Sports | The Journal-News

2023 A Test For Hillsboro Baseball Team

When a team in any sport on any level wins only 10% of their games, multiple reasons come together, and all are hard to separate. The physical, statistical reasons are easier to sniff out than the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/30/23

Litchfield Shares The Wealth In Wins

If any opposing coaches hoped that the Litchfield boys soccer team would cool off after their overtime win over Hillsboro on Sept. 5, they are extremely disappointed. The Panthers picked up three … more

9/14/23

The MSM Conference traveling trophy for volleyball hasn’t had to go too far lately thanks to 105 straight conference wins for the Lutheran Crusaders. That streak came to an end on Tuesday, Sept. 19, with Nokomis’ three-set victory over the parochial powerhouse, allowing the Redskins to bring the trophy back with them to Montgomery County. In front, from the left are Maddison DeWerff, Grace King, Presley Mehochko, Camryn Engelman and Becca Hill. In the back are Remi Tester, Reaghan Jonas, Elizabeth Hill, Kinley Stolte, Mackenzie Mehochko and Addison Glenn.

Nokomis Slays The Crusaders

With four state trophies, 10 regional titles and 438 wins in 604 games, Coach Katie McCulley’s Springfield Lutheran volleyball teams have been the gold standard for area in Class 1A. In the MSM … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 9/21/23

Hillsboro Girls Stymie Southwestern In Piasa

The Hillsboro girls basketball team held Southwestern to just five points in the second and third quarter as they beat the Piasa Birds 44-26 in the South Central Conference opener for both teams. The … more

12/4/23

Addy Beal 6th At Coles County

Farmersville junior drag racer Addy Beal has improved in each of her three point seasons in which she has raced, with her most recent season her best yet. After finishing tenth in 2021 and … more

2/29/24

Lincolnwood's Jenna Matli hustles to first during the Lancers' home game with Auburn on Friday, April 5. While the Lancers lost that game 13-3, with all 13 runs coming from the fourth inning on, Matli was a bright spot with two hits and a run scored. She continued her hot streak the following day with two more hits in the Lancers' 11-1 win over Greenfield-Northwestern.

Lincolnwood Bounces Back After Auburn Loss

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville softball team finally got back on the field on Friday, April 5, as they welcomed Lincolnwood grad and Auburn Coach Ryan Patterson to town after a week-long layoff. With … more

4/8/24

The Impact FC 2009 boys soccer team were honored at CITY Park on Sunday, July 2, in recognition of finishing first in their division in the St. Louis Youth Soccer Association league. In front, from the left, are Jacob Lenczycki, Owen Fuller, Kohl Fuller, CJ Matthews, Nick Fetter, Cambren Buzick, Nolan Meyer, Ryker Witt, Landon Wernsing, Alec Pollard and Coach Zach Wieland. In the back are Coach Travis Matthews, Korbin Johnson, Cooper Martin, Brody Dykema, St. Louis CITY forward Nicholas Gioacchini, Casson Schmidt and Will Wujek. Not pictured are Landen Lipe and Jaxson Ray.

Impact Honored At CITY Park

The players from the Impact FC 2009 boys soccer team got the opportunity to do what most young athletes dream of and set foot on the same field on which the professionals play, on Sunday, July 2. … more

7/17/23

With the Best of Show Award winning 1961 Chevy Impala convertible, front row from the left are car show organizers Rod and Amy Stewart, and in back trophy craftsman Tony Marcolini, winner Floyd Klaus, 2022 Old Settlers Queen Marah Huber, and trophy sponsors President Earl Flack and Hillsboro store manager Adrianne Kamer of McKay NAPA.

'61 Impala Wins Best Of Show

A 1961 Chevy Impala convertible, owned by Floyd Klaus of Highland, won best of show at the Old Settlers car show on Sunday, Aug. 6. The top car earned its owner a spectacular wood trophy, … more

8/10/23

Lincolnwood’s win over Father McGivney in the gold bracket semifinal at the Montgomery County Invitational Grace Tourament on Saturday, Sept. 9, not only put the Lancers in the championship game for the trophy, but it was thought to be the program’s 1,000th victory. Despite the best efforts of Head Coach Kimberly Denney and Journal-News Sports Editor Kyle Herschelman to nail down the win total in advance, the victory was actually Lincolnwood’s 1,002nd, with the milestone coming the day before against Mt. Olive. In front, from the left, are Taryn Millburg, Taryn Clarke, Morgan Hampton and Camryn Poggenpohl. In the back are Head Coach Kimberly Denney, Zaragoza Guzman, Morgan Cowdrey, Tori Elvidge, Kierstyn Denney, Jazmin Seaton-Hobson, Ella Jenkins and former head coach and program founder Mary Hammersley.

