The Journal-News

Golf Teams Kick Off 2022-23 Sports Season

The first high school athletic events of the 2022-23 season will begin this week as the four of the eight golf teams start their seasons. The Hillsboro boys and Lincolnwood boys and girls both … more

8/8/22

Litchfield’s Tug Schwab took first overall at the Edgewood Junior Classic on Aug. 2-3. Schwab, who will be a junior at Litchfield High School, shot a 2-under-par 70 to give himself a 147 for the two-day tournament and a six-stroke win over Sacred Heart-Griffin’s Cal Johnson.

Schwab 1st, Odle 5th At Edgewood Junior Classic

Litchfield golfer Tug Schwab was first and teammate A.J. Odle was fifth at the Edgewood Junior Classic, held on Aug. 2-3 in Auburn. The juniors-to-be shot a 77 and 78 on day one of the event, … more

8/8/22

After coaching at the middle school and assisting at the high school level, 2013 Litchfield High School grad Kari (Walch) Dragoo is ready to take over as the Purple Panthers’ head volleyball coach when the season kicks off on Aug. 25.

Dragoo Ready To Lead Purple Panthers

After a ground-breaking season in 2021, a swell of anticipation is building among players and fans as the 2022 Litchfield Lady Panthers return to the volleyball court on Thursday, Aug. 25, at … more

7/28/22

Sponsorships Available For 2022 Grace Tourney

Preparations are underway for the 2022 Montgomery County Grace Invitational volleyball tournament, which will be hosted by Nokomis this year on Sept. 9-10. The 16-team tournament features all four … more

7/21/22

Litchfield’s Tug Schwab defeated Cal Johnson 1-up in 36 holes on Thursday, July 14, to win the 16-17 year-old division of the Drysdale Junior Golf Tournament.

Schwab Leads The Way At Drysdale

Litchfield’s Tug Schwab got an early momentum boost to the high school golf season on Thursday, July 14, as he took home the championship in the 16-17 year-old division of the Drysdale Junior … more

7/18/22

Three Litchfield High School cheerleaders earned All-American status at a UCA cheer camp in June. From the left are sophomore Georgia Glover, senior Morgan Lemon and senior Kayleigh Morrow.

Litchfield Cheerleaders Named All-Americans

Members of the Litchfield High School cheerleading squad were able to attend an official UCA cheer camp in June. This was the first time in nearly seven years that LHS had this opportunity to … more

7/7/22

With 80 campers, 15 adult volunteers and 15 student Huddle Leaders, the first Fellowship of Christian Athletes Power Camp at Litchfield since the pandemic was a glowing success. Students from all over the area were able to hone their skills at this free camp organized by Rob and Patrice Corso, who started the first FCA Power Camp in Litchfield in 2016.

After Two Year Absence, FCA Powers Through Return To Camp

In Zechariah 1:3 of the Bible, God says return to me and I will return to you. This past week, 80 young athletes met this challenge and returned to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Power … more

6/30/22

SCC Standings Hopefully A Sign Of Things To Come For HHS

Steve Moore, Staunton’s South Central Conference savant, made his SCC all-sport standings available once again this year and for the sixth year in a row, Hillsboro finds themselves in the upper … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 6/23/22

Twenty-three players from schools stretching from New Berlin to Altamont played in the sixth edition of the Grace Cup All-Star soccer game on Saturday, June 11, at Terry Todt Field in Raymond. In front, from the left, are Ethan Lentz, Connor Stalets, Melissa Rufus, Josh Klenke, Dima Powell, Grace Conner, Charlotte Herschelman, Reece Butcher, Levi Weir, Caleb Stevens, Spencer Hoehl and referee Brock Eddings. In the back row are Coach Travis Matthews, Coach Matt Lentz, Josh Bauman, Joe Mattson, Coach Dave Mattson, Matt Page, Lukas Moore, Devin Speiser, Cameron Crow, Brayton Strawkas, Austin Dohleman, Noah Klimpel, Bryce Suckow, Duncan Scheidenhelm, Adam Anderson, Carson Franks and Kyle and Mary Herschelman. Not pictured are assistant referees C.J. Matthews and Kenny Lauderdale and ball boys Cody Matthews, Connor Billington and Lucas Stewart.

Sixth Grace Cup Was Worth The Wait, Challenges

Almost everything about the Grace Cup was a challenge this year. But at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, two teams took the field and played for the love of the game of soccer and in support of a little … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 6/13/22

Seven members of the Hillsboro High School girls soccer team were named to the South Central Conference all-conference team in 2020-21. From the left are Abbigail Schreiber, Layne Rupert, Sally Mattson, Isabella White, Alex Frailey, Kinley Richardson and Sierra Compton.

Soccer Toppers, Panthers Land Nine On All-SCC

Nine players from Montgomery County were among the 36 honored by the girls soccer coaches of the South Central Conference recently as members of this year’s all-conference teams. Hillsboro, … more

6/2/22

Five Montgomery County high school baseball players earned all-conference recognition from the coaches of the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 baseball season. Form the left are Deklan Riggs, Dillon Smail, Drake Vogel, Carson Saathoff and Bryce Hires.

