Sports | The Journal-News

A record number of teams signed up for the 2024 edition of the Crush for Camden Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 4, which raises money in honor of its namesake, Camden Burke. Pictured above are Camden and his parents, Gina and Jason Burke, and sister Renna.

Camden’s Crew Crushes Tournament Turnout Record

On Saturday May 4, golfers once again hit the links at Indian Springs Golf Club in Fillmore for the sixth installment of the annual Crush for Camden’s Crew Golf Outing. This year was extra … more

5/30/24

Snyder First At Florida Junior Tour

Alexandra Snyder shot a 67 in her final round at the Florida Junior Tour’s Indian Springs Open on May 5, to capture her second win in the tour’s 13-15 girls division of the season. … more

5/30/24

Litchfield racer Ryan Komor leaves a flurry of mud in his wake as he continues his lap in round two of the SO. IL Off Road Racing Series in Carlinville on May 19. Komor went on to finish third in the Open A class.

SO. IL Series Makes Stop In Carlinville

Round two of the So. IL Off-Road Racing Series hit the trails near Carlinville on Sunday, May 19, with 126 entries spread out between the adult and youth classes. In the youth classes, … more

5/30/24

With his coaches Anthony Robinson and Jeremy Palmer watching from the rail, Litchfield's Keenan Powell makes his first jump in the triple jump at the IHSA Class 1A Boys State Track and Field Championships in Charleston on May 23. Powell went 45'10" on his first jump, which would have been enough to win the championship, but just for good measure, the recent grad went ahead and uncorked a 46'8" jump on Saturday in the finals to seal Litchfield's first state title since 1980.

Powell Goes Out As State Champ

Last year at the IHSA Class 1A Boys State Track and Field Championships, Litchfield junior Keenan Powell beat his personal best and the school record in the triple jump by almost half a foot, giving … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/28/24

Litchfield Seniors Leave Lasting Legacy

While Keenan Powell’s state championship in the triple jump was the highlight of Litchfield’s trip to the IHSA Class 1A Boys State Track and Field Championships, there was plenty of other … more

5/28/24

Three days after a dramatic 2-1 win over sectional host Pleasant Plains, the Litchfield/Mt. Olive baseball team pulled out their second straight upset as they defeated Sacred Heart-Griffin 2-1 to advance to the super sectional for the first time since 1985. In front, from the left, are Laidyn Jones, Briley Viviano, Max Gretjak, Titan Hires, Drake Gasperson, Landon Wernsing, Maddix Compton (manager) and Cooper Martin. In the back are Head Coach Rocky Giannuzzi, Landon Tooley (Manager), David Schoen, Matthew Bywater, Carson Saathoff, Brayden Alexander, Ethan Saathoff, Tate Dobrinich, Max Leitschuh, Josh Boerckel, Assistant Coach Clay Murphy and Assistant Coach Jacob Frerichs.

Litchfield Baseball Scores First Sectional Title In 39 Years

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared.” Litchfield Head Coach Rocky Giannuzzi wasn’t the only one feeling that way at that moment. The … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/28/24

With Maroa-Forsyth's Cole Moody quickly approaching, Litchfield second baseman Titan Hires prepares to throw to first after getting the force out at second in the top of the fifth inning of the Panthers' super-sectional game against the Trojans on May 27, in Springfield. Maroa-Forsyth scored three runs in each of the first three innings to build up a lead en route to a 10-4 win over Litchfield and a state tournament berth.

Purple Panthers End Super Season

They may not have been supposed to be there, but that doesn’t make the sting of the end of the season hurt any less as the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team saw their … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/28/24

Litchfield senior Tate Dobrinich struck out nine and allowed just one run and two hits in the Panthers' 2-1 victory over Pleasant Plains in the sectional semifinal on May 22.

Panthers Earn Title Shot With Win Over Plains

A lot of athletes would dream of the year that Litchfield senior Tate Dobrinich has experienced: a football playoff game, winning a regional basketball game and standing on the mound for the last out … more

5/28/24

THE COLLEGE REPORT • Janssen, Detmers Earn Success At Millikin

On the baseball diamond, Nokomis graduate Ryan Janssen’s offense was very good. His defense behind the plate: even better than his offense. It might be the primary reason the former … more

by Dan Chamness | 5/28/24

The Litchfield Middle School eighth grade girls 4x200 meter relay team took second at the IESA Class 3A State Track and Field Championships on May 17-18. From the left are Kilee Hoover, Emma Weidner, McKenna Harmon and Jada Carroll. In addition to the relay medal, Hoover also won the 400 meters, while Harmon finished sixth in the shot put.

