galesburg boys basketball - The Register-Mail

Winter Sports The Register-Mail 

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 

Section D 

The new look of 

Galesburg basketball 

Can a new coach, new uniforms and 

a new attitude energize the Silver Streaks? 

New Galesburg High 

school boys basketball 

coach Mike Reynolds.

D2 The Register-Mail, Galesburg, Ill. Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 

GALESBURG BOYS BASKETBALL 

‘Galesburg basketball ... is a big deal’ 

Reynolds intends 

to restore the glory 

BY ZACK CREGLOW 

The Register-Mail 

GALESBURG — After 

a late practice, Mike Reynolds 

stood in the middle of 

where his Galesburg boys 

basketball team stretched in 

a circle. 

It was pushing 9:15 p.m., 

and the new boys basketball 

coach was reminding his 

team that they were expected 

back at Thiel Gymnasium 

at 5 a.m. the next morning 

for another workout. 

No one grumbled. 

“I figure it’s going to 

benefit us,” senior post 

Brian Gernant said before 

he left that night practice. 

“Like he said, while the 

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER/The Register-Mail 

Galesburg High School basketball 

coach Mike Reynolds gets 

serious during a Silver Streaks 

camp session last summer. 

Molines and Rock Islands 

are sleeping, we are going 

Table of Contents 

to be up working.” 

Since coming to Galesburg 

in mid-April after a sterling 

run as the Bismark-Henning 

coach, Reynolds has pushed 

a message of hard work and 

tireless dedication to his 

team. 

With the Silver Streaks 

brand tarnished, the team 

bought in early, Gernant 

said. 

“Right off the bat, you 

could tell he was going to 

be tough,” Gernant said. 

“There wasn’t going to an 

easy way out anymore.” 

Reynolds’ summer basketball 

camp was one of the 

most well-attended in recent 

memory, and it was no 

cakewalk. The boys varsity 

traveled across the region, 

playing — and winning 

— in high-profile summer 

shootouts in Illinois and 

Indiana, and the off season 

work didn’t stop there for 

the team. 

A casual happening in 

recent years, according to 

players, the open gyms this 

fall were gut-wrenching battles, 

occurring about three 

times a week, and the bestof-the-best 

in the program 

who were not busy playing 

football were there. 

“For the most part, they 

want to win. Losing is not 

very fun, and they have lost 

a lot,” Reynolds said. “We 

had some success in the 

summer. We played with 

some of the better teams in 

the state, beat some of them 

and lost to some of them. 

“Sometimes losing 

becomes a bad disease and 

we are trying to break that 

right now.” 

Reynolds has talked exten- 

sively about restoring the 

luster that the Galesburg 

basketball program once 

carried. The program’s 

history was a chief reason 

why the Orion native left 

Bismark-Henning, where he 

racked up a 118-38 record. 

His actions have mimicked 

his words. Reynolds has 

returned holiday basketball 

tournaments to Galesburg, 

with both Thanksgiving and 

Martin Luther King Jr. tourneys 

set to begin in the 2009- 

2010 season. He even refitted 

the team in new basketball 

gear, emblazoned with the 

Nike logo. 

“Galesburg basketball, in the 

history of the state of Illinois, 

is a big deal,” Reynolds said. 

“It’s much like the University 

of Indiana. We are the 

See REYNOLDS, Page D3

GALESBURG BOYS BASKETBALL 

Streaks eager to generate hoop revival 

Defense a big part 

of hopes to improve 



GALESBURG — The 

mention of the Galesburg 

High School boys basketball 

team’s record from last season 

brought a look of pain to 

senior Brian Gernant’s face. 

“It’s kind of embarrassing,” 

he said. 

Going 5-21 has that effect. 

With new coach Mike Reynolds 

bringing a renewed sense 

of discipline and a roster loaded 

with experience and young 

talent, the Silver Streaks plan 

to end the days in the cellar 

of the Western Big 6, the conference 

they once dominated 

with regularity. 

“We got a lot of height and 

a lot of power this year,” said 

Gernant, a 6-foot-3 bulky lefthander 

with a deft touch. “In 

the Western Big 6, we should 

have the stronger big men so 

I think we have a chance this 

year.” 

Gernant is joined inside by 

fellow seniors Caleb Weaver, 

an honorable mention allconference 

pick as a junior, 

and Tanner Libby, along with 

rising junior Victor Davis. 

They bring a variation of 

skills. 

Reynolds 

From Page D2 

primetime place of high 

school in Illinois but in the 

last 10 years, to be very honest, 

we haven’t been very 

good and we are trying to 

change that.” 

The toughest obstacle, 

more so than getting the community 

or kids to buy in, is 

developing a steely mental 

toughness that festered as 

Galesburg struggled to only 

one winning season in the 

last nine years. 

KEN EXUM/The Register-Mail 

Galesburg High School sophomore Chad Thompson and other Silver 

Streaks prepare to run a drill in preseason practice. 

Weaver is a classic lunchpail 

worker who hits the open 

jumper. 

Gernant has strength and 

can be dangerous as a pickand-pop 

shooter. Then there’s 

Libby and Davis, the team’s 

top two scoring options, who 

present threats both on the 

perimeter and in the paint. 

Reynolds will also look to 

incorporate 6-foot-5 sophomore 

Chad Thompson, considered 

by the coaching 

staff as the best shooter in 

“We are just trying to teach 

them that when it’s tough, 

you still have to fight through. 

When you’re tired, you have to 

still keep playing,” Reynolds 

said. “Some of them haven’t 

grasped that concept yet. They 

would rather fold the tent up, 

but we are changing the culture.” 

“We are learning how to play 

together instead of focusing on 

attitudes like we did last year,” 

Gernant said. “It’s just so much 

different. Everyone is listening. 

Everyone is playing hard. 

Everyone going is going full out 

until practice ends.” 

Even if the practice started 

at 5:30 a.m. 

the program. 

“Chad Thompson is a 

sophomore who is trying to 

figure out where he fits in the 

mix. His skills are different 

than theirs. They are big and 

strong and physical, and he’s 

more of a slasher and shooter. 

We need him to get stronger 

and more physical and we 

need the other guys to shoot 

it better,” Reynolds said. “But 

obviously our front line is 

our strength. We need those 

guys to bring an effort every 

day to lead us through.” 

Credits 

Cover design and layout by 

Jay Redfern 

Cover photo by 

Kent Kriegshauser 

Page design and layout by 

Mike Trueblood 

and 

Zack Creglow 

The Register-Mail, Galesburg, Ill. Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 

The guard position is anybody’s 

guess. 

Galesburg will be in the 

uncomfortable predicament 

of putting the ball in the 

hands of sophomores. 

Dalton Davis is a safe bet to 

start at point guard and is the 

best outside shooter of the 

guards, while Pierce Ferguson 

is an absolute jet with the 

ball in his hands but is playing 

his first year of organized 

basketball. Their classmate 

Brian Thompson can play 

both guard positions and has 

a good midrange game but 

is slight, while junior Bailee 

Ricketts brings offense to the 

lineup. 

“We got a lot of sophomores 

out there but we have sophomores 

that can play,” Reynolds 

said. “They got a lot of 

talent, and we are trying to 

cultivate that.” 

With so much undecided in 

the backcourt, a lot will be 

determined by the their ability 

to defend, a prerequisite 

Reynolds has set to play. 

“We are going to guard. If 

 

 

 

 

 

you are not capable of guarding, 

you are not going to play,” 

Reynolds said. “We have made 

that clear since Day 1. Most 

everybody is buying into that. 

If you are going to play basketball 

in our program, you 

have to rebound and you have 

to guard.” 

“That’s his first main concern: 

sit and play,” Gernant 

said with a chuckle. “That’s 

his famous line: ‘sit and play.’” 

Defense is the cornerstone 

of Reynolds’ philosophy, and 

the new coach hopes the Silver 

Streaks’ play on the back 

end can shore up any offensive 

deficiencies. 

“We want to rebound the 

basketball and defend. 

“Just like in baseball, the 

pitching is ahead of the batting, 

so right now the defense 

is ahead of the offense,” Reynolds 

said. 

“We are still struggling 

with some of our concepts 

and we are hoping by the time 

Thanksgiving rolls around, 

we will have everything in 

tow.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D3


WESTERN BIG 6 CONFERENCE 

Western Big 6 Boys Basketball at a Glance 

Galesburg 

Mike Reynolds enters his first 

season as the Silver Streaks 

basketball coach cautiously optimistic 

about his team. The Silver Streaks 

will attempt to mesh a talented 

sophomore class that includes 

Dalton Davis, Pierce Ferguson, Brian 

Thompson and Chad Thompson with 

standbys in forward Victor Davis, 

Tanner Libby and Caleb Weaver. 

Reynolds is pushing Davis, a hulking 

junior with a deft outside touch who 

was injured most of last season, to 

become to the team’s go-to threat. 

Libby, a senior, is a talented insideoutside 

threat on the wing and 

Ferguson, a sophomore, has shown an 

tremendous playmaking ability at the 

point but has never played organized 

basketball before. 

Rock Island 

Many conference observers believe 

the league title is the Rocks to lose. 

Thom Sigel, a former Galesburg 

assistant and Knox graduate, leads 

a squad that boasts two Division 

I-A prospects in super sophomore 

Chasson Randle and senior Brandon 

Pullman. Randle has picked up an 

offer from Illinois. Pullman, a scoring 

whiz, impressed over the summer and 

has attracted mid-major looks. 

Moline 

Galesburg native and one-time 

favorite for the Silver Streaks job Ryan 

Webber takes over a Moline program 

that was hit hard by graduation. The 

Maroons graduated the top player in 

the WB6 in Isiah Nunn, who averaged 

more than 20 points per game. 

Webber played at Galesburg and most 

recently coached at Byron. 

United Township 

Panthers’ legend Marc Polite, 

who starred at UT in the mid-1990s 

and later played at Eastern Illinois, 

takes over as the head coach of last 

season’s conference co-champion. 

The team returns Kannon Burrage, 

one of the deadliest scorers in the 

conference, and fellow guard Shaquille 

Lowery. They finished 18-11 in the 

league but lose height from last year’s 

team. 

Quincy 

Coach Sean Taylor was a miracle 

worker, willing his team to a tie with 

UT in the WB6 championship with an 

8-2 league record. Taylor’s team has 

thrived off stingy defense, masking 

many talent deficiencies, and this 

season should be no different. 

Rock Island Alleman 

The Pioneers need to replace Pace 

Bennett, the team’s long-range threat 

at guard who graduated. Alleman will 

have some athleticism, but it also lost 

Elliot Kelso and Vince Ewald inside. 

