Group saves decades old gym from becoming a parking lot

July 8, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/story/35837681/group-saves-decades-old-gym-from-becoming-a-parking-lot

BROOKPORT, IL (Blake Stevens and Michael Bradford, WPSD-TV.  Please click on the link above for the full story and video.  Here is and excerpt below.)

WPSD -TV photo

The Brookport Gym is making a comeback after it was set to be demolished.

It was originally owned by the city. It was later acquired by the Massac County School Board. In January, for the steep price of $1, it was sold to the Brookport Betterment Committee.

That dollar has already made an impact on the community.

Rance Phillips is the vice president of the BBC. He spends countless days inside a gym he once played in himself. “I went to high school here,” he said. “My dad, my mother, all of them went to high school here. I played basketball out there. It’s just a lot of memories,” he said.

The BBC wants the gym to be more than a reminder for old timers at reunion games. Members hope to preserve it for the next generation of basketball players. It hosted the Massac County Youth Basketball League in the fall. Phillips said selling admission helps them keep up and pursue renovations to the gym.

Filed Under: High School Sports, Slider, Sports

Thompsonville finishes their summer at .500

July 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

It is July, and I was talking High School basketball this morning.  I will be getting to the rest of you in the next few days.

It was not biased, but I grabbed Pete Gordon first.  The reason was he was on Facebook when I did.  Matt Morgan was going to be next.  Most of you know that when I get to talking HS basketball, I get very long winded.

I will try to get to everyone in the next couple weeks.  It might be a while to get a hold of Kevin Toney.  He will probably be out west until week seven of the football season.

The Tigers got off to a quick 3-2 start last year with two victories over NCOE, and a win over cross county  Zeigler-Royalton in the consolation championship of  the Christopher Turkey Tournament.

The Tigers finished 7-18 last year.  There were high hopes after a 9-19 season in 2015-16.  Here were two things from last season.  T’ville was banged up, and there was a very good crop of seniors across Southern Illinois.

Thompsonville was very competitive down the stretch last year.  They gave Sweet 16 Gallatin County all they wanted, and with two starters with the flu bug, they hung around most of the night with Elite Eight Woodlawn in the first round  of the regionals.

In a quarterfinal game of the Murphysboro Sophomore Tournament, the Tigers gave 3A Breese Central all they wanted.  For the Cougars were a couple kids that played significant minutes, on the team that fell to Centralia in the Benton Sectional.

When I asked Coach Gordon about their summer, this is what he said, ” We were 9-9 (summer style games) which isn’t exactly the best measure to use. I subbed 5 for 5 most of the time assuring everyone equal minutes, which probably cost us a few wins.  I was very pleased with our summer effort.  There was very good participation.  We never had everyone there at the same time but most of the core guys were there.

