Saluki Football picked seventh in MVFC Preseason Poll

July 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ST. LOUIS – Southern Illinois has been picked to finish the season seventh in the 2013 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Poll, which was released Monday morning. The poll consists of votes from the coaches, local media and sports information directors of the 10-team conference. Two-time defending national champion North Dakota State is the unanimous pick to win the conference.

MyCole Pruitt led the team with 49 receptions and 577 yards in 2012.

MyCole Pruitt led the team with 49 receptions and 577 yards in 2012.

The Salukis finished the 2012 season with a 6-5 overall record and tied for third place in the MVFC with a 5-3 conference mark despite also being picked seventh in last year’s preseason poll.

The MVFC also announced the Preseason Team. Junior tight end MyCole Pruitt earned a spot on the team, and senior punter Austin Pucylowski is an honorable mention.

Pruitt was a first-team All-MVFC selection and third-team All-American following the 2012 season. He led all tight ends in the Valley with 49 receptions, 577 yards and four touchdowns in 2012. Nationally he ranked fourth in receiving yards and sixth in the nation with 4.5 receptions per game. Pruitt has also been named a preseason second-team All-American by The Sports Network and Phil Steele this preseason.

Pucylowski was an All-MVFC honorable mention following the 2012 season. He ranked third in the conference and 20th in the nation in net punting with a 36.7 average. In addition he was second in the conference with 71 punts for 2,855 punting yards and averaged 40.2 yards per punt with 23 punts inside the 20.

SIU will open training camp on Sunday, Aug. 4 and start the season on Saturday, Aug. 31 on the road against Illinois.

2013 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Poll

School (First Place Votes) Points
1. North Dakota State (39) 390
2. South Dakota State 269
3. Northern Iowa 269
4. Illinois State 264
5. Youngstown State 253
6. Indiana State 197
7. Southern Illinois 188
8. Missouri State 123
9. Western Illinois 77
10. South Dakota
Filed Under: Benton High School Sports, Christopher High School Sports, College Sports, Franklin Co. News, High School Sports, Sesser-Valier High School Sports, Thompsonville High School Sports, West Frankfort High School Sports, Zeigler-Royalton High School Sports

Saluki Basketball and Football Notebook

July 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

By Tom Weber
Saluki Media Services

With Saluki fans hungry for any kind of tidbits about next year’s men’s basketball team, here’s a quick scouting report on the nine newcomers, based on observations from 90 minutes of practice time during the past week.

siu bball logo

Mike Balogun: Good 3-point stroke, athletic, competitive

Marcus Fillyaw: Sees the court well, good passer, doesn’t look to score

Hunter Gibson: Solid build, spot-up shooter, hairline makes him look older than 22

KC Goodwin: Quickest player on the team, rail-thin, unorthodox jumper

Sean O’Brien: Inside and outside threat, good feel for the game, potential All-Freshman team

Bola Olaniyan: Raw but powerful, not a leaper, good long-term potential

Tyler Smithpeters: Great feel for the game, 3-point shooter, skinny

Bronson Verhines: Does a little bit of everything well, limited by his lack of size and strength

Dawson Verhines: More muscular than his brother, competitive, knows the game

It’s much too early to draw conclusions, but fun to speculate. O’Brien looks like the cream of the crop among the new players and could be a candidate for the All-Freshman team. He already demonstrates the best post-up moves on the team, and at 6-foot-6 and 195 pounds, is technically a guard. Balogun is the most athletic of the newcomers. Given time and continued development, there’s a chance freshmen Olaniyan, Smithpeters and Goodwin could become solid MVC players during the course of their careers.

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Questions abound with this team. Who will take over at point guard? How will the team offset its lack of size? How much improvement will young veterans like Anthony Beane and Jalen Pendleton make? Can injury-prone Davante Drinkard and Josh Swan stay healthy? Desmar Jackson is one of the most gifted players in the MVC, but will that translate into an All-Conference-type season?

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My first impression at practice was that this is not an “airport” team. Of course, Southern has never been an airport team that flaunts its 7-footers. The tallest starter in the past 12 years was 6-foot-9 Brad Korn. The Salukis have made up for it in the past with muscular, athletic kids, though this year’s team has only two players who weigh more than 200 pounds (Drinkard and Olaniyan).