GHS Boys Basketball Rosters 

Varsity 

G Dalton Davis (6-0, soph), G Austin 

Shearer (6-1, sr), G Brandon Thompson 

(6-0, soph), G Pierce Ferguson (6-1, soph), 

F Chad Thompson (6-5, soph), G Bailee 

Ricketts (6-1, jr), G Joe Mangieri (6-1, sr), F 

Victor Davis (6-4, jr), G Bo Merritt (6-2, jr), 

F Calvin Mosley (6-4, jr), F Caleb Weaver 

(6-3, sr), F Ryan Ricketts (6-3, soph), F 

Tanner Libby (6-5, sr), F Brian Gernant 

(6-2, sr) 

Coach: Mike Reynolds 

Assistants: Al Denison, Ryan Hart, 

Matt Pogue, Joe Dillman, Jason Gray 

Sophomore 

Ryan McElmurry (5-11), Brandon 

Thompson (5-11), Beau Salsman (5-10), 

Logan Scott (5-11), Garrett Williams (5- 

11), Andy Holloway (6-0), Robert Jackson 

(6-1), Jamie Moore (6-3), Julius Cunningham 

(6-0), Brandon Meeker (6-2), Chad 

Thompson (6-5), Jacqes Moore (6-2), 

Andrew Steck (6-1), Pierce Ferguson (6-0), 

Ryan Ricketts (6-3) 

Coach: Ryan Hart 

Freshmen 

Lamont Ross (5-5), Zack Riley (5-7), Matt 

Lansing (5-7), Max Lansing (5-9), Seth Morling 

(5-7), Chad Johnson (5-8), Beau Salsman 

(5-7), Dasean Morrison (5-10), Brad Smith 

(5-7), Drew Carlson (5-9), Mike Plancarte (6-0), 

Nathan Eck (5-10), Josh Link (5-11), Zach Wilke 

(5-10), Aslan Butler (6-0), Austin Gernant (5- 

11), Joey Juergens (6-0), Colton Crain (6-1) 

Coach: Matt Pogue 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY AARON FREY 


The Register-Mail’s top 

area players to watch for in 

the 2008-09 season: 

Jake Bowman and Alex 

Ott (Williamsfield) — We’ll 

lump these two together 

because they’re likely to be 

the face of the area’s preseason 

top team. They have 

the ability to combine for 30 

points on any given night and 

make for the best one-two 

punch in the area. 

Andrew Kovacik 

(ROWVA) — Kovacik came 

onto the scene last year as a 

sophomore and established 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AREA BOYS BASKETBALL 

Top three teams 

Billtown gunning for another 20-win season 

BY AARON FREY 


1. Williamsfield — The 

Bombers are the area’s preseason 

No. 1 team despite 

losing Patrick Lewis, last 

season’s leading scorer in the 

area and the Register-Mail 

Player of the Year. However, 

the Bombers bring back three 

starters from last seasn’s 

club that went 21-11 — Jake 

Bowman, Jeremy Eagle and 

Alex Ott. Another 20-win 

season isn’t out of the 

question, but depth will 

be a big concern for the 

Bombers. 

2. Abingdon — Coaches 

always preach that defense 

wins championships and that 

will be the case this season 

for the Commandos. Abingdon 

doesn’t return a big-time 

scorer from last season and 

lost one in Nick Andersen, 

who averaged 14 points per 

game. Jeremy Anderson’s 

team is heavy on experience. 

Abingdon’s roster fea- 

Prime time players 

Bombers’ tandem atop the list for 2008-2009 

himself as one ot the top 

scorers in the area. If Bowman 

and Ott split most of 

the Williamsfield’s scoring 

duties, Kovacik could lead the 

area in points per game. 

Andy Brackett (Abingdon) 

— The 6-foot-3 Brackett, 

who played quarterback 

this fall for the Commandos’ 

football team, is big enough 

to do some damage in the 

paint, but also has the athleticism 

to step outside and 

hit some shots. He should be 

one of the leading rebound- 

tures seven seniors and five 

juniors. 

3. Galva — With a season 

of a new offensive system 

under their belt, the Wildcats 

could be one of the surprise 

teams in the area, which 

is exactly what coach Clay 

Haurberg says he wants. 

Senior forward Zach Anderson 

is a versatile player, 

and Galva hopes to get 16-20 

minutes a night from 6-foot-7 

senior center Tyler Dennison. 

ers in the area. 

Zach Anderson (Galva) 

— Anderson averaged seven 

points per game last year, but 

he wasn’t relied on to score 

much because of all-area 

selection Seth Kelly. He’ll 

need to be the Wildcats’ go-to 

guy this season. 

Others to watch — Luke 

Brandt (AlWood), Tyler Dennison 

(Galva), Jeremy Eagle 

(Williamsfield), Brennen Jensen 

(United), Brandon Shaw 

(North Fulton).

PRAIELAND CONFERENCE BOYS BASKETBALL 

Commandos counting on 

seniors to collect hardware 

BY AARON FREY 


Sometimes you’ve just got 

to tip your cap to the other 

team. 

That was the case last year 

for Abingdon High School 

when it hosted a Class 1A 

regional. The Commandos put 

up an 18-6 mark in the regular 

season and earned the top 

seed in their sub-sectional. 

After a win over ROWVA 

in the regional semifinals, 

the Commandos ran into 

Wethersfield and Nathan 

Kohler, who scored 24 points 

in the championship game to 

end Abingdon’s season. 

“It was a good regional and 

we ran into a good team with a 

really good scorer,” Commandos 

coach Jeremy Anderson 

said. “Our guys are hungry 

to get back to that point again 

this season, but it’ll take a lot 

of work to get there.” 

Abingdon lost guard Nick 

Andersen, who averaged 14 

points and 4.5 rebounds and 

was named to The Register- 

Mail’s all-area team, and Ryan 

Thompson, an honorable 

mention all-area selection. 

Anderson said his team will 

have to rely heavily on senior 

leadership to have a chance 

at grabbing some postseason 

hardware for the fourth time 

in eight seasons. And he’s 

got plenty of options when it 

comes to finding senior leadership. 

The Commandos boast 

seven senior players on their 

roster and have a five-man 

junior class, as well. 

“A lot of them were behind 

other seniors last year, so 

now it’s their turn to get out 

there and make some noise,” 

Anderson said. 

Six-foot-3 center Andy 

Brackett is likely to be the 

one senior out of that group 

who makes the most impact 

for Abingdon. 

“He’ll be our go-to guy on 

offense and defense,” Ander- 

BILL GAITHER/The Register-Mail 

Abingdon High School’s Andy Brackett puts up a shot over a ROWVA 

defender in last season’s regional tournament. 

son said. “We’ll need to have a 

lot of big nights out of him.” 

Guard Ryan Yoho will be 

another important contributor. 

Anderson referred to him 

as the team’s “floor general.” 

Junior Corey Link is 

expected to be the team’s 

defensive stopper after missing 

part of last season with 

an ankle injury. 

“Corey’s a good ball handler 

and can make some nice 

plays, but the job he does 

best is his on-ball defending,” 

Anderson said. “If you have 

a guy that you don’t have to 

worry about and can lock 

someone down, that’s a big 

help to any team.” 

Anderson said that’s especially 

important for the Commandos, 

who he said will 

have to rely on defense to be 

competitive throughout the 

season. 

“It’s very important for 

us,” he said. “In our system, 

not only do you have to guard 

your man, but you also have 

to do a good job of knowing 

and guarding where the ball 

is at the same time.” 


The Prairieland at a Glance 

Abingdon — Third-year coach 

Jeremy Anderson’s team will have to 

rely on defense and senior leadership 

from 6-foot-3 center Andy Brackett 

and guards Ryan Yoho and Nathan 

Powell. 

Brimfield — The Indians boast one 

of the fastest teams in the area and 

return four starters from last year’s 

group. Ethan Westart and Adam Unes 

are two of the top scorers in the 

conference and make Brimfield the 

likely team to beat in the P-Land. 

Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon — The 

Spartans’ football team didn’t do new 

coach Matt Colston any favors with its 

deep playoff run. B-PC/A went 6-22 

last season in its first year as a coop, 

and the Spartans failed to win a 

game in the P-Land. 

Elmwood — The Trojans went 11- 

19 last season and haven’t won a 

regional title since 1972. That drought 

could continue this season unless 

Elmwood is able to find a way to 

replace the scoring abilities of John 

Davis. 

Havana — The Ducks bring back 

four starters from last year’s team 

that lost in overtime to Pleasant 

Plains in the regional semifinals. 

Walker (13.5 ppg, 94 3-pointers last 

season) returns as Havana’s leading 

scorer. The Ducks don’t have much 

size, but they do have 6-4 junior Sam 

Kachanuk, who saw some varsity 

action last year. 

Lewistown — The Indians’ 

spectacular season concluded with 

a fourth-place finish in the Class 1A 

state tournament. Now Lewistown 

must find a way to replace four 

starters from that squad. Junior guard 

Quinton Hatfill, son of coach Brad 

Hatfill, will be faced with carrying the 

load. 

North Fulton — Junior Brandon 

Shaw returns for the Wildcats as one 

of the few bright spots from a team 

that went 7-23 last season and was 

bounced out of the Class 1A state 

tournament in the regional semifinals 

by Lewistown. 

Peoria Heights — Coach Mike 

Persich says his team has athletes 

but needs to commit to teamwork. The 

Patriots lost Julius Gray, last season’s 

leading scorer and rebounder. 

DeShawn Alexander (9.0 ppg, 5.8 

rpg last season) should be able to fill 

much of that hole. 

South Fulton — The Rebels must 

replace last season’s top two scorers 

in Matt Abernathy and Klynton 

Bollinger. South Fulton went 17-13 

a year ago and, like their county 

companions, was dispatched by 

Lewistown in the postseason. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D5


Galesburg 

Nov. 26-29 — at Dunlap 

Thanksgiving Tournament 

Dec. 5 — at Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Metamora, 6:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — United Township, 7:30 

p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Alleman, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at State Farm IA/IL 

Shootout 

Dec. 26-30 — at State Farm Holiday 

Classic 

Jan. 10 — at Peoria Manual, 7:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 16 — Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — Springfield, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Rockford East, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Geneseo, 6:30 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — at United Township, 7:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Eisenhower, 6:30 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — Alleman, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 21 — at Peoria Notre Dame, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Feb. 27 — Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Alleman 

Nov. 25-29 — at Geneseo 


Dec. 5 — United Township, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Aledo 

Dec. 4 — at Westmer, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Lisle Shootout 

Dec. 16-20 — at Cambridge/ROWVA 

Tournament 

Dec. 30-Jan. 2 — at Erie Warkins 

Cardinal Classic 

Jan. 6 — at Abingdon, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — Cambridge, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — Rockridge, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — Galva, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at ROWVA, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — West Central, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — at Stark County, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 31-Feb. 7 — at LTC Tournament 

at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — at Annawan, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Elmwood, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — at AlWood, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — United, 6 p.m. 

AlWood 

Nov. 24-29 — AlWood Thanksgiving 

Tourney 

Dec. 5 — Unity Christian, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — Rockridge, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13-22 — at West Carroll 

Dec. 13 — Rock Falls, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 20 — vs. Davenport West at IA- 

IL Shootout 


Classic 

Jan. 3 — Rockford Lutheran, 2:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Dixon, 3:30 p.m. 


Jan. 17 — at Catholic Shootout, at 

Bloomington, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at West Carroll Shootout, 

4:30 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — at United Township, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — at Peoria Woodruff, 6:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 13 — at Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 21 — Geneseo, 6 p.m. 


Moline 

Nov. 28-29 — Moline Thanksgiving 

Tournament 

Dec. 5 — Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Barrington, 7 p.m. 


Dec. 13 — at Fenton, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at United Township, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Tourney 

Dec. 30 — at Williamsfield, 2 p.m. 

Jan. 6 — Monmouth-Roseville, 6 

p.m. 

Jan. 9 — at Annawan, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — Stark County, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 20 —at West Central, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 27 — at United, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — at Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 31-Feb. 7 — at LTC Tournament, 

at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — at Westmer, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 14 — Bushnell-Prairie City/ 

Avon, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — Aledo, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — ROWVA, 6 p.m. 

Annawan 

Nov. 24-29 — at Orion Tourney 

Dec. 2 — Midland, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — at Ashton-Franklin Center, 

6 p.m. 

Dec. 16 — Henry, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 26-30 — at Erie Warkins 


BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULES 

Western Big 6 

Dec. 20 — at IA-IL Shoot-out 

Dec. 29-31 — at Pekin Holiday 

Tournament 

Jan. 10 — Sterling, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — at Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — at Peoria Richwoods, 6: 

30 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Alleman, 7:30 p.m. 


