More Sports | The Journal-News

After a stellar career for the Millikin University baseball team, Ryan Janssen will be returning home to Nokomis in the fall, this time as a teacher and coach at North Elementary School.

THE COLLEGE REPORT • Janssen Coming Home

Ryan Janssen has a love for Nokomis. His actions simply prove that. The recent graduate of Millikin University, who played four years of baseball, two at Millikin and two at Lake Land College … more

7/3/24

Walshville’s Travis Lentz picked up his ninth win in as many rounds at the Grand National Cross Country series on June 22-23, in Snowshoe, WV. The win clinched the title for Lentz in the YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) class.

Local Trio Finish In A Flurry At Snowshoe

By all accounts, Snowshoe is the toughest race of the 13 events that make up the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series. With that said, the three local racers who have decided to tackle the full … more

7/3/24

With #418 Ace Enloe closing in, Keegan Pickard goes over one of the jumps at the Montgomery County Fair motocross event on June 21, in Butler. Enloe finished fifth in both the 250 Pro and 450 Pro classes, while Pickard was eighth in 250 and ninth in 450.

Hicks And Company Put On A Fair Show

St. Louis pro rider Michael Hicks put on a show for the crowd and took the top spot in both pro classes at the Montgomery County Fair motocross races on Friday, June 21, in Butler. The … more

7/3/24

Litchfield racer Roger Burdell was just shy of winning the Saturday edition of the Twin 10Ks on June 22, but he did still bring home a pretty good paycheck from Havana’s Midstate Dragway as he finished second in the big money race.

Burdell Runner Up In Midstate 10K

The Twin 10Ks were back at Midstate Dragway in Havana on June 22-23, with Litchfield racers Roger Burdell, Corey Wood, Dustin Bryant, Phil Bryant, Chris Eichelberger, Nathan Gerl and Randy Weller in … more

7/3/24

Junior drag racer Addy Beal gets a hand from her dad, Andy, in staging her Bad Addytude dragster during her season debut at Coles County Dragway in Charleston on June 8. The Farmersville racer has been splitting time between the track and the practice mats as she prepares for the IBJJF Pan Kids Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Kissimmee, FL, July 26-28.

Beal Busy On The Track, Mats

It’s been tough for Farmersville’s Addy Beal to get much time on the track lately, but the 15-year-old has made one appearance at Coles County Dragway in Charleston. In her first … more

7/3/24

Nokomis’ Daryl Keiser took the top spot in the Don Walker Memorial Class at the Montgomery County Fair tractor pulls, with his 1150 Massey Ferguson pulling 187.26 feet.

County Pullers Win Six Of Eight Fair Classes

While the livestock shows were done by the final day of the Montgomery County Fair, Sunday, June 23 was all about the horses as the annual truck and tractor pulls took place at the fairgrounds in … more

7/3/24

Litchfield racer Timothy Hearn prepares to climb behind the wheel of his 1998 Chevrolet Camaro during the Gateway High School Racers drag racing series at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison.

Hearn Competing In WWTR High School Racing Series

Timothy Hearn is still a few months away from his 16th birthday, but the Litchfield teenager has already been getting some valuable time behind the wheel during the Gateway High School Racers drag … more

7/3/24

2019 Hillsboro graduate Isaiah Atkins wrapped up his college career last fall as a member of the Greenville University cross country team. His career was extended by a fifth year of eligibilty due to the pandemic.

THE COLLEGE REPORT • Atkins Makes Strides In Cross Country Career

For a high school soccer player, Hillsboro graduate Isaiah Atkins turned out to be a three-time all-conference college cross-country runner. “I’m pretty proud of my improvement from … more

by Dan Chamness | 6/27/24

Local Riders Stay Busy At Lincoln Trail

It’s been a busy summer already for motocross as several racers from the Journal-News Motorsports area raced in all four rounds of the Thor Showdown Series at Lincoln Trail Motosports in Casey. … more

6/27/24

Irving’s Tanner Mullen (left) and Butler’s Kaleb Keiser (right) were the last two running in the Limited Weld class on Saturday, June 22, at the Montgomery County Fair demolition derby in Butler. Mullen managed to hold on to take the top spot, with Keiser coming in second and Irving’s Kyle Yeske third.

