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High school football

[OCT. 6, 2001]

LCHS           13
Taylorville    40

“A big part of it is making them believe that they can win, and learning how to win is a big part of getting the program turned around…it’s a hard lesson to learn when something slips away like this…but it will benefit us down the road”

Coach Oaks

College men's soccer

[OCT. 6, 2001]

LCC    1
NCU    0

[OCT. 6, 2001]  It was the Nick Buysse show as Lincoln College handed Morraine Valley a 4-0 setback on the losers' field Friday afternoon.    Buysse had an outstanding day with three of the four LC goals.  The victory runs the Lincoln College record to 8-3 for the season.

Coach Mark Howard said, "The first goal Nick scored was phenomenal and that kind of lifted us up.  He took a corner kick from George Mweninsongole and put it in the net with just 13 seconds left in the first half.  Nick had an outstanding game.  He was almost like Superman on the field.

"We didn't play very well the first half but we looked like a different team in the second half.  We got an early goal and then another 15 minutes into the half.  After that we relaxed and had a lot of fun.  It was a team effort with Nick being the standout."

Buysse scored the second goal on an assist from Chris Luther, five minutes into the second half.  The third goal was scored by John Lusicic with an assist from Jeremy Wood. Buysse closed out the scoring with an assist from Jeff Cohen.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 6, 2001]  Lincoln College won one of two matches at the Lincoln Christian College volleyball tournament Friday.   The Lady Lynx posted an impressive 30-16, 30-17, 30-12 victory over Grace Bible College in their first match and lost in four games to Lincoln Christian College, 17-30, 30-28, 27-30, 20-30.

 "We got a lift by getting two of our starters back," said Coach Mark Tippett. "Beth Guy and Erica Miller have both been out for personal reasons.  Things went a lot smother and we played very well with their return.  We dominated against Grace Bible and after the first game against LCC, we played a very steady match.  We won the second game and were ahead by six points late in the third match before LCC came back to get the win."

Leading Lincoln College on the day were Molly Owens with 17 kills; Amy Cox had 20 kills, four blocks and seven points; Janine Buettner had eight kills, 19 points and four aces; Erica Miller contributed 25 points, four aces and nine kills; Beth Guy had 51 set assists, 19 points and five aces; and Marie Burash had nine points, four kills and four blocks.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 5, 2001]

• Normal Community def. Lincoln
  16-14, 15-6

• Mount Pulaski def. Raymond Lincolnwood
  15-1, 15-1

• Olympia def. Central Catholic
  13-15, 15-11, 15-12

[OCT. 5, 2001]  Lincoln College won its third-straight women’s soccer match by downing Parkland 3-2 in overtime at Lincoln Thursday afternoon. The victory gives Lincoln College a 3-5 mark on the season.

 "We struggled in the first half to put away any of our chances on goal," said coach Todd Spellman. "Our girls were making plays and getting shots, but they weren’t challenging Parkland’s keeper. We broke out of that midway through the second half and started capitalizing on their fatigue and making the most of our opportunities.

"Francie Noreuil has been waiting for her first goal, and what a way to get on the board!  She hit the game winner on a corner kick and swerved it in from there. The sideline erupted and the girls swarmed around her."

Parkland scored the only goal of the first half at the 27-minute mark on a kick by Katie Schehlein with an assist from Natalie Getz.  Parkland went up 2-0 at the 53-minute mark as Getz scored an unassisted goal.

Lincoln got on the scoreboard at the 64th minute on a goal by Ayana Evans with an assist from Noreuil. Evans scored again at the 80th minute with an unassisted goal to send the game into overtime and set up the game-winning goal by Noreuil.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 4, 2001]  Southwestern Illinois of Belleville handed the Lincoln College men’s soccer team a heartbreaking 2-1 setback in overtime at Lincoln Wednesday afternoon. The loss drops the Lincoln College record to 7-3 for the season.

Coach Mark Howard stated, "We just didn’t come to play today.  Our focus was not there. We had numerous opportunities, but we couldn’t put it in the net."

