The Journal-News

The two senior members of the Hillsboro High School girls basketball team were honored prior to the Lady Toppers’ home game against Southwestern on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Above, from the left, are Ally Schnarre, with parents Faye and Terry Traylor; and Abbigail Schreiber, with parents Georgia and Chris Adams.

Senior night was pushed back due to last week’s snow, but the delay did nothing to stop the celebration for the Hillsboro girls basketball team. After honoring seniors Ally Schnarre … more

2/14/22

Hilsboro senior Gavin Matoush went over 1,000 points for his career on Wednesday, Feb. 9, scoring 23 points in the Toppers' 72-59 win over Greenville.

Third Time Not The Charm For Comets Against Toppers

When the Greenville Comets came to Hillsboro to play the back end of a boy/girl doubleheader on Wednesday, Feb. 9, they brought with them all the makings of a trap game: the Toppers had defeated them … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 2/14/22

Hillsboro's Gavin Matoush (#32) and Litchfield's Victor McGill lunge for possession of a loose ball in the second half of the Rt. 16 rivalry match-up on Tuesday, Feb. 8, in Litchfield. Both players led their team in scoring, with Matoush netting 14 and McGill lighting up the scoreboard for 29 in the Panthers' 58-49 overtime win on their home court.

Panthers Win Rumble In The Jungle

The game lived up to its hype, especially in terms of closeness, intensity, and entertainment value; Litchfield defeated Hillsboro 58-49 in their Simmons’ Gym by outscoring the Toppers in … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 2/10/22

Hillsboro Survives Scare From Cavaliers

After the loss to Pana, the goal for the Hillsboro girls basketball team was to win the rest of their South Central Conference games and hopefully take second behind the Panthers. A 45-41 win over … more

2/10/22

Hillsboro's Deklan Riggs (#50) pops a three over the outstretched hand of Nokomis' Jake Johnson (#34) during the county clash on Saturday, Feb. 5. Riggs had six threes in the Toppers' 54-44 win over the Redskins.

Toppers Score Victory Over Redskins

When Nokomis and Hillsboro come together to play basketball, one can be sure defense will be the deciding factor, turnover totals will be higher than coaches prefer, and fans will be vocal. Sports … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 2/7/22

Two Titles, Four Qualifiers For Hillsboro

Four Hillsboro High School wrestlers punched their tickets to next Saturday’s sectional in Vandalia after finishing in the top three at the regional at Jacksonville Routt on Saturday, Feb. … more

2/7/22

Chuck Menzer, shown here celebrating with the regional plaque the Hillsboro boys basketball team won in 1969, will be inducted into his alma mater's athletics hall of fame on Friday, Feb. 4, weather permitting, after a standout career on the hardwood at Hillsboro and Augustana College in Rock Island.

Menzer, White To Join Topper Hall Of Fame

On Friday, Feb. 4, the Hillsboro boys basketball team will take on Greenville in a key conference game for both teams. But in addition to the action on the court, the Toppers will also honor two … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 2/3/22

Hiltoppers Beat Indians, Snow To Start February

The atmosphere in the Hillsboro gym was both muted and exuberant Tuesday evening, Feb. 1, when the Pawnee Indians came to town – muted because an impending ice storm moved the opening tip of … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 2/3/22

Hillsboro's Magnus Wells takes a look underneath an arching Henry Engel as the official looks to see if the Lena-Winslow junior's shoulders are on the mat during the 220-pound championship match at the Rich Lovellette Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 29. Wells would get the pin seconds later to claim the title and improve to 29-1 on the year.

All's Wells For Toppers At Litchfield

It’s been a good year for Hillsboro wrestling’s Magnus and Zander Wells, but it was a great day for the brothers on Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Rich Lovellette Invitational in … more

1/31/22

Lady Toppers Score SCC Win Over ‘Dogs

The Hillsboro girls basketball team improved to 4-1 in the South Central Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 26, with a 59-48 victory over the Staunton Bulldogs. While the final margin was just barely … more

1/31/22

Hillsboro Holds On In Carlinville

Hillsboro boys’ basketball result, a 50-49 Topper win, was a rarity because both sides were happy with their efforts after the last whistle. The Toppers were happy because they won the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/31/22

