Litchfield High Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield's Devin Hansel measures up Sparta's Dylan Heinen during their match at the Rich Lovellette Invitationals on Friday, Jan. 31, in Litchfield. Despite wrestling up a weight class, Hansel pinned Heinen at the 2:53 mark of the match to move on to the quarterfinals.

The Litchfield-Mt. Olive wrestling team finished eighth overall in the final standings of their home tournament, the Rich Lovellette Invitational, on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, with seven wrestlers placing … more

2/3/25

Litchfield Girls Beat Pana For Second SCC Victory

The unrelenting pressure of the Litchfield girls basketball team built up a big enough lead against Pana to hold off a late charge by the visitors from Christian County on Thursday, Jan. 30, as the … more

2/3/25

The Morrisonville-Lincolnwood seventh grade boys basketball team defeated New Berlin 52-47 in overtime on Jan. 30, to win the IESA Class 7-2A Waverly Regional. In front, from the left, are Mika Deardorff, Maddie Yard, Kessa Stephens, Addy Stone, Carly Brockmeyer, Emma Grundy and Delilah Mendoza. In the middle row are Carley LaMacchia, Paxton Sidwell, Kaden Lawson, Case Sorrill, Junior Edwards, Keegan Nudo, Greyson Schneider, Levi Miller and Charlotte Grundy. In the back are Coach Michael Daugherty, Nic Clavin, Logan Lush, Logan Dunkirk, Korbin Rovey, Aiden Edge and Coach Chris Paproth. Edge was also recognized with the IESA Outstanding Sportsmanship Award after the game.

Seventh Grade Mohawks Win Regional Title

The Morrisonville-Lincolnwood seventh grade boys basketball team will play for a sectional title tonight after winning the IESA 7-2A Waverly Regional on Thursday, Jan. 30 Now 22-4, the Mohawks … more

2/3/25

Sangamon Valley had a tough time keeping up with Litchfield's Adia Melchert (#21) on Tuesday, Jan. 28, as the Panther freshman scored 27 points in Litchfield's 46-30 win over the Storm.

Melchert's 27 Shields Panthers From Storm

The Litchfield girls basketball team got a big performance from one of their freshmen against Sangamon Valley/Tri-City on Tuesday, Jan. 28, as Adia Melchert nearly outscored the Storm on her … more

1/30/25

Litchfield’s Rilynn Younker (left) picked up her second straight tournament title on Saturday, Jan. 25, as she went 3-0 to take the championship at 110 pounds at the Anna-Jonesboro Girls Tournament. Mt. Olive’s Charlie Bono (right) took second at the Anna-Jonesboro Girls Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 25, with her only loss coming against third ranked Holly Zugmaier of Edwardsville.

It’s Deja Vu For Younker, Bono In Anna

Rarely is the sequel as good as the original, but for Rilynn Younker and Charlie Bono it came pretty close. A week after the two Litchfield-Mt. Olive wrestlers placed first and second in their … more

1/30/25

Calvary Shooters Send Panthers Packing

If the Rick McGraw Memorial Invite didn’t challenge the Litchfield boys basketball team enough, their first opponent outside the tournament definitely did. On Tuesday evening, Jan. 28, … more

1/30/25

Panthers Pin Down Win At North Mac Dual

Nicholas Adam and Thayden Bailey both picked up pins on Monday, Jan. 27, as the Litchfield-Mt. Olive wrestling team picked up a 60-10 victory over North Mac in Girard. The Panthers picked up the … more

1/30/25

Panthers Finish Strong At Home Tourney

After going 0-2 in the pool play portion of the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational, the Litchfield boys basketball team bounced back in the bracket games. The seventh seeded Purple Panthers finished … more

1/27/25

Panthers Beat Toppers To Move To Ninth Place Game

The Litchfield Purple Panthers used the inside-the-lane offensive rebounding and scoring skills of Nathan Schaake and Harrison Thomas to power them to a 53-47 win over the Hillsboro Hiltoppers as the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/27/25

Panthers Slip Past Oilers

An 11-4 surge in the second quarter and a strong finish in the fourth gave the Litchfield girls basketball team their seventh win of the year on Thursday, Jan. 23, as they defeated East Alton-Wood … more

1/27/25

Litchfield sophomore Rilynn Younker and Mt. Olive junior Charlie Bono finished first and second in their respective weight classes at the inaugural Mary Kelly Invitational in Mahomet on Jan. 18.