Scoring the Lincoln goal was Nick Buysse on an assist from George Mwenisongle.   The goal came in the first half and gave the Lynx a 1-0 lead at halftime. Mike Schaeffer scored the Southwestern goal on an assist from Kevin Connolly to send the game to overtime.

Southwestern Illinois scored the game winner six minutes into overtime on a penalty kick by Matt Jackson.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 4, 2001]  ^"For some reason we came out a little flat, and we were not able to overcome that and beat John Wood," said coach Mark Tippett after Lincoln College’s volleyball team lost in four games.

John Wood won the first game, 30-22, before Lincoln came back to take the second, 30-21. The hosts then won the next two games, 30-22 and 30-28.

Marie Burash led the Lady Lynx with 19 points, three aces and two kills. Amy Cox had 10 points, five aces, 12 kills and two blocks. Stacy Schuler and Elizabeth Conner both had six kills for Lincoln College.

"It was sophomore night for John Wood, and they played with a lot more intensity than we did," said Tippett.  "For some reason, we just didn’t get it all together. We played without two of our starters again, but that should not be an excuse."

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 3, 2001]  Lincoln College won its second-straight women’s soccer match by defeating Lincoln Christian College 6-1 on Tuesday at LCC. The victory also gained a little revenge for Lincoln College, as LCC had posted a 1-0 victory over the Lady Lynx earlier in the season.

"Our girls played some very creative soccer and created chances for themselves and their teammates," said coach Todd Spellman.  "I was happy with their overall output and with their tenacity.  We are still playing through some difficult injuries and still have no one healthy enough to come off the bench to relieve our starting 11. I am very proud of these girls."

Lincoln College scored its first goal three minutes into the game, with Ayana Evans taking a pass from Jackie Sippel and putting it in the net.  Catherine Buscher scored the second Lynx goal on an assist from Francie Noreuil at the 15-minute mark.  Jones put Lincoln Christian College on the board with a goal at the 45-minute mark of the first half.

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The second half was all Lincoln College as the Lady Lynx scored four times and kept LCC out of the goal. Stephanie Savery was in goal for the Lynx and recorded 12 saves for the contest.

Buscher scored at the 52-minute mark, and Sippel followed with a goal at the 81st minute to put the Lady Lynx out of danger.  Evans took a pass from Buscher to score at the 86th minute, and Lyndsey Pickering concluded the scoring at the 90th minute.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 3, 2001]  Danville handed the Lincoln College Lynx a four-match setback in volleyball at Lincoln on Tuesday night. The visiting Danville club won the first two games, 30-24 and 30-25, before Lincoln rebounded to win the third match, 35-33.   Danville then won the fourth match and the game, 30-15.

The loss drops the Lady Lynx to .500 for the season entering Wednesday’s game.

Coach Mark Tippett said, "We played without two starters and played them very well.  We were very competitive, but we came up a little short."

Beth Guy missed the match due to illness, and Erica Miller missed due to a death in the family.

Leading Lincoln was Anna Dressler with 13 points and three aces, while Amy Day contributed nine points and two aces.  Janine Buettner had six points, 20 set assists and Molly Owens had seven kills and six blocks.  Amy Cox contributed with nine kills and three blocks.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 1, 2001]  The Lincoln College men and women were both victorious in soccer Saturday afternoon. The Lincoln College men posted a 3-0 victory over Lewis & Clark at Godfrey while the Lady Lynx posted an impressive 7-0 win over Illinois Central at Peoria.

"This was probably our best effort of the season," said Lynx mentor Mark Howard.  "We were really focused. We had a great week of practice, and just about everything we did today was a positive. We also played unbelievable defense, with Ryan McCabe, Darren Parker and Isaac Honegger playing outstanding."

The Lynx, now 7-2 for the season, had a pair of goals from George Mwenisongole and another from John Lusicic. Mwenisongole scored his first goal on an assist from Cory Dolton with one minute left in the first half. Lusicic took a pass from Steve Gorton to score in the 65th minute, and Mwenisongole scored again with two minutes left in the game on an assist from Jeff Cohen.

