Sports | The Journal-News

Litchfield Girls Shut Out Cavaliers, Hawknadoes

The Litchfield girls soccer team picked up their first South Central Conference win of the year on Thursday, April 11, as they knocked off Carlinville 1-0 at Lloyd Hill Field. The lone goal came … more

4/18/24

Rhys Riggs (left) and Ryder Dettman teamed up to land three keepers weighing in at 8.84 pounds at the Sangchris Lake Sectional on Thursday, May 2, including a 5.5 pounder that earned Dettman big bass for the tourney. That was good overall and punched Hillsboro's ticket to the IHSA State Tournament for the second time in the program's history.

Toppers Heading Back To State

For the second time in the program's history, the Hillsboro High School bass fishing team is going to state. Ryder Dettman and Rhys Riggs, along with head coach and driver Mike Kershaw, landed … more

5/6/24

Lancers Rout Lutheran, Lanphier

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville baseball team picked up two decisive victories on May 9 and 11 as they defeated Springfield Lutheran 19-0 and Lanphier 20-1. For their Thursday MSM Conference game … more

5/13/24

Lady Panthers Host Cavies, Comets

The Litchfield High School girls golf team hosted players from Carlinville and Greenville on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at the Litchfield Country Club. Keeley Tabor led the Lady Panthers with a 54 on … more

9/5/23

Hillsboro senior Kinley Richardson scored twice against Staunton on Saturday, April 13, but a late goal by the Lady Bulldogs tied the game up at 2-2 going into regulation. Luck wasn't on the Toppers' side on Saturday as they hit the post with one shot in overtime, then fell to Staunton 2-1 in penalty kicks for their first South Central Conference lost of the season.

Staunton Gets Past Toppers In Penalty Kicks

Hillsboro Coach Dave Mattson knew it was coming, but he also knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. Back on March 30, Mattson was in the stands in Litchfield when Staunton junior Samantha … more

4/18/24

Lincolnwood catcher Tucker Armentrout couldn't do much else but wait as Kannon Jonas scored the tying run for Nokomis in the bottom of the seventh inning of the MSM Conference game between the two rivals on May 3. Ian Keller was not far behind Jonas as the Redskins plated two runs in the inning to escape with a 6-5 win.

Nokomis Rallies To Beat Lancers

When the Nokomis and Lincolnwood-Morrisonville baseball teams faced off for the first time on April 24, the Redskins held off a seventh inning rally to beat the Lancers by one, 6-5. On Friday, May 3, … more

5/6/24

Panthers Face Tough Test In Griffins

With regional play on the doorstep of the Purple Panthers’ schedule, the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team was able to squeeze in a game Saturday, May 11, with a trip to Glen Carbon to battle … more

5/13/24

Litchfield's Mannix Hancock (left) opened up plenty of holes for fellow senior AJ Sypherd this season so it was only right that the pair earned not one, but two spots on the South Central Conference all-conference first team.

12 Panthers Earn All-SCC Honors

A breakthrough season for the Litchfield-Mt. Olive football team yielded the Purple Panthers 12 spots on this year’s all-conference list, tied for the second most this season. The … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/9/23

Lady Toppers Take Third At Pana Invite

The Hillsboro girls track team was small in numbers, but big in points on Saturday, April 13, in Pana as the Lady Hiltoppers finished third in the team standings at the Panthers’ invitational. … more

4/18/24

Gasperson Supplies The '0' In 20th Win

Drake Gasperson could have only dreamt of the perfect ending to his high school career as a Litchfield/Mt. Olive baseball player. On senior night, Gasperson took the ball on the mound and produced … more

5/6/24

Litchfield Head Coach Rocky Giannuzzi gives Landon Wernsing the green light going around third as the Purple Panthers scored their seventh run of the game against Staunton on Saturday, May 11. The run was Litchfield's last in their 7-2 win over the Bulldogs that tied the program record for wins with 24.

