Jackets Advance To Regional Championship Game With Win Over Geff

On Wednesday, March 10th, Yellow Jackets Basketball hosted Geff in the semi-final of the SIJHSAA Class S Regional.  The Yellow Jackets are the 1-seed and Geff was the 4-seed.  In the first quarter, the Yellow Jackets played some awesome defense and held the lead after 7-minutes of play, 8-0.  The second quarter was a different story.  Geff showed why they are a good ballclub and stormed back, but the Yellow Jackets still led at halftime 16-14.  In the third quarter, the two teams traded buckets and the Yellow Jackets were still on top, 24-22 with 7 minutes to go.  In the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets built the lead and held on to win the game 33-26.  I can't say enough about the great defense the guys played.  Just six days ago that same Geff team scored 49 points on us.  The boys had a solid week of practice and really wanted to play in the Regional Championship game.  Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was:  Brendan Bowser with 10 points, Elliott Acree with 9 points, Reed Stinson with 8 points, Kollin Kelsey with 5 points, and Chase Gher with 1 point.  Free throws are still a problem for us, as the team was 5-16 on the night.  The Yellow Jackets A-team now moves to 5-4 on the season.

Next up: Yellow Jackets will host either St. Joe or West Salem for the Regional Championship on Monday, March 15th at 6 pm. GO JACKETS!!

Aces Soccer Kick Off 2021 Season with 4-1 Win Over Newton

Aces soccer recap from Coach Ed Berberich:

The soccer Aces were finally able to kick off their 20-21 season with a home match against the Newton Eagles, falling behind early but eventually fighting back for the 4-1 victory. The Eagles scored the season's first goal on a corner kick 10 minutes into the match. The Aces responded with a goal from Britton Heinrich to tie it at 1-1. Levi Beesley gave the Aces the lead shortly after, scoring a goal on a rebound with Heinrich assisting, making the score 2-1 at the half. In the 2nd half Jarrett West scored on a free kick from about 30 yards out to give the Aces a 3-1 lead. Ethan Belt completed the scoring for the match, finishing with an assist from Rayce Loudermilk. Goalkeeper Tye Kanipe had 3 saves while minding the net.

It's been a long time coming but we were finally able to get out there and it felt good to be playing again. That would've been true regardless of the result, but of course we're happy to get the win. We looked a bit rusty, which was to be expected, but the guys are good enough to play through some of those issues and as the game went on we started to look a little more like the team I expect to see. Mid-way through the 2nd half or so, we started passing the ball better and using Tye to keep possession and to help shut down Newton's attacks. The good news is that as much as we still need to work on, we were able to get the result we wanted. We have a lot of returning talent on this team, but at the same time we have a lot of talent to replace from last year, so it was good to see some new players step up & perform well along with the expected strong performance of the returning players. Conner Adams and Ivan Holt in particular, were thrown out there a lot in this one and performed very well in what are basically new positions for them. Our success this year will depend in large part on whether or not we continue to get some new players to step up. If we work at it, I feel we have a team that should get better and better as the season goes along, as the new players learn what we want and as we continue to build chemistry.

IHSA March Board of Directors Meeting: Spring Sport Guidelines & Postseason Reviewed, IDPH Raises Spectator Limits For Outdoor Sports

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for its regularly scheduled meeting, which included both virtual and in-person attendance, on Monday, March 8, 2021, where the Board took action on three items.

ACTION
1. The Board approved a recommendation to approve guidance for IHSA sports that include Baseball, Boys Gymnastics, Boys Tennis, Football, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Boys & Girls Soccer, Softball, Boys & Girls Track & Field, Boys & Girls Volleyball, and Boys & Girls Water Polo. The sport-by-sport mitigation guidelines follow all IDPH All-Sports Policy Guidelines and will be posted online and shared with coaches and school personnel later this week.
IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson:
“We are eager to inform our coaches of the mitigation guidance so they can better prepare for their upcoming seasons and we plan to get detailed information out to them soon. However, this decision came with some trepidation from the IHSA Board of Directors. There are several instances where the current IDPH mitigations give us pause. The Board wants to move forward for the overall good of IHSA student-athletes, however, they ask that we remain diligent in our staff efforts to have IDPH reconsider certain mitigation guidelines. The IHSA has been a national leader in risk mitigation throughout our 100-plus year history and have adapted our scope to include safety against COVID-19. It is imperative that the expertise from our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and staff must be heeded.”

