The Journal-News

The Impact FC 2009 Boys soccer team ended their season on a high note with a tournament championship at the Midstate Cup in Decatur on Sunday, June 5. In front, from the left, are Cambren Buzick, Owen Fuller, Jaxson Ray, Kohl Fuller, Landen Lipe, CJ Matthews and Alec Pollard. In the back are Coach Zach Wieland, Casson Schmidt, Will Wujek, Nick Fetter, Landon Wernsing, Cooper Martin, Brody Dykema, Nolan Meyer, Michael Decker and Coach Travis Matthews.

Impact 2009 Boys Win Midstate Cup

The Impact FC 2009 Boys soccer team ended their season on a high note on Sunday, June 5, by winning the Midstate Cup in Decatur. The team, made up of players from Litchfield, Hillsboro, … more

6/13/22

White City is one of hundreds of “blink and you’ll miss it” burgs that dot the Illinois landscape, but on weekends like the one on June 4-5, you may not see White City, but you’ll definitely hear it. With more than 150 entries, varying from the higher pitched buzz of the 50cc kids’ bikes to the full throated roar of the bigger bikes, the Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders nearly doubled the population of the Macoupin County village located on the east side of I-55 on Rt. 138. Riders from all over came to traverse the trails, climb the hills and speed through the waterways of the club, which hosts 10 events a year. Above, club member Cooper Duff of Donnellson rips through one of the creeks on the grounds, en route to a first place finish in the 685cc class.

Riders Scramble To Race At Cahokia Creek

Blue skies and mild temperatures greeted dozens of off road motorcycle riders to the grounds of the Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders in White City on June 5, as the club hosted its first of three hare … more

6/9/22

Grace Cup Set For June 11 After Two-Year Absence

After a two-year absence due to COVID, the sixth edition of the Grace Cup all-star soccer game will be held on Saturday, June 11, at Terry Todt Field in Raymond at 6 p.m. Since 2015, the event has … more

6/9/22

Sprint Enduro Gives Riders Taste Of Big Red

The three-hour Big Red Enduro isn’t until October, but off-road motorcycle racers got a taste of what’s ahead on Saturday, June 4, in the Little Red Sprint Enduro at Cahokia Creek Dirt … more

6/9/22

College Report: Cobras Fourth In NJCAA

If you can play a college sport with an injury and still aid your team in finishing among the top in the country, you know you are good. Alex White, a Hillsboro graduate and Parkland Community … more

6/9/22

Seven members of the Hillsboro High School girls soccer team were named to the South Central Conference all-conference team in 2020-21. From the left are Abbigail Schreiber, Layne Rupert, Sally Mattson, Isabella White, Alex Frailey, Kinley Richardson and Sierra Compton.

Soccer Toppers, Panthers Land Nine On All-SCC

Nine players from Montgomery County were among the 36 honored by the girls soccer coaches of the South Central Conference recently as members of this year’s all-conference teams. Hillsboro, … more

6/2/22

Five Montgomery County high school baseball players earned all-conference recognition from the coaches of the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 baseball season. Form the left are Deklan Riggs, Dillon Smail, Drake Vogel, Carson Saathoff and Bryce Hires.

Baseball All-Conference Honorees Shine On The Diamond

The Hillsboro High School baseball team earned four all-conference roster spots, while the Litchfield Purple Panthers had two honorees on this year’s 39-player all-conference list selected by … more

6/2/22

Four Montgomery County high school softball players earned all-conference recognition from the coaches of the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 softball season. Form the left are Taelyn Smith, Taylor Brakenhoff, Bella Roach and Annika Rhodes.

South Central Softball Doles Out All-Conference Honors

Thirty-eight players from the nine South Central Conference schools earned all-conference honors this year as the final teams wrapped up their seasons. Gillespie, the conference champion at 8-0 … more

6/2/22

Four Montgomery County high school wrestlers earned all-conference recognition in the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 wrestling season. From the left are Alex Powell, Griffen Hughes, Magnus Wells and Ian Malloy.

Three Toppers, One Panther On All-SCC Wrestling

Three Hillsboro wrestlers and one Litchfield wrestler were among the 14 athletes who earned all-conference honors in the South Central Conference for the 2021-22 season. The honorees were … more

6/2/22

Four Montgomery County high school boys basketball players earned all-conference recognition from the coaches of the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 boys basketball season. From the left are Drake Vogel, Victor McGill, Gavin Matoush and Keenan Powell.

Four From County Honored As All-SCC Basketball

Earlier this year, the Litchfield and Hillsboro boys basketball teams both landed two players on the 18-player South Central Conference boys basketball all-conference team. The Montgomery County … more

6/2/22

Three Hillsboro High School girls basketball players earned all-conference recognition from the coaches of the South Central Conference during the 2020-2021 girls basketball season. From the left are Layne Rupert, Sierra Compton and Alex Frailey.