We faced Webber Township, Z-R, Joppa, Waltonville (twice), Elverado, West Frankfort, Chester, Benton JV, NCOE (twice), Gallatin County (twice),  Hardin County, New Athens, and Trico.
He said they split with GEC foe Gallatin County, and defeated Elverado and NCOE without Tyson Kessler, who is one of the most underrated 1A point guards in Southern Illinois in my book.
We were talking about the GEC race.  Coach Gordon thinks they have a good shot to win the conference.  If it was November and I would be writing a preview, I would have Thompsonville slotted in the two slot, right behind Doug Miller’s Gallatin County Hawks.
I would have thrown Carrier Mills in the mix, but Keil Peebles lost his point guard Will Gibbs.  He will be still wearing purple, but for Randy Smithpeters’ Harrisburg Bulldogs.
Rod Wallace has a lot coming back at Galatia, so does Rodney Lane at Hardin County.  Crab Orchard will not be as strong as they have been but they are still Crab Orchard.  Norris City and Pope County will be young.  I have heard through the grapevine the youngest of the Floyd brothers is not playing this year. There will not be any give me games across the conference.
The conversation drifted to the Christopher Turkey Tournament.  Pete said he would like to see a top four seed at the Tourney.  I started talking bracketology with Tom Wheeler last year around late September.
When I was talking with Pete about the tournament, I used my scientific approach to come up with the bracket in late July.
Here is the bracket.  I will learn to draw them on Excel before the start of basketball season.  (Franklin County Schools in Caps)
Monday, November 20th.
6:15 p.m.  THOMPSONVILLE vs. Wayne City
7:45 p.m.  CHRISTOPHER vs.  Norris City-Omaha-Enfield
Tuesday, November 21st.
6:15  p.m.  New Athens vs. Waltonville
7;45  p.m.  Webber Township vs. ZEIGLER-ROYALTON
I know I write with a Thompsonville bias.  I will call them we at times.  It just happens when you slid a jersey over your head at least 100 times.
I told Coach Gordon, I would like to see a top eight seed at Sesser-Valier also.
Speaking of tournaments, if you have not been to championship night of the GEC tournament, it would be well worth your trip to Southeastern Illinois College.  It is close to a sectional final atmosphere.
There has been high hopes on the east side of Franklin County for this bunch coming up since Junior High.
Coach Gordon said that for GEC standards they will be huge.  In my book they will be huge for River to River standards.
In the middle will be 6′ 7″ junior, Anthoney Darge, who Gordon said had a great summer.  He will be joined in the post by 6′ 5″ senior Jake Dixon.  Reed Raubach, a 6′ 4″ junior will play the three.  Corbin Fitch a 6′ 3″ sophomore will play the two, and Tyson Kessler a 5′ 11″ junior will play the point.
The Tigers will have a much deeper bench this year.  Sophomore guard Peyton Roberts, a transfer from Benton will provide some depth in the backcourt, and has more than a good shot to start.  Junior Trey Bybee can shoot the lights out.  Junior post player Tyler Jones played some big varsity minutes late in the year.
The Tigers have never won a regional title.  In fact, they have only appeared in one championship game, losing a heart breaker to West Frankfort in 2004 at the Johnston City Class 1A regional.
On this steamy July night,  HS basketball is a little over four months away.

 

 

Filed Under: High School Sports, Sports, Thompsonville High School Sports

Redbirds bow out of the 1925 sectional in the first round to the Centralia Orphans

July 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

In the 1925 Sectional, the West Frankfort Redbirds bowed out of the first round of the Centralia sectional to the host Orphans 14-10.  It looks like legendary coach Arthur Trout loved to play McLeansboro ball.

I am amazed at the low scoring games.  They look like football scores.

Marion beat Mt. Vernon 18-17 in the sectional finals.  It looks like it has been a long time tradition to play Lee Emery/Doug Creel ball in the King City.

Centralia

Marion 33-26 Sumner

Anna-Jonesboro 25-16 Belleville

Mount Vernon 26-17 Harrisburg

Hutsonville 30-28 Westfield

Marion 31-15 Anna-Jonesboro

Centralia 14-10 West Frankfort

Mount Vernon 32-13 Hutsonville

Marion 24-17 Centralia

Marion 18-17 Mount Vernon

Box Score:

MARION (18): G. Harris 8, J. Harris 4, D. Harris 4, Carter 2.

MOUNT VERNON (17): Brooks 6, Moore 6, Marlin 3

Marion finished fourth in the state tournament.  The Canton Little Giants, my adopted team in the 309, finished third again.  I heard it was Leon’s first year at WBYS.

Seriously, Leon is Jack Buck good.  He is one of the best high school play-play men I ever heard.  On nights that I was home during basketball season, I would check on Canton from time to time.

I hope we cross paths again.  The most rewarding thing since I have been a part of the media, is the nice people you meet along the way.

Below are the State Tournament scores from that year.

