Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield's Maggie Schwab puts some space between herself and Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond's Ruby Barton in the final few hundred yards of the Class 1A Cumberland Sectional at Lake Land College in Mattoon on Saturday, Nov. 1. Schwab finished one spot ahead of Barton in 23rd, earning the final individual qualifying spot for next Saturday's IHSA State Final Cross Country Meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

For the first time since 2019, Litchfield High School will be represented at the IHSA State Finals Cross Country Meet after Litchfield freshman Maggie Schwab qualified as an individual out of the … more

11/3/25

From the left, Nokomis Head Coach Megan Mehochko and players Kennadie Johanssen, Brooklyn Marley, Fallon Knodle, Alivia Sabol and Maddison DeWerff celebrate a point during the Redskins' regional championship game on Thursday, Oct. 30. In a back-and-forth game, the visiting Indians upset the top-seeded Redskins in three games, 25-22, 22-25, 28-26.

Carlyle Sneaks Past Nokomis

Last games are always tough, but by any standards, Nokomis’ regional championship loss to Carlyle was an even bigger gut punch than usual. The seven seniors on this year’s roster were not … more

11/3/25

Hillsboro quarterback Elijah Patton looks for a way past Williamsville's Jackson Britton during the Toppers' first round playoff match-up against the Bullets on Saturday, Nov. 1. Williamsville showed why they were the top seeded team in Class 3A with a 53-20 victory over the Hiltoppers.

Bullets Knock Off Hillsboro

The host Williamsville Bullets were quick to show the visiting Hillsboro Hiltoppers why they were seeded #1 in the IHSA Class 3A Southern Section football playoffs Saturday afternoon, Nov. 1. The … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 11/3/25

Hillsboro's Kearstynn Davis tips a shot over to the Staunton side of the net during the Lady Hiltoppers' regional championship game in Virden on Thursday, Oct. 30. Davis had three kills and three blocks against the Bulldogs, who escaped with a 28-26, 25-17 victory over the Toppers for their third straight regional championship.

Staunton Sinks Topper Title Shot

Like most teams in the South Central Conference, it has been a while since Hillsboro has beaten Staunton in volleyball. The Bulldogs came into the championship game of the North Mac Regional with a … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/3/25

Nokomis' Addison Glenn had 17 kills in the Redskins' regional semifinal win over Christ Our Rock Lutheran on Wednesday, Oct. 29, in Nokomis, including number 1,000 for her career. Glenn and the Redskins will now play in the regional championship game on their home floor on Thursday, Oct. 30, against Carlyle.

Redskins Advance To Championship

There are a lot of ways to handle adversity. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, Nokomis seniors Addison Glenn and Kinley Stolte chose violence. With kills leader Mackenzie Mehochko out with an ankle injury, the … more

10/30/25

Record 24th Win Sends Toppers To Title Game

The Hillsboro and Auburn volleyball teams squared off for the third time this season on Tuesday, Oct. 28, in the semifinals of the North Mac Regional in Virden. The two teams split their first two … more

10/30/25

Litchfield sophomore McKenna Harmon (#14) was a force at the net for the Lady Panthers during their quarterfinal game at the Rochester Regional on Monday, Oct. 27. Harmon had 14 kills and six blocks in the Panthers' three-set win over Southwestern, which avenged a loss to the Piasa Birds from Oct. 16.

Lady Panthers Finish Off 2025 Season

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you...” That incomplete saying exemplifies one of the struggles for the Litchfield High School volleyball in 2025. Going into their match-up … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 10/30/25

Lincolnwood/Morrisonville’s Kylie Jack goes up for one of her two kills in the Lancers’ regional quarter final game against North Clay on Tuesday, Oct. 28. The 12th-seeded Cardinals upset the fifth-seeded Lancers in two sets on Tuesday, winning 26-24, 25-23, to move on to the semifinals of the Nokomis Regional on Wednesday.

Lady Lancers Fall In Regionals To North Clay

It’s 75 miles from Louisville (the Illinois version) to Nokomis, but the North Clay Cardinals didn’t seem to mind the trip on Tuesday, Oct. 28, as they defeated Lincolnwood in the … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 10/30/25

The Hillsboro High School football team gathered on Saturday, Oct. 25, to find out their postseason destination and get a playoff haircut or two. The Toppers will face the top-seeded Williamsville Bullets at Paul Jenkins Field, with gates opening at noon for the 1 p.m. kickoff.

Toppers Ready To Give Bullets Their Best Shot

For the fourth time since the IHSA initiated their playoff system for football, Hillsboro will invade the home field of the Williamsville Bullets to begin both teams’ hunt for a state title in … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/30/25

Lancers Fall To Salem In Semis

The Lincolnwood High School soccer team saw their season come to an end on Wednesday, Oct. 22, with an 8-0 loss to Salem at the Rochester Regional moving their final record to 7-12-2. The … more

10/30/25

Hillsboro's Rheece Malloy (#31) keeps an eye on Southwestern's Jerion Holoman during the Hiltoppers regular season finale in Piasa on Oct. 24. After going 0-9 last year, Malloy and the Hiltoppers are going back to the playoffs as they improved to 5-4 with a 57-20 victory over the Piasa Birds.

