CHRISTOPHER – The Flora Wolves came into Thursday night’s make up game with Christopher desperately needing a victory. Coach Phil Leib’s club have suffered through some tough times in 
2016-17, going 1-7 in its first eight games. But an hour and a half trip south to 1A Christopher was just what this club needed. It wasn’t an easy task and it took four extra minutes to get the job done, but the Wolves headed home Thursday night with a 46-45 overtime win over the Bearcats. Coach Eric Stallman saw his team play perhaps the best quarter of the season in the third, outscoring Flora 18-5 to erase a halftime deficit to take a 31-24 lead heading into the final stanza. Six-foot-five junior forward Jared Curry and 5-foot-9 senior Kaeleb Pedigo each scored 16-points in the game, with Curry scoring 11 of his in the second half…….. The link to the story is from my good friend Jack Bullock of abaselineview.com. He is the most in-depth writer in Southern Illinois covering HS boys basketball. Please frequent his page. Note. click on the first few lines of the story to open. I could not get the whole blurb to link.
Flora tops Bearcats in OT-Wolves rally late, edge Christopher for second win
West Frankfort gets big road win at Goreville last night
The FCHS Redbirds boys JV and Varsity basketball teams both picked up big wins on the road at Goreville Thursday. In the varsity game, Lucas Wolfe (4) and Austin Glodich (2) hit six straight free 
throws in the final :30 as West Frankfort held on for a hard fought 70-68 victory. The game was very close for the first three quarters as West Frankfort led at every break 12-11, 30-29 and 44-42. The Redbirds came out on fire at the start of the 4th quarter and led by 11 points with 5:00 on the game. West Frankfort had a very balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures. Noah Allen led the way with 17 points. Kyle Hammers was close behind with 14, while Glodich scored 11 points. With most of their starters in foul trouble, West Frankfort got huge contributions off the bench from 6’3” senior Scott Clinton and the the 5”8” junior Wolfe. Clinton finished with 10 points and played good interior defense to help shut down Goreville’s talented 6’6” center Brent Glidewell who scored 8 points. Wolfe scored 8 points, including 6 huge free throws in the final quarter. HIs quickness on defense was also a big factor in the win. Keagan Thrash scored 4 points, while Brendan Russell and Andrew Sturghill added 3 and 2 points respectively. Johnson rounded out the scoring with one free throw. ….Please click to read the rest of the story from westfrankfortsports.com
Huge Ranger third quarter leads to big win at Harrisburg
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.
Weather causing havoc with two HS basketball games tonight
According to a social media post by the voice of the Herrin Tigers Mike Murphy, Herrin at Murphysboro and Marion at Cahokia has been rescheduled for a later date.
The St Louis Post Dispatch has reported that slick roads has caused several accidents during rush hour in the St. Louis metro area.
If you are doing some Christmas shopping, especially at Carbondale, prepare for slick parking lots.
There will always be an updated list of cancellations and school closings on this page. Please call me at 937-0253 or call or text at 513-1274. I anticipate some churches calling off Sunday Services.
With the low temperatures, I would not be surprised of some school closings for Monday. With the cold temperatures, IDOT will have a battle treating roads.
Franklincounty-news.com will keep you abreast of the potential ice coming in for tomorrow. As of now there is a tenth of an inch of freezing rain forecast on to of a half inch of ice and snow.
NOTE: Radar can not always pick up light frozen drizzle. I do not know the direction of travel and whether the temperature will get above freezing before this gets to Franklin county.
Rivalry night in Franklin County
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
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..
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.
Redbirds draw Carmi-White County in the EHT
Eldorado’s Duff-Kingston Gymnasium
NOTE: Bracket Below….Parings for the 52nd Eldorado Holiday Tournament were released today. The West Frankfort Redbirds drew fifth seed Carmi-White County in the first round. Game time is 11:30 am on December 26th. The Bulldogs are 6-1 on the season. They suffered their fist loss of the season at the hands of the Benton Rangers last night, 56-45. With several SIRR-Ohio teams and GEC teams in the field, I will be keeping close tabs on the tournament. Parings below.
Randy Smithpeters, Daryl Murphy, Andy Palmer, and Wayne Harre-IBCA Inductees
Harrisburg Coach Randy Smithpeters in the Class 2A State Championship Game in 2013. (Peoria Journal -Star file photo)
Franklin County boys basketball preview 12/13/16
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.