County Cars Go Smashy Smashy

Full stock was full of county winners at the Montgomery County Fair demolition derby on Saturday, June 22, in Butler. Not only did Montgomery County drivers win both the Limited Weld and Full Size … more

6/27/24

Dunlap's Chris O'Kane kept his cool, but his John Deere 700A blew its stack at the Montgomery County Fair tractor pulls on Sunday, June 23. Fortunately for O'Kane, the top didn't pop until after he had already gone 341.25 feet, which was good enough for first in the 12,500+ class.

The Fast and the Fair-ious

The Montgomery County Fair has always been about family and there was plenty for families to see this year, especially if you like a little fun on four wheels (or two). Here are some of our favorite … more

6/24/24

Litchfield’s Rilynn Younker completes her deadlift during the Mad Max Push/Pull powerlifting meet at Unit Strength Training in Lindenhurst on June 15. Younker broke an 11-year-old national record in the 52 kilogram/115 pounds weight class at the meet, lifting 85 kilograms or 187.25 pounds.

Younker Sets New Powerlifting Record

Scientists estimate that the rhinoceroses found in Africa and Asia can lift up to half of their body weight. But for the “Rino” that can be found in Litchfield, that’s just the … more

6/20/24

Lynch Sixth At Macon Speedway

After finishing 10th in the B Main at Highland Speedway on June 8, Hillsboro’s Evan Lynch was back on the track a week later for the DIRTcar Pro Modified race at Macon Speedway on June 15. … more

6/20/24

Litchfield racer Bodee Everett (#3E) works his way around Jagger Wiggs of Benton (#71) during racing action in the Patriot Landscape Restricted Micros class at Coles County Speedway in Mattoon on Saturday, June 15. Everett went on to finish sixth in the 16-car, 20-lap feature.

Everett Sixth In Points At Coles County

It was a busy weekend for Litchfield racer Bodee Everett as he raced at Coles County Speedway in Mattoon on both June 14 and 15. The Saturday race, the Tom Rieck Memorial, was a big one for the … more

6/20/24

Saathoff Stays Hot In AFT Singles

Any thoughts that Chase Saathoff’s success would diminish after his first career American Flat Track Singles victory were quickly dispelled as the Hillsboro motorcycle racer has picked up three … more

6/20/24

The Litchfield trio of Dustin Bryant, Phil Bryant and Corey Wood took three of the top four spots in the Quick 16 at the Midstate Dragway event on June 15, with Dustin Bryant going on to take the win. Bryant also won the Modified class and was second to Wood in the Top E.T. class as the group racked up points in the IHRA points standings at the track.

Bryants, Wood Return To Midstate Winner’s Lane

Litchfield racers Dustin Bryant, Phil Bryant and Corey Wood were at Midstate Dragway in Havana on June 15, for the IHRA points races. Dustin Bryant entered three classes and won both the Quick … more

6/20/24

Donnellson's Cooper Duff was one of several area riders to have a good day at the Johnson Grand Prix in Monmouth on Saturday, June 15, as he took second in the Super Mini class and third in the Open B class.

Monmouth Race A Grand One For Local Riders

Points weren’t on the line when the So. IL Off-Road Racing Series headed to Monmouth on June 16, but pride and cash were, which meant some fierce competition at the Johnson Grand Prix. … more

6/20/24

In front, from the left are Elliot Link and Hudson Jackson. In back are Kelly Ondrey of Steve Schmitt Brubaker, Chad Foss, Paige Foss, Dexter Link, Paine Foss, Memphis Jackson, Stacy Carter and Rhonda Jurgena of Steve Schmitt Brubaker.

Litchfield Baseball Accepts Donation

Steve Schmitt Brubaker in Litchfield is helping local athletes this summer with a donation of $500 and other equipment to Litchfield Baseball, Inc. through the Chevy Youth Baseball and Softball … more

6/20/24

The team members of the first place team, the Poach Pirates, from left, are Will Adkins, Kayla Adkins, Ben Loftus and Kevin Guinn.

Poach Pirates First At Central Park Tourney

The Central Park pickleball courts in Hillsboro hosted a MoCo League pickleball event Saturday, June 15. Four teams came to town to compete in this alternative pickleball format, including the Fried … more

6/20/24

Five members of the Litchfield High School and Litchfield Middle School wrestling programs competed in the Midwest Beach Wrestling Nationals on June 8, in West Peoria. From the left are Rilynn Younker, Vincent Moore, Draven Jones, Nick Adam and Pete Younker.

Panthers In The Sand Means Panthers With Raised Hands

Earlier this month, six members of the Litchfield wrestling program competed in the Midwest Beach Wrestling Nationals on June 8, in West Peoria. The group picked up two championships and seven top … more

6/20/24