1924-25

Semifinals

Champaign (H.S.) 23, Marion (H.S.) 15

Elgin (H.S.) 31, Canton 15

Third Place

Canton 33, Marion (H.S.) 17

Championship

Elgin (H.S.) 25, Champaign (H.S.) 17

 

 

Filed Under: High School Sports, Sports

Redbirds finish fourth in the state in 1924

July 4, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

I have a little more information about the daily post looking back in the archives.  I am getting this information from the following website Illinois post season scores.  The link is below.

https://sites.google.com/site/xtmi2000/

The Redbirds defeated Arthur Trout’s Centralia Orphans 20-18 in the West Frankfort Regional final.  According to the IHSA website, Trout was the coach.

They finished fourth in the state, being defeated by the Canton Little Giants in the 3rd place game.  This is ironic because the Redbirds were defeated by Canton in the first round of the playoff last fall in football.

I will share the scores until we get into the 1960’s.  Then you will see feature stories from time to time on the great teams of Southern Illinois.

The scores of the West Frankfort Sectional are below.

West Frankfort

West Frankfort 25-14 Metropolis

Flora 20-17 Marion

Centralia 28-21 Bridgeport

Belleville 19-12 Trenton

West Frankfort 21-11 Flora

Centralia 15-13 Belleville

West Frankfort 20-18 Centralia

 

WEST FRANKFORT (20): Lockman 9, Culley 6, Syfert 5.

CENTRALIA (18): Kell 8, Saul 4, Roanole 4, Lacy 2.

Filed Under: High School Sports, Sports, West Frankfort High School Sports

Redbirds bow out to the 1923 Centralia sectional to the Marion Wildcats

July 3, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Note – The database I am getting these from skips several years of regionals.  Thank you for the positive response.   I wonder if Trout was built yet?  -sd

Centralia

Flora 22-8 Paris

Greenville 23-18 Chesterfield

Marion 14-10 Mount Vernon

West Frankfort 27-14 Robinson

Greenville 18-14 Flora

Marion 25-18 West Frankfort

Greenville 33-29 Marion

Filed Under: Sports, West Frankfort High School Sports

West Frankfort Redbirds, 1922 Benton Regional Champs

July 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

There might be some scores missing, but it looks like West Frankfort won the 1922 Benton Regional defeating Eldorado, 21-16.  They fell in the first round to of the Mt. Vernon Sectional to the Centralia Orphans, 28-19

Benton

Goreville 27-9 Chester

Christopher 32-20 McLeansboro

Galatia 24-14 Thompsonville

Percy 17-13 Chester

West Frankfort 21-16 Eldorado

Christopher 17-16 Marissa

Carrier Mills 21-13 Broughton

Thompsonville 45-20 Percy

Mount Vernon

Centralia 43-22 Greenville

Marion 58-26 Bridgeport

Collinsville 27-20 Olney

Centralia 28-19 West Frankfort

Marion 36-21 Collinsville

Centralia 32-12 Marion

Filed Under: Benton High School Sports, Christopher High School Sports, High School Sports, Sports, Thompsonville High School Sports, West Frankfort High School Sports

Mt. Vernon Rams – 1921 Benton District Tournament champs

July 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment

NOTE –  I finally stumbled across this page.  I will start sharing the scores of IHSA postseason tournaments from the past involving Franklin County Schools

Benton

Nashville 56-9 Galatia

West Frankfort 50-12 Thompsonville

Mount Vernon 39-10 McLeansboro

Pinckneyville 34-15 Christopher

Eldorado 28-27 Marissa

DuQuoin 24-14 Nashville

Mount Vernon 34-25 West Frankfort

Pinckneyville 32-22 Eldorado

Benton 74-10 Sesser

Mount Vernon 33-25 DuQuoin

Pinckneyville 22-21 Benton (2 OT)

Mount Vernon 37-16 Pinckneyville

 

MOUNT VERNON (37): Miller 21, Estes 8, Young 4, Forsyth 4.

PINCKNEYVILLE (16): Edwards 8, Gruner 4, Woolsey 4.

