Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield Puts It All Together Against Vandals

If the Litchfield boys basketball team didn’t have a win to hang their hat on going into their meeting with Vandalia on Jan. 5, at Simmons Gym, they had one after it. The Purple Panthers may … more

1/8/24

Lady Lancers Continue Success Versus Pawnee

Since restarting the girls basketball program in 2019, Lincolnwood has had more success against Pawnee than any other school. The Lady Lancers picked up their first win in the new era on Feb. 13, … more

1/8/24

Pleasant Plains Powers Past Purple Panthers

After playing one of their best games of the year, the Litchfield boys basketball team took a small step back on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 6, at the Taylorville Shootout. The Cardinals from Pleasant … more

1/8/24

Litchfield Girls Fall To Gillespie In SCC Clash

The Litchfield girls basketball team fell to Gillespie 63-19 on Thursday, Jan. 4, thanks in part to some foul trouble and a strong first quarter by the Miners. Both Chloe Law and Kyndal Law had three … more

1/8/24

Hillsboro's Seth Hubbart needed just 46 seconds to get the pin against Gavin Fasig of Williamsville on Thursday, Jan. 4, one of 10 wins Hillsboro collected in their 60-18 victory over the Bullets.

Hillsboro Wrestling Tastes Victory Twice At Williamsville Dual

The Hillsboro High School wrestling team picked up a pair of wins on Thursday, Jan. 4, as they defeated Quincy Notre Dame 45-30 and Williamsville 60-18. The Quincy Notre Dame match was a long, … more

1/8/24

In front, from the left are Kaylee Gerlach, Ariana McDaniel-Stewart, Taryn Clarke, Alea Wagahoft and Khloe Klinger. In the middle are Zachary Sale, Cooper Poggenpohl, Kennady Cook, Brady Schmedeke, Jonah Elvidge, Jared Klein, Donny Daugherty and Drew Gilpin. In the back are Zoey Hunt, Abilene Norris, Camryn Poggenpohl, Kirsten Pope, Kinley Morris, Luke Armentrout, Brayden Morris, Tucker Armentrout, Izeck Matli, Karson Hayes, Gabe Armentrout, Callie Beeler, Rian Deardorff, Hannah Jostes and Braylin Crawford.

Lancers Get 1,000th Win

On Nov. 30, 1962, the newly formed Lincolnwood High School boys basketball team picked up its first win with a 68-37 victory over Pawnee on the Indians’ home court. Sixty-one years, one … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/4/24

Litchfield's Harrison Thomas pushes his way past Mt. Olive's Gavin Kernebeck for two of his game-high 13 points in the Panthers' 83-12 win over the Wildcats. Thomas was one of 11 players to score for Litchfield, with nine of the 11 scoring five points or more.

Purple Panthers Gang Up On 'Cats

At the end of 2023, the Litchfield boys basketball team began to create a monster that dominated their opponents in the first half. That monster would not go away as the calendar turned, as the … more

1/4/24

With the construction of the new high school, access to the Hillsboro High School gym has changed for fans going to sporting events this winter. Fans may park in the lower parking lots highlighted above and enter the campus at the intersection of Fairground Avenue and Hiltop Drive (#2) then proceed to the rear entrance of the gym. Anyone needing handicap parking may enter on Tremont Street (#1) and proceed to the lot near the football field (#3).

Lady Toppers Happy At Home

After more than three weeks and eight straight road games, the Hillsboro girls basketball team returned home for the first time since Dec. 9. In celebration of their return, the picked up their 10th … more

1/4/24

Mt. Olive's Alyssa Aubuschon tries to regain possession after Chloe Law of Litchfield pokes the ball away at midcourt during the Jan. 2 meeting between the two teams in Mt. Olive. Law had five steals and Litchfield had the Wildcats' lead down to four in the final two minutes before a 6-0 run gave Mt. Olive a 41-31 win.

Mt. Olive Girls Hold Off Litchfield

The Mt. Olive girls basketball team held a 19-5 advantage in free throws over Litchfield on Tuesday, Jan. 2, as the Lady Wildcats held off the Panthers 41-31 in the first game of the new year. … more

1/4/24

Former SCC Foe Knocks Off Toppers

by Ron Deabenderfer The bus ride for the Hillsboro teams trip to downtown Alton to play the Marquette Catholic Explorers in any contest is always a long voyage, which is a major … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/4/24

Sangamon Valley's Ainsley Campbell makes contact with Emma Diveley as the Litchfield senior drives to the hoop during the 11th place game at the Riverton Christmas Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 28. Diveley had 18 points for the Lady Panthers, who beat Sangamon Valley 45-10 for their third win of the season.

