The Journal-News

Nine members of the Hillsboro Junior High track team competed at the IESA State Track Meet on May 17-18, at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria. State qualifiers, from the left, are Tanner Clayton, Alex Frailey, Sami Page, Sophia Blankenship, Jolie Churchwell, McKenna Carter, Sierra Compton, Isabella White and Mitchell Lowe.

Five members of the Hillsboro Junior High track team came home with fifth place medals from the IESA Class 2A State Track Meet on Saturday, May 18, as the Dragons were well represented in East … more

5/23/19

Rain Pushes Lady Toppers To Thursday

Wet weather yielded the softball field at Litchfield High School unplayable on Tuesday, May 21, which meant that everything was pushed back a day at the IHSA Class 2A Litchfield Sectional. Instead … more

5/23/19

Hillsboro Baseball Tops .500 In Rain Soaked Season

Despite their youth the 2019 baseball Hillsboro Toppers topped the .500 mark, both for the regular season (12-11) and the South Central Conference (5-4) for the first time since 2011 when they … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/23/19

Hillsboro's Shelby Houchlei (left) and Haley Major celebrate after Major's two-out bunt drove in the winning run in the eighth inning of the Lady Hiltoppers' 2-1 win over Gillespie, which secured Hillsboro's first regional championship since 2006.

Small Ball Comes Up Big For Toppers

For a team with 21 home runs this season, it might be a little odd to have to rely on the little things to pick up a victory, but the Hillsboro Lady Hiltoppers showed they are just as adept at small … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/20/19

Hillsboro senior Kyra Huber finished off a spectacular career with a trip to state on Friday, May 17, as she competed in the 100 meter dash for the fourth time on her sport's biggest stage. Huber, who holds four school records in the sprints and sprint relays, will run track for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh next year.

One Chapter Closes, One Opens For HHS Track

Arguably the best sprinter in the history of the Hillsboro High School girls track program ended her prep career on Friday, May 17, as senior Kyra Huber capped off a remarkable four-year career with … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/20/19

Hillsboro Boys Compete At Lanphier Sectional

The Hillsboro High School boys track team faced off against some of the best athletes from the Springfield area and the Metro-East on Friday, May 17, at the IHSA Class 2A Lanphier Sectional. The … more

5/20/19

Tennis Toppers Compete At Sectional

Both Brayden Bolyard and Joe Mattson would advance to the quarterfinals of the IHSA Class 1A Rochester Tennis Sectional on Friday, May 17, before bowing out to bring their season to a … more

5/20/19

Tanner Mullen drew the starting assignment for the Hillsboro baseball team on Thursday, May 16, as the Toppers started the postseason against Greenville. Playing on their home field, the Comets knocked off the Toppers 13-5, ending Hillsboro's season with a 12-11 mark. Greenville would go on to fall to Teutopolis in the regional championship on Saturday, May 18, by an 11-1 final score.

Comets Bring Toppers Season To A Close

Events didn't go as Hillsboro hoped in the semifinals of the Greenville Baseball Regional Thursday afternoon, May 16, as the host Comets defeated the Toppers 13-5. As a reward, the Comets faced … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/20/19

Hillsboro High School senior Kai Hanner struck out 13 batters in the Lady Hiltoppers' 10-0 six-inning win over Carlinville on Tuesday, May 14, which put Hillsboro in the regional championship game for the fourth straight year. Hanner, who will continue her education and softball career at St. Louis University, went over the 800 strikeout mark for her career in the win.