Jan. 31 — at Peoria, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — United Township, 7:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Auburn, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 21 — at Lincoln, 7:45 p.m. 


Quincy 

Nov. 27-29 — Quincy Thanksgiving 

Tournament 

Dec. 5 — at Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — Batavia, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — Alleman, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — Springfield, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 29-31 — at Pekin Holiday 

Tournament 

Jan. 10 — Neuqua Valley, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — at United Township, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — at Peoria, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at Hinsdale South, 7:30 

Lincoln Trail Conference 

Jan. 6 — at LaMoille, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — AlWood, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Rock Falls Shootout, 3: 

30 p.m. 


Jan. 16 — Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — United, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Cambridge, 6 p.m. 




at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — at Stark County, 6 p.m. 



Feb. 20 — Galva, 6 p.m. 

Cambridge 

Nov. 24-Dec. 1 — at Williamsfield 

Invitaitonal 

Dec. 9 — at DePue, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — Galva, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Peru St. Bede, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 16-20 — Cambridge/ROWVA 

Tournament 

Jan. 3 — at Riverdale, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 6 — at Prohpetstown, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — at Aledo, 6 p.m. 

p.m. 

Jan. 30 — Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — Bloom Township, 7:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 6 — at Alleman, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — at Night of Hoops, at 

Batavia 

Feb. 13 — at Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — United Township, 7:30 

p.m. 


Rock Island 

Nov. 26-29 — Rock Island 

Thanksgiving Classic 


Dec. 6 — at Sterling, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Shootout at the Hall, 

at Champaign, 3:45 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — vs. Davenport Central, at 

IA-IL Shoot-out 


Classic, in Bloomington/Normal 

Jan. 10 — vs. Batavia at Rock Falls 

Shootout 


Jan. 23 — East Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at Rock Falls, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — at Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — vs. Peoria Manual, QC- 

Peoria Shootout 


Jan. 16 — at AlWood, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — ROWVA, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Annawan, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — at Galva, 6 p.m. 



at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — at Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — Westmer, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — Stark County, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Galva 


Tournament 

Dec. 5 — at Sherrard, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — Kewanee, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — at Cambridge, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 26-29 — at Princeville Tourney 

Jan. 9 — Westmer, 6 p.m. 








Feb. 13 — Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — a Machesney Park 

Harlem, 7:30 p.m. 


Feb. 21 — Dixon, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 27 — at United Township, 7: 

30 p.m. 


Nov. 25-29 — at Geneseo Tourney 


Dec. 6 — Pekin, 6:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — at Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — vs. North Scott, at IA-IL 

Shoot-out 

Dec. 29-31 — at Pontiac Tournament 

Jan. 9 — Normal Community West, 6: 

30 p.m. 


Jan. 16 — Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 19 — at Peoria Woodruff, 12 

p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — Alleman, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Dixon, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Galesburg, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Rock Falls, 6:30 p.m. 


Feb. 20 — at Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 24 — at Rochelle, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 27 — Rock Island, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 31-Feb 7 — at LTC Tournament 

at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — at West Central, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — Stark County, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Hanover River Ridge, 

6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 


Princeville 

Nov. 25 — at Midland, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 2 — at DePue, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 5 — at Elmwood, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 16 — Brimfield, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 26-29 — Princeville Holiday 

Tourney 





Jan. 23 — Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 30 — at Westmer, 6 p.m. 


See LTC, Page D7

Abingdon 

Nov. 24-29 — at AlWood Basketball 

Tournament 

Dec. 5 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — at United, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at West Central, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 23 — ROWVA, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 27-30 — at Western Holiday 

Classic 

Jan. 6 — Aledo, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — at Farmington, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 12 — Knoxville, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — Bushnell-Prairie City/ 

Avon, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Great Western Shootout 

Jan. 27 — at Elmwood, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — North Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — at South Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — at Lewistown, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — Havana, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — at Brimfield, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Sherrard, 6 p.m. 

Brimfield 

Nov. 24-29 — at AlWood 

Thanksgiving Tourney 

Dec. 5 — Knoxville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — at South Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — at Havana, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — Elmwood, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 16 —at Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 29-31 — at Princeville 

Tournament 


Jan. 9 — at North Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 12-19 — at ICAC Tournament 

Jan. 23 — Lewistown, 6 p.mm. 

Jan. 27 — at Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — at Bushnell-Prairie City/ 

Avon, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Delavan, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Farmington, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — Williamsfield, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — at Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — Peoria Christian, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — Abingdon, 6 p.m. 

Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon 

Nov. 25-29 — Spoon River Tip-Off 

Classic 

LTC 

From Page D6 

at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — at Aledo, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 17 — United, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 18 — at Williamsfield, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — Cambridge, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 5 — at Rushville/Industry, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — Spoon River Tip-Off Classic 

Finals 

Dec. 9 — West Central, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — at Camp Point Central, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Dec. 16-20 — at ROWVA/Cambridge 

Tournament 


Tournament 

Jan. 6 — at Macomb, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — South Fulton, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — Farmington, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — at Abingdon, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — at Illini West, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Havana, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — Brimfield, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — West Hancock, 4 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at Lewistown, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — at Peoria Heights, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — Elmwood, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at AlWood, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — North Fulton, 7:30 p.m. 

Elmwood 

Nov. 24-29 — at Peoria Heights 

Tournament 

Dec. 5 — Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Delavan, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 13 — at Brimfield, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 16-20 — at ROWVA/Cambridge 

Tournament 


Jan. 12-19 — ICAC Tournament 


Jan. 24 — at Williamsfield, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — Abingdon, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — West Prairie, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — South Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Lewistown, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — at Bushnell Prairie City/ 

Avon, 6 p.m. 



Feb. 17 — at Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Havana, 6 p.m. 

Havana 

Nov. 25-29 — at Spoon River Tip-Off 

Classic 

Dec. 5 — at Petersburg Porta, 6:15 

ROWVA 

Dec. 5 — Williamsfield, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — at Knoxville, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 16-20 — Cambridge/ROWVA 

Tournament 

Dec. 23 — at Abingdon, 6 p.m. 


Cardindal Classic 




BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULES 

Prairieland Conference 

p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Spoon River Tip-Off 

Classic Finals 

Dec. 9 — Beardstown, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 16 — at Athens, 6:15 p.m. 

Dec. 18 — at Franklin, 8 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — Midwest Central, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 26-30 — at Williamsville 

Tournament 

Jan. 6 — at Rushville/Industry, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — Delavan, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — Illini Central, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — at Lewistown, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Bushnell-Prairie City 

Avon, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 26-31 — at Beardstown 

Tournament 

Feb. 3 — Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — at North Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — at Abingdon, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 20 — Elwood, 6 p.m. 

Lewistown 


Dec. 2 — at Southeastern, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Spoon Rive Tip-Off 

Finals 

Dec. 12 — at Peoria Heights, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — Wethersfield, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Illini Central, 7:30 p.m. 


Tournament 

Jan. 6 — Porta, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — Illini Bluffs, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — at Hartsbug Emden, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — Havana, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Brimfield, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at Peoria Christian, 7:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 27 — Rushville/Industry, 7:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 30 — North Fulton, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon, 

7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — at Elmwood, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — Abingdon, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — at South Fulton, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — Beardstown, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Midwest Central, 7:30 p.m. 







at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — at United, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — West Central, 6 p.m. 



North Fulton 

Nov. 24-28 — Fulton County 

Tournament 

Nov. 29-Dec. 6 — at Tip-Off Classic 


Dec. 12 — Rushville/Industry, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at West Prairie, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 26-29 — at Princeville 

Tournament 

Jan. 2 — Southeastern, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 6 — at Williamsfield, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — Brimfield, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 12-19 — at ICAC Tournament 



Feb. 3 — at Abingdon, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 7 — at IBCA Shootout 



Feb. 17 —at Bushnell-Prairie City/ 

Avon, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 21 — Delevan, 6 p.m. 

Peoria Heights 

Nov. 24-29 — Patriot Thanksgiving 

Tournament 

Dec. 5 — Heyworth, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — at Midland, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — Lewistown, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 16 — Midwest Central, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Hartem, 6 p.m. 



Jan. 6 — at Henry, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 9 — Roanoke-Benson, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — at Lowpoint-Washburn, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — Peoria Christian, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Williamsfield, 6 p.m. 




Feb. 6 — Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon, 6 

p.m. 

Feb. 10 — at Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 —Brimfield, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — Elmwood, 6 p.m. 


South Fulton 


Stark County 

Nov. 24-29 — at Wethersfield 

Tournament 

Dec. 2 — at Illinois Valley Central, 5: 

30 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — Princeton, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 16-19 — at Hall-Colmone 

Classic 



Jan. 10 — Williamsfield, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 2 — Griggsville/Perry, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Spoon River Tip-Off 

Finals 


Dec. 12 — at Greenview, 6:15 p.m. 

Dec. 16 — Southeastern, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — North Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 27-30 — at Unity Holiday 

Tournament 

Jan. 9 — at Bushnell-Prairie City/ 

Avon, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — Rushville/Industry, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — at Liberty, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Payson-Seymour, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at West Prairie, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 26-31 — at Beardstown 

Tournament 







ICAC 

D7 

Williamsfield 

Nov. 24-Dec. 1 — Williamsfield 

Invitational Tournament 

Dec. 5 — at ROWVA, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — United, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 16, 18-20 — at Cambridge/ 

ROWVA Tournament 

Dec. 30 — AlWood, 2 p.m. 

Jan. 3 — Midland, 2 p.m. 

Jan. 6 — North Fulton, 6 p.m. 


Jan 12, 14, 16-17, 19 — at ICAC 

Tournament 

Jan. 23 — at Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Elmwood, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — at Delavan, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at West Prairie, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — at Midland Shootout 

against North Fulton 


Feb. 17 — at DePue, 6 p.m. 





Jan. 23 — at West Central, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — at Princeville, 6 p.m. 



at Westmer 

Feb. 10 — Annawan, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — at Galva, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — at Cambridge, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — Wethersfield, 6 p.m.


Knoxville 

Nov. 24 — at Orion Tip-Off 


Dec. 9 — ROWVA, 6 p.m 

Dec. 15-18 — at Kewanee 

Tournament 

Dec. 19 — Macomb, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Kewanee Tournament 


Tournament 

Jan. 9 — at Rockridge, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 16 — Farmington, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — Sherrard, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Orion, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 24 —at Great Western 

Shootout 

Jan. 27 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at Macomb, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Rockridge, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — at Farmington, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 —at Orion, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 20 — Monmouth-Roseville, 6 p.m. 

Farmington 

Nov. 24-Dec. 6 — at Spoon River 

Tip-Off 

Dec. 9 — at Midwest Cental, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — Monmouth-Roseville, 6 

p.m. 




Classic 


Jan. 13 — at Bushnell-Prairie City 

Avon, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — at Knoxville, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — at Orion, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 24 — at Great Western 

Shootout, at Abingdon 

Jan. 27 — Macomb, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 3 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 6 

BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULES BILLTOWN 

p.m. 


Feb. 10 — Knoxville, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — at Rockridge, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — Orion, 6 p.m. 


Macomb 

Nov. 25-28 — Canton Thanksgiving 

Tournament 

Dec. 6 — at Quincy Notre Dame, 6 

p.m. 


Dec. 19 – at Knoxville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 22 — at Illini West, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 27-30 — Western Holiday 

Tournament 

Jan. 6 — Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon, 

6 p.m. 


Jan. 16 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 6 

p.m. 

Jan. 20 — Midwest Central, 6 p.m. 





Feb. 6 — at Orion, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — Monmouth-Roseville, 6 

p.m. 


Feb. 14 — at Riverton Shootout 

Feb. 17 — Sacred Heart-Griffin, 6 p.m. 