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The non-conference schedule is almost complete. A few dates are still tentative, but the home schedule will feature Saint Louis, Western Kentucky, Ball State and SIUE. The road slate includes Missouri, Austin Peay, Chicago State, Murray State and Miami University. The Salukis will play in an eight-team tournament at a neutral site in Florida right before Thanksgiving. The entire field will consist of mid-majors.

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Some football roster notes…kicker Jackson MacLachlan, cornerback Tay Griffin and fullback PJ Ellis will not return for the 2013 season. MacLachlan kicked in three games last year before losing his starting job to Austin Johnson. He will be best remembered for kicking the game-winning field goal in a 20-18 win over Missouri State in 2011.

The start of training camp is just 25 days away. The Salukis will lace ‘em up for the first practice on Sunday, Aug. 4.

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With Saluki Athletics celebrating 100 Years of Saluki Football and Basketball, an exciting opportunity for you to participate will begin in about two weeks, as fans will get to vote on the All-Century team. The Football team will consist of 50 players with fans voting on-line at SIUSalukis.com.

Filed Under: Benton News, Christopher News, Coello News, College Sports, Franklin Co. News, Royalton News, Sesser News, Thompsonville News, Uncategorized, Valier News, West City News, West Frankfort News, Zeigler News

Du Quoin hurdler Mapps signs with RLC

July 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

INA, Ill. (July 1, 2013) – The Warrior Track and Field team added one more today as Austin Mapps of Du Quoin signed a national letter of intent to run hurdles at Rend Lake College.

Mapps, son of Tracy Mapps of Du Quoin, ran the 110 and 300 meter hurdles for the Du Quoin High School Indians last year as a senior, where he set personal records of 15.3 seconds in the 110 meter race and 39.9 seconds in the 300 meter race. Also during his athletic career at Du Quoin, Mapps competed in middle and long hurdles, and relays.

At RLC, Mapps will compete in the 400 meter hurdles for the Track and Field team, said Head Coach James Wooldridge, and he will also run on the Cross Country team to keep in shape.

Mapps had a bit of a scare on his road to the high school state finals, where he finished top three.

“I hurt my foot at a Sectional meet, but I never got a diagnosis. I was warming up and went over a hurdle when I landed, kind of awkwardly, on my heel. It sent this weird shock through my leg, but I went on with the race to make sure I qualified for State and got the job done,” said Mapps. “I qualified for State, but I think I could’ve done better. It’s still giving me a little bit of trouble, but nothing bad. I want to be the best I can be. I feel like I have a lot of room for improvement.”

Coach Wooldridge didn’t seem fazed by the injury, showing confidence in his newest competitor.

“He sounds like he’s versatile. He’s going to be alright and he’s going to progress and get stronger,” said Wooldridge.

Mapps said he plans to major in business while at RLC with no definite plans for the future. After graduating from RLC, he said he plans to attend a 4-year university to continue running hurdles. He credited RLC’s proximity to his home and friends already attending as reasons for why he chose Rend Lake.

Austin Mapps, Center, signs a national letter of intent Monday morning to compete in Track and Field at Rend Lake College. With Mapps was, from left, Head Cross Country and Assistant Track Coach Kent Leek of Du Quoin High School, Head Coach for RLC James Wooldridge, Mapps, Assistant Coach at RLC Matt Jackson and Head Track and Field Coach Derek Beard of Du Quoin High School. Mapps will be competing in the 400 meter hurdles for the Warriors. (ReAnne Palmer / RLC Sports Information

Austin Mapps, Center, signs a national letter of intent Monday morning to compete in Track and Field at Rend Lake College. With Mapps was, from left, Head Cross Country and Assistant Track Coach Kent Leek of Du Quoin High School, Head Coach for RLC James Wooldridge, Mapps, Assistant Coach at RLC Matt Jackson and Head Track and Field Coach Derek Beard of Du Quoin High School. Mapps will be competing in the 400 meter hurdles for the Warriors. (ReAnne Palmer / RLC Sports Information

Attending the signing Monday morning with Mapps and Wooldridge was Du Quoin High School Track and Field Head Coach Derek Beard and Assistant Coach Kent Leek, along with RLC Assistant Coach Matt Jackson.

