Rangers roll over Rams
Valentines Day HS basketball preview
Steve Dunford franklincounty-news.com
We have four games on tap involving county schools with Senior nights in Benton, Christopher, and Thompsonville.
Zeigler-Royalton (3-18)(0-10) travels to Trico (7-19)(2-7) The Tornadoes are coming off of a huge 63-62 win over Webber Township on Friday. The Pioneers dropped a 55-47 road decision against arch rival Steeleville on Friday night.
Galatia (10-13) at Thompsonville (5-16). The Tigers are coming off of and overtime loss at Elverado on Saturday night and Galatia is coming off a 57-51 loss to Hardin County on Tuesday. Galatia had the season series 2-0.
Sesser-Valier (14-13)(7-4) will be at Christopher (14-11)(7-3). The Bearcats have taken both games in the series. The Bearcats beat Vienna Friday night 64-49 and Sesser-Valier fell to Goreville 61-43. Goreville clinched a share of the BDC West crown on Friday.
Mt. Vernon (7-14) goes south to face the Benton Rangers (25-2). I talked to coach Doug Creel about his young ball club today. Their leading scorer is O’ Shea Hardin (JR) at 10 ppg. Next is Zach Williams (JR) at 8 ppg., Lukas Cooper (SO) at 5ppg., Quintin Kujawa (SR) at 4 ppg; and Jake Martin (SO) rounds out the starting lineup at 3 ppg. The Rams bring Terriance Blacok (SO) 5ppg, Weston Brackes (SO) 3ppg. and Amier Spann (FR) 3.0 ppg
IHSA February Board Meeting Recap: Lacrosse State Final Dates Set For 2018
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met at its regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington on Monday, February 13, 2017, where the Board approved the Terms & Conditions for the IHSA’s newest sports, Boys and Girls Lacrosse.
As a part of approving the Terms & Conditions, which will govern the IHSA Boys and Girls Lacrosse postseasons when they debut in the spring of 2018, the Board also set the dates for the inaugural state championships.
Both state finals, which will be held jointly at one site, will fall during Week 48 of the IHSA’s standardized calendar, meaning the first State Finals will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 31-June 2, 2018.
The State Finals will be a three-day event, with two boys’ semifinals being played on Thursday evening and two girls’ semifinals following on Friday evening. Saturday will feature an afternoon session with the boys’ and girls’ third-place games, followed by an evening session with both state title games. Saturday’s session order will rotate each year, with the girls’ games being played first in even years and the boys’ games first in odd years.
“This is another important step in the process of starting a new sport,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We are appreciative of the time and effort that our advisory committees have put into this process, as well as the guidance and feedback that coaches have provided via the IHSLA and IHSWLA. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are excited to bring our state final offerings to over 30 sports come next spring.”
After approving the Terms & Conditions, the Board also made a motion to officially begin accepting proposals to host the State Final tournaments. State Final hosting proposal information will be posted on IHSA.org later this week. Hosting proposals are due to the IHSA by May 1, 2017, while the Board intends to select the host at its meeting on August 21, 2017.
***The official lacrosse state final hosting proposal information will be posted on front page of IHSA.org later this week***
ACTION ITEMS
1. The Board approved a recommendation to sign a five-year state final hosting contract for the sport of Competitive Dance with the Bloomington-Normal Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Bloomington-Normal Sports Commission to host at the Coliseum in Bloomington.
Executive Director Craig Anderson:
“The first five years of the IHSA Competitive Dance State Series have really been amazing in terms of participation and growth. A big part of that has been the state final experience that we have been able to provide because of the great partnership that we have with the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sports Commission, the Coliseum, and the local community as a whole. The Coliseum is a perfect fit as a venue, and with this contract extension, we look forward to ushering in the first decade of the sport there.”
2. The Board approved a recommendation to set the Board meeting dates for the 2017-18 school year. The meeting dates are as follows:
Monday, August 21, 2017
Monday, September 11, 2017
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Monday, December 11, 2017
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Monday, February 12, 2018
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Monday, June 11, 2018
Minutes from all Advisory Committees can be viewed by clicking here.
1. The Board approved the consent items from the Advisory Committees from the following committees: Golf, Cross Country, Tennis, Volleyball, Football, Sports Medicine, Sportsmanship.
Consent items are recommendations that received approval from the sport/activity advisory committee, the Athletic Administrators Advisory Committee and the IHSA staff. Consent items can be viewed by clicking here.