Panthers Tie Record With 24th Win

Playing good baseball entering postseason play is the goal for all managers, and the Litchfield-Mt. Olive Purple Panthers have been on a roll as they have rambled off five straight wins, including a … more

5/13/24

He’s been a Chief, a Commodore, Top Tier, a Mohawk, a Knight and a Lancers, but on Monday, Nov. 20, Morrisonville senior Lance Weitekamp added a new mascot to his repertoire, a Jaguar, as he signed to play baseball and continue his education at Danville Area Community College after graduation. Pictured with Weitekamp are his parents, Jean and Jeff Weitekamp.

Journal-News On The Line: Lance Weitekamp, Morrisonville

Baseball has been Morrisonville senior Lance Weitekamp’s love since he was little, but like some loves, baseball hasn’t always reciprocated. In 2022, at the Montgomery County Baseball … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/22/23

Litchfield Boys Cruise Past Cavaliers

In a rare Thursday night boys basketball affair, the Purple Panthers welcomed the Cavaliers from Carlinville to Simmons Gym on Jan. 25. This would be the second match-up between the two schools, as … more

1/29/24

Panthers Show Versatility To Take Second

The Litchfield boys track team snapped up 13 top five finishes, including four wins, as they took second as a team at the Pana Invitational on Saturday, April 13. The Purple Panthers finished … more

4/18/24

The throw from the catcher skitters past the glove of Father McGivney shortstop Julia Behrmann and the left foot of Nokomis' Cloey Dirks during the bottom of the fourth inning of the Lady Redskins' home game on May 3. Dirks, who stole second earlier, didn't spend long on third as she stole home for one of Nokomis' 14 runs in their 14-7 win over the Griffins.

Nokomis Gets The Jump On Griffins

A nine-run first inning set the tone for the Nokomis Lady Redskins on Friday, May 3, as they defeated Father McGivney 14-7 in Nokomis After back-to-back walks to start the game, Jayde Gonet … more

5/6/24

Litchfield's Izabella Fenton (left) and Father McGivney's Lilly Gilbertson were shoulder to shoulder going around the second turn on the opening leg of the 4x400, the final race of the day at the Class 1A North Mac Sectional on May 9. Gilbertson's Griffins would finish first in the 1600 meter race, with Fenton and teammates Gracie Boden, Brooke Braasch and Kendall Stewart coming in second to earn on of Litchfield's six state qualifying berths in Virden.

Lady Panthers Send Six To State

The relays have been a strong suit for the Litchfield girls track team all season long and on Thursday, May 9, the Lady Panthers received another payoff for their hard work. The 4x100 and 4x400 … more

5/13/24

Hillsboro seniors Ketch Mills (left) and Jace Stewart were two of the bright spots for the Toppers this season as the pair earned first team South Central Conference all-conference accolades for their play this season.

Eight Great For Toppers In SCC

Eight players from the Hillsboro High School football team earned all-conference recognition this season as this year’s honorees were announced this week. more

by Kyle Herschelman | 11/9/23

Sandwiched in between Hillsboro's Kamdin Civitate (#34) and Jace Stewart, Litchfield's Victor McGill rises up for two of his 24 points in the Panthers' 63-32 victory over the Hiltoppers in both teams' first game at the Rick McGraw Memorial Invitational on Jan. 13. McGill nailed a three-pointer to start the game, becoming the 17th member of the program's 1,000 point club.

Panthers Beat Toppers In Opener

Two items of dramatic interest were decided early last Saturday afternoon, Jan. 13, 2024, when Hillsboro’s boys’ varsity basketball team took the floor against the host Litchfield Purple … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 1/16/24

Gillespie Holds Off Lady Hiltoppers

Fresh off a Macoupin County Tournament title and securing their first 20-win season since 2016, the Gillespie girls basketball team is in the midst of a memorable year. The Miners are also in the … more

1/29/24

Vanden Bergh, Engelman Get Wins At Staunton

The Nokomis girls track team finished in the top half of the team standings at the Bulldogs vs. Cancer Invitational on Friday, April 12, placing fifth with 84 points. With ten top five finishes, … more

4/18/24