Junior Rangers move into regional finals with 53-20 win over West Frankfort

February 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

By Jim Muir

The Benton Middle School 8th grade basketball team moved into Saturday’s Hamilton County Regional championship game with a convincing 53-20 victory over cross-county rival West Frankfort.

rangers logo xDerek Oxford led the way for Benton with 22 points and 12 rebounds – his 10th consecutive game with 20-plus points – and Austin Wills scored 13 points and added three rebounds, three steals and two assists in the lopsided victory that improved the Junior Rangers to 19-4 overall.

BMS will face the host Hamilton County Foxes in Saturday’s regional title game that will tip off at 10 a.m.

Coach John Cook’s team jumped out to a 12-5 first quarter lead, extended it to 26-14 at the intermission and then put the game on ice by outscoring the Redbirds 19-4 in the third quarter.

Cook  has mixed and matched his eighth and seventh grade players this year and many times the seventh graders played three and sometimes four quarters in the seventh grade game before also contributing many minutes at the eighth grade level. With no seventh grade contest last night Cook said the fresh legs off the bench by his seventh graders helped in the win.

“We received a great deal of energy off the bench from our seventh graders, Hamilton Page and Gehrig Wynn,” said Cook. “I thought they both did a great job of coming in and bringing a little more intensity to both ends of the floor. Hamilton played positions that he isn’t used to playing and he knew exactly what to do and where to be. That shows how much he pays attention to detail in practice.”

Cook also lauded the effort in holding the West Frankfort team to only 20 points on the night.

“I was pleased with the defensive effort,” said Cook. “We communicated well on ball screens and had good rotations on the bottom of our defense.”

Noting the one-and-done format of post season where a loss now ends the season, Cook said he was pleased but at the same time downplayed the victory.

“Certainly this was a good win for us,” said Cook. “But it is also only one step toward where we ultimately want to be.

Also contributing to the win for Benton was Blane Pankey with eight points and three rebounds, Tyson Houghland with four points and four rebounds, Gehrig Wynn with three points and three rebounds, Scott Mosely with three points, and Hamilton Page with five rebounds. Also seeing action in the semi-final win was Oliver Davis, Parker Williams, Tony Tillman, Jordan Richey, Brett Bonenberger and Jordan Garbo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Benton Junior High Sports, Franklin Co. News, Junior High Sports, Uncategorized, West Frankfort Junior High Sports

Diamond Taylor grateful for second chances Posted on January 31, 2013

January 31, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

By Tom Weber

Saluki Media Services

Diamond Taylor believes he is a changed man, and he’s determined to prove himself to the coaching staff, his teammates and Saluki fans.

The fourth-year junior guard doesn’t expect anyone to take his statement at face value. He’s just grateful that head coach Barry Hinson has given him another opportunity to turn his life around.

If you are a Saluki fan, you know Taylor’s back story. He came to Southern Illinois in 2009 after a troubled beginning to his college career at Wisconsin.

He was suspended at the beginning of the 2011 season and again this season, for off-the-court behavior. He feels he hit bottom after his most recent suspension.

“I was very down for a while after it happened,” Taylor said. “I prayed and talked to my family. Trials and tribulations happen in your life, and it’s how you pick yourself back up — that’s what makes you a man. I wanted to make sure I’ve bounced back right.”

Diamond Taylor

Diamond Taylor

Taylor followed all of Hinson’s guidelines for behavior on and off the court, and he was reinstated for the second semester. He’s only played in two games so far and scored his first basket on Sunday versus Creighton.

He realizes he has not lived up to the hype of being an Illinois All-State high school player and Big Ten Conference signee.

“There’s definitely regret that I haven’t lived to the potential I should have,” Taylor said. “I don’t try to look back on things. I look forward to the future and control the things that I can make better.”

Clearly, there is untapped potential in the athletic 6-foot-4 wing. Taylor has played in 48 games at SIU, including 16 starts, and scored 180 points. After missing the first half of the season, Taylor said the most important contribution he can make to the team at this point is his attitude.

“I want to bring effort — dive on the court for loose balls, get rebounds, make free throws, get stops on the defensive end,” he explained. “If the team needs me to score, I’ll do that, too.”

Taylor credits Hinson for his personal turnaround.

“He’s a man of second chances and has really thick skin,” Taylor said. “He truly cares about you, he communicates with our parents, he communicates with you. If I’m not having a good day, I feel like I can call him and have a conversation about it, and he can help and give good advice.”

In spite of the 1-9 record in the Missouri Valley Conference, Taylor believes the team is not close to quitting on the season.