Non-consent items are recommendations from sport or activity committees that did not receive a majority vote from the Athletic Advisory Committee or IHSA staff. No non-consent items were approved on February 13.
Some consent items of note include:
Boys & Girls Cross Country
1. In Regionals and Sectionals, for purposes of advancement of teams from regional to sectional and sectionals to the State Final, ties for all team places with the exception of the last qualifying spot will be broken per NFHS Rule 8-2-4 (i.e. comparing the 6th runner from the tied teams).
Boys & Girls Golf
1. For the entire State Series, the head coach and one assistant coach will be allowed to coach anywhere on the course until his/her player steps on the putting green.
Girls Volleyball
1. Sectional Semifinals moved to Monday and Sectional Finals to Wednesday. Super-Sectional matches moved to Friday.
Boys Volleyball
1. Friday State Final time schedule adjusted to the following:
Session 1 (Quarterfinals)
Match 1: 10:00 a.m.
Match 2: 11:00 a.m.
Session 2 (Quarterfinals)
Match 3: 4:00 p.m.
Match 4: 5:00 p.m.
APPEALS & HEARINGS
1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Urbana (H.S.). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-laws 2.010, 3.030, 6.010 and 6.021.
2. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Urbana (H.S.). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-laws 2.010, 3.030, 6.010 and 6.021.
3. The Board tabled a request for a review of the eligibility of a student at Columbia High School.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain items the Board discusses, but upon which no action is taken. The following is a report of those items from the February 13, 2017, agenda:
1. The Board reviewed potential new changes to the IHSA’s Transfer Concurrence Form, as well as drafts of two new potential transfer forms designed to be complete by the parents of transferring student-athlete and coach(es) at the receiving school of transferring student-athlete.
2. The Board discussed IHSA State Final trophies and a potential redesign of the state final trophy due to cost prohibitive issues with the casting and metal figurines that currently accompany the IHSA state final trophies.
3. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director that all member schools on probation have met the requirement of attending an annual IHSA Principals Rules Meeting via a make-up meeting at the IHSA office on January 10, 2017.
4. The Executive Director recognized the IHSA’s nominee for the NHFS Heart of the Arts Award, Buffalo Grove’s Sabrina Kenoun.
5. The Executive Director recognized the IHSA’s nominee for the NFHS Spirit of Sport Award, Bloomington Central Catholic’s Joey Malinowksi.
Sesser-Valier-Waltoville girls open sectional play tonight.
Steve Dunford-franklincounty-news.com
The Sesser-Valier-Waltonville Lady Red Devils open play this evening against the Breese Mater Dei knights, at the Johnston City Class 2A Sectional tournament with a 7:00 P.M. scheduled starting time.
The Devils come into tonight’s contest with a record of 25-1, with their only loss to Class 3A, and Southern Ilinois River to River Ohio Champions, Herrin. They are currently ranked seven in the state in the latest Associated Press Class 2A Statewide Poll.
I talked to S-V-W coach Rick Metcalf and this is what he had to say about the Knights. He said, “They are a guard oriented team with their top three scorers averaging in double figures. They handle pressure defense very well. They also run a Princeton style offense with a lot of back door cuts. Breese Mater-Dei plays a tough schedule with a lot of 3A and 4A schools.
The Lady Devils are led by shooting Guard Jaylyn Haley and Hannah Garascia, who plays all over the floor for Coach Metcalf. Haley and Garascia both signed letters of intent to play for Rend Lake College next season. I had the chance to talk to them about this a few days ago.
I asked both young ladies why they chose to go to Rend Lake. Garascia said, “Jaylin and I have grown to know each others tendencies and we push each other to make each other better! The
S-V-W’s Hannah Garascia left any Jaylin Haley right. (WSIL-TV file photo)
opportunity to play with Jaylin for a couple more years played a little part in my decision.”
Haley said. “It’s close to home, and I planned on going to RLC no matter what, so having the opportunity to play basketball there made it a no brainer. And I actually verbally committed before Hannah, but knowing she was probably going to sign there as well, definitely made it a perfect fit for me.” She also mentioned she is taken that as an honor that her father, Scott played baseball for Rend Lake as well.
If you can not make it to tonight’s game, it will be carried on WXAN 103.9 FM or streaming on mysoutherngospel.net
Game times for Class 1A -2A Boy’s Basketball Regionals first round games
Here are the game times for the class 1A/2A Regional/Sectional complexes involving Franklin county schools.
