Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield Boys Return From North Mac With A Win

Litchfield silenced the home crowd in Virden on Friday night, Dec. 19, using a massive 23-0 run that spanned from the second quarter into the third quarter to erase an early North Mac lead and secure … more

12/22/25

Nokomis' Carter Wexstten cuts between a pair of Arcola defenders during the Redskins' home game on Dec. 17. Wexstten helped his team to a 46-29 win over the Purple Riders, scoring a team-high 11 points.

Redskins Win, Fall, Get Up And Win Again

The Nokomis High School boys basketball team wrapped up a busy week in Centralia on Saturday, Dec. 20, scoring a 54-49 victory over Christ Our Rock Lutheran. The Redskins were down two after eight … more

12/22/25

Hatchets Cut Down Toppers In Semifinals

Athletic teams as inexperienced (young) as the ‘25-’26 Hillsboro boys’ basketball squad quite often face a steep learning curve when their season begins. That was evident in the first half of … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 12/22/25

Purple Panthers Hang On At Jerseyville

The Litchfield Purple Panthers and the Jersey Panthers tipped off in a rare Wednesday night non-conference match-up at Havens Gymnasium in Jerseyville on Dec. 17. In a close battle, the Purple … more

12/22/25

Hiltoppers Push Past Gillespie At ‘The Pit’

Hillsboro’s boys’ basketball program didn’t know what to expect when they traveled to “The Pit,” the home of their Gillespie counterparts, for South Central Conference action Friday … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 12/22/25

Nokomis, Mt. Olive Combine For 140 Points

The Nokomis and Mt. Olive girls basketball teams combined for 140 points scored on Thursday, Dec. 18, with the Lady Redskins picking up their third MSM Conference win of the season with an 80-60 … more

12/22/25

Lady Panthers Take Two Over MSM Foes

After losses to Nokomis and Lincolnwood earlier this year, the Litchfield girls basketball team picked up a pair of wins over two MSM Conference teams to end their week. On Wednesday, Dec. 17, … more

12/22/25

Lady Lancers Hope Offense Catches Up To Defense

The Lincolnwoood-Morrisonville girls basketball team turned in two solid defensive performances in their final two games to end the week, but struggled to find their offense as they fell to … more

12/22/25

Colwell And Company Shoot Down Lancers

A 22-8 second quarter helped lift South County to a 58-41 win over Lincolnwood-Morrisonville on Friday, Dec. 19, as the Waverly/Franklin co-op improved to 2-0 in the MSM Conference. Lincolnwood … more

12/22/25

Once a year, Montgomery County's two high school wrestling teams lock horns with a year's worth of bragging rights on the line. On Tuesday, Dec. 16, Hillsboro earned those rights with a 45-36 victory over the Purple Panthers at Simmons Gym in Litchfield. Pictured in the top row, from the left, are 138-pounders Thayden Bailey of Litchfield and Briar Kuhl of Hillsboro, 157-pounders Gavin Shomaker of Hillsboro and Nicholas Adam of Litchfield and 190-pounders Jayden Ellinger of Litchfield and Olan Lentz of Hillsboro. In the bottom row are 215-pounders Evan Fricke of Litchfield and Tytin Wells of Hillsboro, 165-pounders Braxton Kieffer of Litchfield and Westin Fenton of Hillsboro and 120-pounders Rilynn Younker of Litchfield and Landon Bandy of Hillsboro.

Hiltoppers, Purple Panthers Go Head-To-Head

It was about as close as it could get in Litchfield on Tuesday, Dec. 16, but in the end, the Hillsboro High School wrestling team scored bragging rights over their rivals to the west as the Toppers … more

12/18/25

With Litchfield's McKenna Harmon (right) blocking her path to the basket, Hillsboro's Kearstynn Davis looks for an another option in the first quarter of the South Central Conference showdown in Litchfield on Dec. 15. Davis had 11 points in Hillsboro's 58-44 victory over the Lady Panthers, which kept the Toppers tied atop the SCC.