“We’re leaving it all out on the court,” he said. “We love playing for Coach Hinson and I think you see that out on the floor with the hustle plays. We’re also a close team off the court.”

A recreation major, Taylor expects to finish up all of his classes this spring, and then earn his bachelor’s degree in the summer after completing an internship. He hopes to return to Southern for his fifth and final year of eligibility next year, although he understands that decision will ultimately be up to Hinson and the coaching staff.

“Mistakes happen, but every mistake is a stepping stone,” Taylor said. “Second chances aren’t always given, but I’ve been fortunate to get them.”

Faith also plays an important role in his life moving forward.

“God definitely plays a big part in my life,” Taylor said. “I try to stay more humble than hungry. I don’t try to look at what people say or think, but at what I can bring and what I can change.”

Filed Under: College Sports, Uncategorized

RLC signs 13 baseball players

January 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

baseballmassrecruits13m

INA, Ill. (Jan. 23, 2013) – Rend Lake College Head Baseball Coach Tony Etnier signed 13 new players Saturday on the college’s main campus in Ina. The recruits were joined by their friends and family as they signed their national letters of intent to play ball at Rend Lake in the fall. Below is information about each new Warrior. For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.

TyHendersonSign13m

Ty Henderson : 6’7, 165 lb RHP Webber Township HS (IL)

Ty Henderson, a 6-7, 165-pound right-handed pitcher from Webber Township High School, is joined by his grandfather and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Henderson is ranked No. 93 overall in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and No. 45 overall in Illinois for pitchers. An honor roll student, he was a three-time all-conference selection at WTHS where he was named Midland Trail Conference Player of the Year. He said he likes RLC’s nursing program and plans to get bigger and stronger in his training. “I want to be pushed to the limit,” he stated. “I want to get everything possible from it.” About Henderson, Etnier said, “Ty is a tall righty with a lot of upside. His fastball already works in the upper 80’s and we think that his velocity will continue to climb as he matures physically. He commands three pitches for strikes and, over the next couple of years, should turn into a big-time prospect.”

LandonThomasSign13m

Landon Thomas: 6’0, 165 lb OF/LHP Mt Vernon HS (IL)

Landon Thomas, a 6-0, 165-pound outfielder and left-handed pitcher from Mt. Vernon Township High School, is joined by his parents, Rams Coach Tim Holloway, and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Thomas is an honor roll student at MVTHS where he was an all-conference selection for his performance in the outfield as a junior. He was also valedictorian of the grade school he attended. “I chose Rend Lake because it is close to home and I really like the way coach Etnier handled the team when I was on my visit,” stated Thomas. “I find it to be a place where I have the chance to grow up as a person and find improvement in my game. Not only has coach Etnier led the team to mulltiple winning seasons in the past few years, but also, in talking to some guys in the program and some of his former players, they all talked about how much they had improved over their two years at Rend Lake. I really like that.” About Thomas, Etnier said, “Landon is a guy that we have seen a lot of over the years. He has gotten better every year in high school, and showed us the ability to hit and pitch from the left side. He is another guy that we think will only get better as he matures physically.”

TylerEllisSign13m

Tyler Ellis: 6’0, 170 lb RHP Mt Vernon HS (IL)

Tyler Ellis, a 6-0, 170-pound right-handed pitcher from Mt. Vernon Township High School, is joined by his parents, Rams Coach Tim Holloway and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Ellis, a first-team all-conference selection as a junior, said one reason he decided to play for Rend Lake is that he likes Etnier and his reputation for player development. “It feels like a good college for me to start off and it’s close to home,” stated Ellis. About Ellis, Etnier said, “Tyler was 8-0 last year for Mt. Vernon, largely because of his late-sinking fastball and sharp slider. His ability to get ground balls is what really attracted us to him. He is a true sinker/slider guy right now and will fit nicely into our staff next year.”

SammySternsSign13m

Sammy Stearns: 6’1, 170 lb RHP Carterville HS (IL)

Sammy Stearns, a 6-1, 170-pound right-handed pitcher from Carterville High School, is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Stearns was Academic All-State in football, and All-Conference and All-South in baseball and football at Carterville High. He said he likes the size of the college and its reputation for being a good fit for pitchers. About Stearns, Etnier said, “Sammy is a guy that we have been following for a couple of years now. We got pretty serious about his recruitment after seeing him this summer. He has a mid- to upper-80s fastball with good run and complements it well with command of his off-speed pitches.”

