Sports | The Journal-News

Addy Beal, pictured with her parents Angie and Andy Beal of Farmersville, picked up a second place finish in the Jr. Dragster class on Sunday, June 4, at Coles County Dragway in Charleston. Beal also did well the night before, winning the Ray Evans Consolation Bracket.

Beal 2nd, Consolation Winner At Charleston

Racing season is starting to heat up for 14-year-old Addy Beal of Farmersville, and by the looks of it, the driver of the Bad Addytude is ready. Racing at Coles County Dragway in Charleston on … more

6/15/23

Wood Scores Runner-Up For Litchfield Gang

The drag racers known as the Litchfield Gang recently partnered with Five Star Racewear ( fivestarracewear.com/thelitchfieldgang ) to release new merchandise featuring the cars of Dustin Bryant, … more

6/15/23

Bryant 2nd Twice At I-57

Litchfield racer Dustin Bryant, pictured above with his dad Phil, hadn’t raced since October, but old habits die hard and Bryant put on a show at Ellis I-57 Dragstrip in Benton on May 27-28. … more

6/15/23

About 60 children from the Hillsboro School District and other local communities joined the fun with the Topper football staff and players to learn the fundamentals of football at the Troy Helton Memorial Youth Topper Football Camp.

Youth Enjoy Inaugural Troy Helton Football Camp

The family of the late Troy Helton, who passed away in January 2022, hosted the inaugural Troy Helton Memorial Youth Topper Football Camp June 7-9 at Hillsboro High School. About 60 children … more

6/12/23

The College Report: Major, Blue Angels Post Postseason Wins

Haley Major , a Hillsboro graduate, and her Kaskaskia College teammates earned a berth in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Softball World Series. The Kaskaskia College … more

by Dan Chamness | 6/12/23

From the left, the team of Larry Reincke, Jim Eickhoff, Danny Eickhoff and Denny Hiller finished first at the Roy L. Hertel Foundation For Better Communities golf outing at Indian Springs Golf Course in Fillmore on June 10, shooting a 53.

Fourth Annual Hertel Golf Outing Raises $6,500

On Saturday, June 10, the Roy L. Hertel Foundation For Better Communities held its fourth annual golf outing at Indian Springs Golf Course in Fillmore. After expenses, the group was able to … more

6/12/23

Bill Walker (right) and I on pit road at the Enjoy Illinois 300 on June 4. He probably wouldn't have sent me this if he knew I was going to put it in the newspaper.

Center and Guard: Halt! Imposter!

It’s been more than 15 years since I first started writing for The Journal-News and I’ve had the opportunity to cover some pretty cool things, from state championships to UFC fights to … more

6/12/23

Kyle Busch lights up the rear tires of his #8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camero after winning NASCAR's Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison on June 4.

BUSCHHHHHH!

After leading the most laps last year and sharing a surname with one of the men that made St. Louis famous, it was only appropriate that Kyle Busch made it to victory lane in the second annual … more

6/12/23

Hillsboro racer Chase Saathoff (#88) has finished in the top three in each of his last four Progressive American Flat Track Singles races.

Saathoff On A Hot Streak

Few riders in the Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) Singles class were better than Chase Saathoff in the month of May as the Hillsboro motorcycle racer upped his total to five podium finishes on … more

6/8/23

Gillespie racer Collin Johnson catches some air going over a hill near the bridge that crosses the creek at the Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders grounds in White City, during the Little Red Sprint Enduro on Sunday, June 4. Returning from a knee and ankle injury, Johnson took first in the AA class and was the overall winner of the event, beating friend and Morrisonville rider Jhadyn Walker by just 30 seconds in a race that lasts close to two hours.

