Walker Finishes 1st For Yellow Jackets Cross Country Against Wayne City

On Thursday, October 1st, Yellow Jackets Cross Country hosted Wayne City in a dual meet.  In the JV race (1.2 miles), the following were the times for Yellow Jackets runners:

In the Varsity race (1.86 miles), the following were the times for Yellow Jackets runners:

Varsity Girls -

Kali Walker 14:29 (1st place)

Hallie Courter 15:31 (3rd place)

Varsity Boys -

Kollin Kelsey 13:27 (2nd place)

Alex McGinnis 14:38 (4th place)

Chase Gher 23:54

JV Girls -

Ava Abell 10:51 (4th place)

Addison Tennis 11:08

Linden Stevens 12:52

JV Boys -

Tristan Bray 9:23 (6th place)

Conner McGinnis 9:33

Lucas Isaac 11:36

Next up for Yellow Jackets Cross Country:  home meet vs. St. Joe-Olney on Monday, October 5th at 4:00 pm.

IHSA Statement on TRO Hearing

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) appeared as the defendant in a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) hearing in DuPage County’s 18th Judicial Circuit Court on Thursday, October 1, 2020. The Honorable Paul Fullerton ruled in favor of the IHSA and did not grant the TRO. The TRO sought to rescind the IHSA Board of Director’s decision to implement modified seasons in the fall, winter, spring, and summer in 2020-21 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. If it had been granted, the TRO would not have impacted the ability to play any IHSA sports, including football, boys soccer, or girls volleyball. Following the court’s decision, IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson released the following statement:

“As the Executive Director of the IHSA and the father of a current three-sport high school student-athlete, I want to speak candidly to all the student-athletes, coaches, and parents who were following today’s lawsuit, and have been impacted by the modifications to the IHSA seasons due to the pandemic. First and foremost, we know how important high school athletics are to your mental, emotional, and physical well-

While the IHSA defended itself in court, our defense was not a rebuttal against expanding the participation opportunities for high school athletes in Illinois. The IHSA has and continues to believe that we can safely conduct high school sports in Illinois throughout the 2020-21 school year. We are already conducting cross country, golf, swimming & diving, and tennis this fall, with a plan in place to run all sports in modified seasons this school year. If changes to that schedule are forthcoming, we feel that the path to achieving them is through collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health and state leadership, as opposed to litigation.

The Honorable Paul Fullerton ruled in the IHSA’s favor in the temporary restraining order, but had the temporary restraining order been granted, it would not have been a victory for IHSA student-athletes. Traditional IHSA fall sports like football, soccer, and girls volleyball would have remained on the sideline, along with all sports deemed medium or high risk, based upon the Youth Sports Guidelines set forth in state government’s All Sports Policy.

It is important to acknowledge that COVID-19 is real. It has had an immeasurable impact on our state and country. We want to see IHSA student-athletes safely return to the fields and courts, just as so many high school student-athletes in surrounding states have. We believe we can mitigate many of the risks of the virus and successfully provide these opportunities for our students.

This lawsuit shines a light on the need for more data and transparency from IDPH and state leadership on what benchmarks need to be accomplished in order for the IHSA to conduct further sports offerings. We have and will continue to lobby our contacts at the state and IDPH levels, providing them with relevant data from across the country. If there are no changes by IDPH and state leadership, we will continue with our contingency plan of offering IHSA sports in the winter, spring, and summer. Our goal remains to provide every IHSA student-athlete the opportunity to compete in their respective sport or sports in 2020-21.”