Monmouth-Roseville 


Tournament 

Dec. 5 — Abingdon, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — at Illinois Valley Central, 6 

p.m. 

Dec. 12 — Orion, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Lisle Shoot-out 

Dec. 16 — West Central, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Farmington, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 27, 29-30 — at Western 

Holiday Tournament 

Olympic Conference Bombers look 

in good shape 


Jan. 9 — at Sherrard, 6 p.m. 






Feb. 6 — Sherrard, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 14 — at Riverton 


Feb. 20 — at Knoxville, 6 p.m. 

Orion 

Nov. 24-29 — Orion Tip-Off Classic 

Dec. 12 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 6 

p.m. 

Dec. 13 — Assumption, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 15-20 — at Kewanee Holiday 

Classic 



Jan. 9 — at Macomb, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Tolono Shootout 




Jan. 24 — at Abingdon Great 

Western Shootout 



p.m. 


Feb. 6 — Macomb, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 14 — at Riverton Subway 

Shootout 

Feb. 17 — at Farmington, 6 p.m. 


Rockridge 

Nov. 24-29 — at Orion Thanksgiving 

Tournament 

Dec. 2 — Westmer, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — at AlWood, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — at Macomb, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Lisle 

Dec. 19 — Riverdale, 6 p.m. 


Classic, in Bloomington/Normal 






p.m. 







Feb. 17 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Orion, 6 p.m. 

Sherrard 

Nov. 24-29 — at Orion Tournament 


Dec. 16 — Riverdale, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 23 — Farmington, 6 p.m. 


Classic, at Bloomington/Normal 


p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Maquoketa, 5 p.m. 





Jan. 27 — at Kewanee, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 31 — at Eric Ottens Shootout, 

at Fulton 


Feb. 6 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 

6 p.m. 





WILLIAMSFIELD — With 

three starters returning from 

last year’s team that went 

21-11, the Williamsfield boys 

basketball team appears to be 

in good shape. 

Take into account that one 

of those missing starters is 

2008 Register-Mail Player of 

the Year Patrick Lewis and 

things may not look as bright. 

Lewis averaged 25.7 points last 

season and made 87 percent of 

his free throws. 

The Bombers have some 

players capable of picking 

up the slack in seniors Jake 

Bowman and Jeremy Eagle, as 

well as junior Alex Ott. Billtown 

returns just one other 

letterwinner from last season 

in Skyler Graham. 

“We are small and our depth 

is not known,” Bombers coach 

Bob Anderson said. “To succeed, 

we must pressure the 

ball and get up and down the 

floor.” 

Anderson begins his 30th 

season as Williamsfield coach 

and is within reach of getting 

to 500 wins with the Bombers. 

He has a record at Billtown of 

485-328. 

Williamsfield Invitational Tourney 

Monday’s games 

United vs. Monmouth-Roseville, 5 p.m. 

Cambridge vs. Henry, 6:30 p.m. 

Williamsfield vs. Galva, 8 p.m. 

Tuesday’s games 

Galva vs. Cambridge, 5 p.m. 

Monmouth-Roseville vs. Henry, 6:30 

p.m. 

United vs. Williamsfield 8 p.m. 

(Tourney continues Friday, Saturday 

and following Monday)

OLYMPIC CONFERENCE BOYS BASKETBALL 

Graduation gives Monmouth-Roseville new look 

BY AARON FREY 


Even before the opening tip 

of the season, Chuck Grant 

had to call a timeout. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I 

apologize about my voice,” 

the Momouth-Roseville boys 

basketball coach said, sounding 

like he was in desperate 

need of some honey or a 

cough drop. “The first week 

of the season I always lose 

my voice. We’ve practiced 11 

hours in three days and I just 

can’t stop screaming.” 

Perhaps it’s because he’s got 

some new players to yell at after 

losing a pair of program mainstays 

in all-state guard Ben Gillen 

and center Brian Thompson. 

Both were four-year varsity 

members and were on the 

Register-Mail’s all-area team 

last season, with Gillen averaging 

18 points and 3.1 steals 

per game and Thompson scoring 

12 points and grabbing 

eight rebounds a night. 

“We have so many kids 

vying for time, and it’s a 

good problem to have,” Grant 

said. “We have some seniors 

that have been through the 

war and now it’s their turn 

to leave a mark on this program.” 

At the forefront of that group 

is senior Tanner Schreck. 

“He was a big part of our 

success year, and we’ll need 

him to do even more for us 

this year,” Grant said. 

Grant is also hoping for contributions 

from junior Cory 

Jensen, who didn’t have to play 

a large role the last two seasons 

because of Gillen’s presence. 

“He’s a kid we’ve been waiting 

for to blossom,” Grant 

said. “I think this could really 

be a big season for him.” 

The rest of the lineup is a 

bit of a mystery at this point 

— even for Grant. 

“It’s early for sure,” he said. 

“The guys feel like we can be 

competitive with the people 

we end up playing, whatever 

combination that may be.” 

M o n m o u t h - R o s e v i l l e 

advanced to sectionals the 

last two seasons, but it could 


Monmouth-Roseville High School’s Tanner Schreck puts up a scoop 

shot in last season’s sectional game against Eureka. 

be a while before it’s apparent 

if that’s a possibility again 

this year. 

“We’ll know what kind of 

club we’re going to have by 

mid-December,” Grant said. 

“The first few weeks are 

going to be very interesting 

for us.” 

While the Titans are starting 

mostly from scratch with 

new faces on the court, Knoxville 

begins with a new face 

on the bench in coach Mark 

Simpson. 

Simpson takes over for Hank 

Gordon, who left after a 4-22 

campaign last season. Simpson 

coached the Blue Bullets’ 

freshmen/sophomore team to 

an 11-2 record a year ago. 

“They know what to expect 

from me, and I’m starting 

to know what I expect from 

them,” Simpson said. “We 

have a lot of guys who are 

going to compete for playing 

time.” 

Good Luck To All Area 

Teams On A Successful 

2008-09 Season! 

 

 


Olympic Conference at a Glance 

Farmington — The Farmers put 

together their 18th consecutive 

winning season last year but ran into 

a buzzsaw in Peoria Manual in the 

regional semifinals of the Class 2A 

state tournament. Tom Wierzba, who 

surpassed the 500-win plateau as 

coach of the Farmers last season, 

begins his 26th season as head 

coach. 

Knoxville — The Blue Bullets went 

just 4-22 last year and are likely in 

for a rebuilding season under firstyear 

coach Mark Simpson, who was 

an all-conference player at AlWood in 

the 1990s. Bryce Ball is Knoxville’s 

only returning starter, and Simpson 

says he’ll have to fill up the stat 

sheet. 

Macomb — The defending league 

champions must deal with the loss of 

6-foot-7 all-state honorable mention 

center Matt Buren and guard Luke 

Kane. Senior Davis Hendrickson, who 

signed a letter of intent last week to 

play baseball at Illinois, returns for 

the Bombers. 

Monmouth-Rosveville — A third 

consecutive trip to sectional looks 

like it will be a difficult task for Chuck 

 

 

 

 

 

D9 

Grant’s Titans. M-R lost four seniors 

from last year’s squad, including 

Register-Mail all-area selections Ben 

Gillen and Brian Thompson. The Titans 

will likely be a work in progress in the 

season’s early stages. 

Orion — The Chargers went 23-6 

a year ago and lost to conference 

foe Monmouth-Roseville in the state 

tournament for the second time 

in three years. Orion must replace 

unanimous all-conference selection 

Colie Bolhous, who averaged 10.5 

points last season. Cody Williams 

returns for the Chargers. 

Sherrard — The Tigers hope to 

bounce back from a disappointing 

season last year. Sherrard was the 

No. 8 seed in its sectional and lost to 

Orion in the regional semifinals. The 

Tigers are likely to be in the league’s 

lower echelon. 

Rockridge — Like Sherrard, the 

Rockets had a frustrating 2007-08 

campaign and should see more of 

the same. Rockridge edged Knoxville 

in a Class 2A regional semifinal 

before falling to Monmouth-Roseville.


LINCOLN TRAIL BOYS BASKETBALL 

Galva hoping last season’s late push continues 

Wildcats overcame 

1-10 start in ’07-08 

BY AARON FREY 


There’s only one way for 

Clay Haurberg to describe 

his team’s 1-10 start to last 

season. 

“It was abysmal,” the 

Galva boys basketball coach 

said. 

Haurberg, now in his 

fourth season as coach of 

the Wildcats, attributed 

part of the slow start to his 

switch to a new offense at 

the start of the year. Galva 

went from using a motion 

offense to employing a 

shuffle, which features more 

backdoor cuts. 

“We had a lot of kids butting 

heads about it,” Haurberg 

said. “With the motion 

offense, a few kids were 

starting to put themselves 

above the team and worry 

about scoring too much.” 

And once the Wildcats got 

used to the new offensive 

philosophy, their season 

started to turn in the other 

direction. Galva went 8-7 

to close the regular season 

before losing to Brimfield in 

opening round of a Class 1A 

regional. 

“After we came back from 

Christmas, we were able to 

compete a little bit better,” 

Haurberg said. “It took a 

while for the kids to buy into 

that, but once they did they 

really took off nicely.” 

See LTC, Page D11 

Aledo — Former West Central girls 

coach and 2008 R-M Coach of the 

Year Brad Jackson takes over as the 

head man at his alma mater. The 

Green Dragons should be one of the 

frontrunners for the LTC title. 

AlWood — The Aces went through a 

long 4-21 campaign last season under 

first-year coach Chance Jones and may 

be in for another tough winter. Seniors 

Luke Brandt and Cameron Teel will be 

key players for AlWood. 

Annawan — Alex Coppejans is the 

only returning starter from last year’s 

squad that won a share of the league 

crown. He’ll be one of the candidates 

to replace three-time all-stater Tanner 

Carlson, who finished his high school 

career with 2,045 points. The Braves’ 

fresh/soph team has gone 40-6 the 

last two seasons, including an ubeaten 

mark in the LTC. 

Cambridge — The Vikings return 

a pair of all-conference honorable 

mention picks in senior guard Daniel 

Walsh and senior forward Steven 

Lenertz, but are inexperienced outside 

of them. Senior center Marcus Goodwin 

will miss the first month of the season 

with a broken bone in his hand. 

Galva — The Wildcats played well 

against other conference foes last 

season, but went just 2-14 outside the 

league. Coach Clay Haurberg’s team 

will have to focus on defense and 

fundamentals to change that. “Until 

we change our effort on defense, we’ll 

never be more than an average club at 

best,” he says. 

Lincoln Trail Conference at a Glance 

Princeville — The Princes should 

have a pretty good basketball team to 

go along with one of the top football 

teams in the state. Senior Carter 

Oltman does just as much damage 

on the court as he does running the 

football and should be one of the LTC’s 

top players this year. 

ROWVA — The Tigers went just 9-20 


ROWVA High School’s Andrew Kovacik drives against Abingdon in a 

game last season. 

a year ago but return one of the more 

promising young players in the area 

in junior Andrew Kovacik. After a 3-14 

start, ROWVA won six of eight in the 

middle of the season before losing its 

final four games. 

Stark County — The Rebels don’t 

just have big boys on the football 

field. Stark County should have one 

of the biggest front lines in the LTC, 

headlined by 6-6 junior center Dillon 

Kelly, 6-5 senior Devon Gentry and 6-5 

sophomore Calvin Lewis. They should 

be in the hunt for the conference title. 

United — The Red Storm went 7- 

18 in their first season since taking 

on Yorkwood. Six-foot-6 senior center 

Brennen Jensen should give United a 

big advantage on the glass, but do the 

Red Storm have enough guys who can 

put the ball in the basket? 