The Lady Lynx dominated ICC, with Ayana Evans scoring five times to lead the way.   Catherine Buscher scored a pair of goals for the Lady Lynx, who posted their first win of the season.

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Coach Todd Spellman said: "We played most of the game on their half of the field. Our defense rotated well and we limited them to very few shots. Our goalie, Stephanie Savery, had only two save attempts. I am real happy for the girls as they got that first win."

Buscher scored the first goal for the Lady Lynx at the 13th minute, unassisted.   Evans then went to work, scoring at the 17th, 18th, 42nd and 50th minute.  Francie Noreuil had the first and third assists, with Elizabeth Boeke assisting on the second goal. The final goal of the four came unassisted. Buscher then scored on an assist from Noreuil at the 63rd minute, and Evans closed out the scoring with her fifth goal on another assist from Noreuil at the 68th minute.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[OCT. 1, 2001]  The Illinois Fighting Illini football squad missed a great opportunity to go to 4-0 for the first time in 50 years! But it was not to be. Michigan pulled out every trick from the last few pages of their playbook to knock off the Illini 45-20 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) entered the game as the 17th-ranked team in the country and will likely move up in the polls. Illinois (3-1, 0-1), on the other hand, may have been prematurely ranked at No. 22 and surely will be knocked out of the rankings. The Illini have not won a Big Ten opener since 1993.

[Jeff Mayfield]

“We’re looking for how well they compete and how hard they are trying and not giving up; and I thought our guys did a decent job of that.  We were just not able to get anything going because they were beating us up front.” -- Coach Oaks

[SEPT. 29, 2001]  Students from Audra’s Studio of Dance returned to Lincoln loaded with top awards from the Footlites National Competition on Aug. 11-12 in Elgin.

The dancers are first judged individually against a standard, receiving individual scores that result in place awards. Then they compete in five categories: solo, duet, trio, small group and large group. Their scores are compared, with awards going to the top five scores in each category. There is also an age-based competition for petite, junior and seniors, with the top two scores in each group receiving awards.

[Amanda Shelley (left) and Kirsten Ganderberger]

Solos

Jenna Dumser — "You’re Not From Here," first place

Jessica Alexander — "Colour Everywhere," high second

Jean Cross — "Reflection," high second

Kate Kruger — "Angel" (vocal solo), first

Audra Turley — "Amazing Grace," first; VIP choreographer award (given to the dance with the best choreography)

Kirsten Gandenberger — "Sonate," first

Brande Montgomery — "Movin" On," first

Amanda Shelley — "Because You Loved Me," first

Mici Beard — "Arms Wide Open," first

[Senior solo contestants: (front row, left to right) Brande Montgomery, Mici Beard, Amanda Shelley, Jenna Dumser; (back row) Jean Cross, Kirsten Gandenberger, Jessica Alexander, Kate Krueger]

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Flying Feet Rockets (Brande Montgomery, Jenna Dumser, Jean Cross, Kelsey Ney, Mici Beard, Kirsten Gandenberger, Kirstin Rawlins, Brittany Charette) — "Bluegrass Rules," first (score of 149.1 out of 150)

Brande Montgomery and Kirsten Gandenberger — "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," first; first overall senior duet; first overall in entire senior category (score of 149.6 out of 150)

[Kirsten Gandenberger (left) and Brande Montgomery with trophies from the top senior duet, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," and the top senior small group, the Warriors.]

