Mount Pulaski and Hartem are
top two in state 8A volleyball

[MARCH 21, 2001]  Last night was evidence once again that Logan County is a hotbed for volleyball in Illinois. The Mount Pulaski Honeybears went undefeated on the season — with an impressive record of 29-0 — defeating Hartsburg-Emden in two games, 15-3 and 15-6, to claim the state title.

[click here to see more photos from the tournament]

The evening was an emotional one for both teams, longtime rivals, but was perhaps especially so for the Lady Stags, who faced the final match without their head coach, Jennifer Hayes. Coach Hayes, in the final days of a twin pregnancy, was taken to the hospital, and we are happy to report that this morning the Hartsburg-Emden contingent is stronger by two!

Congratulations to coach Dulle, coach Hayes and their teams on their successful seasons!

[Cherie Rankin]

Hartem and Mount Pulaski headed
for a showdown in 8A volleyball

[MARCH 20, 2001]  In a replay of the 7A state quarterfinals, Hartem and Mount Pulaski have one match between them and their first-ever state final face-off against each other.

In tournament action last night, Mount Pulaski defeated Oakland Lake Crest in two games to move on. The Honeybears had easy work in the first game, winning 15-2, then staved off a challenge in the second game, getting the victory with a score of 16-14.

Hartem won their match in two hard-fought games, turning back dual rallies from Chandlerville A-C Central. Both games were extremely close, final scores being 17-15 and 15-13.

In tonight's action, at Mount Pulaski, undefeated Mount Pulaski faces Gridley at 3:30, and Hartem faces Kansas at 4:45. The two losing teams will square off for third place at 6:00, with the state championship match set for 7:15.

For more information and scores, check out the IESA website at http://www.iesa.org.

[LDN]

High school baseball

Illini Central vs. Lewistown

[MARCH 20, 2001]  Illini Central welcomed Lewistown to Mason City yesterday afternoon for a boys baseball game. The game was called due to darkness, but not before the Cougars demonstrated a commanding lead.

At the end of the first inning, the score was 2-1, Illini Central. The Cougars made a run in the third inning, and Lewistown matched that run in the next inning. In the fifth inning, Illini Central more than doubled their score with four additional runs. Lewistown played a sixth inning, but it was too dark for Illini Central to continue, so the game ended 7-2.

Illini Central’s Harris pitched five of six innings and surrendered only two hits. Only one of those hits resulted in an earned run. Fletcher caught for Illini Central for most of the game, and Bohm assisted him.

Fletcher, Cunningham and Brayfield each made two hits for Illini Central. One of Fletcher’s hits resulted in a double, and the other batted in a runner. Both of Cunningham’s and Brayfield’s hits batted in runners.

Illini Central made nine hits, and Lewistown made only three. Illini Central made two errors during the game.

This match was both teams’ opening game, so Illini Central’s record is 1-0, and Lewistown’s is 0-1.

[LDN]

LC opens softball season with new coach

[MARCH 20, 2001]  Lincoln College is scheduled to open softball play Tuesday afternoon against Springfield College in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m., weather permitting. Coach Jennifer Ciaccio, beginning her first season at Lincoln, hopes to be able to play the game at home; however, it may be too wet, and the game may be switched to Springfield.

  Ciaccio said, "The key for us will be pitching. We do have a solid number one pitcher in Brandi Banes, a freshman from Canton.  Others who will see action on the mound are Heather Dobey and Crystal Wilkey. A key for us will be to stay healthy and to have Dobey and Wilkey have strong seasons after coming off major off-season injuries."

The Lynx coach continued, "Our college playing experience is minimal, and only a couple of first-year players, Ronnie Beebe and Crystal Wilkey have great instincts.  They pretty much control how our team will perform. We played a couple of early season games against Millikin without Beebe, and even our practices have been elevated with her return to the team."