West Central — Former Galesburg 

boys assistant Kelly Hinkle begins his 

head coaching career with the Heat. 

West Central made some noise last 

season by flirting around the .500 

mark for much of the year. Will they 

be able to repeat it this year without 

all-area honorable mentions Dalton 

Chandler and Kyle Gugeler? 

Westmer — The last season of 

Westmer basketball likely won’t be 

any more successful than in recent 

seasons. The Warriors have won only 

10 games this decade and haven’t 

had a winning season since 1992-93. 

Westmer lost to Wethersfield 61-17 in 

last year’s regionals. 

Wethersfield — The Flying Geese 

should be flying high this season and 

contend for the conference crown. They 

return three of their top four scorers 

from a year ago, including senior guard 

Nathan Kohler, who averaged 20.6 

points and 6.1 assists last season. 

Wethersfield upset Abingdon in last 

year’s regional championship for its 

first postseason plaque since 2000.

LTC BOYS 

Galva 

From Page D10 

He hopes that late-season 

push can translate into a 

strong 2008-09 campaign. 

It seemed to have paid dividends 

this summer as Galva 

competed in a summer 

league tournament in Rock 

Island that included playing 

against larger schools from 

Galesburg, Quad Cities and 

Des Moines, and the Wildcats 

came away with a pair 

of wins. 

“I always tell my kids not 

to worry about knocking off 

teams like that because we 

go there to compete against 

bigger and faster teams to 

try and get better,” Haurberg 

said. 

“The biggest thing is trying, 

but any time you can 

beat teams from schools 

that size is pretty big.” 

Galva lost Seth Kelly to 

graduation after the Register-Mail 

all-area selection 

averaged 16.5 points and 8.6 

rebounds a year ago. 

But the Wildcats do bring 

back 6-foot-2 senior guard 

Zach Anderson, who has 

started since the middle of 

his sophomore season and 

averaged about seven points 

last season. 

“I definitely think he has 

a chance to be a big player 

this season,” Haurberg said. 

“He’s a big, physical kid 

that can crash the boards 

and make plays.” 

A possible surprise for the 

Wildcats this season could 

be senior Spencer Clark, 

who averaged close to 20 

points a game on the sophomore 

team two seasons ago 

but decided not to play last 

year. 

“He’s a very strong guy 

and has really good leaping 

ability,” Haurberg said. 

“He can really go to the 

basket. I’m glad he came 

back because he can be a big 

help for us this year.” 

GALESBURG GIRLS BASKETBALL 

Fresh start: Streaks’ tradition rolls on 

Expectations still 

high despite just 

four players back 

BY AARON FREY 


GALESBURG — Bon voyage, 

Taylor Young. So long, 

Kelli Jo Hinkle. See you later, 

Stef Baker, Rachel Pendry 

and Kelly Ricketts. 

After losing five seniors 

— four of whom were starters 

— from last year’s squad, 

the Galesburg girls basketball 

team features a lot of young, 

fresh faces. 

The Silver Streaks return 

just four players who saw 

varsity action last year, 

bring in five new faces to the 

varsity squad and have only 

one senior in guard Whitney 

Dehler. 

But that doesn’t mean fans 

should anticipate a down 

season for a program that has 

been a model of consistency 

under coach Evan Massey, 

who enters his 31st season as 

coach. 

“With this group of freshman 

and sophomores and 

juniors, I love their approach 

to varsity basketball,” 

Massey said. “They want to 

be coached and are enthusiastic 

about each other. 

“I don’t think you can 

underestimate the value of 

these kids having success 

at other levels. That kind of 

success hopefully produces a 

winning attitude and winning 

expectation.” 

 

 

 

1516 N. Henderson St. 

(Corner of Dayton and Henderson) 

The Streaks’ youth movement 

begins at the point 

guard position, where freshman 

Baylie Boyer and sophomore 

Katarina Mangieri will 

share a majority of the ballhandling 

duties. 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Galesburg High School coach Evan Massey, starting his 31st season 

with the Silver Streaks, talks to his players during a practice earlier 

this month. 

The other guard spots are 

where Galesburg actually 

boasts a bit of experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dehler started there the first 

two months of last season 

before tearing her ACL in 

her left knee. Jessica Howard, 

now a sophomore, stepped 

into that role for the second 

half of the season, and junior 

Maddy Boyer was Galesburg’s 

second guard off the bench a 

year ago. 

Massey said Howard, who 

possesses a strong outside 

shot, could be poised for a 

breakout season. 

“She’s a lot like Brenna 

Saline was for us as a freshman,” 

Massey said. “Jessica 

was a good shooter, but she 

didn’t really have many 

games where she got on fire. 

You’d see that in practice, 

and I think as a freshman it’s 

tough to get to that level of 

comfort where it’s easy for 

you. 

“I think it’s a lot easier for 

her now because she’s more 

relaxed with what she’s doing 

and doesn’t have to worry 

about playing on the floor 

with four seniors.” 

A pair of juniors, 5-foot-8 

Sara Baker and 5-9 Shelby 

Pacheco, should see a lot of 

action at the wing positions. 

“We’ll label them as posts 

and defensively they’ll have 

to do some things as posts,” 

Massey said. “But most of the 

time offensively they’re going 

to be on the perimeter most of 

the time.” 

See STREAKS, Page D15 

 

 

 

 

 

D11


Galesburg 

Nov. 21-22, 28-29 — Galesburg 


Nov. 25 — Rock Island, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — at United Township, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — Alleman, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — Mid-Winter Tournament at 

Galesburg 

Dec. 18 — at Moline, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Maine South, 2:30 

p.m. 

Dec. 22 — Canton, 7:30 p.m. 


Classic 

Jan. 8 — at Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — Queen of Peace, 1:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 15 — at Rock Island, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 17, 19 — at Mid-Winter 

Tournament 

Jan. 22 — United Township, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 29 — at Alleman, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Bloomington, 1:30 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — Moline, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — New Trier, 2:30 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — at Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Alleman 

Nov. 21-22, 29 — at Galesburg 


Nov. 25 — United Township, 7 p.m. 

Abingdon 

Nov. 17-19 — Cranberry Classic 

Nov. 24 — Rockridge, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 29 — at West Prairie, 5 p.m. 





Dec. 13-20 — Knoxville/Abingdon 

Tourney 

Dec. 22 — at United, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 5 — at M-R, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 13 — at Illini West, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 19 —at Havana, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 22 — at B-PC/Avon, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Great Western Shootout 

vs. Knoxville, 10:30 a.m. 





Brimfield 

Nov. 17 — Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 20 — at Fieldcrest, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 22 — Turkey Tournament 

Nov. 24 — Farmington, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 26-29 — Turkey Tournament 

GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULES 

Western Big 6 

Dec. 4 — at Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — Rock Falls, 2:30 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — at Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Mid-Winter Tournament 

Dec. 18 — at Rock Island, 7 p.m. 


Classic 

Jan. 3 — Rockford Lutheran, 1 p.m. 


Jan. 8 — Moline, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Lake Park, 2:30 p.m. 

Jan. 15 — at United Township, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — Mid-Winter Tournament 

Jan. 22 — Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at Catholic Shootout, 5: 

45 p.m. 

Jan. 29 — Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — Sterling, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — Rock Island, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — at Moline, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Quincy Notre Dame, 2: 

30 p.m. 

Moline 

Nov. 22 — at Peoria Notre Dame, 1 

p.m. 

Nov. 25 — Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Nov. 28-29 — at Quincy Thanksgiving 

Tournament 

Dec. 4 — Rock Island, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Normal, 2:30 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — at Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — at Kewanee, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at B-PC/Avon, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 13-20 — at Knoxville/Abingdon 

Tournament 

Dec. 29-31 — at Christmas 

Tournament 


Jan. 10 — at Colfax-Ridgeview, 1 

p.m. 

Jan. 12 — South Fulton, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 22 — Lewistown, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 26 — Havana, 6 p.m. 



Feb. 5 — Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — at IBCA Shootout, at 

Midland, 2 p.m. 




Nov. 24 — at Mendon Unity, 5:45 

p.m. 


Dec. 4 — South Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — Brimfield, 5:45 p.m. 


Dec. 11 — at United Township, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Dec. 13 , 19-20— at Sterling 

Tournament 

Dec. 18 — Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 27-30 — at Peoria Manual 

Tournament 


Jan. 10 — at IA-IL Shoot-out 


Jan. 17 — Washington, 2:30 p.m. 



Jan. 31 — Peoria, 12:30 p.m. 


Feb. 7 — at Peoria Richwoods, 4: 

30 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — Alleman, 7 p.m. 

Quincy 

Nov. 18 — Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m. 

Nov. 22 — St. Charles North, 2:30 

p.m. 

Nov. 25 — at Moline, 7 p.m. 

Nov. 28-29 — Quincy Thanksgiving 

Tournament 


Dec. 9 — Fort Madison, 7 p.m. 


Dec. 16 — Illini West, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 18 — United Township, 7 p.m. 

Prairieland 



Tournament 




Jan. 10-17 — at Camp Point Central 

Tourney 

Jan. 19 — Illini West, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 26 — at South Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — West Hancock 



Feb. 7 — at Havana, 2:30 p.m. 

Elmwood 

Nov. 17-22 — at Cambridge Tournament 

Nov. 25 — United, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — Peoria Christian, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 6 — North Fulton, 10 a.m. 

Dec. 11 — at Bushnell-Prairie City 

Avon, 6 p.m. 



Dec. 22 — Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 26-29 — at South Fulton 

Tournament 


Dec. 20 — Glenwood, 12:30 p.m. 

Dec. 27-30 — at Peoria Manual 

Tournament 

Jan. 8 — at Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — at Keokuk, 7:30 p.m. 



Jan. 29 — Rock Island, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — at United Township, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Danville, 2:30 p.m. 

Rock Island 

Nov. 21-22, 28-29 — at Taylorville 

Tournament 

Nov. 25 — at Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Nov. 28-29 — at Taylorville 

Tournament 


Dec. 6 — Sterling, 1:30 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Davenport West, 6: 

30 p.m. 


Dec. 20 — at Davenport Central, 12: 

30 p.m. 


Classic 

Jan. 8 — at United Township, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at IA-IL Shootout 

Jan. 14 — at Rock Falls, 7:30 p.m. 



Jan. 20 — at Midwest Central, 6 

p.m. 



Jan. 29 — at South Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 2 — Brimfield, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — at Lewistown, 6 p.m. 

Havana 

Nov. 17-22 — at Macomb 

Invitational Tournament 

Nov. 24 — at West Hancock, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — Porta, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — Illini West, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 13 — at Riverton Shootout 


Dec. 20 — at Williamsville, 1 p.m. 

Dec. 26-30 — at Beardstown 

Tournament 



Jan. 10-17 — at Camp Point Tourney 


Jan. 24 — at Camp Point Central, 1 p.m. 

Jan. 26 — at Brimfield, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 29 — at Midwest Central, 6 

p.m. 

Jan. 15 — Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 22— Moline, 7 p.m. 


Feb. 5 — at Alleman, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — at Peoria Notre Dame, 1 

p.m. 

Feb. 10 — Peoria High, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — United Township, 7 p.m. 


Nov. 21-22, 28-29 — at Galesburg 


Dec. 2 — at Dixon, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — Limestone, 12:30 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — Moline, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Mid-Winter Tournament 

Dec. 18 — at Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — Peoria Notre Dame, 1 

p.m. 

Dec. 27-30 — at Dixon Tourney 


Jan. 15 — Alleman, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — at Mid-Winter Tournament 

Jan. 22 — at Galesburg, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 29 — at Moline, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Peoria Woodruff, 1:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 5 — Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Rock Falls, 12:30 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — at Rock Island, 7 p.m. 



