Sports | The Journal-News

Defended by St. Elmo/Brownstown's Cade Schaub (#24), Lincolnwood's Karson Hayes looks for an opening on the offensive end during the Lancers' home game on Tuesday, Feb. 6. Hayes hit one of Lincolnwood's five threes in the game, but the Eagles were able to escape with a 44-39 victory at the Woodshed.

Eagles Land Five-Point Win At The Woodshed

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville boys basketball team held St. Elmo/Brownstown to 16 points under their 60-point-per-game average, but couldn’t hand the Eagles their seventh loss of the season as … more

2/8/24

Nokomis' Reece Lohman elevates to smack down a shot from St. Anthony's Brock Fearday during the regional semifinal game in Bethany on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The Redskins overcame an early double-digit deficit to get the game down to five with four minutes to go, but St. Anthony held on for a 45-33 victory to end Nokomis' season.

Bulldogs Fend Off Redskins' Rally

Nokomis knew that it was going to take everything they had and then some to knock off top-seeded Effingham St. Anthony in the regional semifinal game in Bethany on Feb. 21. While they didn’t … more

2/26/24

Litchfield freshman Landon Wernsing looks for an opening against the Athens defense during the Panthers' home game on Thursday, Sept. 21. Wernsing scored three goals and assisted on four of Drake Gasperson's six goals as Litchfield improved to 11-2 with a 9-0 victory over the Warriors.

Split Does Nothing To Doubt Panthers Success

The Litchfield-Gillespie boys soccer team split a pair of games to end the week, but both the win against Athens and the loss to Civic Memorial showed just how far the Panthers have come this … more

9/25/23

The three senior members of the Hillsboro High School wrestling team were honored, along with their parents on Wednesday, Jan. 17, before the Toppers’ match with Highland. From the left are Zander Wells, with parents Mike and Haley Wells; Ian Anderson, with parents Jacqui Anderson and Adam Anderson; and Treyton Kuhl, with parents Todd and Rachel Kuhl.

Toppers Honor Senior Trio On Wednesday

Wednesday was senior night for the Hillsboro High School wrestling team as the Toppers faced off against Highland in their final home meet of the season. Zander Wells, Ian Anderson and Treyton Kuhl … more

1/22/24

Birds Keep Litchfield From First SCC Win

A tough second quarter kept Litchfield from their first conference victory of the season as Southwestern claimed their first South Central win by a 32-24 final score. The two teams were dead … more

2/8/24

Hillsboro Bass Fishing Club Gets Donations

The Hillsboro High School Bass Fishing Club, established in 2019 by several students who sought and received board approval, has grown to have a dozen members, several volunteer coaches and many … more

2/26/24

Dobrinich Lights Out Against Lancers

Litchfield’s Tate Dobrinich pitched a seven-inning, two-hit shutout to help the Panthers pick up a 3-0 win over Lincolnwood in their opening game of the Montgomery County Baseball Tournament on … more

4/15/24

Herschelman Pitching Coach At QU

Quincy University head baseball coach Matt Schissel has completed his staff for the 2024 season, adding three coaches with NCAA Division II or minor league experience who will help the Hawks maintain … more

9/25/23

The Nokomis freshman/sophomore boys basketball team took first in the 2024 Lincolnwood JV Boys Basketball Tournament, which was held from Jan. 13-31. In front, from the left, are Blain Goodwin, Kannon Jonas, Kadynn Petty and Glavine Himes. In the back are Griffin Engelman, JJ Denby, Daryl Evans, Konnor Reynolds, Ari VandenBergh, Braydon Cachera and Halen Barnes.

Redskins Take First At JV Tournament

The Nokomis freshman/sophomore boys basketball team took first place in the 2024 Lincolnwood JV Boys Basketball Tournament, which wrapped up on Wednesday, Jan. 31, and was sponsored by Miller … more

2/8/24

Litchfield High School senior Camden Quarton saved the best run of his cross country career for last as he set a new personal record with a time of 15:15.66 on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the IHSA Class 1A State Finals in Peoria. The time put Quarton in 15th and gave him his second state medal in cross country.

Quarton Saves Best For Last

In 2021, a Litchfield sophomore with a strong running pedigree finished 23rd at the IHSA Boys Cross Country State Finals to win the schools first state medal in boys cross country, running a time of … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/6/23

Lincolnwood Improves To 1-0 In MSM Conference

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville boys basketball team held Mt. Olive to two points in the first quarter on Friday, Dec. 1, as they rolled to a 59-16 win over the Wildcats in MSM Conference play. Six … more

12/7/23

Litchfield's Nathan Schaake (#13) defends Drake Taylor of Nokomis during the seventh place game of the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 20, in Litchfield. Schaake and the Panthers snapped a 15-year drought against the Redskins, winning 47-26 for their first victory over Nokomis since Jan. 15, 2008.

Panthers Avenge Loss To Redskins

After averaging 59 points in their first three games at their home tournament, the Litchfield boys basketball team showed that they could get it done on the defensive end too on Saturday, Jan. 20, in … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/22/24

So. IL Off-Road Racing Series Begins This Month

Off-road motorcycle racers in the area will have an opportunity to show off their skills close to home this year as a new racing series kicks off this month. The So. IL Off-Road Racing Series … more

2/8/24

Carlinville Holds On To Beat Hillsboro

The Hillsboro High School softball team nearly handed Carlinville their first conference loss of the season on Friday, April 12, but came up just short in a 2-1 loss against the Cavies. The … more

4/15/24

Litchfield Panthers Get Big Win Over Ramsey

Simmons Gym would be once again rocking boys hoops as the Purple Panthers entertained the Ramsey Rams in Litchfield's home opener on Tuesday, Dec. 5. The Purple Panthers dominated the Rams from … more

12/7/23

Hillsboro's Mark Mattson (#24) guards Dillon Clark (#5) of Taylorville during the ninth place game at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational in Litchfield on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Tornadoes led 23-10 after the first quarter, then held on for a 75-62 victory over Hillsboro to take ninth.

Strong Opener Sends Tornadoes Past Toppers

Taylorville, a team showing improvement as injured players return, won their fourth game of the season and second in the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational Tournament held in Litchfield for the 56th … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/22/24

Walker, Johnson, Frizzo Go 1-2-3 In NEPG Series

Three area racers placed in the top three in the standings of the National Enduro Series (NEPG) in 2023, which features some of the country’s top off-road endurance racers. … more

2/8/24

Panthers Bounce Back Against North Mac

After dropping three of their last four, the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team was back in the win column on Friday, April 12, as they defeated the North Mac Panthers 7-2 on the campus of Litchfield … more

4/15/24

For the first time in the program's history, the Litchfield High School boys golf team came home from the IHSA state tournament with a trophy. The Panthers shot a 311 on day two of the tournament (Oct. 7), tying eventual champion Effingham St. Anthony for the best team round of the weekend and securing third place at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington. From the left are Tug Schwab, A.J. Odle, Ian Otto, Brawly Jacobs, Sam Schwab and Tucker Maguire.

Panthers Third At State

After weathering the storm literally and figuratively on day one of the IHSA Class 1A State Finals Golf Tournament, the Litchfield boys golf team found themselves somewhere in between where they … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 10/10/23

Three Toppers, Three Panthers On All-SCC Volleyball Teams

Hillsboro and Litchfield both landed three players on the South Central Conference volleyball all-conference team, which was released last week. Hillsboro’s Kennady Clayton and Addison … more

11/6/23