Sports | The Journal-News

Cyclones Beat Panthers In Battle Of Unbeatens

Finishing a high school baseball season in Illinois undefeated is a very taunting task, almost unthinkable. In Illinois since 1950, there have only been three high school baseball teams who have … more

4/1/24

Panthers' Readenour Ties Up Pretzels In Win

Litchfield-Mt. Olive received a stellar performance on the mound from Lili Readenour and scored five runs in the final three innings to beat New Berlin 6-2 on Saturday, April 29. Pitching on the … more

5/1/23

Tennis Toppers Beat Vandals For Third Victory

In a match characterized by good competition and some long rallies, the Hillsboro girls tennis team picked up their third victory of the season on Thursday, Sept. 7, with an 8-1 win over Vandalia at … more

9/11/23

In front, from the left are Kaylee Gerlach, Ariana McDaniel-Stewart, Taryn Clarke, Alea Wagahoft and Khloe Klinger. In the middle are Zachary Sale, Cooper Poggenpohl, Kennady Cook, Brady Schmedeke, Jonah Elvidge, Jared Klein, Donny Daugherty and Drew Gilpin. In the back are Zoey Hunt, Abilene Norris, Camryn Poggenpohl, Kirsten Pope, Kinley Morris, Luke Armentrout, Brayden Morris, Tucker Armentrout, Izeck Matli, Karson Hayes, Gabe Armentrout, Callie Beeler, Rian Deardorff, Hannah Jostes and Braylin Crawford.

Lancers Get 1,000th Win

On Nov. 30, 1962, the newly formed Lincolnwood High School boys basketball team picked up its first win with a 68-37 victory over Pawnee on the Indians’ home court. Sixty-one years, one … more

by Kyle Herschelman | 1/4/24

After becoming the first Litchfield wrestler to win a girls wrestling regional title, freshman Rilynn "Rino" Younker made history again with the school's first sectional title and state qualifying berth in girls wrestling on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Peoria.

It's The Year Of The Rino

Saturday, Feb. 10, was the first day of the Lunar New Year and while the Chinese zodiac says that it’s the year of the Dragon, everyone in Peoria found out quickly that it is actually the year … more

2/12/24

Litchfield Gets Past Staunton In 10th

After starting the season 8-0, a target has begun to form on the Litchfield/Mt. Olive baseball team. On Thursday evening, March 28, the Staunton Bulldogs looked to strike that target at Grizzlies … more

4/1/24

Hillsboro Boys Lock Up Fourth At Trump Relays

The Hillsboro High School boys track team finished fourth at the Bert Trump Relays at Southwestern High School on Tuesday, April 25, picking up one win and several top five finishes. The Toppers … more

5/1/23

Helping to dedicate the new grandstand were Missy Dean, Junior Miss Nataleigh Jackson, Little Miss Karsyn Jones, Miss Montgomery County Fair Alexis Lessman, Debbie Compton, Montgomery County Fair Board President Mary Bishop, John Eickhoff and Terry Leitschuh.

County Fair Honors Four Longtime Volunteers

Before this year’s first full pull, members of the Montgomery County Fair Board took a few minutes to pay tribute to four long-time volunteers at the fair’s truck and tractor pulls on … more

by Mary (Galer) Herschelman | 6/29/23

Lady Panthers Win SCC Opener In Three

After falling to Hillsboro and Pawnee in their previous two games, the Litchfield High School volleyball team picked up a key win on Thursday, Sept. 7, in their South Central Conference opener … more

9/11/23

Hillsboro's Zander Wells (left) locks up with Tiffin Kouzoukas of Benton during their quarterfinal match at the Vandalia Sectional on Friday, Feb. 9. Wells defeated Kouzoukas in an 11-5 decision one of three wins on the weekend as the senior went on to finish third and qualify for the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament for the first time.

Wells Far From Done With Wrestling

The COVID pandemic may keep Zander Wells from 100 wins in his prep wrestling career, but nothing was going to stop the Hillsboro High School senior from a trip to state. On Saturday, Feb. 10, … more

2/12/24

Nokomis Splits MSM Series With Pawnee

The Nokomis baseball team’s home-and-home series with Pawnee on March 28 and 29 was the baseball equivalent of the internet meme where the two Spider-Mans are pointing at one another. The two … more

4/1/24

Lady Hiltoppers Take Top Spot In Sprint Medley

Despite entering just seven events, the Hillsboro girls track team still managed to pick up enough points to finish seventh in the standings at the Bert Trump Relays at Southwestern High School on … more

5/1/23

Adam Meisenheimer of Litchfield took first in the MITTP Super Stock Four-Wheel Drive class at the Montgomery County Fair truck pulls on Sunday, June 25, pulling 339.61 feet to take the top spot.

