PINCKNEYVILLE — The host Panthers came back from nine points down in the fourth quarter
Just like at Goreville, Austin Wills, Timmy Henson, and Derek Oxford made the all tournament team.
Franklin County triple-header again tonight in Sesser
December 27, 2016 By Leave a Comment
by Steve Dunford
Just like last night, the three games in the evening session of the Sesser-Valier holiday tournament involve Franklin County Schools.
Just to catch you up on action from today; West Frankfort beat Hamilton County 50-46 this morning at the Eldorado Holiday Tournament. They play Union County KY in the Consolation Semi- Finals at 4:45
The Benton Rangers beat Trenton-Weslin this morning 62-30 at the Duster Thomas Hoops Classic in Pinckneyville. They take on the Olney Tigers at 8:30 tonight in the auxiliary gym.
Sesser-Valier High School- Southern Illinoisan file photo
Johnston City blew out Zeigler-Royalton this afternoon 74-37 at Sesser Valier. Brendan Whiting led the Tornadoes with 20. Steven Anderson added eight.
You are caught up on everything from everywhere else, now here is the previews of tonight’s games from Sesser-Valier
CHRISTOPHER (4-4) vs CHESTER (8-2)
Last night the Bearcats knocked off a decent New Athens team 65-
35. Kaelab Pedigo exploded again with 27 with six threes. Bradely Young was involved in the offense more as he had 18. Jared Curry added nine.
Chester pulled out a 77-76 Overtime win against Century.
The keys to the game for the Bearcats
- Pedigo is going to have to be hot from the outside, you can throw Curry in there as well.
- They are going to have to continue getting Bradley Young involved in the offense.
- They are going to have to keep even with Chester on the boards.
- Stay out of Foul Trouble
This is a game the lack of depth of the Bearcats might hurt them.
The physicality of Weir down in the post will give Christopher some issues. Savion Smith burned the Bearcats up at Randolph County last season, and the slashing and dribble drive penetration will give them problems tonight.
I am going with the Yellow Jackets by four. I just have a gut feeling Christopher will be in deep foul trouble in this one.
THOMPSONVILLE (3-5) vs GALATIA (3-6)
This is the first of three for sure and possibly five match-ups between these to teams.
With Thompsonville playing a little McLeansboro ball last night, as well as Steeleville playing cat and mouse last night trying to bring T’ville out of their zone, the first half looked like a football score at halftime last night.
Here are the keys to the game for T’ville tonight
- They are going to have to keep it in the 50’s
- They have to get more involved in the offense other than Payne, Kessler and Fitch, who led with 15 on the night
- They have to keep out of foul trouble as well
- I believe if you get the ball into Athoney Darge, you can get Galatia in foul trouble.
After a good start, the Tigers stunk it up the last two times out,
SI Dollar Saver Photo
coming into the tournament. From keeping my ear to the ground the Bearcats looked awful last night
The fourth quarter the Tigers put up against a quality opponent in Steeleville, is just what this young ball club needed.
You can throw the record books out when these two get together. I am going with the Tigers by five.
SESSER-VALIER (3-6) vs STEELEVILLE (7-3)
It sounds like the Red Devils were firing on all eight cylinders coming in to the tourney after playing a brutal schedule.
In the 77-31 win over Galatia, it was a very balanced attack for the Devils, as Charlie Farmer had 15 points on the night with Tyler Winchester, Preston Launius, and Jamie Lance adding 10 on the night. Twelve scored for S-V on the night.
The keys for the Devils tonight are the following:
- Keep playing the way you have at late
- Keep the balanced attack
- Keep Gross from exploding. There are three our four Devils that could do a good job on him.
Both teams will play a lot of players. This is a game that will be decided in the last thirty seconds tonight. I am giving Sesser-Valier the edge being at home. They will pull it out tonight by a point.
Rangers/Redbirds getting ready to tip it up soon
December 27, 2016 By Leave a Comment
by Steve Dunford
The WF Redbirds have the breakfast special at the Eldorado Holiday tournament this morning as they will be tipping it up at 8:30 against the Hamilton County Foxes soon. If the internet connection is restored at Duff-Kingston gym, the game will be video streamed on foxesfans.net.
