Aces Wrestlers Finish 6th Out Of 10 Teams At Vincennes

On Saturday, the wrestling Aces finished 6th out of 10 schools at the Vincennes Invite, and went 2-3 on the day. Our order of the duals of the day was: Ev. Reitz, Terre Haute South, Ev. Harrison, Olney (Richland County.), and then Northview in the 5th/6th place match. We also had two wrestlers get a couple exhibition matches.

Coach Mike Cheesman Comments:

“Overall, we knew there would be good wrestlers and some stout teams there this weekend, and that’s why we came because of the competition. Even though we were the smallest school there, we geared up and wrestled tough all day. We saw some big steps of improvements, things we need to correct, but one of the most important things we gained was experience. We are growing as a team, and experiences like this invite are valuable. We are excited, as a coaching staff, to continue to watch our wrestlers grow and succeed throughout this year. “

NEXT MATCH IS WEDNESDAY 12/3/25 @ Carmi-White Co. starting at 6pm

Mt. Carmel Wrestlers Open Season With Win At Oblong

MCHS WRESTLING DUAL 11/25/25 @ Oblong

106: Thomas Stigler (OBLONG) over (MTCARMEL) (For.)
113: Gunner Fitts (OBLONG) over (MTCARMEL) (For.)
120: Ezekiel Meier (MTCARMEL) over Gunner Fitts (OBLONG) (Fall 0:30)
126: Mason Morris (MTCARMEL) over (OBLONG) (For.)
132: Kadin Melahn (MTCARMEL) over (OBLONG) (For.)
138: Emmitt Cooley (MTCARMEL) over (OBLONG) (For.)
144: Owen Griffin (OBLONG) over Carson Sloss (MTCARMEL) (Dec 8-2)
150: Jude Wirey (OBLONG) over Tucker Martin (MTCARMEL) (TF 20-5 0:00)
157: Isaiah Hall (MTCARMEL) over Jack Huddleston (OBLONG) (Fall 0:42)
165: Cole Littlejohn (OBLONG) over Cole Carmickle (MTCARMEL) (Fall 0:47)
175: Braxton Brown (MTCARMEL) over Keaton Davis (OBLONG) (TF 26-8 0:00)
190: Oliver Hoke (OBLONG) over Jesus Romero (MTCARMEL) (Fall 0:35)
215: Jackson Kling (MTCARMEL) over Bryar Shields (OBLONG) (Fall 1:54)
285: Carter Pyatt (MTCARMEL) over Ethan Miller (OBLONG) (Fall 2:34)

Dual Final Score:

Mt Carmel 47 - Oblong 32

Coach Mike Cheesman’s Comments:

“It was great to see the wrestlers to get on the mat and start the season off with great energy, focus, and confidence. For some, it was knocking off ‘the rust’, and others, it was getting rid of the their first ever match ‘jitters’. Overall, we went in to the match having a job to do, and our wrestlers responded by doing exactly that.  We want to keep that energy, focus, and confidence going throughout the season. It’s always great to start the season with a win,”

Our next match is the Vincennes Lincoln Invite 11/29/25 @ 9AM EST

Proposal to expand IHSA football playoffs

Roxana High School has authored a proposal to the IHSA that would expand the high school football playoffs from 256 qualifiers to 384 qualifiers and alter regular-season scheduling to a “flexed regional” format.

If adopted, the IHSA football postseason would have 48 playoff teams in each classification, which is up from the current number of 32 qualifiers. In Class 1A through Class 6A, the top eight seeds in the north and south brackets would receive an opening round bye, while in Class 7A and Class 8A, the top 16 seeds would automatically advance to the second round.

The “flexed regional” scheduling model would divide the state into regions of at least six teams determined by geographic proximity and enrollment. All playoff-eligible football-playing teams in the state would be divided equally into the eight classifications before the season, which would become the group of teams that are divided into each regional.

Schools would be able to schedule their non-regional games on their own.

Under this proposal, Week 1 of the season would start a week earlier to allow the state championship games to still be played during the week of Thanksgiving.