Younker, Bono Go 1-2 At Mary Kelly Invite

Two members of the Litchfield-Mt. Olive wrestling team competed in the inaugural Mary Kelly Mahomet Invite on Saturday, Jan. 18, and definitely made their presence felt. Litchfield sophomore Rilynn … more

1/23/25

Guarded by Civic Memorial's Parker Parnell (left), Litchfield's Ethan Saathoff looks for room to maneuver during the pool play finale for both teams at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational in Litchfield on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The Eagles hit nine threes against the Purple Panthers to improve to 2-0 in pool play with a 67-53 win as they advanced to Friday's championship bracket semifinal against Mattoon. The loss dropped Litchfield to 0-2 in their home tourney, but set up some drama in the ninth place bracket as they will play Hillsboro in Panther Gym at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23.

Eagles Survive Panthers Best Shot

After dropping their first contest in the annual Rick McGraw Memorial Basketball Invitational, the Litchfield boys basketball team was back on the hardwood on Tuesday evening, Jan. 21. On tap for … more

1/23/25

Litchfield Wrestling Gets Win Over Bulldogs

The Litchfield-Mt. Olive wrestling team faced some tough competition in Highland on Thursday, Jan. 16, with Vandalia and Triad joining the Purple Panthers in Bulldog Country. Litchfield went 1-2 … more

1/23/25

Lady Panthers Fall To Father McGivney

The Litchfield girls basketball team hit the road on Tuesday, Jan. 21, as they played Father McGivney in Glen Carbon. The Lady Panthers were held to eight points in the first half as they fell to the … more

1/23/25

Nokomis' Drake Taylor lofts a hook shot over the outstretched hand of Litchfield's Nathan Schaake during the second half of their game in the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational in Litchfield on Monday, Jan. 20. Taylor had 14 points and ten rebounds in the Redskins' 48-42 win over the Panthers.

Redskins Avenge Loss To Panthers

Nine days after Litchfield swiped a win from Nokomis on the Redskins’ home court, the two Montgomery County foes met again, this time in pool play at the Rick McGraw Invitational in Litchfield … more

1/21/25

Cavies Unbeaten In SCC With Win Over Litchfield

The Carlinville girls basketball team put on a clinic on Thursday, Jan. 16, at the expense of the Litchfield Lady Panthers as the Cavaliers improved to 5-0 in the South Central Conference with a … more

1/21/25

Jones Buries Comets At The Buzzer

Almost every little kid has dreamt of making a game winning shot on the basketball court. Martavious Jones has accomplished that dream… twice. After his steal and score on Jan. 11, gave … more

1/21/25

Five JV Panthers Medal At Titan Invite

Five Litchfield wrestlers competed in the 2025 Titan JV Invite in Chatham on Saturday, Jan. 18, with three wrestlers finishing in the top eight to make the podium. Bradedyn Knapp was … more

1/21/25

Litchfield’s Adia Melchert drives past Kylie Smith of Shelbyville during the Lady Panthers’ home game on Monday, Jan. 13. Melchert had six of her nine points and a handful of assists during a 25-6 third quarter that paved the way for a 55-47 victory over the Rams.

Third Quarter Rally Lifts Lady Panthers

After foul trouble for Litchfield helped Shelbyville take a 27-20 halftime lead on Monday, Jan. 13, the Panthers knew they had to do something quickly to avoid their 13th loss of the year. … more

1/16/25

Panthers Put Three On Podium At PIT

Three of the eight Litchfield High School wrestlers who made the trip to the 61st annual Lyle King Princeton Invitational Tournament finished the weekend on the medal podium on Saturday, Jan. 11. … more

1/16/25