Duster Thomas gymnasium (Picture from the website Hidden Gyms)
The Benton Rangers open action today at the Duster Thomas Hoops classic as they face Trenton-Wesclin this morning at 10:30 in Thomas gym, and play the Olney Tigers this evening.
Benton Coach Ron Winemiller has this to say about both match-ups; “I think Wesclin is one of the best teams we have played all year. They are long athletic and can all really shoot the ball. I am worried about their ability to take us to the post and cause us problems with their length.”
“Olney is very well coached. They aren’t as good as they have been in the past but they will cause us some problems with Miller and Lambeard.”
I will do my best to keep you updated about all Holiday Tournament action on franklincounty-news.com
Holiday Tournament Previews released on Christmas night
December 23, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Steve’s Ramblings
Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com
First of all let me explain my reasoning for releasing the previews on Christmas night. I am doing this in honor of the late voice of the West Frankfort Redbrids, Bruce A. Fasol. He used to have his tournament preview on WFRX at 7 P.M. on Christmas night. I recorded a lot of audio tape of it back in the day. I will have Sesser-Valier, and Eldorado completed. Since Pinckneyville does not start until the 27th. I might need some extra time. If not on Christmas I will have that completed on the 26th.
The late long time Redbird broadcaster Bruce Fasol with his long time color man Rick Westemeyer, in Bruce’s “Bird Perch. Westemeyer is now the voice of the Redbirds.
If anyone has any info about any teams from the DTHC, please let me know. I want to keep every fan informed.
I will not be able to attend any holiday tournament this year. I am going to rely on different media sources to keep everyone informed.
The IHSA released sites and parings this week for the postseason. I will be posting them and breaking them down after the first of the year.
I had it all laid out for the county teams on this post. I looked at the meter and it was 600 words. I could not access the site for a while. It did not auto save. I guess it was the Lord’s way of saying I was one winded.
I love talking to coaches. I talked to Marissa-Coulterville coach Scott Wine on the phone for about an hour. He filled me in on the teams in the Cahokia conference. I have had several conversations with coaches this week. I love it…
Speaking of talking basketball, I love taking to Rich Herrin over the years. I have had a lot of good conversations with him after Morthland games. I sit behind the bench so I can watch him coach and soak every minute of it.
Since it is Christmas, I have a story to tell about coach Herrin. I was talking to Norman “Doc” Melvin at Christmastime last year. He told me that Coach Herrin received his first cell phone as a Christmas gift several years ago.
There were all the numbers loaded in it. Doc receives a call from Coach Herrin after 11 P.M. on Christmas night wanting to talk basketball. He was going through his contacts calling everyone. You “gotta” love it.
I think you see why I call it ramblings. I just say random things. I have had my highest compliments on this time of post since I started writing. They used to be one long paragraph and punctuation optional. You will see more. By the way I have hit the over 400 mark again.
I want to wish everyone reading a Merry Christmas. Remember the reason for the season. A baby was born of a virgin and went to the cross, so that a rotten sinner like me could have eternal life. He died for you too. That is what the season is all about.
Huge Ranger third quarter leads to big win at Harrisburg
December 21, 2016 By Leave a Comment
HARRISBURG- Benton won its ninth straight contest to open the season and improved to 3-0 in the SIRR Ohio with a 67-51 victory 
at Harrisburg Tuesday night. Jordan Gould hit a 3-pointer as time expired to pull Harrisburg to within 30-29 at halftime, but that would be as close as the Bulldogs (3-4, 1-2) would get. Benton put some distance between itself and Harrisburg out of intermission thanks to some turnovers and some outside shooting. The Rangers outscored Harrisburg 22-12 in the third quarter. “I thought in the second half we really played well,” said Benton coach Ron Winemiller. “We made a little adjustment offensively and a little adjustment defensively on how we were guarding the ball screen, and I thought we did a much better job on (Isaiah) Saulsberry in the second half.” (It was Coach WInemiller’s first win at Davenport Gym last night) Please click on the link to read the rest of the story from the Harrisburg Daily Register.
Rivalry night in Franklin County
December 16, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Steve Dunford-Franklin County Hoops And Gridiron
There are only two games involving county schools tonight and they are playing each other. The West Frankfort Redbirds make the short six mile trip up Route 37 to Rich Herrin Gym, to play the Benton Rangers. The Christopher Bearcats have a short eight mile trip up Route 148 to take on the Sesser-Valier Red Devils.
