Prairie State Profile
LIBERTY, Ill. — Spend any amount of time chatting with Keegan Sunde about his track career and you come away with one overriding realization. His passion for the sport is all encompassing. The Liberty senior sprinter enjoyed a solid indoor season, running the 60-meter dash in 7.25 seconds at the Illinois Top Times Meet at…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — As challenging as 2023 seemed to be at times for Kylie Robinson and the Macomb girls basketball team, the year ended with the right springboard to brighter days. The Bombers finished fifth in the 41st Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, winning four of five games over a four-day span the week between Christmas…
Read Full Article 
HAMILTON, Ill. — Lillie Woodworth is part of the final class of high school student-athletes who had their careers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Hancock basketball standout played only nine games as a freshman when the Illinois High School Association altered its calendar and shrunk season lengths in hopes of getting all fall,…
Read Full Article 
PAYSON, Ill. — Aden Frese positioned himself to make history. Then came the ninth hole at Edgewood Golf Course in Auburn, Ill., and suddenly, he felt like he was teetering on the edge. A wayward shot into the woods on his final hole of the Class 1A Auburn Sectional saddled the Payson Seymour senior golfer…
Read Full Article 
MENDON, Ill. — Sophia Shaffer is trying to savor the moment. A senior multi-sport athlete at Unity High School, Shaffer has learned through injury and triumph to be undeterred and play for the love of the game. “It’s why I want to make sure this year is fun,” Shaffer said. She also realizes this is…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Abigail Genenbacher’s final run through South Park proved to be one she could enjoy. The Quincy Notre Dame senior cross country runner dashed her way to a fourth place individual finish Tuesday in the Running Raider Classic, clocking a time of 21 minutes, 17 seconds. “I felt a lot of really great energy,”…
Read Full Article 
LIBERTY, Ill. — Landon Deege understands the reality the Liberty baseball team is facing. “We’re young, but we’re growing,” the senior said. With that comes the ups and downs of inexperience. The Eagles have won one game to date — a 1-0 victory over Illini West in which Jackson Sims struck out eight over five…
Read Full Article 
MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — Graduation hit the Brown County softball team relatively hard, taking away eight players who contributed to back-to-back Class 1A regional championships. By no means should that suggest the cupboard is bare. Buoyed by the return of starting pitcher Taryn Moorman, the twin tandem of Katey and Klare Flynn and versatile Cyrah…
Read Full Article 
PAYSON, Ill. — All of those running backs who were stopped dead in their tracks the past couple of seasons by Unity-Payson linebacker Bryan Dieker might find this funny. Five years ago, he didn’t know how to tackle. Those trying to defend Dieker on the basketball court might find this funny, too. Three years ago,…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Joella Baker wasted no time leaving a lasting impression. Not long after the veteran triathlete was named the head coach of Duquesne University’s fledgling women’s triathlon program, she received an email from Quincy High School senior Alexandria Meyers expressing interest in competing for the Dukes. “When I heard who the coach was at…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — Navigating his way home from wrestling practice Thursday morning wasn’t too treacherous, but Ethan Ladd realized more snow and blizzard-like conditions were coming. “I’m not a big winter guy,” the Macomb senior said. “I’m not going to lie. I hate snow.” But what if the Western Illinois University football team ended up…
Read Full Article 
MENDON, Ill. — Ashlynn Arnsman sees her future with a clear view. For those whose sights are a little more murky, she has a plan to help them, too. The Unity multi-sport standout who recently signed a national letter of intent with the Quincy University women’s basketball team plans to study biology and use her…
Read Full Article 
CARTHAGE, Ill. — The physical tools Nolan Deitrich needs to excel at both golf and basketball are decidedly different. The mental approach is remarkably the same. Rolling in 4-foot par putt with a top finish at stake and hitting clutch free throws in a hostile gym will equally test your concentration and resolve. “The pressure…
Read Full Article 
MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — The roar of the Harley Davidsons. The swaying of the crowd. The green and white banners everywhere. How could a Brown County football player not be energized coming out of the locker room and running into such an environment? “It is the greatest thing ever,” said Colby Wort, the Hornets’ senior…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — Justice Keene always understood golf to be an individual sport. What he has come to embrace and relish is the team aspect of the game. When you’re playing alongside golfers you respect, trust and have a bonafide bond with, the team result becomes as important, if not more, than the individual score.…
Read Full Article 
MENDON, Ill. — Spend enough time exploring YouTube, TikTok or any other video streaming service and you are bound to run across an entrance or hype video featuring an offensive lineman devouring something. With that in mind, Brady Muegge knew he needed to be different. Biting the cap off a bottle of syrup accomplished that.…
Read Full Article 
AUGUSTA, Ill. — An opportunity to watch an NCAA Division I women’s volleyball program play an exhibition match presented itself to the Southeastern volleyball players and heightened the Suns’ anticipation for their own season opener. “It was like I had an adrenalin rush,” said Summer Ramsey, a 5-foot-6 outside hitter. “I don’t even know why.…
Read Full Article 
LIBERTY, Ill. — Jared Schmidt’s excitement is understandable. Despite a spring in which the weather has been “absolutely atrocious,” the Liberty girls track and field team has piled up a number of school records in individual events. Now the weather is ripe for running as the Eagles head to Friday’s Class 1A Beardstown Sectional. “So…
Read Full Article 
PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Steve Smith became known throughout West-Central Illinois as one of the region’s most influential and impartial basketball referees. For Katie Cox, he was simply grandpa. “He truly always wanted me to be the best,” said Cox, a senior three-sport athlete at Pittsfield High School. “With everything I did, he was pushing me.…
Read Full Article 
MENDON, Ill. — Annabelle Schaffnit started to be apologetic for her answer. What the Unity senior softball player didn’t realize in the moment was how much her answer resonated. After chatting a little about the Mustangs and their ongoing season, Schaffnit was asked about how much her life revolves around sports. “I’ll be honest,” she…
Read Full Article 
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Keaton Dickhut harbored ideas of being a multi-sport athlete when he entered high school, but physically, he didn’t exactly fit the part. “I couldn’t even jump up and touch the net if I wanted to,” said Dickhut, now a senior three-sport athlete at Central who said he checked in at 5-foot-7…
Read Full Article 
The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight an Illinois area student-athlete. PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Mason Davis refuses to get caught daydreaming. Sure, his goal is clear cut: Become a state wrestling qualifier. After that, there’s the hope of wrestling well enough to earn a medal and a spot on the podium at…
Read Full Article 
The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight Illinois area student-athletes. CAMP POINT, Ill. — The youth wrestling program designed to promote the sport and serve as a feeder program for Central’s high school team is working. Saturday, the rest of the state will start to see how well it works. The Central…
Read Full Article 
The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight an Illinois area student-athlete. CARTHAGE, Ill. — Technology has changed the method of delivery, but the messages are similar to what they were three decades ago. The intent is the same, too. It’s to give Caydee Kirkham all the knowledge she needs to succeed at…
Read Full Article