End of Season Schedules Finalized For MCHS Athletics

Boys Golf - 

Tuesday 10/6 Regionals at West Berwick Golf Course. 8:30 AM

Tuesday 10/13 Sectionals at West Frankfort (Franklin County Country Club) TBD

Girls Golf - 

Wednesday 10/7 Regionals at West Berwick Golf Course. 8:30 AM

Monday, 10/12 Sectionals at Salem (Salem Country Club) TBD

Cross Country - 

Thursday 10/8 at Home vs Fairfield. 4:15 PM

Thursday 10/15 at Lawrenceville. 4:15 PM

Monday 10/19 at Robinson. 4:00 PM

Saturday 10/24 Regionals at Chrisman. 9:00 AM

Girls Tennis - 

Monday 10/5 at Fairfield. 4:00 PM

Wednesday 10/7 JV ONLY at Home vs Robinson. 4:00 PM

Thursday 10/8 at Mt. Vernon (IL) 5:00 PM

Monday 10/12 at Home vs Fairfield. 4:00 PM

Tuesday 10/13 at Centralia. 4:00 PM

Friday 10/16 Sectionals at Herrin. Start time TBD

MCHS Cross Country Report

From Coach Joe Vargo:

On Saturday the MCHS Cross Country teams traveled to Lawrenceville to participate in the 6 team Lawrenceville Invitational. The Aces came away with a 22 to 34 victory over Dietrich. Lawrenceville, Flora, Palestine-Hutsonville and North Clay did not field enough runners to register a team score.  Gehrig Jones led the way with a 3rd place finish with a time of 18:04 over the 3 mile course.  The sophomore pack of AnthonyBleyer (6th), Caleb Carwile (7th) and Jason Miller (11th) clinched the victory.  Chase Keepes (18th) and Eric Leffler (19th) rounded out the Aces runners.

In the girls race, no team scores were kept. The Lady Aces were led by Jada Smith’s 3rd place finish in a time of 23:14. She was followed by Lily Keepes (8th) and Jayla Smith (10th).

———-

 The MCHS Cross Country teams traveled to Fairfield Monday for the Fairfield Invitational. The Aces with 40 points finished 2nd to Fairfield’s 32 and ahead of Carmi 58 and Webber (no team score). Gehrig Jones (17:28)and Anthony Bleyer (18:31) led the Aces with 3rd and 4th place finishes.  They were followed by Jason Miller (10th), Caleb Carwile (12th), Chase Keepes (18th) and Eric Leffler (19th).

Jada Smith and Lily Keepes led the Lady Aces with 3rd and 4th place finishes. Jayla Smith the only other Lady Ace runner finished 7th.  The Lady Aces registered no team score. The Lady Mules won the girls race.

MCHS next meet is a home meet (senior day) against Fairfield on October 8th.

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against IHSA To Start Fall Sports

With Illinois being the only state in the Midwest not allowing high school football this fall, some parents and athletes have had enough.

A class action lawsuit is being filed this week in DuPage County against the Illinois High School Association seeking for all fall sports around the state to resume. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs plan to seek a temporary restraining order against the state's order to cancel most fall sports, including football, soccer and volleyball.

The IHSA, along with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, have remained adamant that contact sports like football, soccer and volleyball should be pushed to spring as a result of the pandemic. Pritzker says the decision to postpone those sports is based on the recommendations of infectious disease experts.

Dave Ruggles, a parent of an athlete and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, says the governor needs to make this right for the athletes.

“We are trying to get his attention and we are trying to send a message,” Ruggles said. “He’s the guy that’s stopping this from happening.”

A group of parents and student athletes recently held a news conference outside Pritzker’s Chicago mansion. Johnathan Rodriguez, who plays soccer at Thornton Township High School, was in attendance. He worries that missing his senior season could hinder his chances at playing college soccer.

“We’re willing to do anything,” Rodriguez said. “We all know this requires effort, and we’re willing to put that forth.”

A number of high school athletes who are trying to impress college coaches on the football field left Illinois and are playing in states such as Texas and Florida.

Washington High School head football coach Darrell Crouch said his team is ready if the season resumes, but believes it may be getting too late. He blames the Pritzker administration and thinks the kids are getting short changed.

"I don’t really feel like it's the IHSA that’s dragging their feet, it's our governor and the department of health,” Crouch said. “I think they are the ones that have handcuffed sports, not the IHSA really."

A judge is expected to hear the case on Wednesday.

WVC bass team signs Jason Mendenhall of Carmi

Wabash Valley College's bass coach Todd Gill, is excited to announce the signing of Jason Mendenhall for the 2021–2022 collegiate bass season. Mendenhall signed on Wednesday evening, Sept. 9.