Toppers Go 3-1 At Wood River Super Dual

On Tuesday, Jan. 18, the Hillsboro High School wrestling team was at East Alton-Wood River High School for a five-team dual with the Oilers, Metro-East Lutheran, Red Bud and Carlyle. The Toppers … more

1/31/22

Toppers Circle The Wagons To Beat Carlyle

After being put through the wringer their last three games, the Hillsboro girls basketball team needed a palate cleanser to get themselves back on track. What the Lady Hiltoppers got was a roller … more

1/27/22

Hillsboro's Jace Stewart dribbles through traffic during the fifth place game at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 22, in Litchfield. The Toppers finished the 16-team tournament in sixth place, falling to Taylorville 66-34 in their final game.

Toppers Sixth At Litchfield Tourney

by Ron Deabenderfer After defeating Greenville 66-54 in overtime in the Rick McGraw Invitational Basketball Tournament Friday evening, Jan. 20, to earn a spot in the fifth place game on Saturday, … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/24/22

Hillsboro senior Drake Vogel scored 21 points in the Toppers' 76-30 win over Ramsey on Wednesday, Jan. 19, which put the Toppers in the fifth place bracket at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational in Litchfield. Not only did Vogel's point total help even the Toppers' record to 1-1 in pool play, but it also pushed his career total over the 1,000 point milestone.

Pool Play Wraps Up At McGraw Invite

The first 12 games of the 2022 Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational have had a little something for everyone, including more than a fair share of close games. Five of the 12 games were decided by 10 … more

1/20/22

Hillsboro's Kayden Long shoots in against Highland's William Jones in the 138-pound match on Wednesday, Jan. 19, at Hillsboro High School. Jones was down 7-4 late in the first period when momentum shifted and he picked up a pin over Jones with six seconds left on the clock. Hillsboro went on to win the dual 42-22 over the Bulldogs.

Hillsboro Gets Win On Senior Night

It was senior night for the Hillsboro High School wrestling team on Wednesday, Jan. 19, as the Toppers welcomed Highland to town. Hillsboro would score a 42-22 win over the visiting Bulldogs, with … more

1/20/22

Hillsboro's Will Christian (#3) defends Gateway Legacy point guard Isaac Salas during the Toppers' opening game of the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational on Monday, Jan. 17, in Litchfield. Christian had 11 points against the Lions, who would put together a strong second half to win 68-52.

Hiltoppers Fall To Lions At Litchfield

For the first quarter of play, Hillsboro’s boys were better on the scoreboard than their opponents from Gateway Legacy, a nonboundary (to an extreme) prep school based in St. Louis. The Toppers … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/20/22

Hiltoppers Take Two In Cavalier Country

The Hillsboro High School wrestling team picked up a pair of wins in Carlinville on Friday, Jan. 14, beating the Cavaliers 33-30 and Pittsfield 42-18. The Toppers would win five of the seven … more

1/20/22

Playing under circumstances unimaginable for most, Hillsboro High School junior Blaze Helton squares up for a free throw in the first half of the Toppers' opening game at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational on Monday, Jan. 17. Helton's father Troy, an IHSA official and fervent supporter of his children's athletic pursuits, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 16. A moment of silence was held in Helton's honor prior to Hillsboro's game against Gateway Legacy, which Hillsboro lost 68-52 (a full recap of the game will be in the Jan. 20 Journal-News). Words of support and condolence have poured in from all over the area, with Pana announcing on Monday that the admission from their girls basketball game on Jan. 18, against Lincoln, will go to the Helton family.

Upset In The Opener At Litchfield

With predicted winter weather less significant than feared, the 2022 Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational tipped off with a battle of Metro-East schools on Saturday, Jan. 15. Third seeded Triad and … more

1/18/22

Pana's Kiley Ladage (#40) and Rachel Holthaus (#13) put the squeeze on Hillsboro's Layne Rupert during the showdown for South Central Conference supremacy on Thursday, Jan. 13. Rupert would have 15 points despite the unrelenting defensive pressure of the Panthers, but Pana would improve to 21-1 overall with a 69-26 win over the Hiltoppers.

Panthers Pounce On Hiltoppers

Even though both teams had conference games later on this season, the match-up between Pana and Hillsboro on Thursday, Jan. 13, held heavy stakes in the race for the girls basketball South Central … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/18/22