Quick Start Pushes Hillsboro Past Litchfield

A 30-13 first half lead was enough to pave the way for a 58-44 victory for the Hillsboro girls basketball team over Litchfield on Monday, Dec. 15, at Simmons Gym. The Lady Hiltoppers scored the … more

12/18/25

Nokomis freshman Avry West (right) rises up for two of her four points in Nokomis' 73-14 win over Central A&M on Monday, Dec. 15, West's first points of her varsity career. The win was one of two for the Lady Redskins, who also beat Pawnee 48-43 on Dec. 16.

Lady Redskins Take Two At Home

Hannah Tarter hit a pair of threes and had 11 of her team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Nokomis girls basketball team pulled out a 48-43 win over the Pawnee/Calvary/Lutheran co-op team … more

12/18/25

Lincolnwood’s Reagan Penrod (#4) takes a shot over Sangamon Valley’s Allison Closs in the fourth quarter of the Lancers’ MSM Conference game at home on Dec. 15. One of seven Lancers to score in the game, Penrod finished with six points in Lincolnwood’s 45-42 overtime win over the Storm.

Lady Lancers Weather The Storm In Overtime

Four quarters wasn’t enough for the Lincolnwood-Morrisonville and Sangamon Valley/Tri-City girls basketball teams on Monday, Dec. 15, as the two MSM Conference foes needed overtime to determine a … more

12/18/25

Redskins Roll Past Pana

The Nokomis boys basketball team held Pana scoreless for nearly five and a half minutes in the fourth quarter to give the Redskins a 53-44 victory on the Panthers’ home court. more

12/18/25

Toppers Take Win In St. Elmo Opener

The Hillsboro boys basketball team outscored Mulberry Grove 30-9 in the first half of their opening game at the St. Elmo Holiday Tournament on Tuesday, Dec. 16, as the Toppers went on to beat the … more

12/18/25

Armentrout Goes Off In Lancers 2nd Win

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville boys basketball team picked up their second win of the season on Tuesday, Dec. 16, and their first on their home court as the Lancers defeated Gillespie 56-30. The … more

12/18/25

The Litchfield boys basketball team picked up a 50-35 victory over Lincolnwood-Morrisonville on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the T. Todt Shootout in Raymond, the 1,500th win in the program's history. From the left are Assistant Coach Kevin Young, Assistant Coach James Bryant, Cooper Martin, Ben Ronco, Max Leitschuh, Landon Wernsing, Ethan Saathoff, Sam Schwab, Titan Hires, Tucker Maguire, Brody Dykema, Chance Holliday, Assistant Coach Rocky Gianuzzi, Assistant Coach Nicholas Todt and Head Coach Daniel Bonnell.

Panthers Win Over Lancers Is #1,500

The Litchfield boys basketball team spoiled Lincolnwood’s first home game and made some history in the process with a win in the finale of the seventh annual T. Todt Shootout vs. Cancer. With … more

12/15/25

Nokomis senior Kadynn Petty obstructs Max Grejtak's view of the court during the second half of the Redskins' home game against Mt. Olive on Friday, Dec. 12. Petty and the Redskins stifled the Wildcats, holding them to single digits in all four quarters for a 64-20 victory.

Nokomis Stays Unbeaten On The Season

A strong finish helped the Nokomis boys basketball team remain undefeated on the year as the Redskins defeated Madison 39-34 at the T. Todt Shootout vs. Cancer on Saturday, Dec. 13. The game was … more

12/15/25

With a final record of 25-2, the Hillsboro Junior High seventh grade girls basketball team finished their season on Thursday, Dec. 11, with a second place finish at the IESA Class 3A Seventh Grade Girls Basketball State Championship in Auburn. In front, from the left, are Jaelyn Murray, Josselyn Murray, Skylynn Thrasher and Lauren Cullison. In the back row are Coach Katie Thacker, Adaley Wessel, Coach Kenny White, Lyv Fuller, Kamrynn Timo, Alexis Young, Breeawna Reincke and Coach Dyke Buerkett.

Dragons Take 2nd At State

They say that it’s not the destination, it’s the journey, but that doesn’t mean that both parts can’t be pretty cool. The journey for the Hillsboro Junior High seventh grade … more

12/15/25

Toppers Take Down Cavies In SCC Opener

Hillsboro’s varsity boys’ basketball team came together in the second half of their home game against the Carlinville Cavaliers on Friday evening, Dec. 12, by outscoring the visitors … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 12/15/25