By Bruce A. Fasol

The visiting Harrisburg Bulldogs defeated the West Frankfort Redbirds 8-1 Monday night in an Ohio Division game.

The starting pitchers for the game ( Harrisburg’s Chris Younger and WF’s Ethan Sisk) held each other scoreless for three innings. It was in the fourth that Harrisburg broke the game open. Younger went on to one-hit the Birds for the victory. It was Harrisburg’s 10th win of the season.

The lone hit for the Redbirds came from Chase Mclaren who had an RBI single in the 5th to break up the shutout.

The Redbirds travel to Murphysboro for another SIRR Ohio Division game at 4:30pm Tuesday.

The Egyptian Officials Association along with the Southern Illinois Coaches Association and Southern Illinois McDonalds will host the 12th Annual Scholarship Golf Outing Friday, July 26th at Hickory Ridge Golf Course in Carbondale.

All proceeds from the event will be distributed back to eligible High Schools in Southern Illinois to be used in their scholarship fund for graduating students.

EOA Golf Outing 2013

EOA Hole Sponsorship 2013

The 35th Annual Benton Lion’s Club All-Star Basketball Classic will be played Friday night, March 29 at James “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium on the campus of Rend Lake College in Ina.  The girl’s game begins at 6 p.m.

The rosters for both games are listed below.

ROSTERS FOR THE 35^th ANNUAL BENTON LION’S CLUB ALL-STAR BASKETBALL CLASSIC

Friday, March 29, 2013 at Rend Lake College James “Hummer” Waugh Gym

Girls’ Game at 6 p.m.

Girls Gold Team (Home)

Coaches: Jeremy May (Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher)- Head Coach

_________________________

#24 – Evelyn Mendez (Benton)

#35- Kelsey Robinson (DuQuoin)

#3 -Ashton Unthank (Eldorado)

#33 -Katie Comp (Marion)

#20 -Dailey Williams (Marion)

#33- Shaye Harre (Nashville)

# 1 -Rae Lappin (Sesser-Valier-Waltonville)

#21- Katelyn Thies (Trico)

# 15 -Brandy Mifflin (Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher)

#12 – Allyson Webb (Goreville)

Girls Purple Team (Away)

Coaches: Chris Roberts (Marion)- Head Coach

Bart Sinks (Marion)- Asst. Coach

________________________________

#30- Cortney Williams (Marion)

#32- Makala Carney (Benton)

#21 -Nina Skinner (Carterville)

#22- Rebekah Maddox (DuQuoin)

#33 -Allison Sullivan (Goreville)

#33- Natalie Williamson (Mt. Vernon)

#24- Aaliyah Palmer (Mt. Vernon)

#25- Kelby Kujawa (Mt. Vernon)

#3 -Erica Brown (Nashville)

#23- Alexa Capps (Woodlawn)

Dunk contest, 3-point contests between games

Boys’ Game at 8 p.m.

Boys Gold Team (Home)

Coaches: Andy Palmer (Carlyle)- Head Coach

Ron Winemiller (Benton) Asst. Coach

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#10- Tyson Boehne (Carlyle)

#15 Cody Huels (Carlyle)

#10- Jeremy Weeke (Okawville)

#43 – Darin Winkelman (Steeleville)

#30- Aaron Rushing (Sparta)

#50- Ethan Schulte (Massac Co.)

#33 -J.T. Russell (Goreville)

#3- Dayton Tripp (Goreville)

#3- Chance Reuter (Nashville)

#21 – Scott Brown (Nashville)

#25- Gabe Murphy (Marion)

#00- Malik Stuckey (Marion)

#3- Jawan Tucker (Marion)

#12- Levi Lueke (Hamilton Co.)

#33- Joel Boulds (Eldorado)

#52- Tyler Horn (Carterville)

#40 – Cordon Hight (Century)

#24- Austin McPherron (Johnston City)

#33- Kris Harlow (Woodlawn)

#25- Jordan Hale (Waltonville)

#23 Matt Rogers (Waltonville)

#34 Derek Hood (Sesser-Valier)

Kevin Mercks (Christopher)

Boys Purple Team (Away:)

Coaches: Jon Brown (Crab Orchard)- Head Coach

Rodney Lane (Hardin Co.)- Asst. Coach

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#22- Gabe Owens (Woodlawn) (INJ)

#25- Cameron Taborn (Carrier Mills)

#1 -Josh Bailey (Carrier Mills)

#24- Patrick Lowe (Gallatin Co.)