JakeStewartSign13m

Jake Stewart: 5’10, 170 lb C Murphysboro HS (IL)

Jake Stewart, a 5-10, 170-pound catcher from Murphysboro High School, is joined by his parents, Red Devils Coach Butch Brasel, and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Stewart batted around .350 with 50 RBI in high school and was a first-team all-conference selection with an all-star game appearance as a junior. He mentioned the coaches, facilities and history of the program as big selling points for his commitment to Rend Lake. About Stewart, Etnier said, “Jake is another guy that we have been following for a while. He has always hit well and has put on a little muscle over the years. He is an athletic catcher who we think will not only be able to play the position defensively, but also contribute on the offensive side as well.”

AlexAndrosSign13m

Alex Andros: 6’4, 175 lb UT Goreville HS (IL)

Alex Andros, a 6-4, 175-pound utlity player from Goreville High School, is joined by his parents, brother, and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Andros, the younger brother of current Warrior Nick Andros, is involved in Beta Club at Goreville High where he is an honor roll student. He said he is excited about developing as a player at RLC. “I chose Rend Lake College because it was pretty close to where I live and it looks like a pretty good place to start my college baseball career,” he stated. About Andros, Etnier said, “Alex is a kid with a big frame who can play first base, outfield, and pitcher. He has a nice swing, stays inside the ball well and should make big jumps with his bat speed as he gets stronger. He has the potential to be a very nice offensive player.”

AlexWittenauerSign13m

Alex Wittenauer: 5’10, 160 lb SS Waterloo HS (IL)

Alex Wittenauer, a 5-10, 160-pound short stop from Waterloo High School, is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Ranked No. 115 overall in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and No. 16 overall in Illinois for shortstops, Wittenauer started three of the four years he played varsity at Waterloo High. He was honorable mention all-area and all-conference his sophomore season when he helped the team to a third place finish in the state finals. As a junior, Wittenauer batted .304 with 31 runs scored, nine RBI and a home run. He thinks RLC is a great fit and he likes coach Etnier. “They seem to have a good history of moving players on to the next level,” stated Wittenauer. About him, Etnier said, “Alex is a slick fielding shortstop with a nice swing. He is a 6.9 runner with soft hands, quick feet, and a strong, accurate arm that he can use from every slot. His defensive prowess should allow him to compete immediately for playing time.”

ZackJansenSign13goodM

Zack Jansen: 6’2, 200 lb 3B/RHP Maderia HS (OH)

Zack Jansen, a 6-2, 200-pound third baseman and right-handed pitcher from Maderia High School (Ohio), is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Jansen was selected all-state, all-city and all-league for baseball at Maderia High. He is ranked No. 108 overall in Ohio by Prep Baseball Report, and No. 53 overall in Ohio for pitchers. Jansen batted .477 with 56 RBI, 16 doubles, nine triples and four home runs in his most recent season. He was also selected all-southwestern Ohio, all-city and all-league for high school football. Jansen said he likes Rend Lake’s reputation, the competitive conference, and that he and his new coach will share something in common. “He played the same positions as me in college,” Jansen stated. About Jansen, Etnier said, “Zack is a big, physical infielder with soft hands, a strong arm and good speed running a 6.9. His is a good fit at third base and has the reputation for driving in a lot of runs as he is 62 RBIs away from breaking the Ohio state record for career RBIs. On the mound, his mid- to upper-80s fastball and sharp, late slider make him a nice fit out of the bullpen in the set up/closer role.

EliMillerSign13m

Eli Miller: 6’1, 165 lb OF/LHP Shelbyville HS (IL)

Eli Miller, a 6-1, 165-pound outfielder and left-handed pitcher from Shelbyville High School, is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Miller was a two-time all-conference selection in high school who batted .304 and struck out 76 batters in 44 innings pitched. He said he feels like the Warriors baseball program will help him improve as a player. “I like the fact that it will be difficult,” stated Miller. “That makes me believe I can improve and won’t feel like I could of done more to get to the next level.” About Miller, Etnier said, “Eli is a really nice athlete. His 6.6 speed from the left side of the plate will be a nice asset to a team that is built around speed. He will also help us on the mound. He has good arm side run on his low 80’s fastball and has a sharp, late-breaking slider that will be extremely tough on lefties.”

JTArnemannSign13m

JT Arnemann: 6’1, 165 lb SS Franklin-Simpson HS (KY)

JT Arnemann, a 6-1, 165-pound short stop from Franklin-Simpson High School (Ky.), is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Arnemann said RLC is going to be a great fit because he likes the coaches, staff and the program. “The program’s gotten better every year and I think it will get even better this year,” stated Arnemann. About him, Etnier said, “JT is another athletic infielder with good speed – 6.8 – soft hands, and a strong arm. He drives the ball well at the plate and has a great build for getting stronger. We are excited about JT’s overall athleticism and physicality and think he will really develop over the course of the next two years.”