HHS Trio Earns All-SCC Girls Basketball Honors

Three Hillsboro High School girls basketball players were among the 19 honored by the coaches of the South Central Conference for the 2021-22 all-conference team. The year’s honorees … more

6/2/22

For most of the year, Litchfield's Cameron Crow was head and shoulders above the competition in the high jump and 400 meters. The IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Championships were no different for the Princeton-bound senior as Crow medalled in both events, with a sixth place finish in the high jump and an eighth place finish in the 400 meters. Combined with his two medals from his junior year, Crow leaves LHS as the program's most decorated male athlete.

Four State Medals Definitely Something To Crow About

Saturday was a day of celebration for Litchfield High School boys track coach Dan Newkirk, but Sunday, May 29, had a very different tone for the veteran leader of the Purple Panthers. “Today … more

5/31/22

Hillsboro senior Magnus Wells finished 21st in the shot put and 19th in the discus in the preliminaries of the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Championships on Thursday, May 26, to wrap up a fantastic three-sport career that included trips to state in track and wrestling and all-conference honors in football.

Wells Throws At State Before Throwing In The Towel On His Prep Career

In an era of specialization amongst high school athletes, Magnus Wells breaks the mold. He was all-conference lineman and Augstana College recruit in football, a state medalist in wrestling and a … more

5/31/22

After a successful senior season, Hillsboro High School senior Abbigail Schreiber will be continuing her soccer career at the next level as a member of the Kaskaskia College women's soccer team. Joining Schrieber for her signing, seated in front were her parents, Chris and Georgia Adams, and sister, Delaney Adams (far right). In the back row are Hillsboro High School girls soccer Assistant Coach Matt Lentz and Head Coach Dave Mattson and Kaskaskia College Head Coach Joe Basch. Not available for the photo was Impact FC Coach DJ Morgan.

Position Change Pays Off Big For Schreiber

Being asked to change positions is rarely easy and sometimes it’s met with great resistance. But when it’s successful, the payoff can be great. That was the case for Hillsboro senior … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/31/22

Pictured above, in front, from the left are Taylor Brakenhoff, Mackenzie Emerson, Kaitlyn Case, Alissa Crabtree, Harlee Traylor, Alexis Zeller and Ashley Hickerson. In back are Keaton Case, Brock Bishop, Kelvin Dooley, Andrew Hartzell, Brady Davidson, Ryan Baugher, Luke Davis, Isabelle Murphy, Rylie Hester and Ellie Ashmore.

Litchfield Sports Boosters Honor Purple Panther Senior Athletes

Members of the Litchfield Sports Boosters recognized senior athletes from Litchfield High School and their families in May. This year’s Senior Athlete Awards Night was held on Wednesday, May … more

5/31/22

Several times this season, the Nokomis High School softball seniors Emma Hill, Karlie Wanger, Baylee Cesaretti and Aubrie Jaros wore their late classmate, Ayden O'Malley's name on their back. On Monday, May 23, they carried O'Malley's legacy in their hearts as they played their final game of their high school careers in a 6-3 loss to Carrollton in the regional championship game at Bunker Hill.

Hawks Hold Off Redskins In Title Game

A four-run fifth inning was the difference maker in Bunker Hill on Monday, May 23, as the Carrollton Hawks defeated the Nokomis Lady Redskins 6-3 in the championship game of the Class 2A … more

Kyle Herschelman | 5/26/22

Lincolnwood’s Nate Brockmeyer snags a line drive during the fourth inning of the regional championship game against Greenfield-Northwestern on Monday, May 23, in Raymond. The Lancers, the lower seed and guests on their home field, scored two in the next inning, but Greenfield-Northwestern answered and came away with a 7-2 victory.

Tiger Three-Peat Sinks Lancers

In four of the seven innings of Monday’s Class 1A regional championship in Raymond, the host Lincolnwood Lancers held Greenfield-Northwestern to just three hits and no runs. Unfortunately, it … more

5/26/22

After one of the most prolific seasons in the last 10 years, Hillsboro High School senior Drake Vogel will be continuing his basketball and educational pursuits at Fontbonne University in St. Louis this fall. A key part of the Toppers’ golf team, Vogel was also offered a spot on the Griffins’ golf team as well. Above are 2021-22 Hillsboro Boys Basketball Coach Kyle McBrain, Rick Vogel, Drake Vogel and Barb Vogel.

Ball Continues To Be Life For Toppers’ Vogel

Of the seven players who are listed ahead of Drake Vogel on the Hillsboro High School boys basketball all-time scoring list, six played basketball in college. Now, the Topper sharpshooter can add his … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/26/22

Ethan Lentz (seated), recently made his decision to play soccer for Lewis and Clark Community College official once his time at Hillsboro High School is complete. Joining Lentz were his sister, Reagan Lentz, parents Brandi and Matt Lentz, and Hillsboro High School boys soccer coach, Jason Burke.

Lentz Blazes Own Trail To Lewis And Clark

For the last four years, Ethan Lentz has been a fixture on the pitch for the Hillsboro High School soccer team. Now, Lentz has the opportunity to blaze a new trail in the college ranks. After … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/26/22

The College Report: Bishop To Return To PNW

While this year was not perfect for Litchfield graduate and Purdue University-Northwest golfer Alex Bishop, it gives him a solid base for next year. He became the first ever PU-Northwest golfer to … more

5/26/22