More Sports | The Journal-News

With his first three wins of his career on the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Series, 2024 was the best year yet for Hillsboro racer Chase Saathoff. The 19-year-old flat track motorcycle racer recently signed with Rick Ware Racing and will be one of the top contenders for the championship when the series starts back up in Daytona Beach, FL, in March.

Saathoff Takes Aim At Title After Best Year Yet

The 2024 season was the best one yet in the American Flat Track Singles series for Hillsboro’s Chase Saathoff, but an offseason move may have just catapulted the 19-year-old into the next … more

1/16/25

While mechanical gremlins ended his last race of the year earlier than expected, Litchfield’s Bodee Everett still had a successful 2024 campaign, picking up ten top ten finishes, including a win at Coles County Speedway on June 29.

Everett Ready To Run Again For 2025 Season

Bodee Everett’s season came to an end a little sooner than he was hoping, but 2025 is a new year for the 13-year-old sprint car racer from Litchfield. Racing in the A-Class Winged Micros series … more

1/16/25

Walshville racer Travis Lentz picked up his third straight national title in the Grand National Cross Country series, scoring nine straight wins in the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class. Lentz finished the year in the Super Mini Sr. class, where he hopes to pick up national title number four in 2025.

Lentz Scores GNCC, IXCR Titles

It was a new brand, but the same success for off-road motorcycle racer Travis Lentz in 2024 as the 14-year-old from Walshville won his third straight Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/9/25

It was a big year for Donnellson's Cooper Duff as he claimed a class championship in the Crossroads Cross Country Racing series, plus a class win and third place overall finish in Youth Bikes at the Ironman in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series. Duff has big goals for next year as he competes for a GNCC national title in the Super Mini Sr. class.

After Crossroads Title, Duff Gunning For GNCC

Hillsboro High School freshman Cooper Duff picked up two wins and a runner-up finish in the final three rounds of the Crossroads Cross Country Racing series, earning a class championship in the … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/9/25

The foursome of Landon Saathoff, Silas Randall, Archer Durbin and Huntley Durbin got plenty of seat time this season as they competed in the Thor Showdown Series at Lincoln Trail Motosports in Casey.

County Riders Finish Up Season At Lincoln Trail

With more than a dozen regulars making the trip from the area, the Thor Showdown Series was once again one of the premier destinations for motocross racers from the Journal-News Motorsports area. … more

1/9/25

Morrisonville's Jhak Walker takes a corner during his winning run in the WFO Promotions hare scramble in November. The race in Keithsburg was about three hours from home for Walker, but a lot closer than where he was a few weeks earlier when he competed in the international Six Day Enduro in Spain.

Morrisonville's Walker A Worldwide Winner

Last year, it was Argentina. This year? Spain. Where will Jhak Walker’s motorcycle take him in 2025 is still to be seen, but chances are the Morrisonville native will get there quickly. … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/9/25

So. IL Series Hosts 2024 Championship Banquet

It was a successful return for the So. IL Off-Road Racing series as hundreds of racers competed in at least one round of the seven-round series that featured races in Carlinville, White City, … more

1/6/25

Litchfield's Bishop To Play For Spot On Asian Tour

Hundreds of players from all over the world competed in one of the seven first stage tournaments for the Asian Tour qualifying school, with less than two dozen per stage making it to the next round. … more

12/16/24

The winning team of the Spooktacular Scramble held on Saturday, Oct. 26, scored a 52 on the day. From the left is Alex White, Alex Eickhoff and Joe Mattson. Not pictured is Nic Ondrey.

Imagine Hillsboro Hosts Spooktacular Scramble

The annual Spooktacular Scramble was held on a beautiful Saturday, Oct. 26, at Indian Springs Golf Course. Hosted by the Imagine Hillsboro Education Committee, 15 teams competed for cash prizes, … more

12/2/24

After Stellar Season, Briar May Kuhl It In 2025

If 2024 was Briar Kuhl’s last year of ATV racing, the Hillsboro High School junior made it a pretty good one. Racing his Yamaha Raptor in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, … more

11/25/24

Members of the Hillsboro Country Club Ryder Cup team from the left are Jake Smith, Drake Vogel, Broc Everly, Kyle McBrain, Nathan Lynch, Aaron Hutchinson, Kenny Markezich, Michael Keller, Dane Huber, Logan Mutchler, Michael Fuller and Nathan McDice.