DylanDunnSign13m

Dylan Dunn: 6’1, 165 lb LHP Mt Zion HS (IL)

Dylan Dunn, a 6-1, 165-pound left-handed pitcher from Mt. Zion High School, is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Dunn is an all-county selection and high honor roll student at Mt. Zion where he batted around .370 in his most recent season. According to him, word of mouth from other players and a visit to the campus were enough to get him to commit to Rend Lake. About Dunn, Etnier said, “Dylan is a low 80’s arm with a sharp curveball from the left side. He is a good athlete and will give us another left handed arm to complement a pitching staff full of righties. His pitching repertoire will have him competing for time on the hill right away.”

ChanceHamiltonSign13m

Chance Hamilton: 5’10, 175 lb SS Hancock County HS (KY)

Chance Hamilton, a 5-10, 175-pound short stop from Hancock County High School (Ky.), is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Hamilton is a three-time selection to the Kentucky All-Star Team, was on the MI All-Region team as a junior and senior, was conference player of the year, and is the recipient of the Ray Kroc Leadership Scholarship. His batting average is .420 with 42 hits and six home runs in his most recent season. Hamilton feels RLC is a great place to advance his baseball career, as well as his education. “I like that it’s a smaller college and makes me feel like I’m at home,” he stated. “It will prepare me to move on to a bigger college.” About Hamilton, Etnier said, “Chance is a middle infielder with soft hands and a quick release. His defensive skills will allow him to compete in the field for time, but his bat is makes him a stand-out player. He has a short direct swing with some pop that will allow him to hit top-level pitching right away.”

DerekFlaugherSign13m

Derek Flaugher: 6’3 175 lb RHP Mt Zion HS (IL)

Derek Flaugher, a 6-3, 175-pound right-handed pitcher from Mt. Zion High School, is joined by his parents and Rend Lake College Coach Tony Etnier as he signs his national letter of intent to play baseball at RLC in the fall. Flaugher was second-team all-county at Mt. Zion with a record of 5-1-2 and ERA of 2.09. He sees Rend Lake as a place of great educational and athletic opportunities where he can develop his skills. About Flaugher, Etnier said, “Derek is another projectable right-handed pitcher that lives in the mid to upper 80’s with good arm side run on his fastball and a nice slider and change-up to complement it. He will be competing right away for innings and should be able to add velocity as he develops physically.”

Filed Under: College Sports, Franklin Co. News, Uncategorized

BMS boys close out regular season play with come-from-behind win over Mt. Vernon

January 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

By Jim Muir

Derek Oxford tallied a season high 30 points and the Benton Middle School Junior Rangers overcame a 13-point first quarter deficit to notch a 51-37 home court victory Monday night over Mt. Vernon.

The rousing come-from-behind victory improved BMS to 17-4 overall and was a proper send off to post season play that will begin Thursday night when Benton meets cross-county rival West Frankfort in a first round match up at the Hamilton County regional.

The Benton-West Frankfort game is at 5:30 followed by Hamilton County and Johnston City at 7 p.m. The winners will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday for the right to advance to the Class L state tournament at Rend Lake College.

The Junior Rangers fell behind 15-2 in the early going but rallied on a 5-0 run to close out the opening stanza, cutting the score to 15-7 at the end of one period.

“Mt. Vernon is big and very athletic, but early on they were simply out-hustling us. Their penetration was killing us and they were beating us to every rebound,” said Benton coach John Cook. “Defensively, they were able to stretch their zone across our small floor and it was difficult for us to move the ball or penetrate the gaps. We were forcing shots and shooting the ball very early in our possessions.”

Both teams scored 10 points in the second quarter and Mt. Vernon still controlled an eight point lead at the intermission, leading 25-17. Some halftime adjustments by Benton translated to a big third quarter for the Junior Rangers as they outscored Mt. Vernon 18-9 to turn grab a 35-34 lead at the end of three quarters.

Benton then put the game on ice by outscoring Mt. Vernon 16-3 in the final frame to gain the 51-37 victory.

“Hamilton Page and Scott Mosley gave us huge minutes off the bench and really played well on the defensive end. As a team we figured out what Mt. Vernon was capable of personnel-wise and we made the right adjustments,” said Cook. “Offensively, we put our better shooters on the top of the zone and gave them a little more freedom that earlier in the game. In the second half we were much more patient and looked to attack in transition.”

Along with Page and Mosley the BMS coach also gave high marks to Oxford who had six rebounds to go with his game high 30 points, Austin Wills who tallied 16 and also dished out five assists and Tyson Houghland, who scored three points but hauled down a career high 16 rebounds.