“I think one of the biggest things about Austin is that he’s a great competitor. No matter what the situation is, he’s going to compete,” said Coach Beard, who then spoke of an instance where Mapps did just that. “He came by us in the 300 meter hurdles at the State track meet in about eighth place with about 50 meters to go, and he ended up in third. He told us afterward, ‘I’m not going out in eighth place; I’m going to make a move,’ and he did.”

Coach Leek added, “When it’s time to race and time to go, he puts the extra effort in.”

Filed Under: College Sports, High School Sports

RLC holds Cheer Camp

June 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

rlc dance

Youth from Benton, Christopher and Pinckneyville attended Rend Lake College’s Summer Dance Camp this week at Waugh Gym. FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: Marlee Gant, Makena Carollo, Jocey Padivic, Ryan Wildermuth, Kallie Carollo, Ashlynn Cimera and Callie Rushing. MIDDLE ROW, FROM LEFT: Paige Powers, Cagney Kwiatkowski, Cordelia Lemons, Callie Wildermuth and Emery Bowlin. BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: Kadinz Wilson, Cailyn Fowlkes, Bailey Taylor, Aubrey Lemmon, Victoria Davis, Karlee Reyes, Keely Epplin, Paige Epplin, and Kyla Epplin. (Photo by Nathan Wheeler / RLC Public Information)

Filed Under: College Sports, Franklin Co. News, High School Sports, Uncategorized

RLC Summer Cheerleading Camp has big turnout

June 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

 

rlc cheer 1Local youth attended Rend Lake College’s Summer Cheerleading Camp this week. Pictured above with members of the RLC Cheerleading Team are, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: Micah Johnson, Kallie Carollo, Alayna White, Audrey Frey, Paige Powers and Kylee Moore. SECOND ROW, FROM LEFT: Cagney Kwiatkowski, Anna Frey, Alaina Travelstead, Mya Wilson, Mia Wills, Cailyn Fowlkes, Sarah Jones and Makena Carollo. THIRD ROW, FROM LEFT: Lillie Betts, Jordan Simms, Kenzie Cheatham, Rayanna Moore, Jessica Schilli, Nichole Kimbrough, Brittany Korando and Aimee Goetting. FOURTH ROW, FROM LEFT: Darian Menees, Sierra Calloni, Danara Jones, Tiffany Winters, Breanna Lawrence, Lacey Smith, Chloe Thies, Kenzi Tindall, Libbey Harrah and Shae Blades. BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: Sammie Simms, Taylor Williams, Ashley Delaney, Payton Tufts, June Steely, Kelsey Bate and Becky Lehnhoff.

Filed Under: College Sports, Franklin Co. News, High School Sports

Risco product McCord signs with Rend Lake College baseball

June 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

INA — Caleb McCord, an 18-year-old pitcher from Risco High School in Risco, Mo., inked a national letter of intent to play baseball at Rend Lake College.

Rend Lake College baseball recruit Caleb McCord signed his national letter of intent. Pictured with McCord are his mother, Laurie McCord, Risco High School Head Baseball Coach Brandon Blankenship (LEFT) and RLC Head Baseball Coach Tony Etnier. (Photo by Nathan Wheeler / RLC Sports Information)

The 5-10, 180-pound left-hander received all-district and all-conference nods as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was the Tri-County Conference Player of the Year as a senior and led the Risco Tigers to a banner season. For the first time in school history, the Tigers were a state-ranked program. Risco won the conference tournament behind McCord’s 19 strikeouts in the championship game.

McCord said he will major in business at RLC and would like to pursue a career as a pilot – no doubt a decision inspired by his father, who flew his own plane in for the signing.

Caleb is the son of Rick and Laurie McCord. They were joined at his signing engagement by RLC Head Coach Tony Etnier and Risco Tigers Head Coach Brandon Blankenship.

“It was a complete joy to coach Caleb,” said Blankenship. “He is a hard worker and great kid. I wish him the best of luck and I want him to know that I’m supporting him.”

“I’m really proud of him and tickled to death that he is getting to do what he wants to do,” Laurie said.

“[RLC] is a small college and I come from a small town,” McCord said when asked what he likes about Rend Lake. He added that he hopes to mature and go farther in baseball by playing under Etnier and his Warriors coaching staff. When asked what specific things he wants to develop at the collegiate level, McCord simply replied, “Throw hard.”

For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.

