Sports | The Journal-News

Hillsboro’s Zander Wells tries to turn Cooper Miller of Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley during their preliminary match at the IHSA Class 1A State Wrestling Tournament in Champaign on Feb. 15. Wells was down 9-3 to Miller going into the third period when he took down the Falcons’ 165-pounder and earned the pin at the 4:17 mark of the match.

Wells’ Senior Season Comes To End At State

Of the 116 wrestlers who started the Class 1A postseason in the 165-pound weight class, only 16 were able to make it to state. Of those 16, half lost, with half of that number losing for a second … more

By Kyle Herschelman | 2/20/24

Hillsboro’s Cheyenne Harston (#30) and Kamryn Langston look for the steal against Gillespie’s Erika Gill during the regional championship game in Virden on Feb. 16. The Miners jumped out to a seven-point first quarter lead en route to a 59-45 victory over the Lady Hiltoppers for their first regional title since 2012.

Season Ends In Regional Championship

A strong start in both the first and second halves helped Gillespie score their first regional championship since 2012 on Friday, Feb. 16, as the Miners defeated Hillsboro 59-45 in the title game at … more

2/20/24

Birds Fly Past Purple Panthers In Season Finale

Heading into the postseason, what better way to prepare for the big games ahead than to have a big game to finish the season. For Litchfield, that big game took place in Piasa on Thursday, Feb. 16, … more

2/20/24

Comets Get Hillsboro 44-33 In Season Finale

Prior to the start of the Hillsboro at Greenville end-of-the-regular-season basketball game, the odds seemed stacked in the Comets’ favor. They had defeated the Toppers 51-39 in the Kaskaskian … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 2/20/24

WFO Hare Scramble Season Starts March 3

The WFO Hare Scramble Series will start its 2024 season on March 3, in Keithsburg, and if the 2023 season is any indication, chances are that someone from the Journal-News Motorsports area will be … more

2/20/24

County Athletes Compete At Snow Bird Invitational

Isaiah Atkins, a Hillsboro graduate and Greenville University middle-distance runner, did double duty at the Illinois College-hosted Snow Bird Invitational. It was held at King Fieldhouse in … more

2/20/24

Walshville Teen Finishes On Top Of IXCR Standings

Four local racers competed in the IXCR Cross Country Racing series in Indiana, including one who came home with a class championship. Walshville racer Travis Lentz finished first in the Super Mini … more

2/20/24

Duffs Dominate In Fox Valley Off Road Standings

The Fox Valley Off Road series has been a favorite of the Duff Boys Racing Team and for good reason as Cooper and Zach Duff, along with their father Ryan, have had more than their fair share of … more

2/20/24

Litchfield junior drag racer Greyson Hopley went 4-for-4 in the 2023 Midwest Junior Drag Racing Super Series season to take first in the 13.90 Index class.

Hopley Takes The Title At Midwest Super Series

With four wins in four events, Litchfield’s Greyson Hopley wrapped up a series championship in the 13.90 Index class of the Midwest Junior Drag Racing Super Series with the series banquet on … more

2/20/24

From the left are Kennedy DeWerff, with parents Michael DeWerff and Danielle DeWerff; Maddux Himes, with parents Jacob and Barbie Himes; Reece Lohman, with parents Trent and Nikki Lohman; Saint Newman, with mom Terra Mills; Mason Stauder, with parents Scott and Nicole Stauder; Brody Steele, with parents Frank and Beth Steele; and Chloe Flowers, with parents Jillianne Quinn and Josh Flowers.

Nokomis Takes Time To Honor Seniors

Nokomis High School took a moment to honor its six senior basketball players and one senior cheerleader prior to their 74-25 win over Tri-City on Tuesday, Feb. 13. From the left are Kennedy DeWerff, … more

2/20/24

Hillsboro's Aubrey Evans (right) goes up for two of her eight points in the Toppers' regional semifinal against Auburn on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in Virden. Hillsboro won 45-38 to beat Auburn for the third time this year and advance to Friday's regional championship at North Mac against Gillespie.