"With this being my first season, I really don't know what to expect," said Ciaccio.  "My assistant is also making his first run at coaching softball, having spent his time involved in baseball. I have three years of coaching at Millikin University as an assistant coach and junior varsity coach.  Our success depends on who steps up and does the job once we get outside and on the field. The attitudes have been positive and I think all of us are enjoying learning more about ourselves each day."

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

Illini roll into the Sweet 16

[MARCH 19, 2001]  Led by Lincoln's Brian Cook and a strong defensive effort from the entire team, Illinois beat Charlotte 79-61 and made it to the round of 16 in the NCAA tourney for the first time since 1989. Cook scored nine of the team’s first 14 points and finished the game with 16 points and eight rebounds. Through the first two rounds of the tourney, Cook has scored 31 points and grabbed 16 boards, compared with just two points and four rebounds in the two NCAA tourney games he played in during last season.

[click here to see photos from the game]

Four Illini players made double figures on Sunday, but the story of the game was defense. Charlotte could never get going offensively, and the game was really over 10 minutes into the first half. Senior Marcus Griffin played great defense against Charlotte super-frosh Rodney White, who many believe is the best freshman in the country, holding him to just seven points and four rebounds. The victory sends Illinois into a Sweet 16 matchup Friday night against the Kansas Jayhawks, who destroyed Syracuse on Sunday by 29 points. The Midwest Regional will be played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Illinois did not play Kansas this season but faced them in each of the two previous seasons, losing in Kansas City by 10 during the ’98-’99 season and winning in Chicago by 12 last year.

The other game in San Antonio Friday features Arizona and Mississippi. Friday's winners will advance to a Sunday showdown, with a trip to the Final Four hanging in the balance.

Dick Vitale of ESPN, who picked Charlotte in an upset, stated after the game he believed Illinois was one of the four best teams on the opening weekend (along with Duke, Temple and Kansas). The amazing aspect in my opinion is the fact so few people think Illinois will make it past Kansas and/or Arizona and go to the Final Four. However, coach Self and his staff seem to use this lack of respect to help motivate his team. This writer thinks big days are in store for this team, especially if they keep their current focus and continue to play such strong defense.

[Greg Taylor]

Illini NCAA tournament central—LDN

[MARCH 19, 2001]  Over the next few days, LDN will once again give you loyal readers what you deserve...an inside look at Illinois basketball as they advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1989! We'll have exclusive interviews, celebrity sightings, inside scoops and a whole lot more. We will give you an exclusive interview that we conducted with Brian Cook and scads of pictures...so, stay tuned...click on LDN for some of the best NCAA coverage in all the land!

[Jeff Mayfield]

Top 10 best observations from the Midwest round one

By Craig Zastrow

(pinch-hitting for Greg Taylor)

10.  Only mascot in the NCAA tournament named "Norm"—Charlotte

9.  Only team with all five cheerleaders under 5 feet tall—Hawaii

8.  Most teams with "orange" as its primary color —Tennessee, Syracuse, Illinois

7.  Most pierced belly buttons by a squad of cheerleaders (four)—California State-Northridge

6.  Best player nickname, "Butter" Johnson, from the same team that brought us "Cornbread" Maxwell several years ago—Charlotte

[to top of second column in this section]

5.  Hall of Fame worst mascot—Cal. St.-Northridge "Matador"

4.  Most players sporting different brands of shoes—Hawaii

3.  Mascot most missed by the fans—The Chief—Illinois

2.  Worst dreadlocks of the tourney by a non-player—Syracuse pep band drummer

...and the No. 1 observation at this year's Midwest regional first round was:

1.  Illini, Illini, Illini

In Dayton, Ohio

Illini clear first hurdle

University of Illinois vs. Northwestern State University, Louisiana

[MARCH 17, 2001]  If you like first-round games that are not an adventure and ones in which your beloved team doesn't flirt with disaster, you probably loved the Illinois Fighting Illini's resounding 96-54 victory over the Northwestern State Demons.