“I can’t say enough about the effort of Tyson (Houghland),” said Cook. “He has been sick for a couple of days now but he toughed it out and really defended and rebounded the ball well. Austin (Wills) found his stroke tonight and Derek was just himself tonight.”

The 8th grade team finished regular season with a 17-4 record, with two of those losses to unbeaten Marion. Benton also lost to Du Quoin and Herrin early in the season but avenged both those losses in the second half of the season. The BMS 8th grade players, cheerleaders and their parents were honored prior to the game, the last regular season game of the season.

The BMS 7th grade team was also victorious in the preliminary contest picking up a hard fought 41-35 win over visiting Mt. Vernon.

Blane Pankey led the way for Benton with 11 points and was followed closely by Brett Bonenberger who tallied nine points.

Benton led at every stop grabbing a 13-6 first quarter lead and maintained the seven point advantage leading 20-13 at halftime. The 7th grade squad upped its lead to 31-21 at the end of three.

Also contributing to the victory was Hamilton Page with seven points, Drew Owens with six points, Parker Williams with five points and Eldon Owens with three points. Mason Wills also saw action for Benton. The 7th grade squad was without the services of starting guard Gehrig Wynn who missed the game because of illness.

The seventh grade team, coached by Andy Davis, closed out the regular season with an overall record of 16-5 that includes a second place finish in the recent Big 7 Conference Tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Benton Junior High Sports, Junior High Sports, Uncategorized

Marion golfer, Capel, signs with Logan

January 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Capel Family

BY JOHN D. HOMAN

Logan Media Services

MARION – Another local player has joined the fold for next year’s John A. Logan College women’s golf team. Chelsea Capel, a senior at Marion High School, signed a letter of intent Thursday to play for the Vols.

Capel was a South Seven All-Conference selection following a fourth-place finish at the league meet and also qualified for the Class AA sectional last fall. She averaged 45 over nine holes, but shot in the low 40s on several occasions – a marked improvement over the 60s she posted for nine holes as a freshman.

“Chelsea has a lot of enthusiasm and her game has improved a lot since her junior year,” said Logan head coach Bill Glenn. “She has shown that she has the ability to improve her game and wants to become a better golfer.”

Glenn said Capel has a chance to be a solid player for the Vols over the next two years.

“I think she has a very high ceiling (potential for success),” he said. “We hope that Chelsea and the other two incoming freshmen (Kirsten Faulkner and Morgan Stacks) we have signed will come in to practice next fall ready to play.”

Capel said she is excited about the opportunity to compete at Logan.

“It’s been my goal since I started playing to someday play college golf,” she said. “I’m ready to take that next step. Hopefully, if I play well enough, I will be able to move on to play at a four-year school after Logan. I chose JALC because I like the idea of playing close to my family and am close to a lot of the girls on the team already.”

Capel said she plans to work hard this spring and summer on improving her short game.

“Playing with better players every day will definitely help,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to competing t the next level.”

Filed Under: College Sports

BMS ‘Road Warriors’ pick up overtime win at Carterville

January 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

By Jim Muir

Perhaps its time the Benton Middle School Junior Rangers became known as the Benton Road Warriors.

For the 11th time this season the BMS 8th grade team picked up a tough road win, this time a thrilling 45-42 overtime victory over Carterville on Thursday night.

rangers logo x

BMS coach John Cook said traveling to Carterville “was exactly what we expected it to be.”

“It is never easy to come out with a win at Carterville,” said Cook. “It was a tough road environment and I’m very proud of our guys for keeping their focus and making big plays down the stretch.”

The victory improves Benton to 16-4 overall.

Derek Oxford led the Rangers with 24 points and six rebounds – his eighth game in a row with a 20-plus point performance – and was followed by Tyson Houghland who turned in a solid game with 12 points and eight rebounds.

“Tyson (Houghland) had a huge game for us as did Blane Pankey, with some key rebounds and free throws in the overtime,” said Cook. “And Derek (Oxford) just kept attacking the basket and he hit some big, big shots for us when we needed them the most.”

BMS jumped out to a 16-10 first quarter lead but Carterville roared back outscoring the Junior Rangers 11-4 in the second quarter to take a 21-20 halftime lead. Both teams continued to battle in the second half with Benton pulling ahead 29-28 after three quarters. Carterville outscored Benton 12-11 in the fourth forcing a 40-40 tie in regulation.

Cook said he feels his team’s second half defense was the key to the hard-fought victory.

“Our defense in the second half was the difference in the game,” said Cook. “We were able to hold their two leading scorers to just six combined points. It was a team win, it took all our guys to accomplish that.”

