Litchfield High Sports | The Journal-News

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.

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

Cyclones Beat Panthers In Battle Of Unbeatens

Finishing a high school baseball season in Illinois undefeated is a very taunting task, almost unthinkable. In Illinois since 1950, there have only been three high school baseball teams who have … more

4/1/24

After becoming the first Litchfield wrestler to win a girls wrestling regional title, freshman Rilynn "Rino" Younker made history again with the school's first sectional title and state qualifying berth in girls wrestling on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Peoria.

It's The Year Of The Rino

Saturday, Feb. 10, was the first day of the Lunar New Year and while the Chinese zodiac says that it’s the year of the Dragon, everyone in Peoria found out quickly that it is actually the year … more

2/12/24

Litchfield Gets Past Staunton In 10th

After starting the season 8-0, a target has begun to form on the Litchfield/Mt. Olive baseball team. On Thursday evening, March 28, the Staunton Bulldogs looked to strike that target at Grizzlies … more

4/1/24

Lady Panthers Win SCC Opener In Three

After falling to Hillsboro and Pawnee in their previous two games, the Litchfield High School volleyball team picked up a key win on Thursday, Sept. 7, in their South Central Conference opener … more

9/11/23

Last year nearly 40 former Panthers took the floor for the Litchfield High School Alumni Game, held after the school’s girls and boys basketball Purple and White Games. Organizers are hoping for another big turnout for this year’s game, which will be on Saturday, Nov. 18.

Litchfield Alumni Game Is Back, Better Start Stretching

Litchfield High School will once again hold an alumni basketball game in conjunction with their annual girls and boys basketball Purple and White Games on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Simmons Gym. One of … more

9/11/23

Litchfield's Vincent Moore leans in to put more leverage on the shoulder of Salem's Aden Doolen during their match on Friday, Feb. 9, at the Vandalia Sectional. Moore won that match en route to a second place finish at 106 pounds as he earned his second straight trip to the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament.

Moore Earns Second Straight State Trip

Vincent Moore got a taste of state wrestling last year, but this year, the Litchfield sophomore is ready for a whole meal. Moore, whose two losses at state last year were to the fourth and … more

2/12/24

Panthers Put A Scare Into Auburn In Regional Opener

The beauty of the postseason is that everyone starts with the same record: 0-0. Auburn found that out first hand on Saturday, Feb. 10, as the 16-win Trojans nearly lost to the three-win Litchfield … more

2/12/24

Litchfield’s Vincent Moore had a fight on his hands in his opening round match of the IHSA Class 1A State Wrestling Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 15, at the State Farm Center in Champaign. Woodstock Marian’s Austin Hagevold picked up a major decision win over the sophomore 106-pounder by a 14-2 final score, moving Moore to Friday’s consolation bracket.

Bright Future Ahead For Litchfield’s Moore

For the second straight year, Litchfield's Vincent Moore went 1-2 at the IHSA State Wrestling Tournament, an awesome accomplishment, but one that the sophomore 106-pounder … more

By Kyle Herschelman | 2/20/24

The Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team has had plenty of reasons to celebrate so far this season, including a grand slam by Tate Dobrinich (far right) in their 15-11 win over Greenville. The win over the Comets, their first since 2014, was their tenth in a row to start the season. While that streak came to an end on Saturday with a loss to Sacred Heart-Griffin, the Panthers already have more wins in 2024 than they did all of last season.

Litchfield Battles To Get Past Greenville

In the preseason, Litchfield Coach Rocky Giannuzzi was not sure how his Purple Panthers would respond after a loss. After nine games, the Panthers still hadn’t experienced that, but they had … more

4/1/24

Panthers Clinch Share Of SCC

The 2013-14 season was the last time Litchfield hoisted the South Central Conference crown in boys basketball as they shared the title with the Greenville Comets. Prior to that the Purple Panthers … more

2/12/24

Hillsboro's Kearstynn Davis (left) and Litchfield's Chloe Law (right) go up for a 50/50 ball during the third place game at the Panther Classic in Litchfield on Saturday, March 30. After losing to Hillsboro twice last year, the Lady Panthers scored a 2-1 victory over the Toppers, with Law scoring the go-ahead goal in the second half.

Panthers Top Hillsboro For Third

Last year, the Hillsboro and Litchfield girls soccer teams were slated to play for the championship of the 2023 Panther Classic, before Mother Nature put the kibosh on those plans. This Saturday, … more

4/1/24

Litchfield libero Amy Frerichs makes a diving save tokeep the ball aloft during the Panthers' pool play game against Vandalia at the Montgomery County Invitational Grace Tournament on Sept. 8. Litchfield went on to win that game in three sets and eventually finished sixth in the 16-team tournament.

Litchfield Sixth At Grace Tournament

The Litchfield High School volleyball team celebrated co-hosting the Montgomery County Invitational Grace Tournament on Friday, Sept. 8, by doubling their season win total. The Panthers, who … more

9/11/23

After setting school records in rushing yards, touchdowns and points scored, A.J. Sypherd was selected to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 3A all-state team.

Sypherd Earns All-State Honors

After a record-breaking senior season, Litchfield’s Adam “A.J.” Sypherd earned one more accolade recently as he was named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association … more

11/20/23

Litchfield-Mt. Olive infielder Alyssa Aubuschon scoops a grounder during the Panthers' game with Greenville on Friday, March 29. The hosts held the Comets to just three runs, but a stellar outing from Greenville's Kaitlyn Lurkins silenced Litchfield's bats and gave the visitors a 3-1 win.

Lady Panthers Beat Rams, Fall To Comets

The Litchfield-Mt. Olive softball team picked up their second win of the season on Wednesday, March 27, as they defeated Ramsey 13-4 on the Rams’ home field. The two teams were tied at 0-0 … more

4/1/24

Birds Fly Past Purple Panthers In Season Finale

Heading into the postseason, what better way to prepare for the big games ahead than to have a big game to finish the season. For Litchfield, that big game took place in Piasa on Thursday, Feb. 16, … more

2/20/24

Litchfield Learning At Waverly

The 2023-24 season is going to be a learning process for the Litchfield girls basketball team and their new head coach, Evan Malloy. While the Panthers are still in search of their first win this … more

11/20/23

Litchfield's Chloe Law hit the post on this shot late in the Panthers' home game against Metro-East Lutheran on Monday, April 8, but the sophomore made two other goals earlier as Litchfield came away with a 7-0 victory over the Knights.

Litchfield Blanks Knights 7-0

In their first six games of the season, the Litchfield girls soccer team had an unfortunate pattern going. The Panthers defeated Jerseyville, but then lost their next two games. Then they beat … more

4/11/24

Lincolnwood 2nd, Litchfield 6th At Terry Park

The Lincolnwood and Litchfield girls golf teams competed in the 2023 Lady Viper Invite at Terry Park Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 9. The Lady Lancers finished second on the day with a 415, while … more

9/11/23

Litchfield senior Anthony Bader earned first team all-conference honors this past year, his second straight selection after being a second team pick last year as a junior.

Panthers, Toppers Get Seven Each On All-SCC

A round of penalty kicks was the only difference between the Litchfield and Hillsboro boys soccer teams in conference play so it was fitting that the two teams tied for the most players on this … more

11/2/23