Feb. 7 — Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon, 

1 p.m. 

Lewistown 

Nov. 17-22 — at Fulton Co. Tournament 

Nov. 24 — Camp Point, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — at North Fulton, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — at Midwest Central, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 11 — at Havana, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 18 — Beardstown, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 22 — West Prairie, 6 p.m. 


Tournament 



Jan. 10-17 — at Camp Point Tourney 




Jan. 29 — at East Peoria, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 2 — at B-PC/Avon, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — Elmwood, 6 p.m. 

See P-LAND, Page D13

Aledo 

Nov. 17-19 — at Cranberry Classic, 

at ROWVA 



Dec. 8 — Westmer, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 10 — at Galva, 6 p.m. 



Dec. 26 — at Westmer Tournament 





Jan. 17-24 — at LTC Tournament 



Jan. 31 — Fulton, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 2 — AlWood, 6 p.m. 



AlWood 

Nov. 19-22 — AlWood Thanksgiving Tourney 

Nov. 25 — at Westmer, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — at Rockridge, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 3 — Annawan, 6 p.m. 



Dec. 15 — Stark County, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 17 — Aledo, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19-20 — at Westmer Tournament 



Jan. 12 —United, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 17-24 — LTC Tournament 



Feb. 2 — at Aledo, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 4 — at ROWVA, 6 p.m. 

Annanwan 

Nov. 17-22 — Geneseo Tourney 

Nov. 24 — at LaMoille, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — Putnam County, 6 p.m. 





Dec. 15 — Erie, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 17 — Bureau Valley, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 27-30 — at Prophetstown Tourney 








Feb. 2 — Westmer, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 4 — at Galva, 6 p.m. 

Cambridge 

Nov. 17-20 — Tip-Off Tournament 

Lincoln Trail Conference 

Nov. 22 — Tip-Off Tournament 





Dec. 15 — at Orion, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Riverdale, 6 p.m. 









Feb. 2 — at Stark County, 6 p.m. 


ROWVA 

Nov. 17-19 — Cranberry Classic 

Nov. 25 — Sherrard, 6 p.m. 







Tournament 


Jan. 7 —at Aledo, 6 p.m. 








Feb. 2 — at West Central, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 4 — AlWood, 6 p.m. 

Galva 



Nov. 24 — Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 25 — at Kewanee, 6 p.m. 





Dec. 12 — Cambridge, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 20 — at DePue, 10 a.m. 



Jan. 10 — Chrisman Schools, 2 p.m. 







Feb. 4 — Annawan, 6 p.m. 

Princeville 

Nov. 17 — at Brimfield, 6 p.m. 


Nov. 22 — at Brimfield Turkey Tourney 

Nov. 24 — at Galva, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 26-29 — at Brimfield Tourney 

Dec. 1 — at Midland, 6 p.m. 



Dec. 10 — Annawan, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 17 — at Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 




Jan. 12 — at Stark County 





Jan. 29 — Peoria Chrisitan, 6 p.m. 


Feb. 4 — at Cambridge, 6 p.m. 

Stark County 

Nov. 17 — Kewanee, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 20-22 — at Princeton Tournament 

Nov. 25 — at Knoxville, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 6 — at Midland, 1:30 p.m. 



p.m. 



Dec. 26-29 — at Monticello Holiday 

Tournament 

Jan. 5 — Lewistown, 6 p.m. 







Feb. 2 — Cambridge, 6 p.m. 


United 

Nov. 17-22 — at Cambridge/ 

Geneseo Invitational 

Nov. 25 — at Elmwood, 6 p.m. 



Dec. 10 — at Stark County, 6 p.m. 


Tournament 











West Central 




Nov. 29 — Quincy Notre Dame, 1 

p.m. 

Dec. 1 — West Hancock, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — Princeville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — Camp Point Central, 3 p.m. 


Dec. 10 — at Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 



Tournament 






Jan. 17-24 — at LTC Tournament at 

AlWood 



Feb. 2 — ROWVA, 6 p.m. 


Westmer 

Nov. 17-19 — at Cranberry Classic, 

at ROWVA 

Nov. 25 — AlWood, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 8 — at Aledo, 6 p.m. 




Dec. 19-20 — Westmer Tournament 









Feb. 4 — West Central, 6 p.m. 

Wethersfield 

Nov. 18 — Sherrard, 7:30 p.m. 

Nov. 20 — at Kewanee, 7:30 p.m. 

Nov. 22 — at Brimfield Invite 

Nov. 26-29 — at Brimfield Invite 

Dec. 1 — Monmouth-Roseville, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 3 — at United, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 8 — at Annawan, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 10 — West Central, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Elmwood, 2:30 p.m. 


Tournament 

Jan. 5 — at Aledo, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 7 — Princeville, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 12 — Westmer, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 14 — at AlWood, 7:30 p.m. 


Jan. 26 — at Cambridge, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 28 — ROWVA, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 2 — Galva, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 4 — Stark County, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — at Morrison, 7:30 p.m. 

P-land 

From Page D12 

D13 

North Fulton 

Nov. 17-22 — Fulton Co. Tournament 

Nov. 24 — at Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 4 — at Peoria Heights, 6 p.m. 





Dec. 26-29 — at Rebel’s Christmas 

Tournament 


Jan. 8 — B-PC/Avon, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 17 — Mid-West Central, 1 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — at West Prairie, 6 p.m. 



Jan. 29 — Canton, 6 p.m. 



Feb. 7 — at IBCA Shootout 




Dec. 8 — Tremont, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 —Midland, 10 a.m. 

Dec. 15 — at Henry, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 18 —at Illini Central, 6 p.m. 




Jan. 10 — Peoria Christian, 10 a.m. 

Jan. 12 — at Midwest Central, 6 p.m. 





Feb. 2 — at Peoria Christian, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — at B-PC/Avon, 6 p.m. 

South Fulton 

Nov. 17-22 — at Fulton Co. Tournament 

Nov. 24 — at West Prairie, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — at Rushville/Industry, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — at B-PC/Avon, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 8 — at Beardstown, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 9-13 — at Unity Tournament 

Dec. 15 — at Illini Central, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — Mendon Unity, 1 p.m. 


Dec. 26-29 — Rebels Invite 




Jan. 19 — West Hancock, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 26 — B-PC/Avon, 6 p.m. 



Feb. 5 — at Abingdon, 6 p.m.


Knoxville 


Tournament 

Nov. 25 — Stark County, 6 p.m. 



Dec. 8 – Farmington, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 13 — at Riverton Shootout 

Dec. 15-20 — Knoxville/Abingdon 

Tournament 


p.m. 


Tournament 



Jan. 15 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 

6 p.m. 



Jan. 24 — at Abingdon’s Great 

Western Shootout, 10:30 a.m. 




Farmington 

Nov. 17-22 — at Fulton County 

Tournament 

Nov. 24 — at Brimfield, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 28 — Rockridge, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — at Canton, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — Chillicothe, 2:30 p.m. 



p.m. 


Tournament 



Tournament 


Jan. 10 — at Orion, 2:30 p.m. 


Jan. 22 — Midwest Central, 6 p.m. 



Jan. 31 — Orion, 2:30 p.m. 



p.m. 


Macomb 

Nov. 17-22 — Macomb Girls 

Invitaitonal 

Dec. 1 — at Canton, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — Quincy Notre Dame, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 9 — Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon, 

6 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — Sherrard, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at MLK Tournament 




Tournament 



Jan. 17 — at MLK Tournament 

Jan. 19 — MLK Tournament 


6 p.m. 




Olympic Conference 

p.m. 




Monnmouth-Roseville 


Tournament 

Dec. 1 — at Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 9 — West Prairie, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 12 — at Stark County, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 —at Mid-Winter Tournament 

Dec. 18 — Sherrard, 6 p.m. 



Classic 





Jan. 17 — at Mid-Winter Tournament, 

1:30 p.m. 

Jan. 19 — Mid-Winter Tournament, 7: 

30 p.m. 






Orion 

Nov. 17 — at Temple’s Tip-Off Classic 

Dec. 4 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 6 

p.m. 


Dec. 10 —at Illini Bluffs, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 15 —Cambridge, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 22 —at Sherrard, 6 p.m. 


Classic 

Jan. 3 — a IA-IL Shootout 




p.m. 


Jan. 17 — at Kewanee Martin Luther 

King Tournament 





Feb. 4 — at Erie, 6 p.m. 


Rockridge 

Nov. 17-22 — at Macomb Girls 

Invitational 

Nov. 24 — at Abingdon, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 28 — at Farmington, 6 p.m. 







Classic 

Jan. 3 — at IA-IL Shootout 

Jan. 5 — at Riverdale, 6 p.m. 


p.m. 




Jan. 24 — at Oregon, 6 p.m. 




p.m. 


Sherrard 

Nov. 18 — at Wethersfield, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 21-22 — at Galesburg 


Nov. 25 — at ROWVA, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 28-29 — at Galesburg 


Dec. 2 — Kewanne, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 11 —at Macomb, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 18 — at Monmouth-Roseville, 

6 p.m. 



Dec. 27-30 — at Monticello 

Tournament 

Jan. 3 — PV, 2 p.m. 





p.m. 

Jan. 29 – at Rockridge, 6 p.m. 



Feb. 5 — at Orion, 6 p.m.

Streaks 

From Page D11 

Galesburg’s only sizable 

threat in the post on offense 

is 6-1 junior Myneka Warner, 

who could be a difference-maker 

for the Streaks 

if she’s able to stay out of 

foul trouble. Warner was 

Galesburg’s second post 

player off the bench last 

season. 

“For a 6-1 kid, she’s very 

agile and very quick,” 

Massey said. “You combine 

that with her long arms 

and in some ways she’s not 

your traditional back-tothe-basket 

post player that 

you think of. She’s got the 

combination of quick, good 

jumper and size, and we’ve 

got to make sure we take 

advantage.” 

GHS Girls Basketball 

Varsity Roster 

Senior: Whitney Dehler. 

Juniors: Maddy Boyer, Sara Baker, 

Shelby Pacheco, Myneka Warner. 

Sophomores: Jessica Howard, 

Megan Young, Katarina Mangieri, 

Jamie Johnson. 

Freshman: Baylie Boyer 

Head coach: Evan Massey 

Assistant coaches: Jaque 

Howard, Jenna Finley 

Managers: Sarah Main, Lauren 

Riggs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GALESBURG HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS 

As a senior, Dehler standing alone 

She worked to return 

from ACL surgery 

BY AARON FREY 


GALESBURG — As the 

only senior on the Galesburg 

girls basketball team, Whitney 

Dehler knows the meaning 

of being lonely. 

“It’s definitely different,” 

the 5-foot-6 guard said. “I’ve 

thought about it a lot.” 

Thinking is something 

Dehler had plenty of time to 

do this year as she also recovered 

from a torn ACL she suffered 

last season. 

Dehler entered practice last 

season and surprised coach 

Evan Massey enough to earn 

a spot in the starting lineup 

alongside a group of four 

seniors. 

“I worked really hard and 

it paid off,” Dehler said. “It 

was really awesome because 

I looked up to those girls for 

a long time. I’ve been a fan of 

the Silver Streaks for a long 

time since I was young, so it 

was nice to be one of them 

and be a starter just by working 

hard.” 

Dehler kept her spot in the 

lineup until Jan. 17, when 

the Streaks played at United 

Township and she went down 

with the injury to her left 

knee. 

“It was about four minutes 

into the game,” Dehler 

said. “I got a steal and then 

I was at halfcourt. 

Then there 

were a bunch of 

people around me 

and I don’t even 

remember what 

happened after 

that. All I remember 

was being on 

Dehler the floor.” 