West Frankfort (0-1)(1-3) at Benton (1-0)(7-0)
The Rangers are off to the fast start like last year as they were 
undefeated going into the Duster Thomas Hoops Classic. The Redbirds has a o fer off their record in holiday tournament play as they picked up their first two wins at the Eldorado Holiday Tournament. Here is what Ranger Coach Ron Winemiller had to say about the match-up this evening. “I expect both teams to be very
prepared for what we like to do. I expect WF will try and use their size and force the ball inside. I hope our ball pressure can cause them some problems. It doesn’t matter what the records are it is Benton vs West Frankfort, so you know both teams will play with a lot of passion. “
Redbird Coach Kevin Toney had this to say about tonight. “I hope we can handle the ball against them. They make everything so difficult on both ends of the floor and it will be a challenge. But that is what every team attempts to do. We need to go into another teams gym, and put all the distractions out of our mind. We just need to play how we know we can play.”
I jot down keys to the game. I had the Redbirds size and length could give the Rangers problems, just as Coach Winemiller said. The Rangers have went nine deep with out missing a beat. West Frankfort is much deeper this year as well.
Benton’s press is ferocious. If the Redbirds struggle with it, it could be a long night. In addition they can flat out shoot the basketball. So can Noah Allen.
West Frankfort will start 6′ 6″ and 6′ 5″ in Austin Glodich and Keagan Thrash. They can bring 6′ 5″ off the bench in Bradlee Croslin. The Rangers tallest guy that has saw significant time is Parker Williams at 6′ 3″
Derek Oxford and Timmy Henson are four year starters, if you count Henson’s freshman year at Thompsonville. Austin Wills has logged a lot of varsity minutes.
Throwing in the anticipated “junior five” for Benton, I have to give the edge to the Rangers by 12 tonight. The Redbirds will be ready to play in a hard fought contest.
Christopher (2-3)(0-0) at Sesser-Valier (1-0)(2-4)
This is the BDC West opener for Christopher. Sesser-Valier pulled a major upset in defeating the Chester Yellow Jackets in their only conference game of the year.
Both teams were involved barn burner losses on Tuesday night. The Bearcats lost on a buzzer beater 43-41 to the Waltonville Spartans by former Bearcat, Isaac McPhail. The Red Devils were involved in a track meet down at Johnston City Losing 88-86.
Kaleab Pedigo can shoot the rock, so can Charlie Farmer. Gabe Schimpf can fill it up in an blue and orange uniform tonight.
Going into the season, I was concerned about the Bearcats post game. Jared Curry shot up to 6’5″ and Cole Sanders transferred from Z-R over the summer.
I would be at one or the other place tonight if I could. One thing I would be curious about which Devil will guard Bradley Young. I have a feeling it will be Joshua Gunter. The Z word is not in Shane Garner or Eric Stallman’s vocabulary.
A couple advantages that S-V has over Christopher is they are deeper at the three spot whether it be Gunter, Preston Launius, or Addison Baxter. They are more physical in the post with Jamie Lance, Addison Page, and Seth Boles.
Curry has been playing the point for the Bearcats setting the offense and going in and posting up. Lukas Gunter is one of the better 1A point guards in Southern Illinois but advantage Curry in this position with the height advantage. Curry will cause match-up problems all over the floor tonight.
It is no secret the Bearcats like to run. With Shane Garner able to play 10 or 11, it would be to the Devils advantage.
If two tom cats were fighting in 18 bottoms from each town, there would be maroon and red and grey in the crowd. There would be Maroon and Orange in a cat fight between the two at the Valier Patch as well.
I have went over several scenarios in my head who will come on top in this one. I have had some with Sesser-Valier and Christopher winning on my legal pad full of scribbles.
I have been told I have instincts as a prognosticator. I am going with the Bearcats in a buzzer beater by Pedigo hitting a three. Young will have at least 15-20 tonight.
I am either the most loved or hated man in the county tonight. And old geezer like me trying to be a prognosticator does not matter much. What I have to say will go out the window at tip-off.