Katie Nelson and Kate Kruger — "Glencoe Set," high second

Kelsey Ney, Katie Nelson, Kate Krueger, Jessica Alexander, Rachel Thomas and Mici Beard — "I Believe in You," high second

Jenna Dumser, Brande Montgomery, and Amy Rehtmeyer — "I Wanna Love You Forever," first; fifth overall senior small group

Kirsten Gandenberger, Annie Sheley, Rachel Thomas, Chris Thomas and Bill Thomas — "Nosey Joe," first; fourth overall senior small group

Brande Montgomery, Jenna Dumser, Amy Rehtmeyer, Mici Beard, Kelsey Ney, Katie Nelson, Kate Krueger, Jessica Alexander, and Rachel Thomas — "You Won’t See Me Cry," first; third overall senior small group

Brande Montgomery, Kirsten Gandenberger, Kelsey Ney and Jenna Dumser — "Warriors," first; first overall senior small group

Wes Tucker and Jillyn Cross — "Funkytown," first

Flying Feet Firecrackers (Ashley Meyrick, Brooke Kelly, Olivia Renken, Kelsey Sickmeyer, Jaci Gandenberger, Audra Ballinger, Rachel Franklin, Karenda Langley, Amy Ramlow, Brigette Hyde, Elizabeth Brown, Jill Tibbs, Channing Beard, Wes Tucker and Jillyn Cross) — "Precision," first

[Most of the participants from the studio]

[OCT. 5, 2001]  Don’t you love it when you can mix business with pleasure? I know I do. Thursday was one of those times.

I was to do some work at a church convention out west when I noticed a gaping hole or lull in my flight schedule. The lull would allow me the opportunity to maybe catch a few innings of the clinching performance, and I could use the ride over there to talk business with yet another gentleman.

That’s exactly what happened as I caught a few innings of one of St. Louis’ brightest moments this season and still made my flight west with time to spare. In fact, I made it out here safely and have a brutally early appointment with a potential donor… but, back to the story.

I had sorta promised our loyal LDN readers that if any of our local teams made it to state or if any of the teams we follow (and our readers have said that they follow the Sox, the Cards and the Cubs), that our LDN staff would try our very best to bring you some inside scoops (my wife loves it when I talk like a semi-professional sports writer… she even calls me "scoop"). So, when it appeared to me that a plan was coming together and that the possible playoff clinchin’ encounter would happen just 17 minutes from my departing plane flight, I just knew that God wanted me to bring this news to the LDN nation… so here it is:

The Cardinals got off to a great start when All-World rookie Albert Pujols doubled home J.D. Drew, who was aboard following a two-out walk. Jim Edmonds followed Uncle Albert with another two-out walk. Then Mark McGwire picked up the club with a single to give the good guys a 2-0 lead. The Brewers did get a base runner to second in their half of the first but eventually went down fairly quietly.

The Redbirds were back at it in their half of the third. Kerry Robinson and J.D. Drew coaxed no-out walks, and Jim Edmonds followed with a ground-rule double. Milwaukee added to their season-high 11 walks (and by the way, you can’t beat anybody if you walk 11 batters), by intentionally putting Edgar Renteria aboard to get to a struggling Mike Matheny. Matheny promptly foiled the strategy by ripping a single into center that scored Drew, and the rout was on!

[to top of second column in this article]

The Brewers employed the same plan again in the fifth, and Matheny burned them again to give the Cards a 5-0 lead.

All the while this was going on, Cardinal pitching ace Matt Morris was looking like the Cy Young winner that he should be. After the Birds’ pitching coach, Dave Duncan, was tossed early in the game for arguing some very questionable balls and strikes, Morris went berserk, and I believe he tallied 10 strikeouts in his seven innings of work. Yet another masterful performance. I was glad to see in person, for once, his season-long dominance.

In the sixth it was good to see the Big Guy get off the snied. Big Mac came to the plate with two on and two out. All he did in his at-bat was to crush an offering into the left field pavilion to put the game out of reach.

The celebrating had already begun. In the VIP digs and in the Cardinal parts of the dugout I was noticing a lot of Cheshire smiles (there is absolutely NO rooting allowed in any press box)! But the smiles said it all.

For me, just getting an inside look helped put it all in perspective. I had lunch with former Cardinal great Al Hrabosky. Al told us that the mood of the club is that they feel that they can beat anyone. And they expect to. He feels that St. Louis is as healthy as they have ever been entering postseason play. And he and they expect a long run.