Hiltoppers Stop Auburn In Regional Again

The Auburn girls basketball program has had a fair amount of success in the past, including three 20-win seasons in the last seven years with an average of 18-wins per season (not including the COVID … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 2/15/24

West Central's Baylee Littig tries to wrestle possession away from Nokomis' Cloey Dirks during the regional semifinal game in Concord on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Dirks had a team-high 11 points for the Lady Redskins, but a tough second quarter stretch that carried over into the third proved costly for Nokomis, whose season came to an end with a 53-37 loss to the Cougars.

Nokomis' Special Season Comes To An End Early

Unless you’re one of the lucky few who hoists a state championship trophy, every season ends too early. That was the case for the Nokomis girls on Tuesday, Feb. 13, as they saw their campaign … more

2/15/24

Hillsboro's Mitchell Lowe brings the ball down the floor during the Toppers' game on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Lowe joined fellow seniors Jace Stewart, Adrian Harston and Elliott Lentz in senior night festivities before the game, then celebrated with his teammates after the game as the Toppers defeated the Piasa Birds 49-43.

Hillsboro Boys Knock Off Piasa Birds

It hadn’t happened before this season, so Feb. 13 was a red letter day for a Hillsboro’s boys’ basketball program as the young men swept a triple header from the visiting Piasa … more

2/15/24

Lincolnwood Boys Hold Off Tigers At Home

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville boys basketball team held Greenfield-Northwestern to almost half of its scoring average as they beat the 18-win Tigers 38-27 on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in Raymond. With … more

2/15/24

North Mac Hands Litchfield First SCC Loss

After all the ups and downs for the Purple Panthers, it would not be complete without a speed bump in the last week of the season. Needing just one win in their last two games to be the outright … more

2/15/24

Nokomis Blows Past MSM Foe Tri-City

The good news for Tri-City was that they were able to take advantage of the opportunities that the Nokomis defense gave them on Feb. 13, and hit seven threes against the Redskins. The bad news … more

2/15/24

Litchfield Sports Boosters Plan Bowling Tournament

Strike up some fun with the Litchfield Sports Boosters as they host a bowling tournament on Saturday, Feb. 17. Doors open at the Litchfield Bowling Alley at 5 p.m., and the tournament begins at … more

2/15/24

After becoming the first Litchfield wrestler to win a girls wrestling regional title, freshman Rilynn "Rino" Younker made history again with the school's first sectional title and state qualifying berth in girls wrestling on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Peoria.

It's The Year Of The Rino

Saturday, Feb. 10, was the first day of the Lunar New Year and while the Chinese zodiac says that it’s the year of the Dragon, everyone in Peoria found out quickly that it is actually the year … more

2/12/24

Hillsboro's Zander Wells (left) locks up with Tiffin Kouzoukas of Benton during their quarterfinal match at the Vandalia Sectional on Friday, Feb. 9. Wells defeated Kouzoukas in an 11-5 decision one of three wins on the weekend as the senior went on to finish third and qualify for the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament for the first time.

Wells Far From Done With Wrestling

The COVID pandemic may keep Zander Wells from 100 wins in his prep wrestling career, but nothing was going to stop the Hillsboro High School senior from a trip to state. On Saturday, Feb. 10, … more

2/12/24

Litchfield's Vincent Moore leans in to put more leverage on the shoulder of Salem's Aden Doolen during their match on Friday, Feb. 9, at the Vandalia Sectional. Moore won that match en route to a second place finish at 106 pounds as he earned his second straight trip to the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament.

Moore Earns Second Straight State Trip

Vincent Moore got a taste of state wrestling last year, but this year, the Litchfield sophomore is ready for a whole meal. Moore, whose two losses at state last year were to the fourth and … more

2/12/24