Another key stat in the game, Cook said, was Benton’s free throw shooting late when the Junior Rangers hit 6-of-8 free throws in the fourth quarter and overtime period.

Along with Oxford’s 24 and Houghland’s 12 points Blane Pankey added four points and five rebounds, and Austin Wills scored three points. Also contributing to the win was Oliver Davis, Gehrig Wynn, Jordan Richey and Hamilton Page.

In the 7th grade contest BMS pulled out an exciting 21-20 victory behind eight points from leading scorer Gehrig Wynn.

Brett Bonenberger had a big game for BMS with the winning basket in the final seconds to secure the win. Bonenberger finished with six points, eight rebounds and a pair of steals.

The 7th grade team, coached by Andy Davis, trailed 7-2 at the end of the first quarter but outscored Carterville in the second frame 11-4 to take a 13-11 halftime lead.. Carterville outscored Benton 6-4 in the third quarter to force a 17-17 deadlock heading into the final frame.

Also scoring for Benton was Blane Pankey with three points and Hamilton Page with two points. Other players who contributed to the win are Parker Williams, Drew Owens, Eldon Owens and Mason Wills.

Benton’s 7th grade team is in action at Harrisburg in the Big 7 Conference Tournament on Saturday. Both BMS teams will be at home on Monday, January 28 for the final regular season game. It is also “8th Grade Night” where players and cheerleaders will be recognized.

Post season play for the BMS 8th grade team will begin Thursday, January 31 at the Hamilton County Regional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Benton Junior High Sports, Junior High Sports, Uncategorized

SIJHSAA Basketball Tips off another championship series at Rend Lake College

January 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

INA, Ill. (Jan. 18, 2013) – A tradition of southern Illinois junior high championship basketball tipped off Friday, Jan. 18, with the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association’s 2012 Class S, M and L Girls State Basketball Tournament at Rend Lake College. The SIJHSAA Class S, M and L Boys State Basketball Tournament will follow on Feb. 1 – 14.

Okawville Junior High fans cheer on their Lady Rockets in the school's win over Christopher Elementary, Friday night, in the opening round of the 2013 Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association championship basketball tournaments.

Okawville Junior High fans cheer on their Lady Rockets in the school’s win over Christopher Elementary, Friday night, in the opening round of the 2013 Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association championship basketball tournaments.

Held on the floor of James “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium at RLC for more than 30 years now, the girls and boys state basketball championships will showcase 56 local teams, all vying for a spot among the SIJHSAA’s 92-year history of the best junior high basketball teams in the region.
The tournament dates back to 1928 when it was played as sub-states at various locations in southern Illinois, particularly high schools. The tournament came to RLC when a significant snow storm hit the region in 1978, causing officials to scratch game after game in regional tournaments throughout the area. RLC provided a central site and the event has stayed there ever since. Moreover, it continues to grow larger each year, with more teams competing for the championship in classes S, M and L.

Greg Hale of Pinckneyville took over as SIJHSAA Executive Director last June, replacing 15-year head Jim Burnes. Hale talked about some goals he had for his role with the association. They included an improved website with sponsorship opportunities. He checked that off the list last year. The site at www.sijhsaa.com is completely revamped with better functionality, a slick look and feel, and corporate sponsors – including Baden which is providing all the balls for SIJHSAA tournaments. Results from the upcoming rounds at RLC can be found on this site, along with a wealth of information about SIJHSAA sports and opportunities for users to interact, predict tournament winners and post questions in forums.

The Girls Class M tournament at Rend Lake started things off Friday, Jan. 18, with Meridian and Aviston (3:30 p.m.), Christopher and Okawville (4:45 p.m.), Goreville and Pinckneyville Jr. High (6 p.m.), and Fairfield and Gallatin County (7:15 p.m.). The Class M final four is at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Jan. 22. A consolation game is set for 6 p.m., Jan. 25, immediately followed by the Class M championship at 7:30 p.m.

The Girls Class L tournament will start Saturday, Jan. 19, with Carterville going up against Centralia (9:30 a.m.), West Frankfort taking on Highland (10:45 a.m.), Massac County facing off against Collinsville (noon), and Carmi taking on Trico (1:15 p.m.). The Class L final four is scheduled for 6 and 7:15 p.m., Jan. 23, and the consolation final will be at 9:30 a.m., Jan. 26, immediately followed by the Class L championship game at 11 a.m.
The Girls Class S tournament also gets underway Saturday, Jan. 19, with Lick Creek and Summersville (2:30 p.m.), St. John Catholic (Red Bud) and Bartelso (3:45 p.m.), DeSoto and Germantown (5 p.m.), and St. Joe (Olney) taking on Hoyleton-Grand Prairie (6:15 p.m.). Final four matchups will be played at 6 and 7:15 p.m., Jan. 24, with a consolation final at 12:30 p.m., Jan. 26, followed by the Class S championship game at 2 p.m. The Class S finals will conclude the 2013 girls state tournament.