Jason is the son of Jeff and Angela Mendenhall of Carmi, Illinois. He is a senior at Carmi-White County High School and will be competing this coming season with the Carmi bass team for the third straight season.

Jason's most notable finish was at a Fishing League Worldwide high school open tournament on Lake of the Ozarks where he finished 11th out of 60 boats. He also finished 12th this past summer in the WVC high school bass invitational at East Fork Lake.

Mendenhall plans to study agricultural business in college and is excited about his opportunity to be a part of the Wabash Valley College Bass Team.

Those interested in learning more about the Wabash Valley College bass team can visit www.wvcwarriorathletics.com, click on Club Teams and select Bass Fishing. High school juniors and seniors interested in a campus visit can fill out the recruiting questionnaire and Coach Gill will contact them to discuss the team and schedule a campus visit. You can also keep up with WVC bass team news by following them on Facebook @WVC Bass Team and on Instagram @wvcbassteam.

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WVC Warrior Bass Team Off To Good Start

Vandalia, Ill.— Two weeks into its inaugural season, the Wabash Valley College bass fishing club team is making a name for itself in the Association of Collegiate Anglers.

Saturday, the tandem of Drew Gill and Clayton Halbig finished in seventh place out of 36 boats in the McKendree University Invitational on Vandalia Lake. The event was added to the schedule only recently and five of the 14 Warrior fishermen were entered.

One week earlier, the full contingent competed for the first time, recording three top 10 finishes in the individual sessions of the Bass Pro Shop Big Bass Bash at Paris, Tenn. on Kentucky Lake.

Though the final standings for the season-opener have not been released yet, unofficial tabulations show the Warriors finished ninth out of more than 30 teams entered.

“In the grand scheme of things, there were seven weigh-in periods, and in three out of the seven we had an angler in the top ten, and we had four anglers bring fish to the scales on Sunday” said coach Todd Gill. “So, I’m pretty pleased about that.”

There were four weigh-ins on the first day of the two-day tournament. Drew Gill, along with co-angler Clayton Halbig, beat the last weigh-in deadline by only 90 seconds, but it was worth it. Gill’s catch of 4.39 pounds was the third best of that session, and sixth best for the whole day on Saturday against a field in excess of 300 fisherman.

On the final day, Halbig finished eighth in one of the morning weigh-ins with a catch of 3.22 pounds, and Zane Kelly brought in a catch good for ninth in another (2.23 pounds).

Each of the top 10 finishers for each session earned prizes from tournament sponsors as well.

Overall, Gill’s catch held up for 11th place for the weekend. Halbig’s catch was tied for 32nd. Cole Hess (a catch of 2.38 pounds) and Kelly also wound up in the top 100.

Both events were sanctioned by the ACA, which conducts a Team of the Year competition (McKendree won last year). At each stop off, the top two finishes earn ACA points. Teams hope to earn enough ACA points to land a spot in the US Collegiate Bass Championships, which will be held on May 26-27 at Lake Murray, SC.

The next stop for WVC is Lake Dardanelle, Ark., for the sanctioned AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open, on Oct. 10-11.

Drew Gill (center) and Clayton Halbig (right) watch as their catch is measured Saturday at Vandalia Lake.

Drew Gill (center) and Clayton Halbig (right) watch as their catch is measured Saturday at Vandalia Lake.

Wabash Valley College bass team signs Lane Bradley of Newton

Wabash Valley College's bass coach Todd Gill, is excited to announce the signing of Lane Bradley for the 2021–2022 collegiate bass season. Bradley signed on Wednesday evening, Sept. 23.

Lane is the son of Chris and LeAnn Bradley of Newton, Ill. He is a senior at Newton High School and will be competing this coming season with the Newton bass team for the fourth straight season. Lane has been Angler of the Year for three years in high school and has two top-ten finishes with the Illinois Bass Nation High School Division.

He also finished 13th this past summer in the WVC High School Bass Invitational at East Fork Lake. Bradley plans to study welding in college and is excited about his opportunity to be a part of the Wabash Valley College bass team.

