn’t the only one feeling that way at that moment. The … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/28/24

With Maroa-Forsyth's Cole Moody quickly approaching, Litchfield second baseman Titan Hires prepares to throw to first after getting the force out at second in the top of the fifth inning of the Panthers' super-sectional game against the Trojans on May 27, in Springfield. Maroa-Forsyth scored three runs in each of the first three innings to build up a lead en route to a 10-4 win over Litchfield and a state tournament berth.

Purple Panthers End Super Season

They may not have been supposed to be there, but that doesn’t make the sting of the end of the season hurt any less as the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team saw their … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/28/24

Litchfield senior Tate Dobrinich struck out nine and allowed just one run and two hits in the Panthers' 2-1 victory over Pleasant Plains in the sectional semifinal on May 22.

Panthers Earn Title Shot With Win Over Plains

A lot of athletes would dream of the year that Litchfield senior Tate Dobrinich has experienced: a football playoff game, winning a regional basketball game and standing on the mound for the last out … more

5/28/24

The Litchfield Middle School eighth grade girls 4x200 meter relay team took second at the IESA Class 3A State Track and Field Championships on May 17-18. From the left are Kilee Hoover, Emma Weidner, McKenna Harmon and Jada Carroll. In addition to the relay medal, Hoover also won the 400 meters, while Harmon finished sixth in the shot put.

Hoover Gives Litchfield Girls Third Straight Title

At some point, the Litchfield Middle School girls track team will realize that IESA state champions don’t come along every year. Or maybe, if things continue at their current pace, they … more

5/23/24

After finishing second last year by just four hundredths of a second, the Litchfield Middle School boys earned an IESA state title in the 4x200 on Saturday, May 18, in East Peoria. From the left are Lukas Paine, Ryker Witt, Jalen Stewart, Andrew Boston and Jaxon Ray.

Panthers Get First Title In 23 Years

Between 1999 and 2001, the Litchfield Middle School boys track program scored three individual IESA state titles, but since then, there have been plenty of medals, but no Panthers atop the podium. … more

5/23/24

Litchfield senior Kendall Stewart sprints down the back straightaway at O'Brien Field after receiving the baton from teammate Shyan Haycraft during the 4x100 meter relay heat at the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Championships on Thursday, May 16. Stewart ended her trip to state with her second straight state medal in the 300 meter hurdles, taking third overall on Saturday, May 18.

Stewart Earns Second State Medal

Nine conference championships, nine sectional championships, 13 state qualifying berths and now, in her final season as a Purple Panther, Litchfield’s Kendall Stewart is a two-time state … more

5/20/24

It's been a banner year for the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team as the Purple Panthers picked up their 26th win on Saturday, May 18, with a 6-0 victory over Gilespie in the regional championship game on the Miners' home field. The regional title was Litchfield's first since 2012, when they defeated Southwestern 5-0, also in Gillespie. In front, from the left are Landon Tooley (Manager) Josh Boerckel, Titan Hires, Drake Gasperson, Landon Wernsing, Maddix Compton (Manager) and Laidyn Jones. In the back are Coach Rocky Gianuzzi, Carson Saathoff, Max Gretjak, Ian Otto, Brayden Alexander, Ethan Saathoff, Tate Dobrinich, Max Leitschuh, Tucker Pastrovich, Matthew Bywater, Coach Clay Murphy and Coach Jacob Frerichs.

Panthers Are Regional Champions

Standing on the campus of Gillespie High School on May 19, 2012, the Litchfield High School baseball club hoisted the regional championship plaque with a 5-0 victory. Fast forward 12 years … more

5/20/24

Panthers Sending Six To State

The Litchfield boys track team narrowly missed a sectional title on Wednesday, May 15, but came away from Carlinville with a pretty good consolation prize. The Panthers, who finished second to … more

5/20/24

Litchfield Baseball Breaks School Win Record

In 2000 and 2012 the Litchfield High School baseball club hit the 24-win mark, creating the record for most wins in the program's history. That record would be broke on Thursday, May 16, when … more

5/20/24

The Litchfield Middle School track program, coached by Stephanie Short and Drew Logan, qualified for a school record 27 events at the IESA Class 3A State Finals in East Peoria on May 17-18. State qualifiers and alternates, in front, from the left, are Sicily Lamb, Aubrie Boston, Libbey Gibbs, Jada Carroll, Lydia Borror-Gruelle, Adia Melchert, Hailey Green, Harley Foulk, Ava White and Emma Weidner. In the back row are Maggie Schwab, Adyson White, Kilee Hoover, Lana Cress, Ryker Witt, Jaylen Komor, Brylan Marten, Lukas Paine, Braylen Stewart, Jaxon Ray, Jalen Stewart, Troy Masinelli, Jennah Longwell, Braedyn Knapp, Mckenna Harmon and Andrew Boston.

Record Year Continues For Litchfield Track

The Litchfield Middle School track program is no stranger to success at the state level, but even with their lofty standards, the 2024 campaign will be one that stands out. The Panthers, who … more

5/16/24

Litchfield's Alexis Mielke cruises into second base during the Lady Panthers' 12-0 win over Vandalia on Monday, May 13 in Litchfield. The win moved Litchfield into the regional semifinal, where they lost a 5-4 barn-burner in 10 innings to Carlyle, despite three hits and two RBIs from Mielke.

Panthers Don't Go Away Quietly

The season came to an end for the Litchfield-Mt. Olive softball team on Tuesday, May 14, as they fell to the higher-seeded Indians of Carlyle 5-4 in ten innings in the semifinals of the Vandalia … more

5/16/24

Litchfield's Alex Rhodes takes a goal kick during the Panthers' 7-0 loss to Alton Marquette on Tuesday, May 14, at the regional championship game in Hillsboro.

Marquette Knocks Off Panthers In Title Game

The Litchfield girls soccer team knew they would have a hard path to secure the seventh regional title in the program's history. That thought proved to be correct as Alton Marquette defeated the … more

5/16/24

Readenour K’s 17 In Panthers 12-3 Victory

Lili Readenour struck out a season-best 17 batters and the Litchfield-Mt. Olive softball team collected 17 hits as they defeated North Greene on Thursday, May 9, in White Hall. The outing was … more

5/16/24

Litchfield's Izabella Fenton (left) and Father McGivney's Lilly Gilbertson were shoulder to shoulder going around the second turn on the opening leg of the 4x400, the final race of the day at the Class 1A North Mac Sectional on May 9. Gilbertson's Griffins would finish first in the 1600 meter race, with Fenton and teammates Gracie Boden, Brooke Braasch and Kendall Stewart coming in second to earn on of Litchfield's six state qualifying berths in Virden.

Lady Panthers Send Six To State

The relays have been a strong suit for the Litchfield girls track team all season long and on Thursday, May 9, the Lady Panthers received another payoff for their hard work. The 4x100 and 4x400 … more

5/13/24