Lancers Celebrate 1,000 Wins... A Day Later

In addition to winning the Montgomery County Invitational Grace Tournament for the second year in a row, the Lincolnwood volleyball team also made a little history over the weekend as they picked up … more

9/14/23

Vandals Hand Hiltoppers First Loss In SCC Prequel

The Vandalia boys golf team handed Hillsboro their first loss of the season on Monday, Sept. 18, but the Toppers did manage to earn a share of medalist honors for the match. Shooting a 163, the … more

9/21/23

Hillsboro Seventh At Kaskaskian Classic

Perhaps because it was the earliest game on the last day of the Kaskaskian Classic in Carlyle on Saturday, Dec. 2, the crowd was more like a small gathering, but three firsts occured during the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 12/4/23

Seven-year-old Huntley Durbin, son of Jon Durbin and Jordan Butler, finished first at the AMA Mid-East Youth Regional Qualifier at Baja Acres in Millington, MI, on June 10-11, to earn his spot for nationals later this year at Lorretta Lynn’s Ranch in Tennessee.

Durbin Earns Another Shot At Nationals

Hillsboro seven-year-old Huntley Durbin is heading back to the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Lorretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN, on July 31 through Aug. 5. … more

6/15/23

Lincolnwood-Morrisonville’s Kierstyn Denney, Annika Rhodes, Elizabeth Hill and Rebecca Hill all played for the Springfield Shock at the AAU Nationals in Florida in June, with Denney playing for the 16 Spark, Rhodes playing for the 17 Spark and the Hills playing for the 16 Surge.

County Plays At Volleyball Nationals

The wave four of the AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships had a bit of a Montgomery County flair to them this year as five high school players competed against some of the nation’s best … more

7/17/23

Nokomis Wins Again In MSM Opener

Following a 4-1 performance and a second straight third place finish at the Montgomery County Invitational Grace Tournament over the weekend, the Nokomis volleybal team was back in action on Monday, … more

9/14/23

Castleberry Medals Twice For Lancers

Zeke Castleberry earned medalist honors in both of Lincolnwood’s matches to start the week as the Lancer boys golf team improved their record to 28-8 this season. Castleberry shot a … more

9/21/23

Purple Panthers Leave Lebanon In The Dust

After nearly a week since taking fourth place in the Bill Rucks Thanksgiving Tournament, the Litchfield Purple Panthers were back on the hardwood Friday night, Dec. 1 in Lebanon. In the past five … more

12/4/23

Miners No-Hit Litchfield In SCC Clash

To be the best you have to beat the best, and on Friday afternoon, April 5, the Litchfield-Mt. Olive baseball team needed be ready to meet that challenge. The challenge? The two-time South Central … more

4/8/24

On just about any Tuesday or Friday morning, plus Thursday evenings, you can hear the sound of plastic hitting paddle at open play for the Panhandle Picklers pickleball group. From the left are Pat Pope, Ginny Brockmeyer, Jean Fuchs, Marcia Osterholt, Sandy Smith, Robin Riggs, Linda Hocking, Kathy Johnson and Rhonda Sanford.

Panhandle Picklers Ready To Have A Ball

If you haven’t heard of pickleball by this point, you’re probably living under a rock. According to an article on pickleball website The Dink , an estimated 36.5 million people played … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 6/15/23

Lentz In Second In Crossroads Series

Going into round six of the Crossroads Cross Country Series, Walshville’s Travis Lentz sits just three points outside of first in the Youth Bikes overall points, despite missing one of the … more

7/17/23

Lancers Win 3-Set Thriller

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville volleyball team had a pair of three set games on either side of their victory at the Montgomery County Invitational Grace Tournament, including a dramatic comeback … more

9/14/23