After a visit 

with the trainer and a trip 

to the doctor, Dehler found 

out her season had prematurely 

come to an end. She 

had surgery on her left knee 

less than two weeks after the 

injury and began her rehabilitation 

process just two days 

after that. 

There were no teammates 

to push her, no coaches to 

 

 

guide her and no classmates 

to joke with. Dehler had only 

herself to keep company on 

the long road to recovery. 

“I’m not used to having to 

work by myself,” she said. 

“It was different having to go 

to therapy and push myself 

because I didn’t have the rest 

of the team to go by. I had to 

go by what I thought I needed 

to do. They pushed me there, 

but it was more of a mental 

thing.” 

After four long months, 

Dehler’s knee was back to 

about 80 percent of its normal 

strength. 

“After that, I started gradually 

going into camps and 

practices,” she said. “I just 

got up to full speed. When I 

first started playing again I 

was kind of slow and wasn’t 

as aggressive as normal. I’ve 

gotten a lot better with it. It’s 

 

 

 


D15 

more of a mental issue than 

anything.” 

Now she figures to play a 

key role for a Galesburg team 

that is low on experience. 

“I’ve tried to push myself 

even harder because there 

are still times where I find 

myself not able to do things I 

used to,” Dehler said. “I have 

to play hard all the time.” 

And she’s already worked 

hard just to get to that point 

again. 

“Obviously it’s not an easy 

thing to deal with an ACL 

injury,” Massey said. “She’s 

invested a lot of time and 

worked to get herself to play 

basketball again. With her 

being a senior, it would’ve 

been easy for her just to say 

she didn’t want to come back, 

but that’s speaks a lot to what 

kind of determination she 

has.”


WB6 GIRLS 

Western Big 6 Conference 

At a Glance 

Alleman — The Pioneers last year 

put together their eighth straight 

season of at least 20 wins and won 

a regional for the second year in a 

row. Junior A.J. Ledbetter, a first-team 

all-conference pick last year, should 

pick up much of the slack left by 

Mollie Yeargle, who averaged 12.3 

points and made 85 percent of her 

free throws last year. 

Galesburg — This season figures 

to be a big test for the Silver Streaks, 

who have had as consistent a 

program as any during coach Evan 

Massey’s tenure. Galesburg has 

some talented young players, with 

the key word being “young.” How 

sophomore guard Jessica Howard 

and junior forward Myneka Warner 

fare night in and night out may 

determine the team’s fate this 

season. 

Moline — The Maroons figure to 

be the head of the league’s class 

again one of the top teams in the 

state in Class 4A after going 23-8 

and winning a regional last season. 

Moline is led by sophomore forward 

Marquisha Fowler, who led the 

Maroons in points and rebounds last 

year, and a large senior class that 

won the WB6 sophomore title two 

years ago. 

Quincy — The Blue Devils 

struggled throughout last season 

and are likely to see more of the 

same this year. One bright spot is 

the return of 6-2 senior center Emily 

Hart, an honorable mention all-state 

selection a year ago. 

Rock Island — The Rocks could 

find themselves in the top half of the 

WB6 standings with senior forward 

and leading returning scorer Jackie 

Wehrle leading the way. Last year’s 

12-15 record was just the third 

losing season for Rock Island in Rod 

Leatherman’s 14 seasons there. 

United Township — The Panthers 

have a pair of player they can rely 

on in seniors Lauren Johnson (firstteam 

all-WB6) and Alyssa Busch 

(honorable mention). Can they get 

enough out of other players on the 

roster to be serious contenders at 

the top of the standings? 

PRIME TIMERS 

Rutzen going for award ‘3-peat’ 

1. Miriam Rutzen (West 

Central): Opposing coaches 

only have one more year 

to gameplan for the West 

Central all-stater with futile 

results. Rutzen has been dominant 

since her sophomore 

season, winning The Register-Mail 

Player of the Year 

honor the last two seasons, 

and this year she is easily the 

favorite. Her athleticism is 

unmatched in the area. Rutzen 

has on-court intelligence, 

too, as evidenced by her signing 

with Harvard. 

2. Jenna Tompkins 

(North Fulton): Tompkins 

is another returner for the 

Register-Mail’s all-area 

team and headlines a very 

talented North Fulton team 

that finished 20-8 last season. 

Tompkins affects the game 

offensively (15 points) and 

defensively. She may be asked 

to do less this season with 

four starters returning. 

3. Ashley Coffey (West 

Central): The other part of 

West Central’s devastating 

interior, Coffey broke out last 

season and earned secondteam 

all-state honors. A beast 

in the paint, Coffey averaged 

18 points and attacks the glass. 

4. Hannah Weedman 

(Knoxville): As new coach 

Matt Gibson said, Hannah 

Weedman is a once-in-a-life- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AREA GIRLS BASKETBALL 


West Central’s Miriam Rutzen 

is going for her third straight 

Register-Mail Player of the Year 

award. 

time opportunity to coach 

at the high school level. 

The six-foot-three Weedman 

showed her raw skills as a 

junior last season and Gibson 

will look to refine those 

skills. She has good feet for 

such a big player and alters 

how opposing team’s attack 

Knoxville with her defense. 

5. Kelsey Kovacik 

(ROWVA): Kovacik returns 

for her junior season at 

ROWVA after averaging 10 

points last season. A guard, 

Kovacik has athleticism and 

an ability to score. She will 

be asked to up her scoring 

this season. 

R-M TOP 3 

Heat start where they finished 

1. West Central. The Heat were upset in the ROWVA Sectional 

final last season and return arguably the best inside 

duo in Class 1A with Miriam Rutzen and Ashley Coffey. Jay 

Blender takes over the program after last year’s Register- 

Mail Coach of the Year left Brad Jackson to take a job closer 

to his home at Aledo. 

2. North Fulton. Jenna Tompkins returns to headline an 

experienced North Fulton squad that finished 20-8 last season. 

The team lacks height but has an arsenal of talented 

guards. 

3. Knoxville. Haley Jones, an all-area player last year, 

graduated and coach Rick Cline was let go, but new coach 

Matt Gibson has a proven track record and Knoxville should 

again be one of the top teams in the area. Gibson, the architect 

of Carl Sandburg College’s illustrious girls basketball 

program, will look to refine six-foot-three Hannah Weedman’s 

raw talents.

LINCOLN TRAIL CONFERENCE GIRLS 

Blender comes back to assume state’s No. 1 team 



Twenty years have passed 

since Jay Blender last coached 

varsity girls basketball at the 

now-defunct Union High 

School, but the long-time boys 

coach who inherited the West 

Central girls squad, one of 

the top programs in Class 1A, 

believes little has changed. 

“It’s not that much of a 

change. Basketball is basketball,” 

said Blender, who 

served as the West Central 

boys coach and athletic director 

until Brad Jackson left 

the girls program last spring 

to coach Aledo. “The biggest 

difference is just the strength 

and explosiveness. But the X’s 

and O’s are just the same.” 

If there is a learning curve, 

Blender will have plenty of 

help. 

The Heat carried the mantle 

of the top-ranked team 

heading into the postseason 

and lost a heartbreaker to 

Brimfield in the sectional 

finals last year. Three starters 

graduated from that team, 

but two all-state candidates in 

Miriam Rutzen and Ashley 

Coffee return for another 

push to state. 

Rutzen, the two-time reigning 

Register-Mail girls bas- 

ketball player of the year and 

first-team all-state pick, averaged 

18.6 points, 12 rebounds 

and 5.1 steals a game last year 

and has signed with Harvard. 

Coffey was good for 17.7 points 

and 10.2 rebounds a game 

last year and finished with 

all-area and second-team allstate 

honors, re-teaming with 

Rutzen to form the area’s 

most vaunted duo. 

“We definitely want them 

to have touches on the offensive 

end and use their athleticism 

on the defensive end,” 

Blender said. 

But the team has to replace 

point guard Rachele Jack, 

no short order. Jack was the 

team’s leading scorer at 18.8 

and her frenetic pace was the 

engine that drove West Central’s 

trademark up-tempo 

style. 

Ashli Burg, who played 

extensively as a sophomore 

last year, gets the first crack 

at taking over the point, but 

the barnstorming style of 

basketball that has been West 

Central’s trademark the last 

three seasons may be toned 

down a bit. 

“I don’t think you replace 

them. You just adapt and try 

to figure out what’s going to 

work for this group of girls,” 

Lincoln Trail at a Glance 

AlWood 

Brian Brooks gets his first crack at 

head coaching varsity basketball after 

switching from his job as the boys 

assistant to take over the girls program. 

He assumes control of a team that 

finished 7-19 last year but returns 

four of its five starters from then. The 

tandem to watch are junior twin sisters 

Michelle and Stephanie Williams, who 

will be three-year starters this winter. 

Annawan 

Matt Huber returns a loaded squad 

with three starters back from last 

year’s 19-10 squad, including scoring 

dynamo sophomore Kelly Buresh. 

Princeville 

Princeville (19-10) finished the 

conference season at 8-3 and are 

considered by many opposing coaches 

to be among the upper rung of the 

league. Kelly Buresh (21.9 points) will 

be a force again in the post. 

Aledo 

In its final year before consolidation 

with Westmer, the Green Dragons will 

look to climb out of the LTC cellar. 

But it’ll be difficult to make much 

movement northward in the standings 

this season, as three conference 

teams were ranked in the first state 

poll, topped by West Central at No. 1. 

Galva 

The Wildcats made a push in the 

league last year, finishing in fourth 

place at 6-4 in conference. But Galva 

has to find someone to fill the voids 

left by Karly Johnston’s (12.1 points) 

and Taylor Milliken’s (6.2 rebounds) 

graduation. 

LTC, Page D18 

Blender said. “We will try 

to transition but we don’t 

have the guards. You lose a 

Rachele Jack ... we just don’t 

have that point guard right 

now. Our system will be good 

solid defense. We want to have 


low turnover and take good 

shots.” 

After two weeks of practice, 

the team is making Blender’s 

job less difficult. 

“They are adjusting fine. 

We will still try to push the 

D17 

ball in transition and get the 

easy baskets,” Blender said. 

“They want to do that and it’s 

fun, so we are still going to 

get out and run. We just have 

to decide who will handle the 

ball in those situations.”


United 

The Red Storm need to replace last 

year’s leading scorer Courtney Young, 

who averaged 12.2 points, but United 

returns six letterwinners to the club. It 

will be a team that relies heavily on 

the sophomore class. United finished 

4-20 and 3-8 in the league under 

coach Dennis Mann, who is entering 

his 31st year as a head coach and his 

PRAIRELAND CONFERENCE GIRLS 

North Fulton takes guarded approach to season 

LTC 

From Page D17 



GALESBURG — The 

North Fulton girls basketball 

team is going with a different 

approach than most others. 

Basically, the Wildcats are 

just playing all guards. 

“We are a team of guards. 

We have been for a few years,” 

coach Craig Davis said. “We 

haven’t had any size for a few 

years, so guards have been 

our strength.” 

While he may have a dearth 

in height, the talent of the 

North Fulton stands out in a 

crowd. 

The prize of the Wildcats 

squad is senior Jenna Tompkins, 

a returning player on 

the 2007 Register-Mail’s allarea 

girls basketball team. 

A threat to score in various 

ways, Tompkins averaged 

15.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 

3.8 assists for last year’s 20-8 

North Fulton squad. 

Having a senior like Tomp- 

North Fulton’s Jenna 

Tompkins, a returning 

Register-Mail All-Area 

player, drives on an 

Abingdon opponent in 

a game last season. 

Tompkins will join 

a talented group of 

Wildcats to try to 

improve on last season’s 

20-8 record. 


kins hides a lot of 

deficiencies, Davis said. 