2. The Board approved a recommendation to approve dates and parameters for an IHSA State Series in traditional spring sports that include Badminton, Baseball, Softball, Bass Fishing, BoyS Gymnastics, Boys Tennis, Boys Volleyball, Girls Soccer, Journalism, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Boys & Girls Track & Field, and Boys & Girls Water Polo. All tournaments are currently expected to conduct all rounds of competition, including a State Final. Boys Volleyball and Boys & Girls Lacrosse cannot conduct State Finals under current IDPH mitigations, however, the Board approved plans to host State Finals in both sports in hopes that mitigation changes will allow for it by that time. State Final qualifiers in some individual sports may be modified to better meet gathering mitigations. The State Series guidelines will be posted online and shared with coaches and school personnel later this week.

3. The Board approved a recommendation to form a partnership with Teall Properties Group (TPG) to aid in securing corporate partnerships for the Association.


APPEALS & ELIGIBILITY RULINGS
1. The Board overturned the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Aledo (Mercer County). The student was initially ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-laws 3.030 and 3.040 and is now eligible immediately.


DISCUSSION ITEMS
At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain items the Board discusses, but upon which no action is taken. The following is a report of those items from the March 8, 2021, agenda:
1. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on a March 8 update from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to its All-Sports Policy. IHSA schools located in Regions that are in Phase 4 can increase spectators from 50 persons to 20% venue capacity in outdoor sports. This increase in spectator attendance is applicable for outdoor sports only.
IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson:
“We have been adamant in our discussions with IDPH that we believe we can safely and responsibly expand spectator guidelines without risking the general public to greater exposure to COVID-19 . This felt like a commonsense change, especially as we evaluated collegiate and pro sport spectator guidelines in the state, and are happy for the student-athletes who will be participating in IHSA outdoor sports this spring and summer, as well as for their families and friends.”

2. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the first meeting of the IHSA Financial Ad Hoc Committee, which is charged with planning the IHSA’s financial plan for the future as the Association recovers from the economic impact of the pandemic.

3. The Board discussed the timeline for the 2021-22 membership renewal notice. The IHSA Financial Ad Hoc Committee will meet again on March 11 and will recommend a membership fee plan for the 2021-22 school year for the Board to review and vote on at its April meeting.

4. The Board heard discussed a request from Aurora (Christian) related to the multiplier, but took no action.

5. The IHSA Executive Director informed the Board that Champaign (Academy High School) has met all membership qualifications and is now an IHSA member school.

Jackets Wrap Up Regular Season With Sweep At Clay City

On Friday, March 5th, Yellow Jackets basketball traveled to Clay City to finish the regular season.  In the B-game, the Yellow Jackets jumped out on top in the first quarter 16-2.  The second quarter was not a good one for the B-team, but they still held a slim lead at 23-19.  The second half was better though, as the Yellow Jackets led  32-22 after three quarters and finished the game on top by the final score of 39-28.  Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was:  Brady Porter with 17 points, Elliott Acree with 7 points, Brendan Bowser with 6 points, Cameron Kolb with 6 points, Tim Harness with 2 points, and Kasen Dulgar with 1 point.  The B-team finishes the regular season with a 4-2 record.

In the A-game, the Yellow Jackets got out to a fast start, leading 16-3 after one quarter.  Not as much scoring in the second quarter, but the Yellow Jackets stretched the halftime lead to 25-7.  The Yellow Jackets stayed hot in the 3rd quarter, extending the lead to 40-15.  The final score saw the Yellow Jackets on top 42-21.  Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was:  Reed Stinson with 12 points, Elliott Acree with 12 points, Kollin Kelsey with 8 points, Brendan Bowser with 6 points, Chase Gher with 2 points, and Alex McGinnis with 2 points.  The A-team completes the regular season with a 4-4 record.  

Next up: SIJHSAA Regional. Semi-final game on Wednesday, March 10th at home against Geff at 6 pm.

Yellow Jackets Split At Geff

On Thursday, March 4th, Yellow Jackets basketball traveled to Geff for two games. In the B-game, the Yellow Jackets jumped out on top in the first quarter 11-4 and never looked back. At halftime it was 21-4 and after three quarters the Yellow Jackets led 27-10. The Yellow Jackets won the game 32-12. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Kasen Dulgar with 11 points, Brady Porter with 9 points, Cameron Kolb with 4 points, Tim Harness with 4 points, Elliott Acree with 2 points, and Brendan Bowser with 2 points. The B-team is now 3-2 on the season.