Toppers Blow Out Birds For Fifth Victory

The Hillsboro fans who followed the Toppers’ football team to Piasa Friday night, Oct. 24, outnumbered the Piasa Southwestern Birds fans and were rewarded with a 56-14 win over the outmanned … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 10/27/25

Nokomis senior Nicholas Huston turns the corner and sprints toward the end zone for his first career touchdown on Friday, Oct. 24, in the Redskins' 63-21 victory over Arcola. Nokomis will trade one 'cola for another in the playoffs as they are scheduled to take on Tuscola on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m.

Redskins Prepare For Battle Against Tuscola

It’s been three years since the last “Cola Wars” when Tuscola defeated Arcola 30-13 on Aug. 26, 2022, the 109th meeting of the two rivals, but Nokomis found out on Saturday that … more

10/27/25

Jayden Ellinger (#55), Litchfield's top tackler on the season, got a chance to contribute on offense in his final game for the Panthers, gaining 25 yards on a reception in the second half against Vandalia on Friday, Oct. 24. It proved to be the Vandals' day, however, as a flag negated the gain and Vandalia went on to win 49-14 to finish their season with a 9-0 record.

Vandals Beat Litchfield To Finish Undefeated

The fastest nine weeks of a high school athlete’s career came to halt for the Purple Panthers football team on Friday evening, Oct. 24, as Litchfield closed out their football season with a … more

10/27/25

The Litchfield High School girls cross country team advanced to sectionals with a second place finish in the team standings at the Shelbyville Regional on Saturday, Oct. 25. From the left are Leighton Warchol, Maggie Schwab, Madison Betz, Darby Braasch, Rilynn Younker and Breanna White.

Lady Panthers 2nd At Shelbyville

The Litchfield girls cross country team put four runners in the top four to take second place at the Class 1A Shelbyville Regional on Saturday, Oct. 25, as the Lady Panthers advanced to next … more

10/27/25

The Litchfield High School boys cross country team advanced to sectionals with a sixth place finish in the team standings at the Shelbyville Regional on Saturday, Oct. 25. From the left are Fisher Ellis, Nolan Engstrom, Dawson Hemken, Braxton Kieffer, Dean Gibbs, Jake Wilson and Lucien Quarton.

PRs Send Litchfield To Sectionals

The Litchfield boys cross country team posted four personal records and two more season-best times on Saturday, Oct. 25, to move on to next Saturday’s sectional in Mattoon. The Panthers … more

10/27/25

Pictured above, in front, from the left are Jaelyn Murray, Lauren Cullison, Coach Dyke Buerkett, Josselyn Murray and Skylynn Thrasher. In back are Coach Kenny White, Breeawna Reincke, Alexis Young, Kamrynn Timo, Adaley Wessel, Lyv Fuller and Coach Katie Thacker. Not present for the photo were Justice Green and Arianna McKinney.

Seventh Grade Dragons Win Alton Tournament

The Hillsboro Junior High School seventh grade Lady Dragons won the Alton Middle School basketball tournament. Coached by Dyke Buerkett, Kenny White and Katie Thacker, this was unprecedented as … more

10/27/25

Litchfield senior Alli Frerichs celebrates with her teammates after recording her 1,000th dig during the Panthers' narrow three-set loss to Gillespie on Oct. 23. In front, from the left, are Lynzie Reid, Madi Jones, Alli Frerichs, Kyndal Law and Jada Carroll. In the back are Mataya Melchert, Lexi Logan, Brooke Braasch, Chloe Law, McKenna Harmon, Halle Rogers and Avery Stewart.

Lady Panthers Drop Two Close Ones Before Regionals

They weren’t able to come away with a win in their final two games of the regular season, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort on the part of the Litchfield High School volleyball team. … more

10/27/25

Litchfield's Brody Dykema broke a scoreless tie ten minutes into the regional championship game in Carlinville on Friday, Oct. 24, the first of two goals the Panthers scored against the host Cavaliers. Carlinville would come back from the 2-0 halftime deficit to force overtime and a penalty kick shootout, which they won 4-3 to advance to the Effingham Sectional

Cavies Beat Litchfield In Shootout

For the second game in a row, the Carlinville High School boys soccer team took a higher seeded opponent to overtime and came away with a victory on their home … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 10/27/25

Nokomis Battles Through Final Tourney

The one thing that the Nokomis volleyball team had managed to avoid during their 29-game win streak this season was adversity, but on Saturday, Oct. 25, the Lady Redskins found themselves staring it … more

10/27/25

The Hillsboro High School volleyball team honored their two seniors prior to their three-set win over Pana on Thursday, Oct. 23. From the left are Kearstynn Davis, with parents Cody and Jade McCoy, and Jossalyn Kimbro, with parents Dan and Lacy Kimbro.

Toppers Keep Pana From SCC Title

Every now and then, second place can feel like first. That was the case Thursday, Oct. 23, when the Hillsboro High School volleyball team knocked off Pana in three sets to put themselves in a … more

10/27/25