Sports | The Journal-News

Former Hillsboro High School tennis player Seth Watson waits to return a shot from Taylorville’s Adam Cunnington during the 2025 Old Settlers Tennis Tournament. Watson and doubles partner Joe Mattson went on to win the tournament, which will be on Aug. 1, at 8 a.m. this year.

Registration Open For 2026 Old Settlers Tennis Tourney

After drawing 14 teams last year, the organizers for the Old Settlers Doubles Tennis Tournament are hoping for another good turnout on Saturday, Aug. 1, when the event shifts to the new tennis courts … more

7/16/26

Old Settlers Run, Walk Prepare For 2026 Event

The 2026 Old Settlers four-mile run and team run and two-mile walk is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 2, starting at 7:30 a.m. Race day registration will open at 6:30 a.m. at 114 E. Wood St. The entry fee … more

7/16/26

Litchfield Chamber Of Commerce Seeks Sponsors

The Litchfield Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for this year’s golf tournament on July 31, and offering members the valuable opportunities to engage, participate, network, and make meaningful … more

7/16/26

Record-Tying Buffalo Caught At Lake Lou

Alton fisherman Willie Jenkins unofficially tied an Illinois state record on Tuesday, July 14, after landing a 48-pound buffalo at Lake Lou Yaeger in Litchfield. Jenkins had the fish weighed at … more

7/16/26

Pictured above with Bryant are his granddaughters, Hadley and Camryn Weller, and wife Sharon.

Bryant Crowned King Of Illinois

Midwest bracket racers were treated to back-to-back big money weekends, starting off with the Byron Dragway Firecracker Bracket Nationals, followed by the GallStars and Stripes $100,000 Drag Race at … more

7/9/26

Jhak Walker sported a new look after winning the Helmet House Little Racoon National Enduro on June 21, in McArthur, OH. The win bumped Walker up to fourth in the NE Pro2 class standings going into this weekend’s American National Enduro Championship race in Pine City, NY.

Walker, Lentz Chasing Points In ANEC

Morrisonville’s Jhak Walker coming off one of his best performances of the season in the American National Enduro Championship (ANEC) series going into this weekend’s MSR Barbed Wire National … more

7/9/26

Hillsboro’s Chase Saathoff picked up a pair of second place finishes in his last two races in the Progressive American Flat Track Singles series, including one on July 4, at the DuQuoin Mile. Saathoff currently sits second in the points behind Tom Drane, who won at DuQuoin and holds a four-race winning streak.

Saathoff Second At DuQuoin Mile

Hillsboro’s Chase Saathoff took second in two of his last three races in the Progressive American Flat Track Singles series, keeping him in second place in the overall standings. Saathoff’s … more

7/9/26

Morrisonville’s Jhorjie Walker picked up her fifth Grand National Cross Country Series win of the season at the Watkins Glen International on June 6-7, while her brother Jhenner scored his best finish of the season, taking second at the same race. All four members of the Walker family who raced in New York early last month finished in the top five in their respective classes, with older brother Jhak placing third and younger brother Jhacek placing fifth.

Walkers Go 1-2 At Watkins Glen

Morrisonville’s Jhorjie Walker has finished worse than second only once in the first nine rounds of the Grand National Cross Country Series, with two seconds and a first in her last three races. … more

7/9/26

Litchfield wrestlers Vinny Moore and Rilynn Younker each took first in their weight class at the Midwest Nationals Tournament in Bloomington on Saturday, June 27.

Moore, Younker Score Wins At Midwest Nationals

Litchfield wrestlers picked up a pair of championships at the Midwest Nationals Tournament in Bloomington on Saturday, June 27, earning championship rings in the process. Vinny Moore, a 2026 graduate … more

7/2/26

Children and adults faced off against each other as mud and water flew through the air at the Mud Bog races on Sunday, June 28, during the Montgomery County Fair. Aaliyah Haynie took first place in the Kids Open class, Leroy Goewey took first in the Utility Full Bed class, Garrett Schaacke won first in the Turbo Open class and Bailey Saathoff earned first place in the N/A Non Turbo class for another consecutive year.