In the A-game, Geff came out and set the tone in the first quarter, leading 16-9. The lead extended at halftime, with Geff on top 28-17. In the third quarter, the Yellow Jackets came to life and fought their way back to get within 34-28. That would be as close as the Yellow Jackets would get, as the final score showed Geff winning 49-38. Rebounding, rebounding, and rebounding were the top three culprits in the loss at Geff. Geff was the taller team and had way too many second, third, and fourth opportunities. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Elliott Acree with 11 points, Kollin Kelsey with 9 points, Chase Gher with 9 points, Reed Stinson with 5 points, Brendan Bowser with 2 points, and Mark Vaupel with 2 points. The A-team is now 3-4 on the season.

Next up: Friday night at Clay City. B-team game begins at 6 pm.

Single Game Reds Tickets Go On Sale March 17th

The Cincinnati Reds are excited to announce a limited number of single game tickets for the 2021 season at Great American Ball Park will go on sale Wednesday, March 17 at 9 a.m. exclusively at reds.com. This public on sale excludes Opening Day.

The ticket windows at Great American Ball Park will open the following day on Thursday, March 18 at 9 a.m.

Tickets purchased for the 2021 season will be issued digitally via the MLB Ballpark app to allow contactless entry, including those purchased at the ticket windows.

tickets-750x400.jpg

Jackets Win Two Of Three Over West Salem

On Monday, March 1st, Yellow Jackets basketball hosted West Salem in junior high boys basketball. In the A-game, the Yellow Jackets jumped out to an 18-0 lead after one quarter and never looked back. At halftime it was 31-9 and 36-15 after three quarters of play. In the fourth quarter, West Salem made a run at it, but the Yellow Jackets prevailed 39-29. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Elliott Acree with 11 points, Reed Stinson with 10 points, Kollin Kelsey with 7 points, Chase Gher with 5 points, Brendan Bowser with 2 points, Mark Vaupel with 2 points, and Will Freeland with 2 points. The A-team is now 3-3 on the season.

In the B-game, the both teams played to a draw at 8-8 in the first quarter. At halftime, West Salem led 14-12 and 20-19 after three quarters of play. In the fourth quarter, Brady Porter's scoring brought the Yellow Jackets to a tie with seconds remaining in the game and Kasen Dulgar made one freethrow to seal the victory for the Yellow Jackets. Final score was 25-24 in favor of the Yellow Jackets. Will Freeland led the team in scoring with 7 points, Elliott Acree had 5 points, Brady Porter had 5 points, Brendan Bowser had 5 points, and Kasen Dulgar had 3 points. The B-team is now 2-2 on the season.

In the C-game, West Salem won 19-10. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Tim Harness with 8 points and Aubren Hockgeiger with 2 points. The C-team finished their snow-shortened season 0-2.

Next up: Yellow Jackets travel to Geff for a 6 pm start on Thursday, March 4th.

Yellow Jackets 8th Graders Honored

Yellow Jackets Boys Basketball is proud to recognize the five 8th grade boys on the team this year.  They are:

 