Hanner Gets 800th Strikeout In Regional Win

This year has already been the most successful season in the history of Hillsboro High School softball, in terms of total wins, but on Tuesday, May 14, the Lady Hiltoppers took the next step in … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/16/19

Toppers Beat South Central In Slugfest

Hillsboro, a South Central Conference team, traveled to Kinmundy to play South Central High School, an IA consolidated school with students attending from Alma, Kinmundy, and Farina, all of whom had … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/16/19

Lady Toppers Continue Success At Capital Area Classic

In a warm-up for the IHSA Class 2A State Finals, the Hillsboro girls track team made an impressive showing at the Capital Area Classic in Chatham on Monday, May 13. The Lady Hiltoppers would come … more

5/16/19

Dragons Ready For IESA State Track Meet

Nine members of the Hillsboro Junior High athletes are headed to the IESA Class AA State Finals following their performances at the Springfield Sectional at Southeast High School on May 11 and … more

5/16/19

Huber, Papins Headed To State

Last year, Kyra Huber was Hillsboro's lone representative at the IHSA State Finals as the Lady Toppers were bumped up to Class 2A in girls track. This year, Huber will still be making the trip, but … more

5/13/19

The four senior members of the Hillsboro High School softball team were honored on senior night prior to the start of the Lady Hiltoppers' 2-0 win over Southwestern that clinched the South Central Conference championship with a 9-0 record. From the left are Jaylaan Milanos, Kai Hanner, Katie Schaake and Sheridan Lyerla.

Nine And Oh So Sweet

Wednesday night's game between Southwestern and Hillsboro was everything a softball fan could have wanted as the top two teams in the South Central Conference battled it out in a pitching duel that … more

5/13/19

Toppers Compete At SCC Tourney

The Hillsboro boys tennis team was in Greenville on Friday, May 10, for the South Central Conference Tournament, held in Greenville. In doubles play, the Toppers were seeded second with the team … more

5/13/19

The five senior members of the Hillsboro High School baseball team were honored on senior night prior to the start of the Hiltoppers' 8-5 win over Southwestern that gave them a 5-4 mark in the South Central Conference this season. From the left are Griffin King, Ty White, Jordan Gregg, Landon Carroll and Kaden Lemon.

Toppers Score Senior Night Victory

Three sparkling Hillsboro plays, two defensive and one offensive, helped seal the fate of the Piasa Southwestern baseball Birds when they visited Hillsboro Wednesday night, May 8, to conclude … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/13/19

Hillsboro freshman Kaci Papin cleared 5'5" to tie the school record and win the high jump in the South Central Conference Meet on Monday, May 6, at Hillsboro. Papin would go on to clear 5'3" in the high jump in Wednesday's sectional in Springfield, earning a spot at the IHSA State Finals next week.

Lady Toppers Collect SCC Crowns

With sectionals just two days later, Coach Son Clayton opted to run a slightly limited schedule when the Hillsboro girls track team competed in the South Central Conference Meet on Monday, May 6, on … more

5/9/19

Hillsboro freshman Magnus Wells threw 114'5" in the discus to place fifth at the South Central Conference Meet in Hillsboro on May 6. Wells also placed fifth in the shot put, throwing 39'0".

Toppers Compete At Conference Meet

The Hillsboro boys track team would be in familiar territory on Monday, May 6, as the Toppers hosted the annual South Central Conference Meet. The home school would finish with nine top-five … more

5/9/19

The Hillsboro High School girls soccer program said goodbye to nine seniors on Monday, May 6, in the Toppers' final home game of the season. In front, from the left, are Tess Saathoff, Abbi Jett, Peyton Sarsany and Kaitlin Robinson. In the back row are Blayze Horn, Grace Anderson, Sammi Matoush, Aubry Rupert and Lexi Lusk. In four years, the class of 2019 has won 46 games, more than any other class in the program's history.

Staunton Brings Toppers Season To An End

What a difference a day makes, or in the case of the Staunton girls soccer team, two days. Two days after losing to Hillsboro 5-1 on the Toppers' senior night, the Lady Bulldogs upset the number … more

5/9/19

Members of the Litchfield and Hillsboro softball teams sported special T-shirts in honor of seven-year-old Grace Herschelman and her fight against INAD on Tuesday, May 7. The shirts raised money for a research study at Washington University in St. Louis that is looking for treatment options for the rare genetic disorder.

Litchfield-Hillsboro Game A Grace-Filled Rivalry

The Litchfield and Hillsboro softball teams put their rivalry aside for a while on Tuesday, May 7, to show their support for a little girl close to the hearts of both teams. Both the Panthers and … more

5/9/19