As for us, we think it’s been too long since the last Midwestern championship and that maybe this is the year to raise another championship pennant. All we need is for another plan to come together!

[Jeff Mayfield]

[OCT. 2, 2001]   

[Click here for Part 2]

Q. What do you miss about living in Lincoln?

A. I miss seeing my family and friends on a regular basis. I have made some really good friends at school, but the people in Lincoln are the people who have known me since I was in diapers. Those are the people who accept me for who I really am, even with all my flaws.

Q. Do you ever get homesick?

A. I got a little homesick my freshman year. It was the first time I was away from home for an extended period of time, and I had a girlfriend back home, as well as the fact that life as a freshman is not very enjoyable. Since freshman year though, being homesick has not been an issue. I like getting home, but I am used to the fact that I do not [get] home very often.

Q. What do you like about living in New York or out East?

A. The thing I like the most about living out East is the fact there is so much to do within driving distance. I can drive to the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area one weekend and drive to Boston the next. Being in New York also gives me a perspective on how people and lifestyles are different in other parts of the country. All in all, it has been a good experience for me.

Q. It appears that you’ve made an excellent choice going to West Point? How so?

A. I am not sure how "excellent" it looked a few years ago, but I think I made the right decision for myself by coming here. I have been able to get a great education for no monetary cost to my family or myself. Since I get the opportunity to serve in the best Army in the world after I graduate, I do not even have to worry about finding a job. More importantly, West Point is a very unique experience, and I feel privileged to have been a part of the tradition here at the academy. Also, if anyone has any question about the academy, Lincoln Daily News has my e-mail address.

[to top of second column in this section]

Q. What advice would you give the kids of Lincoln today?

A. My advice to the kids of Lincoln would be to never limit yourselves, and enjoy being a young person in Lincoln. There is a whole world of opportunity waiting for people that are willing to take risks and go after their goals. Lincoln is a great place to live and grow up in, but do not get tunnel vision. There actually is a huge world that exists outside the Lincoln city limits. Do not be afraid to go into that world. Maybe Lincoln is the right place for you, but you will never truly know unless you see other places.

Whether you believe it or not, growing up in Lincoln is great. Lincoln is a safe place full of people who really care for you. Lincoln is a caring community all the way from its churches to its tee ball fields. Take advantage of the wisdom and love of all those people.

Q. Anything else that you’d like to say to the people of Lincoln?

The list is too long for me to thank everyone I know in Lincoln that helped me out along the way. But those people know who they are, and I am forever indebted to them. My outlook and attitude toward life was molded by a number of people from Lincoln. Anything that I ever do or accomplish in life has their imprints on it.

Finally, I would like to say to the people of Lincoln to never forget the important things in life. It is very easy to get caught up in paying the bills, going to practice and things of that nature. In light of the recent events in our country, I hope we never lose focus on things like family, friends, faith and community. Those things are always there when you come home at night. That is what matters in the long run. Also, all my love to my mom, dad, brother and stepdad. I am really lucky.

[Jeff Mayfield]

[SEPT. 28, 2001]   

Q. Is it hard to get fired up for an Army football game or is it easier?

A. We haven’t had a home game since the attack, but I think it will be easier. Now more than ever, the team represents something bigger than the academy. The team represents our country and all the ideals we hold true.

Q. Tell us a little about your experience in playing 150-pound football for the academy.

A. Well, I spent most of my time playing "left out." It was a challenging experience. The practices were more intense than any practices I had in any sport in high school. They were longer, tougher and just drained your energy.

Q. Are you just too busy to play now and are you playing any other sports like IMs?

A. I left the team because I wanted to improve my grades and because I wanted more time for myself. I would leave for practice a little before 3 p.m. and not get back to my room until 7 or 7:30 p.m. That is a big chunk of my day that I could be using for other things.

Everyone here has to do an IM if they are not involved in a varsity sport. I have done basketball and some other sports. Doing an IM is fun, competitive and takes up less time than a varsity sport.