Racers Get Down And Dirty For Mud Bog Match Ups

The heat wave caused a short delay at the Montgomery County Fair’s fourth mud drag races on Sunday, June 28, as crew members spent extra time soaking down the track. The mud races eventually began … more

7/2/26

Zac Wilson of Fillmore climbs out of his car after taking the high road in the Full Size Limited Weld class at the Montgomery County Fair on Saturday, June 27, in Butler. Kaleb Keiser, pictured in front of Wilson, was second to Jeff Mullen in the class and won Mad Dog honors for the class.

Butler Brawl Highlights Fair Saturday

With 52 cars and hundreds of spectators in the grandstands, the 2026 Montgomery County Fair demolition derby packed quite the punch on Saturday, June 27. The Gut-N-Go class was the biggest of the … more

7/2/26

Pictured from the left, are Barry Epley, Mike Jonas and Mark Wiseman watching Colby Braye finish the hole at the “Fore! The Future” golf outing held at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Raymond. This outing was the first annual golf scramble put on by St. Louis Catholic School in Nokomis with 13 teams competing over 18 holes.

St. Louis School Hosts “Fore! The Future” Golf Scramble

St. Louis Catholic School in Nokomis held their first annual golf scramble on Saturday, June 20, at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Raymond. Thirteen teams participated in the “Fore! The Future” golf … more

7/2/26

Litchfield FCA Camp Powers Through Heat For Another Great Week

Seventy-five kids from all over the area converged on Litchfield for this year's Fellowship of Christian Athletes Power Camp, a free sports camp conducted by volunteer coaches and high school … more

7/2/26

From the left are Randy, Sarah, Hadley and Camryn Weller, Phil Bryant, members of McKague's race team, Roger Burdell (third from the right) and Corey Wood (far right).

Bryant Runner-Up At Firecracker Nationals

It was the first all-door car final at the $75,000 Firecracker Bracket Nationals at Byron Dragway on Satrudary, June 27, as Litchfield's Phil Bryant and Chamois, MO's Jeremy McKague made it down to … more

7/2/26

Hillsboro Wrestling Looks To Continue Sport’s Growth

Girls wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and the Hillsboro High School wrestling team is a good example of that growth. Two years ago, the Hiltoppers had two female … more

7/2/26

1st place: Dean Hopper and Nathan Thornhill

South Central Catfish Series Goes Fishing In The Dark

It was a tough night of fishing at the South Central Illinois Catfish Series tournament at Coffeen Lake on Saturday, June 27, but as they say, a bad day on the lake beats a good day at work any time. … more

7/2/26

Litchfield's Greyson Hopley picked up a pair of wins at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 28, including one over his friend and fellow Litchfield racer, Brayden Hearn. From the left are Sandy, Brogyn, Eric and Levi Pigg, Hopley and Hearn.

Hopley Doubles Up At WWT

A long Saturday turned into a memorable Sunday for Litchfield junior dragster racer Greyson Hopley at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 27-28. After a night marred by weather delays, Hopley and … more

7/2/26

Over the last ten years, Scott Battles has done plenty of things as an usher at Busch Stadium, but on Monday, June 1, the Nokomis resident and long-time season ticket holder got the opportunity to do something special as he delivered the lineup card for the St. Louis Cardinals prior to their game with the Texas Rangers. Above, Battles shakes hands with Rangers assistant coach Luis Urueta, while Cardinal manager Oli Marmol greets the umpires for the game.

Battles Delivers For The St. Louis Cardinals

At most, only 81 people per year get to do what Scott Battles did at Busch Stadium on June 1. The Nokomis resident and long-time season ticket holder of the St. Louis Cardinals delivered the … more

courtesy of The BRS Museum’s Bullpen | 6/25/26

The 2026 Hillsboro High School girls soccer team poses for a photo after wrapping up their season in the regional tournament at the Hillsboro Sports Complex. The Toppers' ten wins this past season upped the program's total to 167 victories since the program's first season in 2000. Of those 167 wins, 113 have been under Coach Dave Mattson (center), who resigned at the end of the season after ten years at the helm. Mattson's assistant coach, Matt Lentz (far right), will take over the program next spring, becoming the sixth coach in the program's history.

Mattson A Key Part Of Hillsboro’s Soccer Story

Back in 2016, one of the motivating factors for Dave Mattson getting involved with the Hillsboro High School girls soccer program was... nothing. “They used to have these banners on the wall … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 6/25/26

Mills Earns All-Region Honors

After a record-setting season at Illinois College, the accolades continued to roll in for Hillsboro’s Ketch Mills, who was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-Region … more

6/25/26