Those interested in learning more about the Wabash Valley College bass team can visit wvcwarriorathletics.com, click on Club Teams and select Bass Fishing. High school juniors and seniors interested in a campus visit can fill out the recruiting questionnaire and Coach Gill will contact them to discuss the team and schedule a campus visit. You can also keep up with WVC bass team news by following them on Facebook @WVC Bass Team and on Instagram @wvcbassteam.

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Lady Aces Wrap Up Regular Season 22-2 With Blow Out Of Carmi

Mount Carmel Lady Aces Golf

Carmi Country Club

September 28, 2020

Medalist Lillian Gottman

Mount Carmel 167

Lillian Gottman 38; Mady Young 40; Maria Kennard 44; Daisy Schrader 45; Anna Gill 46; Lauren Hall 52

Carmi -White County 219

Katelyn Deig 49; Macey Heil 53; sleigh Grey 57; Saylor Mason 60; Laci Mills 63

Lady Aces end their regular season tonight 22-2. Next up for the Lady Aces is IHSA Regionals, next Wednesday at West Berwick Golf Course. 

West Berwick Golf Course To Award 5 Scholarships

West Berwick Golf Course would like to promote the game of with the youth of Wabash County by providing financial assistance for selected youth in need

For calendar year 2021, West Berwick will award (5) scholarships worth $500 each to promote golf to Wabash County youth that otherwise might not have an opportunity to experience the game. These scholarships will include green fees and limited merchandise, and they will be effective January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.

To be eligible you must be entering grades 7-12 during the 2021-2022 academic year, and be a resident of Wabash County.

Applications may be picked up at the Pro Shop of West Berwick Golf Course. If you can’t make it out to the course, just email Jake Holcomb at westberwickgolf@gmail.com and he will email an application to you. The deadline for submitting your application is October 31, 2020. Scholarship awards will be announced in late November or early December.

Pritzker Not Budging On Fall High School Football

It appears high school football will remain a spring sport this season.

Governor J.B. Pritzker said he has not been talking with the Illinois High School Association about moving football up to this fall, but it is the state public health officials who made the call, not him.

“It is doctors and epidemiologists that are leading the way here,” said Pritzker. “It is what I have done all along in this pandemic. I think it’s one of the reasons we have one of the lowest positivity rates in the Midwest.”

Illinois High School Association executive director Craig Anderson sent the governor’s office a letter requesting permission to allow the IHSA to govern its sports and a timetable to return.

“With support from the IHSA Board of Directors, I issued a letter on September 10 to Governor Pritzker and Deputy Governor Ruiz, that seeks permission for the IHSA and its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee to resume control over determining the resumption of IHSA sports and activities,” Anderson said in an IHSA statement.

There have been several “Let Us Play” rallies around the state, as coaches, parents and players try to persuade the governor to change his mind. A large crowd showed up before the Chicago Bears home opener. Some high school athletes who are trying to impress college coaches on the football field left Illinois and are playing in states such as Texas and Florida.

Pritzker said it is no accident that states that allow football have higher cases of the coronavirus.

"If you look at just football, for example, many of the states that do not allow football today are the states with the lowest positivity rates,” said Pritzker.

Minnesota recently voted to restart football, making Illinois the only state in the Midwest that won't have high school football this fall.

Red Hot St. Anthony Golfers Hand Lady Aces Only 2nd Loss Of Season

Mt. Carmel Lady Aces Golf

Richland County CC

September 23, 2020

Medalist Macy Luthwig, St Anthony

Mt. Carmel 169; Daisy Schrader 40; Lillian Gottman 41; Mady Young 43: Maria Kennard 45; Anna Gill 45; Lauren Hall 51

Effingham St. Anthony 150; Macy Luthwig 33; Ellie Wiggman 37; Nina Hackman 40; Lauren Schwing 40

Olney 205; Caroline Glover 41; Taylor Runyon 47; Rayne Goff 54; Meagan Gibson 63

Deer hunters: Remember safety tips as season approaches

With the deer reduction zone season underway, youth deer season this weekend and the statewide archery season coming in on October 1, 2020, Indiana Conservation Officers are offering safety tips to help keep Hoosier deer hunters safe.

