Mt. Carmel Jr High Volleyball Awards Banquet

The Mt. Carmel Jr. High Volleyball team had their awards banquet last Friday the 12th at the grade school. 

They celebrated a great season with some dinner, cookies, and ice cream. Kim Winters presented the 6th graders with their awards first. Opal Earnest took home the MVP with 50 Aces and 28 Assists, Hayleigh Prosise Best All around with 10 aces, 6 kills, Macy Glenn Aces Award 41 aces,6 kills, Peyton Simpson the Hustle Award 8 Aces, 2 Kills, Hannah Lewis with the Heart of the Game award 10 aces, Jersey Mounts Playmaker award 16 aces, 11 kills, 1 dig, Farryn King Powerhouse award 13 aces, 4 kills, 1 dig, Josie James Poise under Pressure 16 aces, 1 kill, Annie Kanipe Best Passer 3 aces, 3 kills, 5 digs, Erin Delong Best Team Player 10 aces, Most Improved Addie White 7 aces, 1 kill, 1 dig, Peyton King In it to Win It Award 1 ace, 3 kills, 1 assist.  They ended their season with 9 wins, 2 losses and 4 ties. They also won their 6th grade Volleybash we hosted at the grade school. 

Next the 7th grade Awards were given by their head coach Kenley Drone.  Quincy Keepes took the MVP with 70 Assists, 62 aces, Alivia Peach the Golden Ace Award 32 aces, 29 kills, 9 digs, 3 blocks,  Ryleigh Gill Defensive Player, 1 ace, 1 kill, 6 digs, Zoie Randall Offensive Player 40 aces, 34 kills, 4 digs, 4 blocks, Journey Loudermilk Serving Award 53 aces, 21 kills, 2 digs, Most Improved Avery Coston  17 aces, 20 kills, 1 dig, 3 blocks, Best Block Ella Turner 17 aces, 7 kills, 2 digs, 4 blocks, Bayley Andrews Setting Award, 3 aces, 1 dig 15 assist, Best Newcomer Stella Woodcock, 1 ace, Most Aggressive Chloe Toutloff 2 aces, 1 dig, Heart of the Game Gracee Haggard 2 kills.  Best Passer Addison Mobley 2 aces, 4 digs. The girls ended the season with 17 wins and 2 losses. They 7th grade team won the 7th NEC and they took 2nd in the Albion Tournament. 

Head Coach Bonnie Keepes presented the 8th grade with their awards last after they watched and laughed at a highlight reel of clips and pictures of the season. They had so many memorable moments that were fun to look back on. 

Kyleigh Smith was presented with the co-MVP with 38 aces, 85 kills, 21 digs, 4 assists, 17 blocks, Lyla Keepes was the other co-MVP she had 83 aces, 76 kills, 33 digs, 1 assist, Evie Sellers Offensive Award 35 aces, 47 kills, 3 digs, 13 blocks, Mylee Farmer Defensive Award 1 kill, 11 digs, Mercedes Dillard Best Passer, 6 aces, 4 kills, 12 digs, Riley Hershey Serving Award 66 aces, 15 kills, 2 digs, 7 blocks, Leah Lewis Setting Award 103 assists, 25 aces, 2 kills, 9 digs, Kinley Harris Setting Award 100 assists, 48 aces, 11 kills,  Madison Riggs Mental Toughness Award, 1 ace, 2 kills, 2 assist, 3 blocks, Leila Sweeney Determination Award 4 aces, 1 kill, Brynlie Mounts Heart of the Game, 4 kills 1 dig, Sophie Banks, Inspirational Player 3 aces. These girls really joined together and showed great teamwork, leading to huge accomplishments! Ending the season with 22 wins 5 losses, winning the NEC conference, SIJHSAA Regional, State Qualifier final 8 teams, Albion Tournament 2nd place. 