Filed Under: College Sports, Uncategorized

Dayton Jones gives RLC All-American finish at men’s golf nationals

May 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. – Rend Lake College golfer Dayton Jones (Hopkinsville, Ky.) finished 19th for a spot on the Second Team of NJCAA DII Men’s Golf All-Americans.

Dayton Jones

Dayton Jones

Jones carded a 76 on Friday to put him four strokes over par at 292 for the final tournament of his freshman season at Rend Lake. The 2013 NJCAA DII Men’s Golf Championships at Goose Pond Colony Plantation featured 122 golfers and some outstanding rounds – including a tournament-low 66 for medalist David Keenan of Parkland College and Steve Souchek of John A. Logan.

Jones started the tournament with a 71 and was tied for 11th. He followed that up with another 71 in the second round and moved into a tie for 9th. He slipped out of the top 10 with a three-over 74 on Thursday and shot a 76 on Friday to finish 19th.

Jones emerged this spring as RLC’s lead golfer. He tied for fourth place at the John A. Logan Spring Invite, tied for 11th at the Weist Foundation Classic in Decatur, and was The Lake’s lone national qualifier with a fourth-place tie at the Region XXIV Tournament.

South Mountain Community College in Arizona won a decisive team championship this year with four players finishing in the top 10 for combined team score of 1,139 (-13).

For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.

Filed Under: College Sports, Franklin Co. News, Uncategorized

Logan Nine end regular season with split against Rend Lake

May 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

BY JOHN D. HOMAN

Logan Media Services
MARION – Sophomore Derek Repking delivered a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning Tuesday, driving home Keelin Rasch, who had singled, as the John A. Logan College baseball team earned a 3-2 win over Rend Lake in the first game of a doubleheader.
The Warriors bounced back to win the nightcap, 7-2, to get a split and salvage one win in the three-game series.
Winning pitcher in the opener was Clint Crawley, who pitched the last four innings in relief of Anthony Spangler and Austin Denault. Spangler started and went two innings, allowing no runs on no hits. Denault surrendered two runs, one earned, in four innings of work on three hits. Crawley was only nicked for two hits, while striking out one and walking two.
Pitcher of record for the Warriors was Zack Jones.
Top hitters for Logan were John Tolliver and Joba Ferrell with two each. J.C. Davis, Anthony Bayus, Rasch and Repking had the other hits.
In Game 2, the Warriors vaulted to a 3-0 lead after one inning and increased the advantage to 5-0 before the Vols could get on the board.
Losing pitcher was starter Tyler McGowan, who worked the first four innings, allowing five runs on six hits. He struck out one.
The Vols were led offensively by Rasch and Ferrell with two base hits apiece.
Logan, now 30-23 overall, open Region 24 tournament play at 10 a.m. Thursday against Olney at Kaskaskia College in Centralia.

 

Filed Under: College Sports

Logan softball season comes to end

May 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
BY JOHN D. HOMAN
Logan Media Services
CENTRALIA – Sophomore righthander Sarah DaRosa pitched an outstanding game Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough as Olney Central College rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the seventh inning to defeat the John A. Logan College softball team, 2-1, thus eliminating the Volunteers from Region 24 tournament play.
jalc softball
DaRosa had the Knights shut out through six innings on five hits before all heck broke loose in the seventh.
After retiring the leadoff batter on a pop out to the second baseman, the Carterville native gave up a single to Megan Robinson and then walked Alexis Chapman. Pinch hitter Lindsey Fleming bounced back to DaRosa. The sophomore made an ill-advised throw to third in an attempt to force the lead runner, but the throw was late, loading the bases.
Kelsey Reker then grounded to Vols’ shortstop Jessica Hirsch, who fired home for what looked to be an unquestionable force out at the plate for the second out of the inning. The home plate umpire first ruled the lead runner out and then changed his call, saying that Logan catcher Taylor Brackett’s foot was not touching the plate. That tied the game at 1-1.
The Vols argued that the foot came off the base after receiving the throw in an attempt to avoid a collision with the runner.
The next Olney hitter, Katie Rogers, grounded to second. Infielder Jayda Rendleman fielded it and fired home high and late as the winning run scored.
Logan scored its one run in the fifth inning Ana Duda singled home Marissa Montgomery, who had singled and stolen second.
Earlier in the day, the Vols were knocked off by Wabash Valley, 8-3. Heather Johnson picked up the loss. The freshman was tagged for 14 hits.
The Vols led 1-0 in the first after Johnson’s sacrifice fly scored Jessica Hirsch. The Warriors tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame Sarah Burnham singled home Kelsey Maurer. They took a 3-1 lead in the fourth with runs batted in by Courtney Norris and Maurer. Wabash Vallley iced the game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Logan got a solo homer from Duda in the sixth and a single run in the seventh when Montgomery doubled home Sara Kroeger.
The Vols finished 30-17 overall.
Filed Under: College Sports, Uncategorized