The various deer hunting seasons run through Jan. 31, 2021. It is estimated that more than 300,000 people will participate in some form of deer hunting in Indiana during that span. Such a large number makes safety more even more important.

The most common injuries during deer seasons are accidents involving tree stands and elevated platforms. Follow the safety tips listed below when hunting from an elevated position:

Before the hunt:

  • Read and understand the tree stand manufacturer’s instructions.

  • Check tree stands and equipment for wear, fatigue, and cracks or loose nuts/bolts, paying particularly close attention to parts made of material other than metal.

  • Practice at ground level.

  • Learn how to properly wear your full-body safety harness.

During the hunt:

  • Wear your full-body safety harness.

  • Use a tree stand safety rope.

  • Make certain to attach your harness to the tree before leaving the ground, and that it remains attached to the tree until you return to the ground.

  • Maintain three points of contact during ascent and descent.

  • Use boots with non-slip soles to avoid slipping.

  • Use a haul line to raise and lower firearms, bows and other hunting gear.

  • Make certain firearms are unloaded, action open and safety on before attaching the haul line.

Additional safety tips:

  • Carry emergency equipment, such as a cell phone and flashlight.

  • Make a plan before you hunt.

  • Tell someone your plan, including where you will be hunting and when you plan to return.

  • Stick to your plan.

  • Identify game before pointing a firearm.

  • Know your target and what is beyond it.

For more information, see hunting.IN.gov.  

IHSA Board Expands Golf & Cross Country State Series

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors announced on September 23, 2020, that they have voted to expand the IHSA State Series in two fall sports, adding a second round of postseason play in boys & girls golf and boys & girls cross country. There will be no additional fee to compete in the Sectional round. The vote took place during a special meeting that was called to specifically address Sectionals for the two sports.

“Despite the challenges of this school year, our Board has remained committed to providing the most rewarding postseason experiences possible,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “Given the relative success we have had safely conducting cross country and golf this fall, the Board asked our staff during the September Board meeting (September 14) to explore the possibility of expanding beyond Regionals to conduct Sectionals as well.”

Both sports were each initially scheduled to culminate their respective seasons after IHSA Regional meets, but will now conclude their respective seasons after the Sectional round. In golf, the top two teams and top four individuals in each Regional will advance to Sectional play. Cross Country will advance five teams from each Regional to Sectionals, with no changes in the individual qualifier field. IHSA staff attempted to maintain COVID regions and keep participant levels as low as possible when making assignments, but in some cases, generally those involving schools on or near a COVID border, schools were assigned to a tournament outside of their COVID region.

“Given the timing, our greatest challenge will be finding hosts, especially in cross country,” said Anderson. “We have been granted exemptions to compete outside the COVID Regions in instances, for example, where assigning schools on or near a region border creates better balance in the number of participants at a site. Based on the feedback we have received, we expect some schools will choose not to participate beyond Regionals. We respect those decisions, but still want to provide as many opportunities as possible.”

The Board also created an exemption to the season limitation rule to allow for participation in the Cross Country Sectionals, while temporarily modifying Terms & Conditions for both sports to allow greater flexibility in scheduling the respective meets. Golf Sectionals are slated for the week of October 12-17, while Cross Country Sectionals are expected to unfold October 29-31. Host sites and meet dates will be announced on IHSA.org soon.

There were no changes made to the postseason structure for IHSA Girls Tennis and Girls Swimming & Diving, which both begin postseason competition at the Sectional level.

Lady Aces Golfers Notch Two More Wins In Centralia

Mt. Carmel Lady Aces Golf

Greenview Golf Club, Centralia

September 22, 2020

Medalist Lily Gottman

Mt. Carmel 158; Lillian Gottman 34; Mady Young 35; Daisy Schrader 44; Maria Kennard 45; Anna Gill 45; lauren Hall 51

Okawville 185; Chloe Kruse 40; Katelyn Alvis 45; Amy Koch 49; Avery Killion 51; Macy Staley 52; Erin Nilles 62

Centralia 205; Taylor Kuder 46; Claire Skillette 51; Lilly Francis 54; Katelyn Parker 54; Sidney McCorkle 57; Gabe Lambert 59

WVC bass team signs Mason Gross of Carmi

Wabash Valley College's bass coach, Professor Todd Gill, is excited to announce the signing of Mason Gross for the 2021–2022 collegiate bass season. Gross signed on Wednesday evening, Sept. 9.