Jared Sellers presented 4 girls with a triple crown award,  Evie Sellers, Riley Hershey, Leah Lewis, and Lyla Keepes. They all started each sport, won a regional, and made a state appearance in Softball, 

Basketball and Volleyball.  Combined record in all 3 sports was 58-12, with a total of 24 girls in the 8th grade earning the regional champions title. 

Leah Lewis and Lyla Keepes were also able to go to state in track as well. Leah placed 2nd in discus, and 6th in shot put, while Lyla took 8th in the 400 meter dash. 

8th Grade pictured front row from left Mylee Farmer, Mercedes Dillard, Leah Lewis, Leila Sweeney, Top row from left, Riley Hershey, Evie Sellers, Kyleigh Smith, Kinley Harris, Lyla Keepes, Coach Bonnie Keepes. Not pictured Brynlie Mounts, Sophie Banks, and Madison Riggs. 

7th grade from Left Stella Woodcock, Bayley Andrews, Chloe Toutloff, Zoie Randall, Ella Turner, Avery Coston, Gracee Haggard, Alivia Peach, Quincy Keepes, and Coach Kenley Drone. Not pictured Journey Loudermilk, Ryleigh Gill, and Addison Mobley.

6th grade front from from left, Annie Kanipe, Hannah Lewis, Peyton Simpson, Hayleigh Prosise, Top row from left, Macy Glenn, Addi White, Farryn King, Josie James, Opal Earnest, Jersey Mounts, Peyton King, Erin Delong, and Coach Kim Winters. 

MVP award winners, Opal Earnest, Quincy Keepes, Kyleigh Smith, and Lyla Keepes

Triple Crown award winners Evie Sellers, Riley Hershey, Leah Lewis, and Lyla Keepes

Terrance McGee named WVC head men's basketball coach

Wabash Valley has named Terrance McGee as the new head men's basketball coach, it was announced by Athletic Director Luke Scheidecker on Wednesday. 

McGee takes over a proud program which has won 15 Region 24 and 13 Great Rivers Athletic Conference championships, in addition to one NJCAA Division I national title. The Warriors have been home to four First Team NJCAA All-American players and a total of 18 All-American selections. 

"Terrance McGee's impressive track record as a player and coach will be instrumental in recruiting the right players for the program and building a culture of excellence on and off the court," said Scheidecker. 

"I am excited for Terrance McGee to begin a new era in the proud history of Wabash Valley basketball." 

A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, McGee comes to WVC from SIU-Edwardsville of the Ohio Valley Conference, where he spent the last year as an assistant coach. Prior to that, he spent five seasons with the Milwaukee Panthers of the Horizon League. 

Before Milwaukee, McGee spent six years at SIU-Carbondale of the Missouri Valley Conference as an assistant to Barry Hinson, who he had played for as a student-athlete at Missouri State. During his time with the Salukis, he was heavily involved in recruiting a 22-win team. 

McGee also spent two seasons as an assistant at Division II Grand Valley State, including a 19-8 mark and third-place finish in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2011. 

In college, McGee was a standout player for Hinson at Missouri State. As a senior, he averaged 14.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, and was a First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection. 

McGee was already familiar with the Wabash Valley program, as he worked to recruit Warrior players over the years. He has since gotten a closer look. 

"I had recruited players from Wabash Valley before, throughout my coaching career," he said. "Then, during the interview process, I got to meet a lot of people that work there. It's a family community, and that's a big deal to me." 

 As to what Warrior fans can expect from a McGee-coached team, he said "we are going to compete every day, even in practice. I believe that iron sharpens iron. We are going to put ourselves through the toughest of the tough. So that when we get to the game, they can't show us anything we haven't seen." 

McGee earned his bachelor's degree from Missouri State. He and his wife, Quianna, have two sons, Jaylen, and Noah. 

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2023 CLASS OF MCHS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

(MT. CARMEL) Nominations are now being sought for the Mt. Carmel High School Athletic Hall of Fame’s 2023 Induction Class.

Following last year’s inaugural induction, the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is now seeking your nominations for this year’s class.