Lady Panthers End 2023 On A Win

The Litchfield girls basketball team snapped a six-game losing streak on Thursday, Dec. 28, with a 45-10 victory over Sangamon Valley/Tri-City (SV/TC) in the 11th place game at the Riverton Christmas … more

1/2/24

Lincolnwood's Sophia Foster brings the ball down the court against Williamsville defender Makenna Dasher during the seventh place game at the Carlinville Holiday Tournament on Friday, Dec. 29. The Lancers rallied from an early deficit to beat the Bullets 33-30, Lincolnwood's first win in three years at the tournament in Carlinville.

Lady Lancers Get First Win In Carlinville

The Lincolnwood girls basketball team picked up their first win in three years at the Carlinville Holiday Tournament on Friday, Dec. 29, as they snapped an 11-game losing streak at the tournament … more

1/2/24

Keenan Powell scored 19 points in the first half of Litchfield's 70-52 win over Gillespie on Thursday, Dec. 28, at the Carlinville Holiday Tournament. Powell needed 15 points to reach 1,000 for his career as he became the 16th Litchfield boys basketball player to reach the milestone.

Litchfield Boys Finish Second At Carlinville

After strolling through the pool play portion of the Carlinville Holiday Tournament, the Purple Panthers ran into a road block in the championship contest on Friday evening. Litchfield finished pool … more

1/2/24

Hillsboro's Jace Stewart (left) and Jackson Tuetken (right) pressure East Alton-Wood River's Tah'juan Smith during the Toppers' 70-67 overtime win over the Oilers on Friday, Dec. 29, at the Carlinville Holiday Tournament. The win gave Hillsboro fifth place at the tournament, with Stewart scoring 21 points in Hillsboro's sixth victory of the season.

Toppers Fifth With OT Win Over Oilers

It was a wowser of a game when Hillsboro’s boys’ team outscored the East Alton Wood River Oiles 6-3 in overtime to capture fifth place in the Carlinville Holiday Classic by winning 70-67. … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/2/24

Nokomis senior Reece Lohman earned all-tournament honors at the Vandalia Holiday Tournament as he scored 20 or more points in three of the Redskins' five games. As a team, Nokomis finished fifth, beating Meridian 66-60 in their final game on Dec. 29.

Nokomis Rebounds To Finish Fifth At Vandalia

The Nokomis boys basketball team came home from the Vandalia Holiday Tournament with a fifth place finish and a .500 record as they rebounded from back-to-back losses to post wins over Cumberland and … more

1/2/24

Toppers Gain Experience At Rumble

The Hillsboro High School wrestling team spent the last few days of 2023 gearing up for 2024 as they participated in the 60-team Abe’s Rumble dual team tournament. The Toppers went 1-6 in their … more

1/2/24

Nokomis' Grace DeWerff defends Erika Gill of Gillespie during the third place game at the Carlinville Holiday Tournament on Friday, Dec. 29. The Miners took advantage of a cold shooting night for the Redskins as they beat Nokomis for the second time this season, this time by a 40-22 final score.

Nokomis Girls Finish Fourth At Carlinville

The good news for the Nokomis girls basketball team is that they no longer have to play Gillespie. The bad news is that they had to play them on Friday, Dec. 29, in the third place game at the … more

1/2/24

Lady Hiltoppers Battle-Tested After Riverton

The top three finishers in the Riverton Christmas Tournament, Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Mt. Pulaski and PORTA, went a combined 13-2, with PORTA and Mt. Pulaski only losing to the champions from Dee-Mack. … more

1/2/24

Panthers Win Three In Springfield

It was a busy and competitive last few days of 2023 for the Litchfield High School wrestling team as they went. In their opening match, the Panthers scored a 48-33 win over West Frankfort, picking up … more

1/2/24

Lincolnwood's Jonah Elvidge earns a trip to the free-throw line after drawing contact from Aaden Hilligoss during the second half of the consolation semifinal at the Waverly Holiday Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 28. Elvidge scored 23 points, but the Crusaders were able to keep Lincolnwood from the program's 1,000th win and a shot at repeating as consolation champions with a 61-56 victory.

Crusaders Spoil Lancers Run At Waverly

MSM Conference foe Springfield Lutheran has had the opportunity to spoil many a moment for Lincolnwood over the year, across all sports. Sometimes the Crusaders are successful, sometimes they … more

1/2/24