Mason is the son of Mitch and Mary Ann Gross of Carmi, Ill. He is a senior at Carmi-White County High School and will be competing this coming season with the Carmi bass team for the third straight season. Mason's most notable finish was at a Fishing League Worldwide high school open tournament on Lake of the Ozarks where he finished 11th out of 60 boats.

He also finished 12th this past summer in the WVC high school bass invitational at East Fork Lake. Gross plans to study agricultural business in college and is excited about his opportunity to be a part of the Wabash Valley College bass team.

Those interested in learning more about the Wabash Valley College bass team can visit www.wvcwarriorathletics.com, click on Club Teams and select Bass Fishing. High school juniors and seniors interested in a campus visit can fill out the recruiting questionnaire and Coach Gill will contact them to discuss the team and schedule a campus visit. You can also keep up with WVC bass team news by following them on Facebook @WVC Bass Team and on Instagram @wvcbassteam.

Pictured at the signing were Mitch Gross, Mason Gross, Mary Ann Gross and, sister, Maggie Gross.

Pictured at the signing were Mitch Gross, Mason Gross, Mary Ann Gross and, sister, Maggie Gross.

Courter, Kelsey, McGinnis Finish 1st, 2nd, 5th For Jackets Cross Country

On Monday, September 21st, Yellow Jackets Cross Country hosted Fairfield for a dual meet. 

In the boys race, these were the times:

Isaiah Courter 13:14 (1st place)

Kollin Kelsey 13:36 (2nd place)

Alex McGinnis 16:02 (5th place)

Chase Gher 22:54

The following are the times for the girls race:

Kali Walker 15:11 (5th place)

Hallie Courter 15:45 (6th place)

Tiffany Smith-Terry 16:12

Isabella Monroy 18:26

Ava Abell 18:57

Addison Tennis 19:21

Lillie Keeling 21:32

Linden Stevens 23:31

Next up for Yellow Jackets Cross Country:  home meet vs. Wayne City on Thursday, October 1st at 4:00 pm.

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Young Ties School Record As Lady Aces Improve To 18-1

Mt. Carmel Lady Aces Golf

West Berwick Golf Course

September 21, 2020

Mt. Carmel 153

Marion 175

Olney 211

Medalist Mady Young 

Mt. Carmel 153; Mady Young 34 (-2); Lillian Gottman 35 (-1); Daisy Schrader 42; Maria Kennard 42; Anna Gill 43; Lauren Hall 57

Marion 175; Baylee Kelley 39; Sarah Capel 41; Ava Lewis 44; Avery Cornett 51

Olney 211; Caroline Glover 48; Megan Gibson 54; Rayne Goff 54; Taylor Runyon 55

From Coach Karin Kelsey: Mady Young tied  the school record today with her 2 under par, 34! She shares the school record with Lillian Gottman and former Lady Ace, Abbey Leighty.  She started the round with 2 birdies, followed by two pars and another birdie making her -3 after 5 holes. Mady had two more par holes and then ended up with a bogie on hole 16, bringing her score to -2, she pared the last hole to end the near perfect round. 

Lillian started the day with an eagle on 18.  She hit a long drive to the left side of the green and chipped it in! Her solid round of golf had  7 par holes, one bogie and the eagle. She placed 2nd over all with her 35 (-1).

Daisy played very well today. However, hole 12 caused her some trouble adding penalty strokes that affected the outcome of an otherwise solid round of golf. 

Maria’s 42 was another great round of golf. She continues to improve her score each match. 

Anna Gill played her “personal best” today! It’s so exciting to see how hard work pay off and that’s what happened for Anna today!

Lauren Hall continues to impress with her long game. She is a first year golfer and doing great. 

The Lady Aces are a very hard working group of girls. All of them put in many practice hours and it shows on game days! The team is now 18-1 and will travel to Centralia tomorrow for a triangular with Okawville.