 

 

Filed Under: Benton High School Sports, Christopher High School Sports, High School Sports, Sesser-Valier High School Sports, Sports, Thompsonville High School Sports, West Frankfort High School Sports, Zeigler-Royalton High School Sports

Prep Football: Angelly hired to head up Bulldog football program

June 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://www.dailyregister.com/sports/20170628/prep-football-angelly-hired-to-head-up-bulldog-football-program

HARRISBURG, IL (Michael Dann, Harrisburg Register.  Please click on the link above for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

Since 1981, only two coaches have replaced Al Way at Harrisburg High School.

The first was Greg Langley, now HHS Athletic Director, in 2002. The other was Jason Roper in 2006.

This hire makes Angelly the 30th head football coach in HHS history

Filed Under: High School Sports, Sports

Southern Illinois River to River Mississippi Master football schedule

June 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Anna (A.-Jonesboro) (0-0)

Nickname: Wildcats

Head Coach: Brett Detering

2016 Record: 8-3

2017 Classification Enrollment: 514.00

MaxPreps schedule & stats

Date Time Result Score Opp.
Score		 OT H/A Opponent Opp.
Record		 Opp.
Enroll.		 Other Site/Game Info
Aug 25 7:30 A West Frankfort (Frankfort) 0-0 517.00
Sep 1 7:00 H Murphysboro [Coop] 0-0 743.00
Sep 8 7:00 H Metropolis (Massac County) 0-0 591.00
Sep 15 7:00 A Nashville 0-0 411.00
Sep 22 7:00 H Carterville 0-0 581.00
Sep 29 7:00 A Pinckneyville 0-0 418.00
Oct 6 7:00 H DuQuoin (H.S.) 0-0 419.00
Oct 13 7:00 A Sparta 0-0 336.00
Oct 20 7:00 H Benton 0-0 564.00

 

Carterville (0-0)

Nickname: Lions

Head Coach: Dennis Drust

2016 Record: 5-5

2017 Classification Enrollment: 581.00

MaxPreps schedule & stats

Date Time Result Score Opp.
Score		 OT H/A Opponent Opp.
Record		 Opp.
Enroll.		 Other Site/Game Info
Aug 25 7:00 A Benton 0-0 564.00
Sep 1 7:00 H Herrin (H.S.) 0-0 757.00
Sep 8 7:00 A Murphysboro [Coop] 0-0 743.00
Sep 15 7:00 H DuQuoin (H.S.) 0-0 419.00
Sep 22 7:00 A Anna (A.-Jonesboro) 0-0 514.00
Sep 29 7:00 H Nashville 0-0 411.00
Oct 6 7:00 H Sparta 0-0 336.00
Oct 13 7:00 A Pinckneyville 0-0 418.00
Oct 20 7:00 A Metropolis (Massac County) 0-0 591.00

 

DuQuoin (H.S.) (0-0)

Nickname: Indians

Head Coach: Austin Hill

2016 Record: 9-3

2017 Classification Enrollment: 419.00

MaxPreps schedule & stats

Date Time Result Score Opp.
Score		 OT H/A Opponent Opp.
Record		 Opp.
Enroll.		 Other Site/Game Info
Aug 25 7:00 A Metropolis (Massac County) 0-0 591.00
Sep 1 7:00 A Harrisburg 0-0 542.00
Sep 8 7:00 H Herrin (H.S.) 0-0 757.00
Sep 15 7:00 A Carterville 0-0 581.00
Sep 22 7:00 H Pinckneyville 0-0 418.00
Sep 29 7:00 A Sparta 0-0 336.00
Oct 6 7:00 A Anna (A.-Jonesboro) 0-0 514.00
Oct 13 7:00 H Nashville 0-0 411.00
Oct 20 7:00 H Murphysboro [Coop] 0-0 743.00

 

Nashville (0-0)

