Morning Show Interview With Lady Aces Coach Matt McCarty

Lady Aces coach Matt McCarty joined us on Monday’s Morning Show to talk about his team’s incredible season and run to a third place place finish at the Class 2A State Tournament this past weekend.

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Lady Aces coach Matt McCarty brought the 3rd place trophy with him to Monday’s Morning Show appearance.

(L-R) WSJD’s Chandler Madden, Coach McCarty, WSJD’s Kevin Madden

Lady Aces Place Four Players On All LIC Team

Little Illini Conference
2024-25 Girls Basketball All-Conference

First Team

Lynn Welborn, Marshall

Maycee Randall, Mt. Carmel

Riley Hershey, Mt. Carmel

Madison Steven, Mt. Carmel

Camryn Martin, Newton

Karasyn Martin, Newton

Kelysee Weiler, Olney

Macy Bicknell, Paris

Kailey Young, Paris

Tensley Dunlap, Robinson

Second Team

Lucy Moore, Casey-Westfield

Addeline Sanders, Lawrenceville

Addy O'Dell, Newton

Aliyah Flittner, Olney

Graci Watson, Paris

Honorable Mention

Julia Eckerty, Casey Westfield

Gracie Hughes, Lawrenceville

Marlee Heighton, Marshall

Evie Sellers, Mt. Carmel

Claire Probst, Newton

Leah Gibson, Olney

Kilee Edwards, Paris

Zoe Tuttle, Robinson

Lady Aces State Final Information

Our girls basketball team continues to rewrite history, as they will be playing in the IHSA State Finals at CEFCU Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Bloomington/Normal. 

Gameday Information:

Date: Thursday, March 6th 

Start Time: 2:00pm.

Opponent: Peoria Notre Dame (32-4)

Location: Illinois State University (CEFCU Arena)

Tickets: You can purchase tickets at the arena for $11 or purchase a digital ticket using this link:

https://goredbirds.evenue.net/event/IGB25/GB02

Seating is General Admission, and Mt. Carmel will have their own designated area for our fans to sit. Follow signs upon arrival.

Lady Aces Sent To McLeansboro For Class 2A Regional As #1 Seed

McLeansboro (Hamilton County) Regional

Sat., Feb. 15

Game 1 at TBA: (10) Lawrenceville at (8) Fairfield

Game 2 at TBA: (12) Flora at (5) McLeansboro (Hamilton County)

Mon., Feb. 17

Game 3 at 6:00 pm: (1) Mt. Carmel vs. Winner Game 1

Tue., Feb. 18

Game 4 at 6:00 pm: (4) Carmi (C.-White County) vs. Winner Game 2

Thu., Feb. 20

Game 5 at 7:00 pm: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

 Maroa (M.-Forsyth) Regional

Sat., Feb. 15

Game 1 at TBA: (10) Westville at (7) Warrensburg (W.-Latham)

Game 2 at TBA: (12) Niantic (Sangamon Valley) [Coop] at (6) Tolono (Unity)

Mon., Feb. 17

Game 3 at 6:00 pm: (2) Maroa (M.-Forsyth) vs. Winner Game 1

Game 4 at 7:30 pm: (3) Sullivan vs. Winner Game 2

Thu., Feb. 20

Game 5 at 6:00 pm: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

 

Palestine Regional

 

Sat., Feb. 15

Game 1 at TBA: (9) Toledo (Cumberland) at (7) Marshall

Game 2 at TBA: (11) Palestine [Coop] at (6) Robinson

Tue., Feb. 18

Game 3 at 6:00 pm: (2) Teutopolis vs. Winner Game 1

Game 4 at 7:30 pm: (3) Newton vs. Winner Game 2

Fri., Feb. 21

Game 5 at 6:00 pm: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

 Macon (Meridian) Regional

Sat., Feb. 15

Game 1 at TBA: (9) Pana at (8) Arthur (A.-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond)

Game 2 at TBA: (11) Shelbyville at (5) Macon (Meridian)

Tue., Feb. 18

Game 3 at 6:00 pm: (1) Paris vs. Winner Game 1

Game 4 at 7:30 pm: (4) Monticello vs. Winner Game 2

Thu., Feb. 20

Game 5 at 7:00 pm: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Paris Sectional

 Tue., Feb. 25

Game 1 at 6:00 pm: Winner McLeansboro (Hamilton County) Regional vs. Winner Maroa (M.-Forsyth) Regional

Game 2 at 7:30 pm: Winner Macon (Meridian) Regional vs. Winner Palestine Regional

Thu., Feb. 27

Game 3 at 6:30 pm: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Coaching Change At The Hilltop

Mt. Carmel boys basketball coach Justin Carpenter is out after less than two seasons at the helm of the Golden Aces. Wabash District #348 Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer tells WSJD News that Carpenter has resigned as the head coach effective immediately. He is being replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Sione Millitoni who was also serving as JV coach.

Bleyer would not say why Carpenter resigned and attempts to reach Carpenter for comment have been unsuccessful. He was named head coach in September of 2023 to replace Tyler Buss who resigned in July of that year.