Montgomery County Ryder Cup Goes Back To Hillsboro

Bragging rights were on the line for Montgomery County’s two country clubs as two 12-man teams squared off for the annual Hillsboro/Litchfield Country Club Ryder Cup on Sept. 28-29. The … more

11/18/24

Playing well was the key to winning a club championship at the Litchfield Country Club in 2024, but apparently, having a certain last name didn’t hurt either. Above, Litchfield High School junior Sam Schwab (right) defeated former Panther standout Michael Niehaus to become the youngest club champion in the 102-year history of the Litchfield Country Club.

Schwab And Schwab Take Titles At Litchfield Country Club

The 2024 club champions have been crowned at the Litchfield Country Club as members hit the course for the regular and senior tournaments. In the senior division, Steve Schwab defeated defending … more

11/18/24

The Litchfield Gang, a group of drag racers from Montgomery County, had plenty of success in 2024, but their trip to Midstate Dragway in Havana on Aug. 24, was one of their most successful. Phil Bryant took the top spot in the Top ET, beating his son-in-law, Randy Weller, in the final. Weller did get a win in the modified class however, with Litchfield racer Corey Wood also making it to the semifinals. Above, members of the Litchfied Gang gather in victory lane after the success in Havana. From the left are Roger Burdell, Sarah and Randy Weller, with their daughters Hadley and Camryn in front, Corey Wood, Robert Lee, Dustin Bryant and Sharon and Phil Bryant.

Litchfield Gang Takes Top Spots At Midstate

It was a big year for the Litchfield Gang, particularly at the Midstate Dragway in Havana. The track hosted seven IHRA events this summer, with the lowest score thrown out in the final point … more

11/18/24

Litchfield’s Timothy Hearn waits in the staging lanes for his run at World Wide Technologies Raceway in Madison on Oct. 23, the final race of the year for the track’s high school racing program. In his first year in the series, the 15-year-old finished fourth in the overall point standings.

Hearn Fourth In WWTR High School Racing Series

This season was far from Timothy Hearn’s first year in a race car, but it was the Litchfield High School sophomore’s first full season racing something other than a junior dragster as he … more

11/18/24

Huber Takes Title At Hillsboro Country Club

Former Hillsboro High School and Illinois College standout Dane Huber shot a 152 for 36 holes to win this year’s club championship at the Hillsboro Country Club. Huber, a junior on … more

11/18/24

Seventh Annual First Noelle 5K Is December 7

The First Noelle Ayden O’Malley Memorial 5K will hold its seventh annual 5K fun run and walk on Saturday, Dec. 7. The event will start at 9:30 a.m. at the St. Louis Parish Center, located … more

11/14/24

Hertels Donate To Sports Complex

The Roy L. Hertel Foundation for Better Communities presented a $2,500 donation to the Hillsboro Sports Complex on Monday afternoon, Nov. 11. Accepting the donation was Bill Christian of the City of … more

11/14/24

Camren’s Causes Gives $9,000 To Park District

Christmas is coming a little early to the Nokomis Memorial Park District with a $9,000 donation from Camren’s Causes in memory of Camren Neisler. Funds will be used to renovate old tennis … more

11/14/24

Donnellson's Cooper Duff (#201) leads a pack of racers on the trail at the Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders grounds near White City, during the sixth round of the So. IL Off-Road Racing Series on Sept. 15, which he won in a time of 2:11:48, despite running in the Open B class. The series wraps up this Sunday, Oct. 20, with the Big Red Enduro, which will also be held at the Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders grounds.

Big Red Enduro Turns 60 Sunday

For years off-road motorcycle enthusiasts have made the trek to White City and the grounds of the Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders and 2024 should be no exception as the group celebrates the 60th annual Big … more

10/17/24

Richardson, Loggers Turn Things Around At LLCC

Going into this season, the Lincoln Land Community College women’s soccer program had just five wins in 60 games since the program began in the spring of 2021. But an influx of talent from the … more

10/10/24