Baseball All-Conference Honorees Shine On The Diamond

The Hillsboro High School baseball team earned four all-conference roster spots, while the Litchfield Purple Panthers had two honorees on this year’s 39-player all-conference list selected by … more

6/2/22

Four Montgomery County high school softball players earned all-conference recognition from the coaches of the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 softball season. Form the left are Taelyn Smith, Taylor Brakenhoff, Bella Roach and Annika Rhodes.

South Central Softball Doles Out All-Conference Honors

Thirty-eight players from the nine South Central Conference schools earned all-conference honors this year as the final teams wrapped up their seasons. Gillespie, the conference champion at 8-0 … more

6/2/22

Four Montgomery County high school wrestlers earned all-conference recognition in the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 wrestling season. From the left are Alex Powell, Griffen Hughes, Magnus Wells and Ian Malloy.

Three Toppers, One Panther On All-SCC Wrestling

Three Hillsboro wrestlers and one Litchfield wrestler were among the 14 athletes who earned all-conference honors in the South Central Conference for the 2021-22 season. The honorees were … more

6/2/22

Four Montgomery County high school boys basketball players earned all-conference recognition from the coaches of the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 boys basketball season. From the left are Drake Vogel, Victor McGill, Gavin Matoush and Keenan Powell.

Four From County Honored As All-SCC Basketball

Earlier this year, the Litchfield and Hillsboro boys basketball teams both landed two players on the 18-player South Central Conference boys basketball all-conference team. The Montgomery County … more

6/2/22

For most of the year, Litchfield's Cameron Crow was head and shoulders above the competition in the high jump and 400 meters. The IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Championships were no different for the Princeton-bound senior as Crow medalled in both events, with a sixth place finish in the high jump and an eighth place finish in the 400 meters. Combined with his two medals from his junior year, Crow leaves LHS as the program's most decorated male athlete.

Four State Medals Definitely Something To Crow About

Saturday was a day of celebration for Litchfield High School boys track coach Dan Newkirk, but Sunday, May 29, had a very different tone for the veteran leader of the Purple Panthers. “Today … more

5/31/22

Pictured above, in front, from the left are Taylor Brakenhoff, Mackenzie Emerson, Kaitlyn Case, Alissa Crabtree, Harlee Traylor, Alexis Zeller and Ashley Hickerson. In back are Keaton Case, Brock Bishop, Kelvin Dooley, Andrew Hartzell, Brady Davidson, Ryan Baugher, Luke Davis, Isabelle Murphy, Rylie Hester and Ellie Ashmore.

Litchfield Sports Boosters Honor Purple Panther Senior Athletes

Members of the Litchfield Sports Boosters recognized senior athletes from Litchfield High School and their families in May. This year’s Senior Athlete Awards Night was held on Wednesday, May … more

5/31/22

For the second time in her career, Litchfield's Carly Guinn finished the season on the podium at the IHSA State Finals track meet. After taking eighth in the high jump last year, Guinn placed eighth in the 300 meter hurdles on Saturday, May 21, despite picking up the event just a month and a half earlier.

Guinn Bounces Back To Earn Second Medal

After finishing eighth in the high jump at the IHSA Girls State Finals last year, it was easy to expect Litchfield senior Carly Guinn to be in the hunt for another state medal when the 2022 version … more

5/23/22

It was a banner day for the Litchfield Middle School track team as they brought home 12 medals in four events, including a state championship in the 400 by Amari Vickery. Competing in the seventh grade state tournament, from the left are Alexis Middleton, Leighton Warchol, Nick Fetter, Emma Weidner, Jada Carroll, Amari Vickery and McKenna Harmon. Not pictured is Darby Braasch, who ran both the 800 and 1600 in the eighth grade state finals.

Panther Cubs Into Heavy Medal At IESA State

It was rainy, it was delayed and in the end, it was absolutely wonderful. The Litchfield Middle School track team had seven entries in the IESA State Track and Field Championships on May 20-21, … more

5/23/22

Litchfield sophomore Keenan Powell (shown here during the long jump) will be one of three Panthers to make the trip to state on Thursday, May 26, after he finished second in the triple jump on Wednesday, May 18. Joining Powell will be Cameron Crow, who won the 400 and finished second in the high jump at Virden, and Camden Quarton, who won the 1600 and finished second in the 3200.

State Berths Worth The Wait For Panthers

Tom Petty said that the waiting was the hardest part and there was plenty of waiting going on at the Class 1A North Mac Boys Track Sectional on Wednesday, May 18. But once things got rolling, the … more

5/23/22

Litchfield pitcher Laynie Wyatt completes her delivery during the Purple Panthers' regional game against Greenville on May 16. The Comets used a six-run second inning to beat the Panthers 10-0 in six innings, their third win over their fellow South Central Conference member this year.

Third Time Not The Charm For Litchfield

For the third time this season, the Litchfield and Greenville softball teams squared off, this time for a spot in the regional semifinal. The Comets had beaten the Panthers twice before, by … more

5/19/22