In his two plus years, the Aces under Carpenter compiled a record of 17-32 including 6-17 this year. Their next game is tomorrow at home against Casey.

Bleyer said a search for a full time coach will begin at the end of the school year. Carpenter was an assistant on Buss’s staff and was an Aces star as a player helping lead Mt. Carmel to a second place finish in the Class 2A state finals in 2017. He was an honorable mention Class 2A all-state selection his senior year.

When the Aces opened the 2023-24 season, Carpenter was the youngest boys head basketball coach ever at MCHS.

Photos courtesy of Nichole Liddle Loudermilk

Allendale 8th grade night

On January 22, Allendale School honored their 8th grade boys' basketball players and cheerleaders for all of their hard work.  These students are great role models that always represent the Yellowjackets family positively.  Our 8th graders are:

Ryland Houchin, son of Lacy and Mike Abell

Teagan Polston, son of Laura and Andy Polston

Jaxon Morris, son of Chasity and Aaron Morris

Amelia Crummley, daughter of Mark and Alix Crummley

McKinlee Grimes, daughter of Lance and Jennifer Grimes

Keirsten Malone, granddaughter of Greg and Lisa Miller

Kelsey Morgan, daughter of Derek and Tia Morgan

Tessa White, granddaughter of Brenda and Rick Lofton and daughter of Sara and Logan Neufelder

The cheerleaders are coached by Liv Alka.  The boys' basketball team is coached by Haleigh Buchanan, Rachel Waddle, Aaron Morris, and Jacob Deisher.  

Ryland Houchin, son of Lacy and Mike Abell

Teagan Polston, son of Laura and Andy Polston

Jaxon Morris, son of Chasity and Aaron Morris

Amelia Crummley, daughter of Mark and Alix Crummley

McKinlee Grimes, daughter of Lance and Jennifer Grimes

Keirsten Malone, granddaughter of Greg and Lisa Miller

Kelsey Morgan, daughter of Derek and Tia Morgan

Tessa White, granddaughter of Brenda and Rick Lofton and daughter of Sara and Logan Neufelder

Single-Weekend State Final Formats Coming To IHSA Baseball & Softball In 2026

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for its regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, where the Board approved a pair of advisory committee recommendations aimed at bringing the IHSA Baseball and Softball State Final schedules in alignment with other multiclass IHSA sports.

In recent years, the IHSA has made changes to its State Final schedules in boys soccer, girls soccer, girls basketball, and boys basketball. Each sport previously held their state final tournaments over the course of two weekends, contesting different classes on each weekend. Girls and Boys Basketball moved to a single-weekend state final format in 2021-22, and girls and boys soccer followed suit in 2023-24.

The changes approved by the Board on Wednesday set the stage for baseball and softball to follow suit with single-weekend state final formats beginning in 2026.

“The move to a single-weekend state final format in basketball and soccer has been very well received overall, which led our baseball and softball advisory committees to seek out a similar format,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “I believe this has the potential to create an exciting culminating weekend for both sports.”

The schedule will call for the IHSA Softball State Finals in all four classes to be held in Week 48 of the IHSA calendar, which is when the IHSA Class 1A/2A Softball State Finals are currently held. The IHSA Baseball State Finals in all four classes will be held in Week 49 of the IHSA calendar, which is when the IHSA Class 3A/4A Baseball State Finals are currently held.

The IHSA’s hosting contract for the Softball State Finals at Louisville Slugger in Peoria runs through the 2025 state tournament.

“We believe that Louisville Slugger is the premier softball facility in the state,” said Anderson. “We have enjoyed a fantastic partnership with the staff there and it is our intention to hold the IHSA Softball State Finals there in 2026, and beyond, as the tournament transitions to the single-weekend format. We believe there is mutual interest from Louisville Slugger, and the many community partners that help put on the event and expect to be able to work together to make this official very soon.”

The IHSA currently has a baseball state final contract for the 1A/2A tourney weekend at Dozer Park in Peoria, and a state final contract for the 3A/4A tourney weekend at Slammers Stadium in Joliet. The 1A/2A contract in Peoria runs through the 2025 state finals, while the 3A/4A in Joliet contract runs through the 2026 state finals.

“We intend to honor our current baseball hosting contracts and are open to multiple options in 2027 and beyond,” said Anderson. “Those options include holding the state finals at multiple venues in one city or continuing to contest the different classes at two sites on the same weekend. We have deep ties in both ballparks and communities, and will continue to work with both hosts, along with other key Illinois high school baseball constituents, to determine the best course of action for hosting the State Finals in the single-weekend format.”

The IHSA Board of Directors also indicated they will explore authoring a by-law proposal in the fall of 2025 that would bring alignment to the season lengths of both sports.

The IHSA will be releasing the dates for the remaining 2025-26 State Series rounds (Regional, Sectional, Super-Sectional) to schools in the near future.


ACTION
1. The Board approved a recommendation to move the February Board meeting from Monday, February 10 to Tuesday, February 11.