Roxana High School Assistant Principal Adam Miller explains why they feel the two parts of the proposal fit together.

The IHSA’s legislative council must approve the proposal before being placed on an all-school ballot for a vote from all IHSA member schools. If approved by a simple majority, the policy would go into effect next season.

Lady Aces Dominate Red Hill In Regular Season Finale

The Lady Aces traveled to Red Hill for their last regular season game.

The Aces dominated the Salukis winning in 2 sets  25-4, and 25-8. 

Stats by for the Aces were Mattie Armstrong  2 kills, 4 assists, 3 digs, Jayla Johnson 2 aces, 1  kill, 4 digs, 1 assist, Maycee Randall 2 aces, 4 kills, 3 blocks, 4 digs, Tenley Davis 1 kill, 2 digs, 4 assists, Lyla Keepes 1 ace, 5 kills, 9 digs, 1 assist, Kyleigh Smith 2 kills, 1 assist, 1 block, Tensley Dunlap 5 kills, 2 digs, Gabby Schneider 5 aces, 4 assists, 4 digs. 

The JV won in 3 sets 25-19, 21-25, 15-1. 

Leah Lewis 7 aces, 7 digs, 5 kills, 1 assist, Cate Pyatt, 11 kills, Mylee Farmer 11 digs, Mercedes Dillard 2 aces, 8 digs, Leila Sweeney 1 dig, Quincy Keepes 4 aces, 2 digs, 20 assist, Ryleigh Gill 4 digs, Journey Loudermilk 4 kills,  Addison Mobley 1 kill, 1 dig. Ryleigh Gill 4 digs. 

Next Tuesday night the Aces play Benton for the first round of regionals. 

Comments by assistant coach  Bonnie Keepes 

Lady Aces Send Seniors Out With Win

The Lady Aces hosted Wayne City on Senior night Monday at the hilltop. The team had big crowd support with a fired up student section. 

The Aces and Indians played a tight first set, but the Aces landed on top winning 25-22. The second set the Indians put together a big run. The Aces chipped at it but fell 19-25. The student section was fired up and loud and the girls were ready for a third set. Tensley Dunlap was on fire swinging for kill after kill on the outside putting the Aces ahead at the end 25-22. Tensley had a season high 15 kills, and Mattie Armstrong had a season high 18 assists.  What a great game to celebrate the seniors. Scrappy defense, and hard aggressive swinging was on full display. The Aces Seniors are Mattie Armstrong, Maycee Randall, Tenley Davis, and Jayla Johnson. 

Stats by for the Aces were Mattie Armstrong 18 assists, 10 digs, Jayla Johnson 1 ace, 2  kills, 13 digs, Maycee Randall, 8 kills, 3 blocks, 1 assist, 2 digs, Tenley Davis 1 kill, 14 digs, 5 assists, Lyla Keepes 1 ace, 3 kills, 13 digs, Kyleigh Smith 2 kills, 2 blocks, Tensley Dunlap 15 kills, 2 digs, Avery Coston 1 kill, 1 dig, Gabby Schneider 2 aces,1 kill, 7 aces, 7 digs. 

The JV team had a good night as well. They were great on the offensive and defense side of the ball. We got behind in the first set Leah Lewis ran off 5 aces in a row to kick start us back a lead. The Aces took the win in 2 sets, 25-22, 25-19 Player stats Leah Lewis 7 aces, 6 digs, 3 kills, Avery Coston 6 kills, 1 dig, Cate Pyatt, 5 digs, 8 kills, Mylee Farmer 5 digs, 1 assist, Mercedes Dillard 4 digs, Leila Sweeney 1 dig, Quincy Keepes 2 digs, 17 assists, Ryleigh Gill 4 aces, 1 dig, Josie James 1 kill,  Journey Loudermilk 1 ace, 2 kills , Addison Mobley 1 kill.