Hoover Gives Litchfield Girls Third Straight Title

At some point, the Litchfield Middle School girls track team will realize that IESA state champions don’t come along every year. Or maybe, if things continue at their current pace, they … more

5/23/24

From the left are Coach Brian Atkins, Nolan Adams, Caleb Patton, Joe Lanter, Josiah Atkins, Gabe Wells, Cody Payne, Davis Tomei, Hudson Wright, Roman Reed, Mia Wells, Mike Wells, Kaelin Cress, Bailey Chappelear, Aubrey Huber, Piper Walk, Leland Armbruster and Coach Tom Lunz. Not pictured are Alexa Compton, Jackson Cunningham and Rocco Romero.

Hillsboro Boys Reach New Heights At State

Since 1971, Hillsboro Junior High has scored points at an IESA boys state track meet 28 times. Only twice have they finished better in the team ranks than they did on Saturday, May 18. With five … more

5/23/24

After finishing second last year by just four hundredths of a second, the Litchfield Middle School boys earned an IESA state title in the 4x200 on Saturday, May 18, in East Peoria. From the left are Lukas Paine, Ryker Witt, Jalen Stewart, Andrew Boston and Jaxon Ray.

Panthers Get First Title In 23 Years

Between 1999 and 2001, the Litchfield Middle School boys track program scored three individual IESA state titles, but since then, there have been plenty of medals, but no Panthers atop the podium. … more

5/23/24

The Hillsboro Junior High seventh grade girls 4x100 meter relay team took fourth place at the IESA State Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 18, running a school record time of 53.98 seconds. From the left are Alexa Compton, Aubrey Huber, Kaelin Cress, Coach Brian Atkins, Bailey Chappelear, Piper Walk and Mia Wells. In addition to the medal in the relay, Cress also finished fourth in the 100 meter hurdles, running a 17.18 in the finals.

Lady Dragons Go Fourth At State

The Hillsboro Junior High seventh grade girls track team may not have had the largest contingent at state, but the Lady Dragons made the most of their chances at the IESA Class 3A Track and Field … more

5/23/24

Nokomis Track Done With Run

The Nokomis High School boys track team competed in the sectional in Bethany on Wednesday, May 15, posting eight top ten finishes to wrap up their second season since the program returned. Three … more

5/23/24

Litchfield senior Kendall Stewart sprints down the back straightaway at O'Brien Field after receiving the baton from teammate Shyan Haycraft during the 4x100 meter relay heat at the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Championships on Thursday, May 16. Stewart ended her trip to state with her second straight state medal in the 300 meter hurdles, taking third overall on Saturday, May 18.

Stewart Earns Second State Medal

Nine conference championships, nine sectional championships, 13 state qualifying berths and now, in her final season as a Purple Panther, Litchfield’s Kendall Stewart is a two-time state … more

5/20/24

Hillsboro High School freshman Jaida Linn finished second at the IHSA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 18, earning the school's 13th overall medal in girls track and fifth medal in the high jump since 1997.

Linn Takes 2nd At State

Coming into this year’s IHSA State Track and Field Championships, the Hillsboro girls track program had 12 state medals, four of which were from high jump. On Saturday, May 18, Jaida Linn … more

5/20/24

It's been a banner year for the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team as the Purple Panthers picked up their 26th win on Saturday, May 18, with a 6-0 victory over Gilespie in the regional championship game on the Miners' home field. The regional title was Litchfield's first since 2012, when they defeated Southwestern 5-0, also in Gillespie. In front, from the left are Landon Tooley (Manager) Josh Boerckel, Titan Hires, Drake Gasperson, Landon Wernsing, Maddix Compton (Manager) and Laidyn Jones. In the back are Coach Rocky Gianuzzi, Carson Saathoff, Max Gretjak, Ian Otto, Brayden Alexander, Ethan Saathoff, Tate Dobrinich, Max Leitschuh, Tucker Pastrovich, Matthew Bywater, Coach Clay Murphy and Coach Jacob Frerichs.

Panthers Are Regional Champions

Standing on the campus of Gillespie High School on May 19, 2012, the Litchfield High School baseball club hoisted the regional championship plaque with a 5-0 victory. Fast forward 12 years … more

5/20/24

Lincolnwood's Lance Weitekamp goes down to get a pitch during the Lancers' 5-3 loss to Greenfield-Northwestern on Saturday, May 18, in Raymond. In his final game in orange and black, Weitekamp went 2-for-4, driving in two runs and scoring the third.

Homer Sends Tigers Past Lincolnwood

Kohen Vetter’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning put Greenfield-Northwestern ahead of Lincolnwood-Morrisonville for good on Saturday, May 18, as the Tigers won their fourth … more

5/20/24

Panthers Sending Six To State

The Litchfield boys track team narrowly missed a sectional title on Wednesday, May 15, but came away from Carlinville with a pretty good consolation prize. The Panthers, who finished second to … more

5/20/24

Hillsboro Falls To Miners In Regional Semifinal

Even the staunchest Hillsboro High School baseball fan knew the odds were stacked against their Toppers in the Gillespie Regional semi-final game Wednesday afternoon, May 15. The Miners were the host … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/20/24