The Boys Class M tournament regional winners will start things off Friday, Feb. 1, with Region 3 versus Region 2 (3:30 p.m.), Region 6 versus Region 1 (4:45), Region 8 versus Region 4 (6:00), and Region 5 versus Region 7 (7:15). The final four is at 6 p.m., and 7:15 p.m., Feb. 5. A consolation game is set for 6 p.m., Feb. 8, immediately followed by the Class M championship at 7:30 p.m.

The Boys Class S tournament gets underway Saturday, Feb. 2, with Region 3 versus Region 13 (9:30 a.m.), Region 15 versus Region 12 (10:45), Region 4 versus Region 1 (Noon), Region 2 versus Region 16 (1:15), Region 9 versus Region 5 (2:30), Region 11 versus Region 6 (3:45), Region 7 versus Region 8 (5:00), and Region 14 versus Region 10 (6:15). Quarterfinals are at 3:30, 4:45, 6:00 and 7:15 on Feb. 4. Final four matchups will be played at 6 and 7:15 p.m., Feb. 7, with a consolation final at 2:30 p.m., Feb. 9, followed by the championship game at 4 p.m.

The Class L tournament will run Feb. 9 through Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14. The Feb. 9 lineup will feature Region 2 versus Region 3 (9:30 a.m.), Region 6 versus Region 1 (10:45 a.m.), Region 8 versus Region 4 (noon) and Region 5 versus Region 7 (1:15 p.m.). The tournament will continue with the final four at 6 and 7:15 p.m., Feb. 12. A consolation game will be played at 6 p.m.., Feb. 14, followed by the Class L championship at 7:30 p.m.
Scores and results from the series of SIJHSAA tournaments at RLC can be found on-line daily at www.sijhsaa.com or by following Rend Lake College at www.twitter.com. For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.

Filed Under: Junior High Sports

Rend Lake College wrestlers went 2-1 at the Lincoln Duals

January 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LINCOLN, Ill. (Jan. 22, 2013) – Rend Lake College wrestlers went 2-1 at the Lincoln Duals this past weekend at Lincoln College. Rend Lake defeated Muskegon Community College 23-19 and Olivet 27-15, and lost to host Lincoln College 31-14.

Rend Lake College sophomore wrestler Eric Tozzi (Ramseur, N.C.) went undefeated at the Lincoln Duals where the Warriors finished 2-1 as a team.

Rend Lake College sophomore wrestler Eric Tozzi (Ramseur, N.C.) went undefeated at the Lincoln Duals where the Warriors finished 2-1 as a team.

Against Olivet: RLC’s Gabriel Bartok (Carbondale) won by forfeit at 133 pounds; Eric Tozzi (Ramseur, N.C.) won by major decision over Olivet’s Matt Darling 11-2 at 141 pounds; Skyler Procasky (Belleville) won by technical fall over Olivet’s Bryce Baase 16-0 at 149 pounds; Justin Cash (Franklin, Tenn.) won by decision over Olivet’s Daniel Fleet 8-4 at 157; Olivet’s Rocky Cantu won by decision over Juan Stimpson (Asheboro, N.C.) 2-1 at 165; RLC’s Anthony Jehn (Beech Grove, Ind.) won by decision over Nicholas Affricano 5-3 at 174; Nicholas Allen won by injury default over RLC’s Austin Warren (Newburgh, Ind.) at 184; Olivet’s Thomas Hall won by forfeit at 197; and Coltyn Pease (Pittsfield) won by injury default over Olivet’s Dustin Gajowiak at heavyweight.
Against Lincoln: LC’s Ignace Hakizimana won by forfeit at 125; Alex Jones won by decision over Bartok 8-5; Tozzi won by forfeit; LC’s Takil Agnew won by decision over Procasky 10-3; Cash won by technical fall over Luke Dunn 25-10; Darnell Thomas won by decision over Stimpson 10-7; Alex Young won by major decision over Jehn 17-5; Warren won by decision over Kyle Harris 6-2; LC’s West Cathcart won by forfeit; and Dequence Goodman won by pin over Pease at 3:25.