Comments by assistant coach Bonnie Keepes 

Photo Credit Nichole Loudermilk

Lady Aces Compete In Edwards County Tourney

The Lady Aces traveled to Edwards County for a 5 game tournament. They started the day against a warmed up Olney.  This didn’t fare well for the Aces dropping the first set 23-25. The girls got ahead with a big run the second set winning 25-14, but couldn’t keep the same momentum and dropped the 3rd 13-15. The next opponent in pool play NCOE, defeated the Aces 12-25, 14-25.  They were nailing the lines, and very consistent. The tough pool play put the Aces in the bronze bracket. In the bronze bracket they first faced Robinson. The team looked alive against Robinson and won the first set big 25-13, and sealed the win with a second set score of 25-19. The Aces played those three matches in a row, took a lunch break, and came back to face Grayville.  The girls stayed on top defeating Grayville in a quick match 25-10, 25-9.  The final match of the day the Aces faced Lawrenceville. The first set score 25-19 the Aces liked better than the final two, 18-25, 6-15. Lawrenceville rallied after the first set loss, and I think it came down to them wanting it more than the Aces. At the end of a long day the team was losing some focus and we just couldn’t get the win. 

Stats by for the Aces were Mattie Armstrong 38 assists, 40 digs, 3 aces, Jayla Johnson 2 aces, 12 kills, 18 digs, 1 assist, 3 blocks, Maycee Randall, 4 aces, 20 kills, 11 blocks, 1 assist, 1 dig, Tenley Davis 8 aces, 39 digs, 12 assists, Lyla Keepes 2 aces, 16 kill, 26 digs, 1 assist, 1 block, Kyleigh Smith 13 kills, 4 digs, 6 blocks, Tensley Dunlap 22 kills, 3 digs, 4 blocks, Avery Coston 2 kills, 4 blocks, Gabby Schneider 7 aces, 26 assist, 10 digs, Leah Lewis 2 kills, 1 dig, Mercedes Dillard 2 digs, Mylee Farmer 2 digs. 

The Aces will be back at home tonight for Senior Night against Wayne City, JV will start at 6. 

Comments by assistant coach, Bonnie Keepes.

NCOE Spikes Lady Aces

The Mount Carmel Lady Aces faced a highly ranked Norris City team Wednesday night. The Aces traveled to play the Redbirds who are currently 25-1. The Aces made many great digs the first set. They played competitively with NC, dropping the set 18-25. The second set NC really cleaned up their errors, and put the attacking hammer down taking the Aces 8-25.  The Seniors at NC won State as 8th graders, making this a stacked team. 

Stats for the Aces were Mattie Armstrong 3 assists, 6 digs, 1 ace, Jayla Johnson 2 kills, 4 digs, Maycee Randall, 2 aces, 3 kills, 1 block, Tenley Davis 11 digs, Lyla Keepes 1 kill, 2 digs, Kyleigh Smith 1 kill, Tensley Dunlap 2 kills, Avery Coston 1 dig, Gabby Schneider 2 aces, 4 assist, 2 digs. 

The JV team played great the first set. The defense was getting up anything NC game them.  They also attacked clean, winning the set 25-22. The second set NC got in some big serving runs that we struggled to pass. 

They took the set 14-25. The third set it was more aggressive serving that took down the aces 7-15. Even with the loss we saw some excellent defense. We had 4 girls with over 10 digs, including Leah, Mylee, Mercedes, and Quincy. Avery led with 6 kills. The team fought hard. 

Player stats Leah Lewis 15 digs, 3 kills, Avery Coston 6 kills, 1 dig, Cate Pyatt, 5 digs, 5 kills, Mylee Farmer 14 digs, Mercedes Dillard 12 digs,  1 assist, Leila Sweeney 3 digs, Quincy Keepes 10 digs, 14 assists, Ryleigh Gill 4 digs, Josie James 2 kills,  Journey Loudermilk 1 dig. 

The Varsity team will play in the Edwards county tournament Saturday starting at 9am. 

The first match will be back against Norris City, and then Olney for pool play. 

Comments by Assistant coach Bonnie Keepes

Photo Credit Nichole Loudermilk