There are a couple of things I am old school about . First of all the IHSA calls the Sectional Finals the Super Sixteen. On any thing I write, it will be the Sweet Sixteen.
Second, after the complexes are seeded, they are regionals now. I will give the seed like it is a regional.
Game times will be listed in chronological order. Records are going into tonight’s action.
Here are some links to the statewide pairings:
CLASS 1A: http://ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/bkb/1bracket.htm
CLASS 2A:
http://ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx?url=/data/bkb/2bracket.htm
FIRST ROUND GAME TIMES FOR AREA SCHOOLS
- (4) WEST FRANKFORT (8-14) vs (5) Johnston City (12-13) Monday, February 20, 6:00 P.M., at the Eldorado Class 2A Regional
- (4) Flora (11-15) vs (5) HAMILTON COUNTY (6-19) on Monday, Feburary 20, 7:00 P.M., at the Flora Class 2A regional
- (3) Woodlawn (12-13) against (6) THOMPSONVILLE (6-15) a on Monday, February 20, 7:30 P.M., at the Wayne City Class 1A Regional
- (2) SESSER-VALIER (14-12) vs (5) ZEIGLER-ROYALTON (2-18) on Tuesday. February 21. 6:00 P.M., at the Crab Orchard Class 1A Regional
- (1) CHRISTOPHER (13-11) vs the winner of (4) Steeleville (17-9) and (5) Elverado (17-9) Wednesday, February 22, 6:00 P.M;. at the Crab Orchard Class 1A Regional
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Ferrell – Vaughn hit the 1,000 point mark for Crab Orchard Tuesday night
Steve Dunford franklincounty-news.com
THOMPSONVILLE- I am going to bring you up to speed on The last several days of Tiger basketball. A week ago Friday, some key senior leadership down the stretch by Cory Wilce and Jared Payne from the free throw line, gave the Tigers a 55-44 win over Pope County, in the 7th place game of the GEC Tournament.
Saturday night down at Joppa, Thompsonville left the small Massac County school with a 61-54 loss. Foul trouble plagued the Tigers from the first two minutes of the game. Corbin Fitch led the Tigers with 15 points, and Tyson Kessler added 12.
A good crowd was a Doc Harvey Gym, as the two long time rivals, Thompsonville and Crab Orchard hook up. This was considered a non conference game in the GEC standings.
Last Tuesday night the Tigers played their best 32 minutes of basketball on the year in a 59-54 loss to the highly touted Crab Orchard Trojans. Tyson Kessler and Cory Wilce added 14 each for T’ville on the night.
I had the most fun that I ever had at a HS basketball game in years. When I visit Doc Harvey gym, I set behind the scorers table. First, I can see what is happening on both benches. Second, to keep me from doing my favorite thing to do, talking to the T’ville fans. I visit a lot during the JV game and at halftime.
One of my favorite people in the world I was able to have a good conversation with is Danny Droit, a follower of my blog and this website. I gained a lot of “magnificence.”
I was holding court anyway. It was good to reunite with a lot of old friends that was from Crab Orchard. Yes, I would talk a little smack every once in a while.
Thompsonville played their best game of the year against the Trojans. They led 34-24 at halftime. It was a one possession game all the way until the final few ticks of the clock as the Trojans iced it at the free throw line.
Listening to Jim Muir and Tom Wheeler over the years, they always say first few minutes of the third quarter are the most important. Caleb Vaughn and Cameron Stevens came out on fire, hitting two threes a piece in the opening three minutes of the half, as the Trojans took the lead 36-34 around the 4:30 mark of the third quarter.
The story of the night were two players that reached the 1,000 point mark for Crab Orchard in the same game. The First was post player McKager Ferrell, who came into the game with 999. He hit a stick back bucket at the 3:42 mark of the first quarter to put him over the top.
Ferrell had this to say about the feat, “It was amazing to finally hit 1000 and on the same night Caleb Vaughn hit his!”
Vaughn came into the game at the 970 mark. One his second of back to back threes, at the 2:52 mark of the fourth quarter, he hit the 1000 point mark. He had a game high 37 on the night.
I asked Caleb if he thought he would score 30+ on the night to hit 1,000. He said, “Not really, but I was hopeful that it would happen in the flow of the game. It was extra special to be able to do it with Mckager.”