Against Muskegon: Tyler Gibson (MCC) won by forfeit; Bartok won by decision over Andrew Nold 4-3; Tozzi won by technical fall over Michael Lackney 15-0; Procasky won by decision over Chase Singleton 6-3; Cash won by pin over Brandon Smith at 2:34; Stimpson won by decision over Dillon Francisco 5-3; Justin Johnson won by major decision over Jehn 13-4; Zachary Johnston won by decision over Warren 7-6; Thomas Bolday (MCC) won by forfeit; and Pease won by decision over Jeffrey Tautolo 3-2.
Next up for the Warriors is the Greyhound Open Tournament, Feb. 2, in Indianapolis, Ind. For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.

Filed Under: College Sports, Uncategorized

We saw a great show …

January 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

By Tom Wheeler

Monday night I took my wife Lynda and daughter Dhana to the best show I have seen in a long time. We traveled to downtown Ina and made a stop a Jim “Hummer” Waugh gymnasium to see Rend Lake College take on John A Logan College in a great college basketball contest.

Two of my favorite southern Illinois athletes were coaching the two teams. Benton native Randy House took time off from his insurance business to coach the Warriors to a 87-64 win as the Warriors raised their record to 13-2 (6-2 in the conference) and maintained their ranking as the number 8 team in the nation in their division. This was also the first victory for House over arch rival Logan in his three years of coaching, losing four games, two by one point and another by 2 points.

wheeler pic 1

Logan’s coach in his first year as the “main man” Kyle Smithpeters led Harrisburg to an undefeated football state championship as a quarterback, (and SIU legend Carl Mauck still tells him he played the wrong sport in college), played basketball at Harrisburg JC (SE Illinois College) where he led his team to a final four berth and a two year record of 55-6. Kyle then played two years at SIU (like House) as his team won two Missouri Valley Championships.

He returned to Logan after a year with Paul Lusk at Missouri State and felt very comfortable with the move in following Mark Imhoff who he had served under for four years.
Logan came into the Monday night game after a tough loss to Vincennes on Saturday afternoon while the Warriors had defeated Wabash Valley on the same day. Rend Lake roared out to a ten point half time lead and never looked back behind double figure scoring of Noel Allen 15, (Guttenburg, NJ), Cortez Macklin 14, (Louisville, KY) and Woodlawns Dawson Verhines with 12.

Logan was led in scoring by Marion’s Aaron Adeoye, 15 as the only player in double figures while our nephew Connor wheeler was close with 9 points. The Vols weren’t bad from the field shooting42% but were killed on the boards 41-33 (RLC’s Bronson Verhines, had 14) and Logan had an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers.

There are many reasons this was such a great game:  Very well played, very well officiated and a very enthusiastic crowd. Both teams played hard, it wasn’t a game for the weak but it also wasn’t a game full of cheap shots and whining to the officials, (again this is a compliment to the two coaching staffs).

As Mitch Haskin’s assistant for six years at RLC, I watched a lot of games in Hummer Gym but not sure I ever saw two teams as unselfish as these two Monday night. I also loved how Randy and Kyle were involved in a chess match, changing defenses, changing match-ups, changing the tempo of the game. Midway in the first half I started thinking, who was the starters in this game, usually a team falls back a little when starters are out, but both teams have great benches and neither has a “five” best, again compliments to both staff for convincing guys to play their roles.

wheeler pic 2

Another major reason I will take my family back to see these two squads play is because of the local players we were all familiar with. Playing for Logan was DuQuoin’s Connor Wheeler, Marion’s Aaron Adeoye, Herrin’s Jamie Jones (who hit a couple 3’s),Murpysboro’s Pierre House and Carterville’s Drew Bonner.

Coach House played the Verhines brothers of Woodlawn, Coery Ayala of Massac County and the Trico duo of Jesse Smith (whose father Jackie played at RLC) and Dennis Froemling (who brought the crowd to their feet with a long three).

Yes, it was a great show and we plan to be back to another one, in fact Benton basketball authority Kenny Irvin was there, doesn’t that tell you something??

Filed Under: College Sports, Uncategorized

Okawville senior golfer Fuhrhop signs with Lady Warriors

January 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

fuhrhop signs with rlc

Okawville senior golfer Kaylyn Fuhrhop signed her national letter of intent last week to play golf at Rend Lake College in the fall. Seated, FROM LEFT, are Okawville Athletic Director Jon Kraus, Kaylyn Fuhrhop, and her mother, Susan. Standing: RLC Head Women’s Golf Coach Cindy Corn is flanked by Kaylyn’s sisters, Madalyn and Lyndsay. Fuhrhop is a Metro-East and First-Team Belleville News selection who finished fourth in LPGA of Southern Illinois and has a nine-hole scoring average of 37.

Filed Under: College Sports, Franklin Co. News, Uncategorized
« Previous Page
Next Page »
Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News