Posts Tagged ‘Class 1A’
Central’s Thompson leaps, Eagles’ Girardin sprints into Class 1A state track and field finals
CHARLESTON, Ill. — Ezra Thompson led the brigade of area athletes into the finals of the Class 1A boys state track and field championship. The Central leaper qualified for two events, finishing seventh in the long jump at 6.47 meters and eighth in the triple jump at 12.76 meters. He will compete in the finals…
Read MoreBusiness trip: While excited and loose, Raiders head to state tournament focused on task at hand
QUINCY — The newness of the state tournament experience wore off when the youthful Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer team didn’t get the opportunity to play in the title game a year ago. “Disappointing,” junior forward Lia Quintero said. “I’d say it was disappointing.” So this time, it’s all business. The Raiders head back to…
Read MoreBlakeley, Hornets move step closer to championship dreams with sectional semifinal victory
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Gabe Blakeley merely said out loud what the rest of the Brown County players were thinking to themselves. When the time arrives for the Hornets to leave the baseball field for the final time this spring, they want to be carrying one thing with them. “The state championship trophy,” Blakeley said. Thanks…
Read MoreRecord-setting O’Neil, defending champ Campbell qualify for finals at Class 1A state track meet
CHARLESTON, Ill. — Shannon O’Neil keeps going faster and faster, while Olivia Campbell keeps throwing farther and farther. Saturday, they will have the chance to make a little history. O’Neil, the Liberty senior hurdler, lowered her school-record time in the 300-meter hurdles yet again Thursday during the preliminaries at the Class 1A girls state track…
Read MoreState tournament notebook: Robbins’ defense is on point, Eagles share Illini locker room, Altmix finally gets hit by spotlight
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Logan Robbins embraces playing defense. Actually, he enjoys it quite a bit. “It’s another way to impact the game,” said Robbins, a 6-foot-5 senior forward on the Liberty boys basketball team. “And if you can get the guy your guarding frustrated, it’s going to give you an edge.” It helps explain why…
Read MoreGuiding Eagles to state championship game became family affair for Altmix and sons
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Alex Altmix harbors dreams of eventually being a head coach and running his own high school basketball program. Should his brother, Jordan, want the same thing, neither will have to search far to find a blueprint for success. It’s been in front of them since the day either picked up a whistle.…
Read MoreFlyin’ high: Determined Eagles take sting out of Hornets to advance to Class 1A state title game
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Greg Altmix was agitated, and he had no problem telling his Liberty boys basketball team why. The veteran head coach scanned the Class 1A all-state teams released Wednesday by the Associated Press and didn’t see any of his players on the first or second team despite their upcoming appearance in the final…
Read MoreEagles move step closer to fulfilling boyhood dreams, will play for spot in Class 1A final four
WHITE HALL, Ill. — Understandably, Breiton Klingele found it difficult to keep his emotions in check. “Ever since I was little, all I have wanted to do was play in the state tournament,” he said. Well, Klingele, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, and his Liberty teammates now find themselves one step away from the Class 1A…
Read MoreStephens, Suns power through to capture program’s first sectional title in 30 years
ABINGDON, Ill. — Late in the first half Friday night, Danny Stephens turned to the bench and tugged at his jersey, signaling he needed a break. The breather never came for the Southeastern standout forward, but that didn’t stop him from powering the Suns to a dazzling finish and 45-34 victory over Peoria Christian in…
Read MoreDuck hunting: Brown County girls ramp up defensive pressure to beat Havana, win regional title
LEWISTOWN, Ill. — The Brown County girls basketball team turned up the defensive heat to cook the Havana Ducks. The Hornets limited Havana to just three made field goals in the first half and scored 18 consecutive points during a six-minute stretch overlapping the second and third quarters Saturday afternoon to roll to a convincing…
Read MoreHealthy Arnsman scores 30 points, guides Mustangs to Class 1A regional championship
BIGGSVILLE, Ill. — The winter storm that forced a 24-hour postponement of the Class 1A Biggsville Regional championship game might have been a blessing in disguise for the Unity girls basketball team. Abingdon-Avon must have felt like it was a curse. Tuesday night, prior to the regional semifinal victory over Monmouth United, Mustangs junior forward…
Read More‘Now I get to watch my baby play here’: Setter on Southeastern’s 2001 team now cheers for daughter at state tournament
NORMAL, Ill. — Carrie Shaffer couldn’t help herself. Shaffer, a setter on the last Augusta Southeastern team to reach the state volleyball tournament, sent a note to her daughter, Abigail, on Thursday night to offer thoughts about what to expect in Friday morning’s semifinal match. Well, maybe more than a note. “I sent her a…
Read MoreSuns taking history, community support with them to state volleyball tourney
BOWEN, Ill. — The custodians earned their pay Wednesday. Before leaving for Normal to continue preparations for the Class 1A state tournament, the Southeastern volleyball players were treated to a district-wide celebration and sendoff. It started with a morning assembly at the elementary school in Bowen. The students lined the gym to give the Suns…
Read MorePanthers’ offense stuck in neutral as Raiders gain revenge in second round of playoffs
MOWEAQUA, Ill. — With an ample amount of time to prepare its defense, the Moweaqua Central A&M football team didn’t allow Camp Point Central to run wild. It means the Raiders are rolling on. The Panthers were limited to 220 yards of total offense in Saturday’s Class 1A second-round playoff game and couldn’t overcome a…
Read MoreArcola’s early dominance eliminates Brown County in second round of playoffs
By Steve Eighinger MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — Brown County’s football season was barely 15 minutes in the rear-view mirror when Hornets coach Tom Little began the process of getting ready for next year, which means he’ll first look back before looking ahead. “It’s a little different than it used to be … we will reflect…
Read MoreSpringfield Lutheran ends Brown County’s magical season in sectional title match
GREENFIELD, Ill. — The pride poured out in Katie Berens’ tears, hugs and appreciation for everything the Brown County volleyball team accomplished. Words were a little harder to come by in the wake of a season-ending loss. “There probably aren’t the right words to describe it,” Berens said after the Hornets lost 22-25, 25-20, 25-13…
Read MoreRaiders still chasing history as seniors look to bookend careers with state championships
QUINCY — Cayge Hughes is quite confident had the coronavirus pandemic not altered the Illinois high school sports landscape last year the seniors on the Quincy Notre Dame boys soccer team would be staring down history. In a way, the Raiders still are. QND will kick off its season in less than a week with…
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