Nominations may be made in the categories of Athlete, Coach, Team, or Friend of Athletics. Those wishing to nominate someone for Athletic Hall of Fame consideration should pick up a nomination form in the Mt. Carmel High School Office, District #348 Office, or find the form online https://www.wabash348.com/o/mchs/page/mchs-athletics-hall-of-fame

Completed forms should then be returned to in a sealed envelope maked "MCHS Hall of Fame Nomination" to the MCHS Main Office by June 1st. 

The Athletic Hall of Fame Committee will then select 5 inductees from those nominations for enshrinement later this summer.

The 2022 Inaugural Class consisted of athletes Archie Dees, Don Liddle, Gill Mains and Ollie Shoaff. Teams selected included the 1927 Boys Basketball State Champions, 1981 Football State Champions, and 2010 Boys Golf State Champions. Coaches inducted included Larry Davis, Cliff Garrett and John Gates.  

Again, nominations for the 2023 Class should be returned for consideration by June 1st. 

Hall of Fame committee members Tim Buss and Scott Allen joined us on the Morning Show to talk about the nomination process. Click the link to listen to the interivew.

MCHS HALL OF FAME 2023 NOMINATIONS PROCESS

Lewis and Keepes medal at the SIJHSAA Class L State Track Meet

Leah Lewis medaled and placed 2nd in the discus with a throw of 99’ 9”, which set a school record in the discus. She also medaled and came away with 6th place in the shot put with a throw of
30’ 6”.

Lyla Keepes medaled and placed 8th in the 400m and also achieved her personal best with a time of 1:05.43, besting her previous time of 1:07.16.

Both girls qualified for state in softball, basketball, volleyball and track for the 2022-23
(8th grade) seasons.

WANKEL BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD AT SECTIONAL

Eden Wankel, co-captain of the Lady Aces track team, broke the school record in the triple jump at yesterday’s Class 2A Mascoutah Sectional. Wankel’s jump of 34’2.25” bested the previous record held by Tyra Buss of 33’4.5” set in 2014.

In addition, Wankel was the only Lady Ace to medal, with a 4th place tie in the high jump at 4’10.75”. She barely missed the state qualifying standard of 5’1” on her last jump.

The Lady Aces 4x100 relay team consisting of Elyse Swanson, Lily Keepes, Ava Harrington and Sarah McCorkle, had a season best time of 52.79 to finish in 7th place, one place from medal honors. Their time was 0.82 of a second off the school record set in 2012.

The Mascoutah Sectional completed the 2023 Lady Aces track season.

LADY ACES 6TH AT LIC CONFERENCE

The Mt. Carmel Lady Aces track team finished 6th at the Little Illini Conference track meet held Wednesday at Paris.

Robinson - 141
Newton - 123
Olney - 87
Marshall - 67
Casey - 62
Mt. Carmel - 50
Paris - 26
Lawrenceville - 1

Highlights for the Lady Aces:
1. A career best triple jump (32’8.75”) by senior, Eden Wankel, good for second place.
2. Second place finishes by Sarah McCorkle in the long jump (15’2.5”) and Eden Wankel in the high jump (4’10”).
3. Second place finish by the 4x100 meter relay team (52.93) of Elyse Swanson, Selby Patberg, Ava Harrington and Sarah MCorkle.
4. Establishment of a school record in the pole vault (6.0) by freshman, Ava Brumagin.

Also scoring for the Lady Aces:
Sarah McCorkle - 4th 100 meters (13.21)
Katelyn Kline - 5th discus (80’7.75”)
Lily Keepes - 4th high jump (4’6”)
Ava Brumigan - 5th pole vault (6’0”)
4x200 meter relay - 4th (1:57.29) Elyse Swanson, Ava Brumigan, Ava Harrington, Sarah McCorkle
4x400 meter relay - 6th (5:09.95) Chandler Cusick, Molly Hagerty, Mariska Hopper, Lily Keepes