APPEALS & ELIGIBILITY RULINGS
No appeal hearings


DISCUSSION ITEMS
At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain items the Board discusses, but upon which no action was taken or action may not be required. The following is a report of those items from the January 15, 2025, agenda:

1. The Board reviewed the results of and discussed a questionnaire that was sent to the Official Representative at each IHSA member school in January. The questionnaire topics included post-season classification cutoffs, the multiplier, the multiplier waiver, and the success formula. The results of the questionnaire can be viewed in the IHSA Schools Center.

2. The Board heard an update on the IHSA Legislative Process that resulted in IHSA member schools voting to approve nine by-law amendments in December. Six of the amendments take affect on July 1, 2025, while the three proposals below have already taken effect:

Proposal 6: Adds penalties for officials working as unlicensed officials and for assignors (where used by member schools) when an unlicensed official is assigned to work a contest. No penalties to the school when using an assignor and for a first-time offense.

Proposal 7: Modifies the IHSA travel policy. Currently, a team can miss two days of school on two occasions during a season. This change would allow for the four days to be used concurrently.

Proposal 17:  Modifies the number of summer contact days restriction from 25 to 20 days.

3. The Board heard a report on the 2025 IHSA All-State Academic Team application process. The application deadline for the 2025 Team is February 14, 2025. More info is available here and application forms are accessible here.

4. The Board heard a report on the 2025 Student Section and Spirit Showdown. The video submission deadline is January 29, 2025. More information can be accessed here.

5. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the NFHS Winter Meeting.

6. The Board heard a report from IHSA staff members who attended the Let’s Connect Conference in Rosemont.

7. The Board held further discussion on a potential policy that would allow for the IHSA to partner with third-party groups that conduct state tournaments in Illinois in sports and activities that the IHSA does not currently offer. If developed and approved, the policy would allow a third-party group to continue to operate its state tournament, with the IHSA providing awards and support.

County Commissioners Approve $1,500 For Wrestling Tourney

Young wrestlers from all over the area will descend on Mt. Carmel’s Grade School Sunday for Aces Rumble ’25. The Mt. Carmel Golden Aces wrestling team is hosting the tournament that will feature competitors ranging in age from 6 years old to the 8th grade. Coach Andrew Cheesman was at Wednesday’s county board meeting asking for financial assistance from the county’s hotel motel tax fund….

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County commissioners approved a $1,500 donation to help fund Sunday’s tournament. Cheesman said the group had also raised between $6,000 to $7,000 in donations from the business community to help with the tourney that begins at 9am.

IHSA Member Schools Pass All Proposals on 2024 All-School Ballot

Illinois High School Association (IHSA) member schools approved all nine amendment proposals that appeared on the all-school ballot during the annual by-law referendum process that ended on December 16, 2024. Full text of the initial 26 proposals can be found by clicking here.

Perhaps the most significant change of note will be a reduction in summer contact days from 25 to 20, a change that goes into effect in 30 days and will be applicable during the summer of 2025.

"The IHSA's Sports Medicine Advisory Committee has supported this change for several years," said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. "They believe our student-athletes need increased time for physical and mental recovery throughout the summer months, and anticipate this minor reduction will be a benefit to high school student-athletes, coaches, and families alike."

Nearly 70% of the IHSA membership took part in the 2024 voting process. Below is a summary of the proposals and the vote totals. (The numbers in parentheses indicate the total of Yes-No-No Opinion votes. For an amendment to pass, Yes votes must outnumber No votes).

  • Proposal 4 (Passes 454-78-26): Allows the IHSA Executive Director to appoint Associate Directors to make eligibility rulings. Also allows the IHSA Board of Directors to appoint a committee of three Board members to review eligibility appeals.
     

  • Proposal 6 (Passes 450-92-17): Adds penalties for officials working as unlicensed officials and for assignors (where used by member schools) when an unlicensed official is assigned to work a contest. No penalties to the school when using an assignor and for a first-time offense.
     

  • Proposal 7 (Passes 350-154-54): Modifies the IHSA travel policy. Currently, a team can miss two days of school on two occasions during a season. This change would allow for the four days to be used concurrently.
     

  • Proposal: 16 (Passes 489-34-37): Modifies the All-Star limitation by-law to be in place during the school year only.
     

  • Proposal 17 (Passes 317-227-17):  Modifies the number of summer contact days restriction from 25 to 20 days.
     

  • Proposal 20 (Passes 459-82-20): Adds specific penalties for a school that violates the season limitation in any sport. Penalties include coaches being suspended for the entirety of the State Series. Forfeiture of host guarantee and probation.
     

  • Proposal 24 (Passes 289-122-142): Increase the number of regular season contests in competitive cheerleading and competitive dance from 6 to 8 dates.
     

  • Proposal 25 (Passes 385-116-59): Modifies the suspension for ejection of unsportsmanlike conduct by players in football to be ineligible for the remainder of the quarter they are ejected and the next four (4) quarters at that level and all other interscholastic contests at any level in the interim, in addition to
    other penalties by IHSA or the school may assess.
     

  • Proposal 26 (Passes 498-36-27): Change most references in the constitution and by-laws of “principal” and “administrator,” to "Official Representative".