Litchfield High Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield senior A.J. Sypherd takes the handoff from quarterback Tate Dobrinich in the pouring rain during the second quarter of the Panthers' season opener against Carlinville on Saturday, August 26. Sypherd's run didn't stop until he hit the end zone as he scored the first of Litchfield's two touchdowns in a competitive 35-14 loss to the Cavaliers.

Three unanswered touchdowns by the visiting Carlinville Cavaliers would break open a 14-14 contest as Carlinville spoiled the Litchfield Purple Panthers’ home opener with a 35-14 victory. … more

8/28/23

Kahoks Hold Off Lady Panthers

The Litchfield High School volleyball team started a busy final week of the season on the road as they played Collinsville on the Kahoks home floor on Monday, Oct. 16. The Panthers hung with the … more

10/19/23

Litchfield's Drake Gasperson (#27) and Lincolnwood's Maddux Himes (#15) are shoulder to shoulder in pursuit of the ball during their game in Virden on Saturday, Aug. 26. Himes, Reece Lohman (#20) and the rest of the Lancer defense hounded Gasperson and company to limit the Panthers to just one goal in a 3-1 win at the Kickoff Classic on Rt. 66 in Virden.

Lancers Outlast Panthers In Classic

For the second year in a row, the Lincolnwood and Litchfield boys soccer teams squared off at the Kickoff Classic on Rt. 66 in Virden. The result of the game on Saturday, Aug. 26, would be the same … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 8/28/23

Litchfield's Annika Rhodes goes up for a kill against the block of Addison Glenn (#10) and Becca Hill (#15) during the Lady Panthers' game against Nokomis on Thursday, Aug. 24, in Litchfield. Rhodes led the Panthers with nine kills, but the Redskins were able to collect their second victory of the year in a three-set thriller.

Redskins Take Out Panthers In Three

Had there been a marquee outside Simmons Gymnasium on Aug. 24, it would have read, “Sit back and enjoy the ride” as two Montgomery County volleyball rivals traded blows in a roller … more

8/28/23

Schwab Siblings Take Top Honors At Litchfield C.C.

Litchfield held the top three spots individually and picked up the team win in their home opener on Tuesday, Aug. 15, as the Panthers shot a 146 at the Litchfield Country Club. It was a case of … more

8/17/23

Lady Panthers Gear Up For Success In 2023

The official opening of the 2023 volleyball season was Aug. 9 and Litchfield Head Coach Kari Dragoo was greeted by 27 athletes who are eager to earn playing time and contribute to the success of the … more

8/17/23

Litchfield Middle School student Allison Belusko, center, earned first place in the novice female division. She is pictured above with her coaches, Tom Melchert, at left, and Kyle “Hootie” Sutton.

Litchfield Pulls In Students With New Trap Shooting Teams

The Litchfield School District offered a new extra-curricular opportunity, trapshooting, for sixth through twelvth graders thanks to one local family’s Father’s Day tradition. On … more

6/26/23

Litchfield's Drake Gasperson struck out ten batters in relief to help the Panthers to an 8-1 win over Carlinville on Monday, April 22.

Purple Panthers Drop Cavies 8-1

An old coach once said, your baseball team is as good as your last three batters. On Monday the Litchfield/Mt. Olive baseball club proved this theory as there last three batters would combine 4-7 at … more

4/25/24

Called in jest "the balding head... of Litchfield track and field," by fellow Litchfield Coach Shane Cress, the soon-to-be retired Litchfield High School Boys Track Coach Dan Newkirk was honored for his 33 years of commitment to mentoring young athletes during the Panthers' final home meet of the 2023 season on Thursday, May 4.

Finale A Celebration Of Newkirk's Legacy

A large crowd flooded the campus of Litchfield High School Thursday, May 4, and while everyone was happy to be there to see the Panthers pick up the win at the home … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/8/23

Montgomery County's all-conference baseball and softball players were Hillsboro's Anika Camp, Litchfield's Bella Roach; Hillsboro's Nathan Matoush, Litchfield's Carson Saathoff and Hillsboro's Ketch Mills.