Chase Gher - Son of Ashli Gher and the late Chuck Gher

Kollin Kelsey - Son of Willis and Beth Kelsey

Alex McGinnis - Son of Kevin and Amber McGinnis

Reed Stinson - Son of Bill and Gayla Stinson

Mark Vaupel - Son of Dustin and Candi Vaupel

Chase Gher - Son of Ashli Gher and the late Chuck Gher

Chase Gher - Son of Ashli Gher and the late Chuck Gher

Kollin Kelsey - Son of Willis and Beth Kelsey

Kollin Kelsey - Son of Willis and Beth Kelsey

Alex McGinnis - Son of Kevin and Amber McGinnis

Alex McGinnis - Son of Kevin and Amber McGinnis

Reed Stinson - Son of Bill and Gayla Stinson

Reed Stinson - Son of Bill and Gayla Stinson

Mark Vaupel - Son of Dustin and Candi Vaupel

Mark Vaupel - Son of Dustin and Candi Vaupel

Jackets Beat Red Hill On 8th Grade Night

On Thursday, February 25th, Yellow Jackets Basketball hosted Red Hill for an A-game only on 8th Grade Night.  After one quarter of play, the Yellow Jackets led 10-7.  At halftime, the Yellow Jackets held a 19-14 lead.  After three quarters and little burst at the end of the quarter, the Yellow Jackets led 19-14.  With two minutes left in the game, the Yellow Jackets held a 14-point lead and subbed out the 8th grade players.  The final score on the night showed the Yellow Jackets defeating Red Hill by the the score of 38-32.  After a rough beginning to the week, the Yellow Jackets played well tonight in spurts.  Layups and free throws are still a thorn in our side, as the Yellow Jackets were 7-21 from the free throw line.  But, a win is a win, especially on 8th grade night.  The Yellow Jackets are now 2-3 on the season.  Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was:  Reed Stinson with 16 points, Kollin Kelsey with 10 points, Chase Gher with 7 points, and Elliott Acree with 5 points.

Next up: Home against West Salem on Monday, March 1st. C-game begins at 5:15 pm.

Yellow Jackets Lose On Road At New Hope

On Monday, February 22nd, Yellow Jackets basketball played a game for the first time in two weeks. The Yellow Jackets traveled to New Hope and in the C-game Jordan Freeland scored two points. The C-team is 0-1 on the season. In the B-game, the Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 12-0 lead, but New Hope stormed back in the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets led at halftime 12-10. In the second half, New Hope outscored the Yellow Jackets by six points and the final score ended up with New Hope winning 24-20. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Brady Porter with 6 points, Elliott Acree with 5 points, Kasen Dulgar with 3 points, Brendan Bowser with 3 points, Will Freeland with 2 points, and Cameron Kolb with 1 point. The B-team is now 1-1.

In the A-game, New Hope jumped out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. The Yellow Jackets just couldn't buy a basket on this night. The final score ended up with New Hope winning the game 45-24. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Elliott Acree with 7 points, Kollin Kelsey with 4 points, Brendan Bowser with 4 points, Chase Gher with 4 points, Reed Stinson with 3 points, and Will Freeland with 2 points. The A-team is now 1-2 on the season.

Next up: Yellow Jackets will play at Mt. Carmel on Tuesday, February 23rd with the B-game at 6 pm.

Yellow Jackets Fall At Mt. Carmel

On Tuesday, February 23rd, Yellow Jackets basketball played at county rival Mt. Carmel. In the B-game, the Yellow Jackets found themselves down 15-6 at halftime. But, with a big 3rd quarter, managed to get it to within four points at 20-16. Not much scoring from either ballclub in the 4th quarter and the final ended up with Mt. Carmel winning 22-17. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Will Freeland had 8 points, Brendan Bowser with 4 points, Elliott Acree with 2 points, Brady Porter with 2 points, Cameron Kolb with 1 point. The B-team is now 1-2 on the season.

In the A-game, it was nip and tuck for three quarters as Mt. Carmel led after one quarter 9-8, at halftime they led 19-16, and led after three quarters 25-22. The game was tied at 25 each early in the fourth quarter, but Mt. Carmel then went on a 9-2 run to win the game 34-27. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Kollin Kelsey with 11 points, Elliott Acree with 10 points, Reed Stinson with 2 points, Chase Gher with 2 points, and Will Freeland with 2 points. The A-team is now 1-3 on the season.

Next up: Thursday, February 25th at home against Red Hill. This will be an A-game only to start at 6:00 pm. It will also be 8th grade recognition night prior to tip-off.

Peach And Hart Named To Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall Of Fame

Two Mt. Carmel coaching legends will be inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The IHSFCA has announced that Darren Peach and John Hart will join 7 others in the Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

Mt. Carmel is the only school Peach coached, where he became the Aces’ all-time wins leader. In addition to Mt. Carmel, Hart’s Illinois coaching stops included Edwards County and Huntley. He is currently the head coach at Brownsburg, IN.

WSJD File Photo: 10/19/19.John Hart (L) and Darren Peach (R) pose with former Aces coach Larry Lockhart at the 100th anniversary celebration of Golden Aces football.

WSJD File Photo: 10/19/19.

John Hart (L) and Darren Peach (R) pose with former Aces coach Larry Lockhart at the 100th anniversary celebration of Golden Aces football.

WVC bass team signs Calen Banks of Herod

Wabash Valley College's bass coach, Todd Gill, is excited to announce the signing of Calen Banks for the 2021–2022 collegiate bass season. Banks signed on Wednesday evening, Jan. 20.