[to top of second column in this section]

Q. Reflect on your days of being a Lincoln Railer...

A. Being a Railer. I know I have only been out of high school four years but it seems like so long ago. Being a Railer was great. The fans are great. They are always there to support you. My best friends from high school are people from the Railer teams I was fortunate enough to be a part of. High school was a lot of fun. I have some great memories from things like student council, homecoming, prom and just running around like an idiot with my buddies. But, I realize already that high school is just a short part of your life, and if the most meaningful things you ever did were in high school, then you have missed the boat on life.

Q. What did you like most about it? Least?

The thing I liked most about being a Railer was the whole atmosphere of high school. LCHS is not so small that you know everyone by first names but not so big that on your last day of your senior year you meet another senior for the first time.

Also, I enjoyed the laid-back environment. I feel strongly that high school should be as pressure-free as possible. Set accomplishable goals and achieve them. Everyone has a skill they excel at. High school is a time to search for those things. If you weigh yourself down with the pressure of doing everything, you will not find the skill you are the best at. I think I was able to find out what I was good at, thanks to the people and environment at LCHS.

The thing I liked least was changing the beginning of school from 8:50 to 7:30 after my sophomore year. That really threw my schedule off !

Seriously, the thing I liked least, in retrospect, is the overall lack of diversity in the LCHS student body. That is not the fault of anyone in particular, but you meet people of different colors, faiths, and backgrounds in the real world. There is no real exposure to that at LCHS, and that is a real disadvantage for its students.

[Jeff Mayfield]

[Click here for Part 3]

[SEPT. 27, 2001]   

Q. Jon, where were you when you heard of last week’s tragic events?

A. I was in between classes, and I heard another student say that the WTC was on fire. So, when I got to my next classroom I told my teacher what I had heard, and he turned on CNN. At that point the second plane had just crashed into the second tower and another plane had struck the Pentagon. All I could think was, "My God, we’re at war."

Jon Barton

Q. Did life as an Army cadet change for you immediately?

A. I think my life changed in the sense that my mission here at the academy became very real. I am here to become an officer in the Army and it is easy to lose sight of that when you have tests and papers and all the other distractions of college life. The current status of our nation’s military agenda has made me focus more on what I will be doing in 18 months.

Q. Will life for you be different for a long time coming?

A. Life will be different for me, but I think life is going to be different for every U.S. citizen. Many people are concerned about the safety of our country. No one knows if the attacks are over, so many people are reluctant to live their lives the way they did prior to the attacks.

On a positive note, the attack has brought our nation together in a way we have not seen since World War II. The way the country is going to retaliate is unclear, but the resolve and courage of our people is not. The citizens of this country will not be intimidated by the acts of a fanatical few bent on the destruction of our way of life.

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Q. What is your attitude and how is the mood in your dorm and on campus?

A. My attitude has taken on a more serious tone. I know now that I am not thinking as much about where my friends and I are going this weekend and more on the things I need to do to better myself as a leader before I graduate.

The attitude on campus is somber but focused. The academy is only 50 miles from New York City, so the attack really hit home. Many of us have visited the WTC. I even have friends that stayed at the Marriott at the base of the tower just a few weeks before the attacks. Another cadet who lives on my floor had a brother working in the WTC at the time of the attack. As of right now his brother is missing and presumed dead. The attacks are very real for most people at the academy.

Q. I imagine that you young men may have more purpose and more resolve than ever?

A. That’s true. I have never seen so much concern or resolve from myself and other cadets since I have been here. We realize now just how important the job of the military is going to be over the next decade, and there is not a more noble cause than protecting the people and the country you love.

Q. Is it hard to go to class, or did the events make your studies more real?

A. It has been very hard to go to class. There is all this horror and suffering going on 50 miles away, and I am sitting in a finance class learning the present value of a corporate bond. Class just seems very trivial right now. There has been an outcry from cadets to go to the city and help out, but there are enough volunteers right now. All we can do is sit and wait for our turn.

(To be continued)

[Jeff Mayfield]

[Click here for Part 2]

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