Vaughn signed a letter of intent to go to the next level to play for Southeastern Illinois College, during the GEC tournament. He said that he had about three other offers, but decided to play for the Falcons because of the few miles to Harrisburg from home.
Vaughn reminds me of Christopher’s Jared Curry, as he plays all over the floor. Ferrell is a load to deal with in the post. They also have another good post player in Amos Beasley, who is strong as an ox. Stevens can shoot the lights out. The fifth starter, Jaden Schell is out with an injury and he will be back by regional time.
I gave the quick preview of the Trojans in case the Christopher Bearcats or Sesser-Valier Red Devils meet them in post season play.
Talking to Crab Orchard coach Jon Brown after the game, he felt his team had a let down after their big win against Gallatin County in the GEC championship. I told him, by far, it was the best 32 minutes the Tigers put together. We then went on to talk about some of the other teams they will face in the regional-sectional complex.
Talking to Thompsonvile coach Pete Gordon after the game he was telling me how proud he was of the effort, especially scoring 17 points in back to back quarters. He was feeling things were starting to come together at the right time of the year.
After the loss to Joppa, the Tigers are 5-14 on the season. They host Doug Miller’s Gallatin County Hawks at Doc Harvey Gym tonight in a GEC conference matchup.
After an 84-72 loss down at Cairo Thursday night, the Trojans are 18-6 on the season. They host Keil Peebles’ Carrier Mills Wildcats at Dee Ozment Gym tonight.
Benton – Hamilton County boxes from the Rich Herrin Classic
Tigers fall to Carrier Mills last Thursday night at the GEC Tournament
Carrier Mills’ Brody Walker pulls a jumper over Jared Payne -Jack Bullock Photo
Rangerettes drop nail-biter to rival Redbirds
Zoe Carlton steps to the free throw line for the Rangerettes in Tuesday nights game against the Redbirds. (William McPherson photo)
Zeigler-Royalton gets big win over Elverado Friday night.
Steve Dunford – franklincountynews-com
ZEIGLER – For decades when you would look at the schedule and you would see Elverado on the schedule, you would think it was an automatic W.
The 2016-17 Zeigler-Royalton Tornadoes (Randall Risley photo)
The Falcons left the Black Diamond a couple years for greener pastures in the South Egyptian, to play schools closer to their enrollment. Last year was rough times as well, as Elverado was 0-26 in their new league.
With a couple of transfers from Carbondale, and everyone returning, good times have returned to Elkville, as the Falcons are sitting at 15-7 on the year.
All year I have been telling teams that Brendan Whiting will have a game where he explodes on someone He had 29 points in seven three pointers and going a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line as Z-R defeated Elverado 69-59 Steven Anderson added 14 on the night for the Tornadoes.
Here is what Coach Matt Morgan had to say about the victory; “It felt good for the simple fact that I feel like that was the first game where we’ve competed for all 32 minutes without any major mental lapses. There were points where we could’ve caved but they stuck through it and it paid of. I’m extremely happy for our all our kids at both levels!”
“Our crowd was unbelievable, especially the student section.”
“It was a total team effort. We had 36 rebounds for the game which is a season high. We controlled the glass and for the most part took quality shots and had quality possessions which allowed our transition defense to be much improved.”
“Jakob Baxter and Franky Rebolledo stepped up when we got into some foul trouble. Those two played some very important minutes for us and contributed in big ways.”
The Tornadoes are 2-13 on the season. They fell to Waltonville on the road last night 53-28. They have another tough road test, as they go on the road to face the Goreville Blackcats, Friday night. If you can not make the long road trip, the game will be streamed on blackcatsnewtork-com.
BOX SCORE:
ZEIGLER-ROYALTON (69) Whiting 0 7 8-8 29; Anderson 4 0 6-9 14; Domenick 1 2 0-0 8; Rebebello 1 2 0-0 8; Bollinger 4 0 0-0 8; Baxter 0 0 0-0 0
ELVERADO (59) Johnson 8 1 8-11 27; Dunham 2 1 4-4 11; Penn 4 1 0-0 11; White 0 2 0-0 6; Savenson 1 0 2-2 4; Cavinder 0 0 0-0 0; Funk 0 0 0-0 0
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
ZEIGLER-ROYALTON 14 14 15 26 – 69
ELVERADO 9 15 16 19 – 59
