Imperfect ending: Tigers spoil Wolves’ shot at sectional title with walk-off victory

Pleasant Hill senior pitcher McKinley Lowe carried a perfect game into the seventh inning, but the Wolves were upended 1-0 by Illini Bluffs in Saturday's Class 1A Illini Bluffs Sectional in Glasford, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

GLASFORD, Ill. — An unbelievable performance in an unbelievable game with an unbelievable ending. And an imperfect ending in the Pleasant Hill softball team’s case. Wolves senior pitcher McKinley Lowe took a perfect game into the seventh inning of Saturday’s Class 1A Glasford Sectional championship game against Illini Bluffs, the top-seeded team in the sectional…

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Wolves end Ducks’ seventh-inning rally with play at plate to advance to sectional title game

Pleasant Hill catcher Makenna Winchell drove in the tying run and scored the go-ahead run as the Wolves rallied for a 5-4 victory over Havana in the Class 1A Illini Bluffs Sectional semifinals in Glasford, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

GLASFORD, Ill. — As the runner came down the third-base line and the throw sailed in from right field with both destined to meet at home plate, Pleasant Hill softball coach Ryan Lowe momentarily held his breath. Most everyone else did, too. “Oh, my goodness,” Lowe said. “It was that way the whole game.” Kaitlyn…

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Panthers unable to chop Alvey, Tigers down to size in suffering sectional championship setback

Camp Point Central senior guard Drew Paben reacts to the 47-35 loss to Illini Bluffs in Friday night's championship game of the Class 1A Abingdon-Avon Sectional. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

ABINGDON, Ill. — Size eventually won out, no matter what the Camp Point Central boys basketball team did to negate it. The Panthers neutralized Illini Bluffs’ height advantage — 6-foot-9 Hank Alvey towers above most Class 1A post players — for the better part of the first half Friday night in the Class 1A Abingdon-Avon…

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Photo gallery: Central’s effort to cut Illini Bluffs down to size falls short in sectional title game

Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett talks to his team during a timeout Friday night during the Class 1A sectional championship game against Illini Bluffs in Abingdon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

ABINGDON, Ill. — The Camp Point Central boys basketball team knows just how big of a road block Illini Bluffs senior forward Hank Alvey can be. For the second year in a row in a sectional championship game, Alvey and the Tigers ended the Panthers’ season. Friday night, in the Class 1A Abingdon-Avon Sectional title…

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Game Night Guide: Camp Point Central gets sectional title game rematch with Illini Bluffs

Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett and his staff will have to game plan to mitigate Illini Bluffs' height advantage in Friday night's Class 1A sectional championship game in Abingdon, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

Class 1A Abingdon-Avon Sectional Championship Camp Point Central (25-8) vs. Illini Bluffs (32-3) Where: Abingdon-Avon High School When: 7 p.m. Friday Livestream: Central Illinois Sports on YouTube Scouting the Panthers: This group just knows how to win, whether that’s on the gridiron or the hardwood. The Panthers have won 52 basketball games the last two…

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Tigers’ length keeps Panthers at bay as historic season ends in sectional championship game

Illini Bluffs forward Hank Alvey goes to block a shot by Camp Point Central's Drew Paben during Friday night's Class 1A sectional championship game in Bushnell, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

BUSHNELL, Ill. — Being double and triple teamed is a nightly occurrence for Hank Alvey. He’s familiar with opposing defenses pushing and pulling him in every direction.  It comes with the territory when you’re 6-foot-9 and opponents are looking for anything that may get under your skin. “It’s nothing new. That’s what teams have been…

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