RLC’s Sherrer, Roberts sign with Ole Miss track and field

May 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

INA, Ill. – Two sophomore runners with Rend Lake College’s track and field team signed national letters of intent to Ole Miss before stepping foot on the national stage as sophomores.

In February, mid-distance runner Holland Sherrer (Bridgetown, N.J./Cumberland Regional HS) and sprint hurdler Fred Roberts (Maple Heights, Ohio/ Orange HS) met with RLC Head Coach Jason Craig and former coaches Eric Alberter and Matt Jackson to make their commitment to Mississippi.

“I feel like the workouts and work ethic I accomplished here at Rend Lake got me ready. I feel like I’m very ready for the next level of competition.” – Sophomore Fred Roberts on signing track scholarship to Ole Miss.

“I feel like the workouts and work ethic I accomplished here at Rend Lake got me ready. I feel like I’m very ready for the next level of competition.” – Sophomore Fred Roberts on signing track scholarship to Ole Miss.

“It’s a great coaching staff at Ole Miss – a place where I can achieve what I need to do,” said Roberts. “The campus is beautiful. It’s one of the best campuses I’ve ever seen. I feel like the workouts and work ethic I accomplished here at Rend Lake got me ready. I feel like I’m very ready for the next level of competition.”

“Ole Miss will expect a lot out of the workouts they will be given there,” Craig said.

“Rend Lake – the program here was amazing,” Sherrer said. “I believe I got the training of a DI here at a Juco. I think it’s made all the difference in preparing me for the next level.”

Sherrer was a three-time conference champ and state champion in the sprint medley at Cumberland Region. Roberts was the state runner-up in the 300m hurdles and 60m hurdles at Orange.

“I think [Ole Miss] signed me because of not only what they know from my past, but what they see for me in the future,” said Roberts. “My goal is to be the best hurdler I can be and win DI nationals.”

Sherrer’s top performances at RLC include a 50.32 in the outdoor 400m dash, 1:21.71 in the indoor 600m, and 1:52.35 in the indoor 800m. Roberts’ top performances at RLC include a 7.39 in the indoor 55m, 7.09 in the indoor 60m, 24.41 in the indoor 200m, 7.38 in the indoor 55m hurdle, 7.96 in the indoor 60m hurdles, and 14.28 in the outdoor 110m hurdles. Sherrer anchored the Warriors’ national championship indoor 4x800m relay team in March.

“I believe I got the training of a DI here at a Juco.” – Sophomore Holland Sherrer on signing a track scholarship to Ole Miss. He is joined in the above photo by, FROM LEFT, former RLC Coach Matt Jackson, RLC Head Coach Jason Craig, and former RLC Coach Eric Alberter.

“I believe I got the training of a DI here at a Juco.” – Sophomore Holland Sherrer on signing a track scholarship to Ole Miss. He is joined in the above photo by, FROM LEFT, former RLC Coach Matt Jackson, RLC Head Coach Jason Craig, and former RLC Coach Eric Alberter.

“They have a new head coach [at Ole Miss] and are looking to turn the program around … and win an SCC championship,” Sherrer said. “I would love to be an All-American and All-conference. But the biggest goal is to do my part to help them win an SCC championship and get to nationals.”

Sherrer is the son of Barron and Cynthia Sherrer. “They have been there since day one, since I started running,” he said.

“I’d like to give a shout out to my mom, Victoria Johnson,” Roberts added. “She helped me greatly on this trail. Without her, I think I would have died a long time ago.”

“They are great athletes,” said Craig. “They do everything I tell them and sometimes they go above and beyond.”

He said his advice to them is to stay focused, keep family first and look to excel in every aspect.

For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.

Filed Under: College Sports, Franklin Co. News, Uncategorized
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