Calen is the son of Bradley and Loni Banks of Herod, Ill. He is a senior at Hardin County High School and will be competing on the U.S.A. Bassin Circuit this coming season with Drew Fromm of Harrisburg, Ill. Banks' most notable finish was a high school tournament on the Ohio River where he finished third out of 43 boats. Banks and Fromm have also recorded several other top-10 finishes. Calen plans to study ag 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 WVC’s 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.


 

Calen Banks Signs.jpg

WVC introduces Asst. Women's Soccer Coach Savannah Stoughton

Wabash Valley College would like to introduce the newest member of its athletics team— Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach Savannah Stoughton.

Born and raised in Rohnert Park, CA, Stoughton attended High Point University in High Point, NC, where she majored in French and Francophone Studies and double minored in Computer Science and Business Administration.

She has played soccer since age 3 and started playing competitively at age 9 for Santa Rosa United, where she played in the Elite Clubs National League until college. In college, she played 4 years of NCAA Division 1 soccer at High Point, where her team won a Big South Conference tournament and earned an appearance at the NCAA tournament. Post-grad, Stoughton played a short stint for Bergerac Perigord FC in Bergerac, France when she was living there to teach English.

Stoughton learned about the position at Wabash while playing in a co-ed soccer tournament where she met girls who play for the team currently. When those students returned to campus, they connected her with Coach Harris as he was actively looking for an assistant coach.

“Coming to WVC, it was easy to picture myself here. Coach Harris and I have the same philosophy when it comes to building a strong program culture, and he has brought a great group of girls to Mt. Carmel,” said Stoughton. “I had always wanted to go into coaching, and it felt like the perfect opportunity had fallen into my lap. It was an easy yes.”

WVC wishes Coach Stoughton the best of luck this season!

savannah_release_wvc.jpg

WVC bass team signs Laindree Richardson of Benton

Wabash Valley College's bass coach, Todd Gill, is excited to announce the signing of Laindree Richardson for the 2022 – 2023 collegiate bass season. Richardson signed on Friday afternoon, Feb. 5.

Laindree is the daughter of Jeremy and Janee Richardson of Benton, Ill. She is a junior at Benton High School and will be competing this coming spring with the Benton Bass Fishing Team for the fifth straight season. Laindree has an admirable resume both on and off the water. In 2020, she posted two wins, three top-5 finishes and another four top-20 finishes. One of her top-5 finishes was this past summer in the WVC High School Bass Invitational at East Fork Lake.

Off the water, Laindree has made and donated over 3,000 masks to hospitals, nursing homes, businesses, prison guards, a Navy squadron and to a youth detention center since the onset of COVID-19. She has been recognized as “one of the most influential women of Franklin County” and was selected for the Bassmaster All-State Team for Illinois in 2020.

Outside of fishing, Laindree enjoys photography, hunting, and competing in high school track. Richardson plans to study communications in college and is excited about her 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 that are 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: Dailus Richardson, Janee Richardson, Laindree Richardson, Jeremy Richardson and Coach Todd Gill

Pictured at the signing: Dailus Richardson, Janee Richardson, Laindree Richardson, Jeremy Richardson and Coach Todd Gill

Jackets Sweep Grayville

On Thursday, February 4, Yellow Jackets basketball hosted Grayville in WEAA Conference action. In the B-game, the Yellow Jackets took the lead in the first quarter, 12-4, and never looked back. A big fourth quarter pushed the victory to the final score of 39-12. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets B-team was: Brady Porter with 11 points, Brendan Bowser with 10 points, Will Freeland had 8 points, Tim Harness with 7 points, Kasen Dulgar with 2 points, and Elliott Acree with 1 point. The B-team is now 1-0 on the season.

In the A-game, the Yellow Jackets finished the first quarter with the lead at 12-6. At halftime, the Yellow Jackets were still on top 22-18. The third quarter was the absolute best quarter of basketball this team has put together in the very young season. After three quarters, the Yellow Jackets were up 39-26. In the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets struggled with layups, but scratched and clawed to win the game with good ball handling with a final score of 40-31. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets was: Reed Stinson with 19 points, Chase Gher with 6 points, Brendan Bowser with 5 points, Kollin Kelsey had 3 points, Elliott Acree had 3 points, Kasen Dulgar with 2 points, and Will Freeland with 2 points. The Yellow Jackets made 6 of 7 free throws on the night, which is awesome. The A-team is now 1-1 overall and in WEAA Conference play.

Next up: Tuesday, February 9th at Clay City. B-game at 6 pm, with the A-game to follow.