Fair Holds First Pulls Without Walker, Leitschuh

Two staples of the Montgomery County pulling community were absent from the announcers booth for the 2023 Montgomery County Fair tractor and truck pulls in Butler on June 25, but those who … more

6/29/23

Last year nearly 40 former Panthers took the floor for the Litchfield High School Alumni Game, held after the school’s girls and boys basketball Purple and White Games. Organizers are hoping for another big turnout for this year’s game, which will be on Saturday, Nov. 18.

Litchfield Alumni Game Is Back, Better Start Stretching

Litchfield High School will once again hold an alumni basketball game in conjunction with their annual girls and boys basketball Purple and White Games on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Simmons Gym. One of … more

9/11/23

Litchfield's Vincent Moore leans in to put more leverage on the shoulder of Salem's Aden Doolen during their match on Friday, Feb. 9, at the Vandalia Sectional. Moore won that match en route to a second place finish at 106 pounds as he earned his second straight trip to the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament.

Moore Earns Second Straight State Trip

Vincent Moore got a taste of state wrestling last year, but this year, the Litchfield sophomore is ready for a whole meal. Moore, whose two losses at state last year were to the fourth and … more

2/12/24

Lady Redskins Beat Shelbyville, Lose To Pawnee

The Nokomis High School softball team split two games to end the month of March as they defeated Shelbyville on March 27, before losing a close game to Pawnee on March 29. On Wednesday, the Lady … more

4/1/24

Nokomis' Cade Johnson (#13) had a front row seat as teammate Garrett Engelman, Hillsboro pitcher Landon Summers and the ball all reached home plate at the same time during the Redskins' game in Hillsboro on April 27. Summers was upended and Engelman was safe as the Redskins went on to win 11-0 in five innings.

Redskins Upend Hillsboro In Five Innings

When Nokomis’ baseball team visited Hillsboro Thursday afternoon, April 27, a wise predictor could have called the outcome even before the first pitch. After all, Nokomis was above .500; the … more

by Ron Deabenderfer | 5/1/23

The Lincolnwood-Morrisonville-Pawnee boys and girls golf teams competed in the MSM Conference Tournament on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at Edgewood Golf Course in Auburn. The Lincolnwood girls won this year’s tournament with a 418, while the Lincolnwood boys shot a 356 to finish second behind South County. From the left are Rian Deardorff, Brady Schmedeke, Kaylee Gerlach, Lance Weitekamp, Bryce Cowdrey and Luke Pope. In the back are Jenna Matli, Zeke Castleberry, Carly Armentrout, Anna Jones, Kennady Klinger and Jared Klein. Armentrout was the girls individual medalist, while Gerlach, Matli, Jones and Klinger joined her on the all-conference team. Cowdrey, Castleberry and Weitekamp all made all-conference on the boys’ side.

Lady Lancers Score MSM Tourney Title

Last year, the Lincolnwood girls golf team won the MSM Conference Tournament by a little. By three strokes over South County to be exact. This year, the Lady Lancers won by a lot. On Wednesday, Sept. … more

9/11/23

Pawnee's Isabella Carlisle (#21) and Ashlyn Kern (#15) converge on Nokomis freshman Alivia Sabol during pool play action at the Nokomis Fall Tipoff on Friday, Nov. 17. Sabol had nine points in Nokomis' 45-33 victory over the Indians and averaged 11 points and 5.7 rebounds per game during the tournament to help the Redskins take the title at the inaugural event.

Nokomis Tops At Tipoff

Their path to a championship may have been a little more interesting than they would have liked, but the Nokomis girls basketball team will take it as they won the inaugural Nokomis Fall Tipoff with … more

11/20/23

Panthers Put A Scare Into Auburn In Regional Opener

The beauty of the postseason is that everyone starts with the same record: 0-0. Auburn found that out first hand on Saturday, Feb. 10, as the 16-win Trojans nearly lost to the three-win Litchfield … more

2/12/24