#54- Andrew Drone (Gallatin Co.)

#21 Capel Henshaw (Harrisburg)

#21 -Justin Lukens (Herrin)

#42- Devin Holle (Nashville)

# 15 -Dylan Hardin (Pinckneyville)

#45 Chris Priebe (Pinckneyville)

# 10 – Dazmeon Nickerson (Massac Co.)

#33- Trevor Flota (Mt. Vernon)

#24- Trey Witges (Waltonville)

#4- Levi Laird (Waltonville)

#34- R.J. Kuh (Christopher)

#12- Tyler Atchison (Christopher)

#40- Joshua Jones (Meridian)

#32- Blaine LePere (Trico)

#40 George Kuhlman (Trico)

#1- Trenton Easley (West Frankfort)

Chris Schwartz (Chester)

Caleb Arbeiter (Chester)

Jacob Baird (Murphysboro)

The Benton girl’s track team traveled to the Illinois State University Cogdal Relays with 24 teams participating.

Benton coach Andy Sloan was pleased with a day that saw standout Kaitlyn Schutt participate in two separate meets in the same day.

“We had a really good day and finished off the indoor season on a bright note,” said Sloan.  “We took 10 kids to the meet and had a ton of personal records and season best performances.  We are continuing to see improvements and the kids are continuing to get better as the season progresses.  Our good isn’t great but if we keep doing what we have been, by the end of the year we hope our good is really good.  Individually, Kaitlyn Schutt had a great day.  She started off at Illinois Wesleyan by finishing 5th at the Indoor State Meet in the 800 and then came over to ISU and ran a season best in the 4×2 and 4×4, leading off both relays.”

Sloan said Schutt became the first Rangerette to medal in the Class AA state meet by finishing fifth in the 800 finishing in 2:22.29, breaking her old indoor school record by five seconds.  The performance also makes her part of the Class AA Indoor All-State Team.

Sloan said several other Benton athletes are rounding into form heading into the outdoor season – with the cooperation of Mother Nature.

“Kryslyn Fowler is getting stronger and understanding what her strengths are.  She had two good races and jumped well.  Kaitlyn Biddle had a good day in the field and ran a strong 200 leg for us.  She is a kid that does what we ask and never asks questions; the ultimate team player.  Bayley Eubanks ran a really strong leg on the 4×8 and had a personal record in the 55 high hurdles.  She too was asked to do something she is not accustomed to and ran real well. Jenna Johnston ran her best 800 of the year and got some good sprint work in today.  We loaded her up some last week so we backed off a little with her distances this week.

Benton girls’ track was bumped from Class 1A to Class 2A last year where enrollments range from 546 to 1,464 making Benton one of the smallest schools in the field.  Despite that, Sloan was happy with the way his team competed against the much larger schools.

“When you are up against the likes of Peoria Richwoods, Decatur MacArthur, Normal U High, Normal Community and Pontiac you better bring your best effort or you will be embarrassed,” said Sloan. “I’m proud of our kids and the way they have approached practices and competitions.  We have had a very successful indoor season and although the weather is not cooperating, it’s time to get outdoors.”

Benton girl’s track is at Murphysboro Open Wednesday March 27 (weather permitting) and host the annual home opener, the Benton Spring Fling Saturday, March 30.

Saturday’s results from ISU

_______________________
ILLINOIS TOP TIMES INDOOR STATE MEET 2 ILLINOIS WESLEYAN:
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY-COGDAL RELAYS 24 PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
HIGH JUMP
OLIVIA HAGERMAN        NH        NP
4X800 RELAY               11:12.09    4TH     *SB, #6 INDOOR BCHS
JOHNSTON 2:33.4 *SB    TABOR 2:49.2 *SB    MILLER 2:59.8 *SB    EUBANKS 2:48.7 *SB
55 DASH
VALARIE REPP            8.18        17TH
OLIVIA HAGERMAN        8.20        19TH     *PR
1600 RUN
CHELSEA TABOR        6:33.54        24TH     *SB
TAYLORAN MILLER        6:50.07        27TH     *PR
55 HH
BAYLEY EUBANKS        10.07P/9.75F    5TH     *PR, #4 INDOOR BCHS
4X200                 1:56.11        5TH     *SB, #8INDOOR BCHS
SCHUTT 27.6 *SB, NEAL 29.9 *SB,  FOWLER 27.8 *SB     HAGERMAN 29.9
4X400                4:25.32        5TH     *SB, #3 INDOOR BCHS
SCHUTT 62.5 *SB    NEAL 68.4    FOWLER 66.1 *SB    JOHNSTON 68.1 *SB
POLE VAULT
CASSIDY NEAL            7’6”        6TH
LONG JUMP
KRYSLYN FOWLER        14’ ¾”        9TH     *PR, #8 INDOOR BCHS
KAITLYN BIDDLE        13’ 9 ½”    14TH     *PR, #10 BCHS INDOOR
TRIPLE JUMP
CASSIDY NEAL            27’7 ½”        16TH     *PR
SHOT PUT
KAITLYN BIDDLE        27’ ½”        15TH     *PR