Johnson First, Walker Second At Little Red Enduro

Gillespie’s Collin Johnson made his enduro return at Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders in White City and came away with a win in this year’s Little Red Sprint Enduro. Johnson, who had been … more

6/8/23

Deadline For Free Litchfield FCA Power Camp Is June 16

Young athletes from all over the area will once again be in Litchfield on June 26 through June 28 for this year's Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Power Camp at the Litchfield High School and … more

6/8/23

Wiffle Ball Tournament Kicks Off Busy Summer For Camren’s Causes

Jed’s Food Shed will be in Fillmore on Saturday, June 10, as the second annual Camren’s Classic wiffle ball tournament begins at 10 a.m. The food truck, operated by Julie Friesland, … more

6/8/23

Hillsboro High School tennis players Ryder Hoover (left) and Aubrey Reincke (right) got a little time on the courts with Alexandria Rayford recently. Rayford, the new weekday morning anchor at WICS-TV in Springfield, played tennis for Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL, and talked to the girls about her experience there.

WICS Anchor Rayford Talks Tennis With Lady Hiltoppers

Four members of the Hillsboro High School girls tennis team had the chance to pick the brain of a former college player and welcome a new face to the Midwest recently. Auburey Reincke, Ryder … more

6/8/23

Members of the Hillsboro High School girls soccer team who earned spots on the all-conference team were honored by Coach Dave Mattson during an end-of-season awards banquet on Tuesday, May 30, at the Hillsboro Sports Complex. From the left are third team all-conference members Ava Pollard and Allie Kuhns; second team all-conference members Avery Walden, Sierra Compton and Isabella White; and first team all-conference honorees Sally Mattson and Kinley Richardson.

Ten From County Earn All-SCC

Seven Hillsboro players and three Litchfield players earned all-conference accolades from the girls soccer coaches of the South Central Conference by virtue of their play this past season. … more

6/1/23

Nokomis High School grade Kate (Singler) Malveaux and her husband Chris are in Oklahoma City this week as the University of Tennessee softball team competes in the Women's College World Series. This is the Malveauxs' second year in Knoxville, having coached at the University of Missouri for three years prior to their move east.

Malveauxs Have Front Row Seat For Vols World Series Run

For the first time in eight years the University of Tennessee softball team is playing in the Women’s College World Series and one couple with Montgomery County ties is going along for the … more

6/1/23

HEAT Tumblers Compete At State Meet In April

On April 22-23, 67 athletes from Hilltop Elite Academy of Tumbling and Trampoline, Inc. (HEAT) traveled to Pana, for the Southern Illinois State Competition to compete against other … more

6/1/23

Keenan Powell's third jump of 12.85 meters in Thursday's preliminary round of the IHSA Class 1A State Finals was enough to get him to Saturday's final round, but the Litchfield High School junior had bigger plans for the finale. Powell jumped 13.43 meters (44'0.75") in his first of three jumps on May 27 to break the school record and finish third overall in the triple jump.

Powell, Quarton Add To Newkirk's Legacy

Even after 31 years of making the trek from Litchfield to Charleston, no matter how hard Dan Newkirk tried to think otherwise he knew that this year was different. “My thought was to keep … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/30/23

With the O'Brien Field press box in the background, Hillsboro High School senior Tanner Clayton goes up for one of his attempts at clearing 3.8 meters in the pole vault at the IHSA Class 1A State Finals track meet in Charleston on Thursday, May 25.

Hard Work Pays Off For Toppers With Trip To State

Brayden Fowler, Tanner Clayton and Blaze Helton knew their track season was going to come to an end last week, but the question for the three Hillsboro High School seniors was whether it would be the … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/30/23

College Report: Catching Up With Montgomery County’s Athletes

Every athlete in the world would like to exit the sport they love on top. Tess Saathoff , a Hillsboro graduate and Blackburn College golfer, knows exactly how that feels. Going out a winner? … more

5/30/23

2023 A Test For Hillsboro Baseball Team

When a team in any sport on any level wins only 10% of their games, multiple reasons come together, and all are hard to separate. The physical, statistical reasons are easier to sniff out than the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/30/23