IHSA estabishes pitch counts for HS baseball
December 15, 2016 By Leave a Comment
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met at its regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington 
on Monday, December 12, 2016, where the Board voted to implement a pitching regulation Policy in the sport of baseball. The pitch limitations are effective immediately and will be used by IHSA member schools during the 2017 baseball season this spring.
The limitations approved by the Board closely mirror the pitching limitations jointly developed by the IHSA’s Baseball Advisory Committee and Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. The most significant change from the original recommendation is dropping the maximum number of pitches in a game from 115 pitches to 105 pitches.
Click here to see the Pitch Count Guidelines Policy.
“This was a collaborative effort that goes a long way toward making high school baseball in Illinois safer,” said IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee member Dr. Preston Wolin. “I want to thank the IHSA Board, the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, the Baseball Advisory Committee, and all the people who were indispensable in this process for their efforts.”
Dr. Wolin was a guest of the Baseball Advisory Committee at their August meeting, where he presented the recommendations of the Sports Medicine Advisory to the group.
The Board of Directors reviewed the pitching limitation recommendation in the fall and chose to present it to the IHSA membership for feedback during the Association’s annual Town Hall Meetings in November.
“Kudos to the Baseball Advisory and Sports Medicine Advisory committees for working together on behalf of student safety,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We believe that the NFHS and its state association membership have been leaders in this area in all sports, but ultimately, the high school season encompasses a short window. We hope that youth and travel baseball organizations will follow our lead to help protect these pitchers and their arms.”
The IHSA is developing a process for schools to submit their game-by-game pitching counts via the IHSA website, which will be presented to coaches and school personnel prior to the season. The Board confirmed that a violation of the Policy could result in forfeiture and that all violations of the Policy will be reviewed by the Executive Director on a case-by-case basis.
Courtesy of a press release from the Illinois High School Association.
Duster Thomas Hoops Classic parings..
December 14, 2016 By Leave a Comment
For a pool play tournament, my friend Jack Bullock from
This picture is from the website hiddengyms@blogspot.com It is a great site for gym junkies.
Franklin County boys basketball preview 12/13/16
December 13, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Steve Dunford-Franklin County Hoops and Gridiron
There are three boys’ games on tap this evening for the county teams. The Benton Rangers host the Carmi-White County Bulldogs; (both teams are undefeated) the Christopher Bearcats host the Waltonville Spartans; and the Sesser-Valier Red Devils travel to Johnston City. It is safe to say this is the best docket of games for the regular season.
Carmi-White County (6-0 ) at Benton (6-0)
The Bulldogs have been survivors in most of their games. Benton had their first barn burner down at Herrin Friday night. It has been well documented the heroics of Timmy Henson at the end of the game.
I see a little match-up problems possibly inside for the Rangers tonight. However, the Rangers are what everyone expected coming into this year. This is the first of three games this week for the Rangers in the newly renovated Rich Herrin gym.
After being road warriors, the Rangers will be pumped to be home in their new digs. I am going Rangers by seven.
Waltonville (3-2) at Christopher (2-2)
The Spartans were expected by most to cut down the nets in the Christopher Turkey Tournament. Instead they were defeated by Wayne City and Webber Township to take home fourth place.
Bradley Young is long overdue for the Bearcats. I feel for the opponent when he lights it up for 30+ one night. Jared Curry has been playing exceptionally well. I wonder if Kaleab Pedigo and his running mate from last year, Isaac McPhail will guard each other.
This was penciled in by most prognosticators (I don’t know if I qualify for that or not) to be the championship game of the Turkey Tournament. The Bearcats would have come in the underdogs into the championship game. I have to go with Christopher by three in a dandy tonight.
Sesser-Valier (2-4) at Johnston City (3-4)
The Indians has fallen off the face of the 
earth. When they were off to a 3-0 start I was seeing a possible number one seed at the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament. They now have a number eight seed.
I can see SIU football bound Max Edwards causing problems on the board for the Devils. When I watched some video from Goreville, it seemed like JC lived and died by the three. I don’t know what happened in their two blowout losses, but it seems like the home run ball is gone.
After S-V defeated Chester at home, their stock is on the rise. It is a bearish market for the Indians. I am going with Red Devils by five.
Rangers defeat Herrin in key SIRR Ohio match up
December 10, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Newly rennovated Rich Herrin Gym