The Illini sprinted to a 10-0 lead in the first two minutes and were never seriously threatened after that. The Illini never gave NSU the idea that they would ever be in the game.  Illinois played six players in double figures and continued to show their incredible depth and why they are one of the top seeds in the country. Lincoln’s favorite player, Brian Cook, erupted out of the gate with six early points on his way to 10 for the half. Cook finished the day with 15 points, eight rebounds and one blocked shot and was a far cry from the player that brought down only two rebounds in last year’s NCAA tourney.

LDN asked Cook to compare this year to last. He said, “Last year I was really intimidated by all the media pressure, and this year I’m a lot more relaxed. I also spent a lot of time in the weight room since last season, and as you can see, that’s made a little difference too.”

Other Illini scorers included Williams and  Archibald with 11, Cory Bradford and Krupalija for 12, and  Marcus Griffin led all scoring with 16 points.

The win, coupled with Charlotte's hard-fought victory against Tennessee, sets up a street brawl with the scheduled Sunday game back here in Dayton.

As the Illini assistant coach, Rod Judson, always says, “Everyone keep your fingers crossed for Illinois on Sunday.”               

What hangs in the balance for Illinois is a chance to advance to the second round, second weekend  for the first time since 1989.

LDN, along with Lincoln and Logan County supporters, says, “Good luck, and go Illini!”

[Jeff Mayfield]

Illinois rolls over Northwestern State

[MARCH 17, 2001]  Entering the NCAA tourney as a No. 1 seed for the first time since the special 1989 season, Illinois won its first-round game in style, beating Northwestern State 96-54 in Dayton, Ohio.  Illinois will play No. 9 seed Charlotte (formerly UNC-Charlotte) on Sunday around 1:45 p.m.  Charlotte knocked off No. 8 seed Tennessee 70-63 on Friday.  A victory tomorrow will move Illinois into the Sweet 16 for the first time in 12 seasons.

Lincoln College graduate Marcus Griffin scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds to pace Illinois.  Most of Griffin’s points on Friday came as the result of Frank Williams' assists and resulted in slam dunks.  Lincoln’s Brian Cook, who struggled last year in the NCAA tourney and vowed to make this year different, scored 15 points and grabbed eight boards.  Cook, who shaved his head in anticipation of this game (a ritual he followed during the postseason in high school), appeared to score at will and seemed to really play with great confidence.  Overall, Illinois had six players score in double figures, including Cory Bradford, who connected on four 3-pointers during the game.

Illinois dominated the glass, out-rebounding Northwestern State 43-25.  Illinois also recorded an amazing 27 assists, led by Williams, who had a game-high eight assists.  Illinois looked strong from the free-throw line, connecting on 16 of 18 attempts, and looked the part of a No. 1 seed.

However, every game from here on out will be a challenge and a potential loss.  The players seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation, as Williams said, “We realize ... lose one game and your season is over ... we aren’t going to let that happen.”

One negative result of Friday’s game was an injury to Sergio McClain’s shin.  X-rays after the game were negative and McClain expects to play on Sunday, but the injury limited him to just eight minutes of action, all in the first half.

The talk of Logan County and all of central Illinois seems to be the Illini.  How far will they go?  Did they deserve a No. 1 seed?  Is Frank Williams going pro?  Can they reach the promised land (the Final Four)?  If Friday’s game is any indication — it looks like yes on every front. 

[Greg Taylor]

[MARCH 16, 2001]  The Lady Railer basketball team had their annual banquet and awards presentation Wednesday, March 14, at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

Coach Moore started the evening by recognizing the Carroll Catholic Crusaders eighth-grade girls basketball team for placing first in the state.

Coach Joe Vazquez presented the freshman team awards and commended the team on having the best freshman season overall, with 16 wins and seven losses. Kirstin Rawlins gave a speech using a player's perspective on this year's season.