By Jim Muir

A spokesperson with the IHSA said on Monday that there is not a specific time frame to conclude its investigation into the Class 2A state championship game between Harrisburg and Seton Academy.

The Harrisburg Bulldogs won the game 50-44 completing a record-setting season and finishing the year with a record of 33-1.  The game was marred by three technical fouls and the ejection of Seton Academy’s Mark Weems, Jr., who received two technical fouls and was ejected with 2:05 remaining in the first half.  Weems, Jr. received the second technical foul for making contact with the official.  The other technical foul was called on Harrisburg’s Dakota Upchurch.

The Seton Academy team refused to accept the second place trophy following the game and Coach Brandon Thomas and several players refused to allow the second place medals to be placed around their neck and Thomas threw his medal in the direction of a assistant coach after he exited the podium.  Two days after the championship game the Seton Academy leveled charges that players had been subjected to racial slurs throughout the game, a charge that Harrisburg officials vehemently deny.

Matt Troha, who serves as assistant executive director for the IHSA, issued a two-sentence answer on Monday when he was contacted by email about the ongoing investigation and the time schedule for completion.

“We are still awaiting some requested materials as a part of our investigation and expect to receive them later this week,” said Troha. “There is no firm timeline for completion of the investigation, although it remains a top priority.”

Only hours after the championship game was completed the IHSA issued a statement taking both teams to task.

The statement read:

“The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is disappointed with and embarrassed by the actions of both Harrisburg High School and South Holland (Seton Academy) during Saturday’s IHSA Class 2A Boys Basketball State Championship game.

While passion and intensity are an integral part of athletic competition, especially at the highest levels, the behaviors of both teams crossed the lines of acceptable sportsmanship.  The IHSA is in the process of reviewing the events associated with tonight’s contest. Both schools will be contacted Monday.

“I am embarrassed by what took place here tonight,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “Interscholastic athletics are designed to teach young people important lessons about life. The lessons on display tonight were that respect and sportsmanship are not important, and that is simply not acceptable.”

The IHSA staff will be reaching out to the schools participating in next week’s Class 3A and Class 4A Super-Sectionals and State Finals tournament to reinforce the expectations of sportsmanship and appropriate behavior in interscholastic contests.

By Bruce A. Fasol

The West Frankfort Lady Redbirds won their second straight softbal game Friday afternoon. The Lady Redbirds were on the road playing Trico High School. The ‘Birds and Lady Pioneers were tied with a run apiece after the first inning on a warm afternoon in Campbell Hill.

The Lady Redbirds grabbed the lead in third inning plating another run. That lead was never surrendered. Trico scored their only other run in the 6rh inning to make the final score 6-2. as the redbirds scored one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth inning.

Kiarha Wilce was the winning pitcher for West Frankfort. Hirtting for the Lady Redbirds: calvert,Aldridge, Wyatt and Thompson were all 2 of 4 from the plate.

The Redbirds are now 2-1 for the season.

By Bruce A. Fasol

Opening Day for the Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher baseball team belonged to pitcher Gabe Jelley who allowed just one hit in a masterful 7-0 win over the visiting Cobden Appleknockers. In addititon to giving up just a single base hit, Jelley fanned 12 of the Cobden hitters while flirting with a no-hitter.

Hitting for the Tornadoes were: Nick McPhale 2-3, Boris Moskoff the catcher was 1-2 with 2 RBI’s, Bailey Schimpf 1-4 with an RBI, and Trevor Fitch 1-4.