Hillsboro High Sports | The Journal-News

While he did hit six threes in the Toppers' game against Woodlawn at the Kaskaskian Classic on Dec. 3, Hillsboro senior Nathan Matoush got more than his fair share of points under the rim as well, with 12 rebounds and a 9-for-12 performance inside the arc. While Hillsboro fell to the Cardinals by a deceptive 73-58 final score, Matoush had a night to remember, scoring 45 points and becoming the 20th member of the Hillsboro boys basketball 1,000 point club for his career.

Matoush Scores 45 To Pass 1,000 Point Mark

This wasn’t Chris and Jill Matoush’s first rodeo. They’d been through the countdown, the anticipation, the pride of watching one of their own score his or her 1,000th point. … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 12/5/24

Topper Wrestling Wins Two In Debut

The Hillsboro High School wrestling team opened their season on Tuesday, Dec. 3, in Taylorville and competed like a team full of experienced wrestlers who were looking to get the season off to a … more

12/5/24

Hillsboro's Kearstynn Davis earned all-tournament honors for her play at the Taylorville Tournament this year. Davis averaged 11.4 points per game at Taylorville and had double-doubles in four of Hillsboro's five games.

Lady Hiltoppers Take Third At Taylorville Tourney

The Taylorville Holiday Tournament is always a test for the Hillsboro girls basketball team, and by all accounts, in 2024 the Lady Hiltoppers earned a passing grade. After going 2-1 in their first … more

12/2/24

Carlyle Tops Toppers In Opener

When Hillsboro and Carlyle took the floor for warm-ups before opening the 24th Kaskaskian Classic basketball tournament November 30, a sinking feeling in the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 12/2/24

Rockets Pack A Punch In Hillsboro

Among the game deciding factors that became obvious in the early stages of Hillsboro’s contest against visiting Rochester Tuesday evening, Nov. 26, were 1) the Rockets had taller players (their … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 12/2/24

County All-Stars Hit The Court At LLCC

Twenty-two volleyball players from 15 different schools hit the court once again as Lincoln Land Community College hosted its annual all-star match on Nov. 24. Hillsboro seniors Addison Lowe and … more

12/2/24

Future Topperettes Have A Ball At Opener

It was the first game of the season for the Hillsboro boys basketball team on Tuesday, Nov. 27, but ball gowns definitely won out over basketballs at halftime of the junior varsity game. After a … more

11/27/24

Hillsboro's Ella Greenwood (#10) pops a three over Rochester defender Mylie Deatherage (#20) during the first half of their game at the Taylorville Holiday Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 23. Greenwood finished the game with six threes, including one in the final seconds overtime that tied the game at 46. Hillsboro went on to win the game in the second overtime by a 53-51 final score.

Double OT Thriller Gives Lady Toppers First Win

After two difficult losses to start the year, Hillsboro’s game against Rochester was more what the Lady Hiltoppers were hoping for coming into the 2024 season. At least, eventually it was as … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/25/24

Central Anything But A Breeze For Toppers

The Hillsboro girls basketball team faced a formidable challenge in their season opener on Monday, Nov. 18, as they took on Breese Central on the Cougars’ home court. With 20 straight … more

11/21/24

Hillsboro Hits The Hardwood Tuesday

Twenty-nine young men reported for basketball practice at Hillsboro High when preparations began for the 2024-25 season. The five seniors are Caleb Greenwood, Jackson Tuetken, Nathan Matoush (last … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 11/21/24

Four Toppers, Two Panthers Earn All-Conference Honors

Four Hillsboro and two Litchfield volleyball players were among the 21 players selected to the 2024 South Central Conference all-conference volleyball team, which was voted on by the coaches of the … more

11/18/24

VanGiesen, Speiser Swim At Sectionals

Hillsboro High School sophomore Luci Van Giesen competed in the IHSA girls swimming sectional in Edwardsville on Saturday, Nov. 9, going up against athletes from 36 other schools, stretching from … more

11/14/24

Above are the players from Hillsboro and Litchfield who earned all-conference honors in boys soccer this past season.

Toppers, Panthers Earn All-Conference

Seven Hiltoppers and four Purple Panthers were among those selected for the 2024 South Central Conference (SCC) all-conference boys soccer teams, which were voted on by the coaches of the SCC. … more

11/12/24

Several members of the inaugural Hillsboro High School volleyball team were recognized prior to the start of the Hillsboro volleyball game on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 50 years after their first game. From the left are Rhonda “Fred” Sanford, Sarah Hamby, Jody (Downs) Schnarre, Deb (Dalzotto) Compton, Nancy (Eickhoff) Lowe, Sherry (Smith) Terneus, Martha (Sewing) Johnson, Jeanne Winkler and Sue (Jagosh) Kunz.

First Topper Volleyball Team Recognized

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Hillsboro High School volleyball program recognized the three senior members of this year’s team. But Addison Lowe, Tatum Christian and Reagan Lentz weren’t the … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/7/24

While it was a trying season at times for the Hillsboro High School football team, the Hiltoppers are hopeful that they will be able to take those lessons and improve in 2025.

2024 A Tough Test For Topper Football

Statistics never tell the complete story of any team’s adventures in any sport in any season, but the tale of yards gained and yards surrendered in Hillsboro’s 2024 football season helps … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 11/7/24

Toppers Save Best For Last Against 'Birds

The Toppers not only played their best offensive game in the last tilt of the season, they saved the best of their best for the last quarter, when they outscored Piasa Southwestern 20-0. Of course … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/31/24

Hillsboro’s Kearstynn Davis (#10) and Shelbyville’s Jaycee Brinkoetter meet at the net during the regional semifinal in Litchfield on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Davis had three kills in the game, but Brinkoetter and the Rams came away with a 25-17, 27-25 victory to move on to Thursday’s regional championship against Staunton.

Rams Slip Past HHS

For the second year in a row, the Shelbyville Rams ended Hillsboro’s season earlier than the Toppers hoped as the Rams defeated the Lady Hiltoppers in two sets at the Class 2A Litchfield … more

10/31/24

Hillsboro's Kamdin Civitate has a firm grasp on Southwestern's Blake Rimbey during the Toppers' season finale in Hillsboro on Oct. 25. The Piasa Birds barely escaped Sawyer Field with a victory, winning 41-40 over the Hiltoppers.

Toppers Shoot It Out With Southwestern

Continued from 9A This time, to Piasa’s surprise, Patton sent the kickoff into the Birds’ endzone for a touchback. Hillsboro’s defense had to reclaim the ball during the next … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/28/24

Hillsboro Girls Tennis Wraps Up 2024 Season

The Hillsboro girls tennis team wrapped up their season recently, with the team’s end-of-season banquet held on Oct. 21, at The Abbey on Broad. For the second year in a row, the team qualified … more

10/28/24

The Hillsboro High School volleyball team's win over Pana not only gave the Toppers their 20th win of the season, but it was also the 200th victory for Coach Emily Zimmerman. In front, from the left are Albany Kindernay, Amya Greenwood, Briley Kirby, Peyton Christian and Reagan Lentz. In the back are Kailey Weiss, Kaya Connor, Peyton Chappelear, Kearstynn Davis, Addison Lowe, Tatum Christian, Liberty Helton and Head Coach Emily Zimmerman.

Pana Win Is Toppers' 20th, Coach's 200th

While the Hillsboro High School volleyball team was one win away from their second straight 20-win season coming into last week, there was no guarantee that the Hiltoppers were going to reach that … more

10/28/24