Nickname: Hornets

Head Coach: Tim Kuhn

2016 Record: 5-4

2017 Classification Enrollment: 411.00

MaxPreps schedule & stats

Date Time Result Score Opp.
Score		 OT H/A Opponent Opp.
Record		 Opp.
Enroll.		 Other Site/Game Info
Aug 25 7:00 A Carlyle 0-0 318.00
Sep 1 7:00 A Metropolis (Massac County) 0-0 591.00
Sep 8 7:00 H Trenton (Wesclin) 0-0 396.00
Sep 15 7:00 H Anna (A.-Jonesboro) 0-0 514.00
Sep 22 7:00 A Sparta 0-0 336.00
Sep 29 7:00 A Carterville 0-0 581.00
Oct 6 7:00 H Pinckneyville 0-0 418.00
Oct 13 7:00 A DuQuoin (H.S.) 0-0 419.00
Oct 20 7:00 H West Frankfort (Frankfort) 0-0 517.00

 

Pinckneyville (0-0)

Nickname: Panthers

Head Coach: Todd Thomas

2016 Record: 2-7

2017 Classification Enrollment: 418.00

MaxPreps schedule & stats

Date Time Result Score Opp.
Score		 OT H/A Opponent Opp.
Record		 Opp.
Enroll.		 Other Site/Game Info
Aug 25 7:00 H Red Bud 0-0 371.00
Sep 1 7:00 A West Frankfort (Frankfort) 0-0 517.00
Sep 8 7:00 A Benton 0-0 564.00
Sep 15 7:00 H Sparta 0-0 336.00
Sep 22 7:00 A DuQuoin (H.S.) 0-0 419.00
Sep 29 7:00 H Anna (A.-Jonesboro) 0-0 514.00
Oct 6 7:00 A Nashville 0-0 411.00
Oct 13 7:00 H Carterville 0-0 581.00
Oct 20 7:00 H Carlyle 0-0 318.00

 

Sparta (0-0)

Nickname: Bulldogs

Head Coach: Rob Kirk

2016 Record: 0-9

2017 Classification Enrollment: 336.00

MaxPreps schedule & stats

Date Time Result Score Opp.
Score		 OT H/A Opponent Opp.
Record		 Opp.
Enroll.		 Other Site/Game Info
Aug 25 7:00 A Freeburg 0-0 661.00
Sep 1 7:00 A Benton 0-0 564.00
Sep 8 7:00 H West Frankfort (Frankfort) 0-0 517.00
Sep 15 7:00 A Pinckneyville 0-0 418.00
Sep 22 7:00 H Nashville 0-0 411.00
Sep 29 7:00 H DuQuoin (H.S.) 0-0 419.00
Oct 6 7:00 A Carterville 0-0 581.00
Oct 13 7:00 H Anna (A.-Jonesboro) 0-0 514.00
Oct 20 7:00 A Red Bud 0-0 371.00
Filed Under: High School Sports, Sports

Several record set for Z-R-C Baseball last season

June 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Below are some records that were set for the Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher Tornadoes last baseball season.

Gabe Schimpf
– Career ERA of .92 which is a school record and also ranks 15th all time in state history.
– His 46 doubles are a school record and also tied for 19th in state history…
– 22 career wins is a school record
– 323 career strikeouts is a school record
– 221 1/3 career innings pitched is a school record
– 20 career complete games is a school record
– 5 career shutouts tie a school record
– 2nd in career hits behind his brother with 145

Steven Anderson
Ranked in the top 10 in
– Season wins with 4
– ERA 1.10
– Batting Average .481
– Doubles 10
Career Top 10
– ERA 2.59
– Batting Average .372
– SB’s 55
– Runs 68
– hits 105
– RBI’s 60

Shane McCowen
Top 5 in career RBI’s with 72
#2 in RBI’s in a season with 34 and #6 with 29.

Kaeleb Pedigo
#3 in career steals with 81

Filed Under: Christopher High School Sports, High School Sports, Sports, Zeigler-Royalton High School Sports
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