Five Named To SCC All-Conference Teams

Five Montgomery County players were among those honored by the coaches of the South Central Conference on this year’s SCC all-conference baseball and softball lists. Hillsboro had three … more

7/20/23

Litchfield's Ava Ballard (#21) clears a ball away from forward Jenna Hadowsky of Pana during the second half of the regional battle between two of the South Central Conference's Lady Panthers. Ballard, the Litchfield defense and goalkeeper Olivia Mitchell held off hard-charging attack by Hadowsky and company to beat Pana 4-1 and advance to Tuesday's sectional semifinal against Southwestern.

Litchfield Wins Panther Battle Over Pana

The first half of the season was a perfect storm for the Litchfield girls soccer team as a tough schedule and a fairly inexperienced, but talented group of players yielded just two wins in the … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 5/8/23

Hillsboro Girls Win At Litchfield Tourney

The Hillsboro girls soccer team picked up a 6-0 win over North Mac in the opening game of the Litchfield Tournament on Monday, March 25. The Lady Hiltoppers improved to 4-1 with the win and had … more

3/28/24

White Shoots 95 At Championships

Carter White of Litchfield recently represented his school at the 2023 High School Clay Target League National Championship, which was held at the Michigan Trapshooting Association in Mason, MI, on … more

7/20/23

Gasperson No-Hits Minutemen In Win

Winning ball games has become a routine in the last few weeks for Litchfield as the Purple Panthers rattled off three straight wins. On Wednesday, May 4, the Litchfield baseball club continued that … more

5/8/23

Litchfield's Georgia Glover (#3) awaits the delivery to the plate from Carlinville pitcher Hallie Gibson during the Lady Panthers' non-conference meeting with the Cavaliers on Monday, April 22. Gibson struck out 16 batters as the Cavaliers defeated Litchfield 7-3.

Litchfield Closer, But Cavies Still Win

It wasn't a win, but it wasn't 8-1 either as the Litchfield-Mt. Olive softball team fell to Carlinville for the second time this year, this time by a 7-3 final score. The non-conference bout on … more

4/25/24

Piasa Birds Slip Past Purple Panthers

In a game where hits were a plenty, runs were at a minimum as Southwestern and Litchfield/Mt. Olive would square off in a non-conference affair Wednesday on the campus of Litchfield High School. The … more

4/25/24

Litchfield Golf Battle Tested At Rend Lake

Thursday’s Battle at Rend Lake proved to be aptly named as some of the state’s best boys golf teams unleashed some heavy artillery on Aug. 17, at Rend Lake Golf Course in Whittington. … more

8/21/23

Litchfield's Tate Dobrinich got a little help from Nokomis' Mason Stauder during the slam dunk contest at the Carlinville Rotary Club All-Star Basketball Classic on March 24, as he hurdled the Redskin guard on one of his attempts. Dobrinich scored 47 out of a possible 50 points, winning the contest and completing a sweep for the Purple Panthers as A.J. Odle won the three-point shootout at the event.

Seniors Wrap Up Career On The Court

Several seniors from Montgomery County wrapped up their high school basketball careers on Sunday, March 24, at the Carlinville Rotary Club All-Star Basketball Classic, held at the Big House on West … more

3/28/24

Litchfield's Drake Gasperson and Greenville's Russel Mapels vie for a loose ball during the South Central Conference showdown in Bond County on Thursday, Sept. 28. Gasperson would go on to put in the go-ahead goal in the Panthers' 3-1 win over Greenville that improved their record to 7-0 in the South Central Conference.

Litchfield Clinches Share Of SCC Title

The Litchfield-Gillespie boys soccer team clinched at least a share of the South Central Conference title on Thursday, Sept. 28, as they defeated Greenville 3-1 on the Comets’ home turf. The … more

10/2/23

Guarded by Calvary's Kaleb "Chubs" Larson, Litchfield senior A.J. Odle looks for an open teammate during the first half of the Panthers' home game on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Odle had 24 points to lead all scorers on Tuesday, but a three by Larson in the final five seconds gave Calvary a 58-55 win.

Chubs Comes Up Big Against Panthers

Tuesday nights are made for hardwood battles and Simmons Gym in Litchfield hosted one on Jan. 23, when the Calvary Saints met the Purple Panthers. When these two teams meet, defense has not been … more

1/25/24