Sports | The Journal-News

Lancers Bet Big On Defense In Win Over Mulberry Grove

After losing two straight to Nokomis and North Mac, the Lincolnwood-Morrisonville boys basketball team bounced back with a 50-32 victory in Mulberry Grove on Thursday, Jan. 11. The Lancers are … more

1/16/24

Lady Redskins Finish On A High Note

For the better part of three quarters, the Nokomis Lady Redskins weren’t able to shake free from the Rams of Shelbyville as the two teams squared off on Wednesday, Jan. 10, in Shelbyville. But … more

1/16/24

Trip To Altamont Not A Good One For Toppers

If there was a lesson for Hillsboro’s boys’ basketball team to learn in the pre-Christmas St. Elmo tournament, it could have been that smaller schools … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/16/24

Litchfield Girls Better In Rematch With North Mac

When the Litchfield and North Mac girls basketball teams met at the Waverly Tournament almost two months ago, Litchfield fell to the more experienced team by 27. On Thursday, Jan. 11, the pair of … more

1/16/24

Short-Handed Toppers Fall To 'Dogs, Panthers

Even with four South Central Conference still on the schedule after it, Thursday’s game at Hillsboro had potential championship implications. And it couldn’t have come at a much worse … more

1/16/24

Pence Named To SLIAC All-Conference Team

Litchfield graduate Cara Pence , a Blackburn College junior, earned third-team all-conference for her work on the volleyball court. The former Lady Purple Panther not only wants to move up to … more

1/16/24

Hillsboro's Briar Kuhl locks up Tyler Gillman of Shelbyville during the 120-pound match on Tuesday, Jan. 9, in Hillsboro. Kuhl wasn't able to keep Gillman in bounds on this pin attempt, but eventually the Topper sophomore stuck his opponent to score a win by fall at the 2:32 mark of the match. While Hillsboro came up just short against the Rams, falling 46-30, they did beat Williamsville 57-18 to collect their eighth dual win of the season.

'Boro Boys Battle Rams, Bullets

The Hillsboro High School wrestling split a home dual on Tuesday, Jan. 9, as they defeated Williamsville 57-18 before falling to Shelbyville 46-30 in their second dual of the night. The Toppers … more

1/11/24

Litchfield's Vincent Moore, left, finished fourth at 113 pounds at the Princeton Invitational Tournament on Jan. 5-6. Moore was one of two Panther wrestlers to make the podium, with Braxton Kieffer finishing seventh at 144 pounds. Pictured with Moore are champion Hunter Robbins of Illini Bluffs, runner-up Cooper Morris of Coal City, third place finisher Ivan Munoz of Ottawa Township and fifth place finisher Carter Knobloch of Olympia.

Moore, Kieffer Medal At Princeton

Two Litchfield wrestlers medalled in the 60th Annual Lyle King Princeton Invitational Tournament on Jan. 5-6, which brings some of the best wrestlers in the state to the town of 7,800, 170 miles … more

1/11/24

McGraw Invite Tips Off Saturday In Litchfield

The 2024 edition of the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational tips off this Saturday, Jan. 13, at 2:30 p.m. with top seeded Triad facing ninth seeded Father McGivney in the opener at Simmons Gym in … more

1/11/24

Nokomis Girls Take Step Toward Title

While Monday’s game in Kincaid didn’t decide the winner of the MSM Conference championship, the victor of the Jan. 8 meeting between Nokomis and South Fork definitely had a leg up in the … more

1/11/24

Litchfield Boys Bounce Back Against Oilers

Two weeks ago East Alton-Wood River and Litchfield squared off on a neutral court, with the Purple Panthers walking away with a 34-point win. On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the Oilers and Purple Panthers met … more

1/11/24

Wesclin Halts Hillsboro Comeback

The Hillsboro girls basketball team made the trek to Trenton on Monday, Jan. 8, and nearly battled back from a 14-point deficit before the host Wesclin Warriors emerged with a 46-39 victory. The … more

1/11/24

DeWerff Knocks Down DeWinner

Grace DeWerff knocked down a three-pointer from the corner with 3.7 seconds left in the game to give Nokomis a 49-46 win over Okaw Valley in a back and forth affair on the Redskins’ home court … more

1/11/24

Late Surge Sends North Mac Past Lancers

A strong finish by the North Mac Lady Panthers kept Lincolnwood from picking up their seventh win of the season on Monday, Jan. 8, as the Lancers fell 39-26 to their Macoupin County neighbors. … more

1/11/24

Threes Push Mater Dei Past Nokomis Boys

The Nokomis boys basketball team had the opportunity to play on Fred Rakers Court at Mater Dei Catholic High School in Breese on Tuesday, Jan. 9, as the Redskins continue to challenge themselves in … more

1/11/24

Lincolnwood Boys Fall To North Mac

The North Mac Panthers outscored Lincolnwood 14-2 in the fourth quarter to put a nail in their fifth victory of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 9, in Girard, by a 49-29 final score. While the fourth … more

1/11/24

Nokomis' Mason Stauder, right, defends Donny Daugherty of Lincolnwood during the Battle On The Blacktop on Friday, Jan. 5, in front of sixth through 12th grade students from both schools. The students were treated to a show by their classmates as Nokomis scored a 47-46 victory over the Lancers thanks to a go-ahead basket by Reece Lohman in the final six seconds.

Redskins, Lancers Battle It Out

by Kyle Herschelman After handing the Lancers a 59-36 loss in a packed gym in Raymond last year, the Nokomis boys basketball team had the opportunity to host this year’s day … more

1/8/24

Nokomis' Natalie Brownback closely guards Lincolnwood's Sophia Foster during the Battle On The Blacktop on Friday, Jan. 5, in Nokomis. Brownback and the Redskins scored a 45-19 victory in the day game, which was played in front of students from both school districts.

Nokomis Girls Hold On To Blacktop Bragging Rights

The second meeting between the Nokomis and Lincolnwood girls basketball programs ended the same way the first meeting did, with the Lady Redskins out in front, but both teams were able to take some … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/8/24

Hillsboro's Jace Stewart (#30) and Carlinville's Sawyer Smith (#23) go up for the tip to start the South Central Conference game in Hillsboro on Friday, Jan. 5. Stewart had 14 points in the Toppers' 50-47 victory over Carlinville, Hillsboro's second SCC win of the year.

Toppers Knock Off Cavies In Conference Play

Two rather evenly matched boy’s basketball teams clashed in the Toppers’ under-reconstruction gym Friday, Jan. 5. The result? A 50-47 Hillsboro win over the Carlinville Cavaliers. The … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/8/24

Hillsboro's Kearstynn Davis makes contact with Vandalia's Madison Lupton en route to the basket during the Lady Hiltoppers' 64-36 win over Vandalia on Thursday, Jan. 4. Davis had six points in the win, Hillsboro's fourth in as many chances in South Central Conference play.

Hillsboro Girls Pick Up Fourth SCC Win

It’s four games into the South Central Conference season and the Hillsboro girls basketball team currently finds themselves at the top of the standings, with a crop of … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/8/24