Area Sports
Hasheider-Burianek Named Coach of the Year
By Travis Volz Her basketball team won a sectional championship, and Michelle Hasheider-Burianek was named IBCA Coach of the Year. Not bad for someone fighting a much bigger battle. Despite battling cancer all year after a diagnosis last summer, Hasheider-Burianek was able to put together a postseason run to the Lady Rockets’ first super-sectional game…
Read MoreDancer’s College Performances Comes To An End
Nealey Ritzel’s dancing journey that started at age three has some to a milestone 19 years later. She has had her last performance with the Code Red Dance team at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. When her Tracey Ritzel enrolled her daughter in a tap and ballet class, she thought it might be some…
Read MoreTwo Hornettes Earn IBCA All State Honors
Two Nashville Hornettes earned IBCA All State honors following the end of the basketball season. Senior classmates Rylee Luechtefeld and Sabrina Kollbaum earned Special Mention in theIBCA 2A All State Lists. Nashville advanced to the sectional championship games, when the Hornettes fell to state finalist Carterville.
Read MoreOkawville ACES Team Finishes Second at SWIC Sectional
The Okawville High School Academic Challenge for Engineering/Science (ACES) team won second place in the small school Sectional Championship competition held at Southwestern Illinois College on Friday, March 6. The team will advance to State level competition if it is not cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Individuals placing were: Lindsey Averbeck – 1st in…
Read MoreLocal Ref Officiates At Girls State Tournament
Jim Teter was recently assigned to officiate the IHSA Girls State 3A/4A series in Normal, IL at Redbird Arena. This was his first time officiating at the state tournament. Teter was picked by the IHSA to officiate, based on annual ratings of coaches. He was among the 12 referees officiating the tournament. Teter’s first State…
Read MoreCollege Baseball Players See Limited Action
College Baseball Players See Limited Action College sports fans have already lost out on postseason basketball action due to the coronavirus pandemic, and it looks like spring sports will be negatively affected as well. Baseball and softball seasons have seen postponements and cancellations, so local athletes have not been able to compete on college diamonds.…
Read MoreCollege Softballers’ Seasons in Flux
The college softball season is underway, and area players saw some action before the coronavirus forced game and season cancellations this month. Read more about local athletes waiting in the wings in this week’s issue, including Lauren Heckert, Mackenzie McFeron, Alli Liske, Joey Lane, Jordan Stiegman and Brooke Burcham.
Read MoreJunior High Volleyball Ends Season on High Note
With both the state tournament and the conference tournament canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Okawville Junior Lady Rockets volleyball team ended their season with two wins in three matches last week. The week began with wins over both Nashville (18-25, 25-5, 15-11) and Lebanon (25-18, 25-21). Their winning streak ended at five matches…
Read MoreSeveral Area Players Honored by IBCA
Area basketball players have received recognition by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. Okawville Rocket Jackson Heckert was named to the 1A Third Team. Freeburg Midget Luke Ervie of St. Libory was named to the 2A First Team. Nashville Hornet Carson Parker was named to the 2A Third Team. Hornets Terry Pelcynski and Tristan Hercules were…
Read MoreJunior Lady Rocket Netters Notch Three Big Wins
The Okawville Junior High Lady Rockets volleyball team had a big week with three wins against teams in their regional. They defeated Aviston (25-21, 25-18), Germantown (25-14, 22-25, 15-11) and Bartelso (24-26, 25-19, 15-7). The seventh grade team won two of the three matches last week, defeating Aviston (25-23, 23-25, 15-10) and Germantown (25-12, 25-9)…
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