Coach Michelle Hobbs presented the junior varsity awards next. Every year she has the JV players write about a specific girl and what they will remember about her. Coach Hobbs shared the memories with everyone in attendance. The JV ended their season with 17 wins and one loss.

JV players received the following awards:

Jessica Carey — Field Goal Percentage

Jessica Carey — Free Throw Percentage

Dominique Dawson and Jessica Carey — Assists

Keayana Moore — Rebounds

Jennifer Whalen — Defensive Award

Keayana Moore — Most Improved

[to top of second column in this article]

Coach Ed Moore recognized the varsity last. He commented on the strength of character of the team. Their record was 11 wins and 16 losses. He is proud of their perseverance through the year and how they grew together as a team as the season progressed. He recognized the four seniors — Allison Humbert, Summer Johnson, Beckee Oller and Christy Peters — and each senior gave a short speech.

[Senior Lady Railers]

[Coach Moore and senior Lady Railers]

Varsity players received the following awards:

Kristina Cook — Field Goal Percentage

Beckee Oller — Free Throw Percentage

Beckee Oller — Assists

Allison Humbert — Rebounds

Allison Humbert — Defensive Award

Summer Johnson — Most Improved

Beckee Oller — Ms. Railer

Allison Humbert — Most Valuable Player

Congratulations to this year’s team and good luck to the seniors!

[MARCH 15, 2001]  The strength of the volleyball programs in Logan County was clear last night, evidenced by the fine play of both Mount Pulaski and Hartsburg-Emden. Hartem's 7A volleyball team ended their season with a win, claiming third place at the state tournament last night in Pawnee; Mt. Pulaski ended their season with a loss but brought home a slightly bigger honor, finishing second behind undefeated Kansas.

[click here to see photos from the tournament]

The two longtime rivals had hoped to meet each other for the state title, but it wasn't to be this time around. In the quarterfinals, Mount Pulaski made easy work of DeLand-Weldon, winning in two games, 15-4, 15-3. Hartem came out slowly in their match with Kansas, losing the first game 15-9. They won the second game 15-4 but couldn't sustain the momentum and were defeated 15-8 in the third game by the eventual state champs.

The Hartem Lady Stags came out swinging in their third-place match, making easy work of DeLand-Weldon, by scores of 15-3 and 15-1.

In the title match, Mount Pulaski won the first game 15-6 but couldn't hold on, losing the next two games 15-12, 15-2 to Kansas, which finished the season undefeated with record of 24-0.

Mount Pulaski finished the season at a mark of 26-2, Hartem at 21-6.

And the rivalry isn't over yet for the year. Both Hartem and Mount Pulaski are still alive in the 8A state tournament's final 16 teams, with the tournament being hosted by Mount Pulaski and play beginning Saturday.

To follow the action, check the Lincoln Daily News and the IESA website (www.iesa.org).

[Cherie Rankin]

[click here for more photos]

Lincoln Heat tryouts

[MARCH 15, 2001]  Lincoln Heat baseball will have tryouts for their 2001 teams as follows:

When: Sunday, March 18, and Sunday, March 25  (Boys who aren’t able to attend on both dates, should call one of the numbers below.)

Where: Lincoln Rec Center (indoor tennis court area)

Times:

• Mustang — 12:30-2 p.m.; boys 9-10 years old, born between Aug. 1, 1990, and July 31, 1992

• Bronco — 2-3:30 p.m.; boys 11-12 years old, born between Aug. 1, 1988, and July 31, 1990

• Pony — 3:30-5 p.m.; boys 13-14 years old, born between Aug. 1, 1986, and July 31, 1988

Note: Boys should arrive to check in 30 minutes before their tryouts.

All boys residing in the Lincoln Community High School District are eligible to try out.

For additional information contact Todd Courtwright at 732-7886 or Marc Schoonover at 735-2866.

[Lincoln Heat news release]

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