“It makes (coaching) a 

whole lot easier. When she 

graduates, she is going to 

fourth at United. 

Cambridge 

Erica Nimrick, the team’s most 

valuable player last year, returns for 

her final season in what should be 

a strong year for Cambridge. Nimrick 

was first-team all-conference after 

averaging 13.1 points and 4.1 

points, and she’s joined by returning 

starters Jasmine Beam (9.7 points) 

and Amanda Kruger (6.1 points). 

Cambridge finished last season at 16- 

3 and 7-4 in the LTC. 

Stark County 

The Lady Rebels finished 4-7 in 

league play but opposing coaches 

leave quite a hole,” he said. 

“She has always had some 

older girls who have had some 

leadership on the team and 

you can see with her and our 

believe they will be difficult to contend 

with because of their height and 

shooting ability. The Rebels are only 

one season removed from a 26-6 

campaign that included a trip to state. 

ROWVA 

Eight letterwinners return for the 

Tigers in coach Heidi Nelson’s 13th 

season coaching her alma mater. The 

Tigers, who finished 15-15 and 5-6 

in the Lincoln Trail, will rely heavily 

on junior Kelsey Kovacik. The point 

guard led the team last season with 

10 points a game. Taylor Rice and 

Kaylyn Nelson will add depth to the 

Tigers.Westmer Steve Moseley’s squad 

other older girls that’s rubbed 

off in a positive way.” 

Tompkins is joined the 

backcourt by young talents 

in juniors Courtney McKown 

and Meredith Beoletto. The 

tandem showed the ability to 

score as sophmores starters, 

and Davis counts on them to 

continue to develop. 

“Meredith Beoletto can 

play inside a little bit and as 

far as the team goes, we are 

not going to be any different 

than we’ve been the last four, 

five years,” Davis said. “We 

are quick.” 

The team, while small, will 

not shy from the paint. 

“We take a lot of pride in 

the fact that we can score in 

the paint,” Davis said. “That’s 

my philosophy that’s where 

the game is won and lost.” 

North Fulton finished third 

in a rough Prairieland Conference 

that also features powerhouse 

Brimfield, Havana and 

Abingdon. 

Jim Blane’s Brimfield 

will rely largely on Erica Tharp and 

Emily Frieden in Westmer’s final season 

of girls basketball before consolidating 

with Aledo next year. The Warriors 

struggled mightily last year, finishing at 

3-21 with only win in the LTC. 

West Central 

The reigning conference champs 

are stacked once again with all-staters 

Miriam Rutzen and Ashley Coffey 

returning. Rutzen has been the most 

dominating player in the Galesburg 

area the last two seasons, and Coffey 

developed into one of the best post 

players around. The team will have 

to adjust to new coach Jay Blender’s 

squad went 29-5 and won the 

ROWVA Class 1A Sectional, 

defeating area power West 

Central, while Havana finished 

20-10 to get second in 

the league. Abingdon finished 

15-15 last year but should 

make a move this year with 

all-area honorable mention 

pick Alivia Colwell and fellow 

senior Jamie Bloomberg 

returning to the backcourt. 

Davis believes the conference 

will again be difficult, 

but he believes his team can 

compete with anyone in the 

league. 

“It’s going to be a pretty 

good conference. Havana 

is going to be pretty good. 

Brimfield is going to be really 

good, and Abingdon has a 

nice team,” Davis said. “We 

have four starters back and 

we are expecting to be very 

competitive with everybody 

we play. As we get the season 

going, we will see where we 

can stand.” 

defensive-minded approach and 

replaced all-area guard Rachele Jack, 

who was lost to graduation. 

Wethersfield 

Sophomore gunner Shelby Steger 

returns as one of the top players in the 

LTC for Wethersfield, which is coming 

off a regional championship last year. 

Steger averaged 15.2 points for the 

Flying Geese, while handing out 3.8 

assists. But the team will have to 

replace graduated all-stater Natalie 

Fargher, the leading scorer in the LTC 

last season at 21.2 points.

PRAIRIELAND AT A GLANCE 

Abingdon 

Roger Thurman’s Abingdon squad 

could be a sleeper in the conference, 

with five players from last year’s 

rotation returning. Alivia Cowell will 

lead the Commandos, who finished 

15-15. 

Lewistown 

Greg Bennett’s squad will look to 

build on last season’s 13-17 record 

with senior Kalie Bainter returning. 

Bainter averged 10.4 points and 

9.4 rebounds last season and she 

is joined by fellow returning starter 

Bailey Hatfill. 

Brimfield 

Jim Blane’s team upset top-ranked 

West Central for the Class 1A ROWVA 

Sectional title and the Indians return 

a bevy of talent. With 6-foot-2 junior 

center Paige Spietz, a rising Division 

I prospect, back, the Indians are the 

heavy favorite to take the conference 

crown. Junior Kelsey Herridge, a threeyear 

starter at guard, gives Brimfield a 

credible outside scorer. 

Havana 

Havana returns its top players from 

last year’s squad and is expected to 

contend at the top of the Prairieland 

standings. Jerry Wilson’s squad 

finished 20-10 last year, second in 

the conference with a 6-1 record. 

North Fulton 

Craig Davis’s squad is talented and 

Bowl 

From Page D19 

three years,” he said. 

Another senior to watch is 

Paige Drauden, who’s finished 

strong the last two seasons. 

The Streaks were 3-6 in 

dual competition last year 

and finished seventh at sectional, 

a sizeable improvement 

from the previous 

 

 

 

 

 

 

deep, led by Register-Mail all-area 

player Jenna Tompkins. Tompkins, a 

senior guard, averaged 15.5 points 

and is joined by returning starters 

Courtney McKown and Meredith 

Beoletto from last year’s 20-8 squad. 


Julie Blout’s team will look to 

regain its swagger after slipping last 

year. Kendra Pierce and 6-foot-1 

senior Stacie Jones will be front and 

center in the re-emergence. 

Elmwood 

Elmwood surprised many by 

reaching the Bushnell Regional 

championship and the Trojans 

finished 15-11 on the year. Former 

assistant Dawna Crawford was 

promoted to varsity head coach in 

May. 

South Fulton 

Tiffany Churchill returns with her 

14 points per game average to lead 

a young South Fulton squad that 

may struggle in a loaded Prairieland 

Conference. 


Heights will not have to struggle 

hard to top last year’s mark, as the 

Patriots won only one game. Secondyear 

coach Julia Lowe hopes a moreexperienced 

line-up can lead Peoria 

Heights to an improved season. 

year. 

That might have led to 

another big difference in 

Bennewitz’s start to the 

season. 

“For the first time this 

year, when I compiled our 

schedule of practices of 

meets and practices for the 

year and handed it out, I 

made sure I put the state 

meet on our schedule. I 

don’t know why I didn’t do 

it before, but I hope the message 

gets across.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OLYMPIC CONFERENCE 

Gibson gets back in the game 

Ex-CSC coach takes over Bullets 



KNOXVILLE — Matt Gibson thought he 

was done. 

A highly successful coach of the Carl 

Sandburg College women’s program, Gibson 

shockingly resigned from that post on Feb. 28, 

2007, a day before his second-ranked Chargers 

began their third straight trip to the NCJAA 

Division II national tournament and the 

circumstances behind the abrupt departure 

remain murky to this day. “I actually didn’t 

think that I would coach at the high school 

level and college level,” Gibson said. “Coaching 

is just a hobby.” 

But then came a few phone calls from old 

friends, asking if he would return to Knoxville 

to take over the successful girls basketball 

team there. 

No, he said the first time. 

Then came another call, and other coaches 

who knew him well told him being away from 

coaching would continue to eat at him, so 

finally he budged and applied, thinking he 

was a longshot. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


First-year Knoxville High School girls basketball 

coach Matt Gibson watches a recent practice. 

D19 

He wasn’t. 

The Knoxville school board offered him the 

job after Rick Cline, who led the program to 

back-to-back 20-win seasons but was unpopular 

See GIBSON, Page D-20


Gibson 

From Page D19 

with some in the community, 

resigned. He said yes, but 

with cold feet.“I had to think 

hard about it,” said Gibson, 

who went 90-10 in his last 

three seasons at CSC. “I went 

into it a little leery and a 

little concerned.” 

Gibson continued to question 

whether his decision 

was wise for weeks, until the 

Blue Bullets, who figure to 

be among the top area teams 

this year, started summer 

league play. 

In a 33-team tournament 

Knoxville 

Matt Gibson returns home to take 

over a strong Knoxville team that 

finished 23-7 and lost to eventual Class 

2A state champ West Hancock in the 

Monmouth Regional final. Six-foot-three 

post Hannah Weedman should be one 

of the top players in the area, and the 

Bullets have depth in the backcourt, but 

the pressing issue will be if they can 

replace all-everything guard Haley Jones. 

Rockridge 

Shawn Strachan’s team enters the 

season as the favorite of many to win the 

league title. Chelsey Widdop, a dynamic 

three-sport star athlete, should be among 

the best players in the conference. 

Farmington 

Farmington returns two starters 

in Blaire Martin and Paige Mottax 

this season. The team struggled to 

a 7-20 record last season and is 

counting on Martin to carry a heavy 

load. Sophomore Rachel Stobaugh is 

expected to make an impact after she 

returns to the team in January. 

Sherrard 

The Tigers begin a new era after 

successful coach Brian Hutton was 

dumped in May, with Becky Ince 

taking over duties. Hutton was won 

six regional titles and four Olympic 

conference crowns in 14 years but 

suffered two straight losing campaigns. 

Macomb 

Macomb’s season will depend on one 

large question: Can they absorb the loss 

of 6-foot-3 all-state Lyndi Thorman, who 

is now a freshman on the Western Illinois 

basketball team and led the Bombers to 

34 straight Olympic Conference wins. Tara 

Welch returns as the Bombers’ top player. 

this summer, his team battled 

all the way to the championship 

game and lost to reigning 

Class 2A state champion 

West Hancock in the final 

game, which oddly enough 

was the team that ended 

Knoxville’s year last season 

in the Monmouth Regional 

title match. 

Gibson takes little stock in 

results from summer games, 

but what the off-season play 

did was get him a taste of 

success again. His love for 

coaching re-ignited. 

“After the summer was 

over I knew I had done the 

right thing,” he said. “It kind 

relit my motor.” 

The regular season should 

Olympic Conference at a Glance 

Monmouth-Roseville 

Jim Cole has known success, as his 

128 career wins indicate, but his stay 

with the Titans has been rough. In his 

three seasons, Monmouth-Roseville 

has struggled to a 18-42 record, but 

OLYMPIC CONFERENCE 

see similar success. 

Knoxville, which finished 

23-7 last season, returns 

mainstays such as Hannah 

Weedman, Sydney Wright 

and Mackinsey Marquith but 

will have to replace the scoring 

and playmaking ability 

of Haley Jones, who averaged 

15.7 points, 7.2 rebounds 

and 3 steals in her senior 

season. 

Gibson, who went 175-49 in 

seven years coaching CSC, 

believes Weedman, a six-footthree 

center, could be special. 

“That’s once in a lifetime 

as a high school coach to 

coach that,” Gibson said. 

Gibson said he hopes to 

bring a little more aggres- 

Cole and others believe they are about 

to the turn the corner. The team lost 

only one player and returns a junior 

class that includes Rebecca Gillen 

(8.8), who will be out at the beginning 

of the season due an ankle injury. 

sive style of basketball to the 

program, but he was sure to 

commend Cline in stockpiling 

the talent there. 

“We are going to play a 

more aggressive style and 

more motion and we are 

going to play 95 percent 

man-to-man and we are 

going to look to score off our 

defense,” he said. “I am not 

one of these coaches afraid 

to admit I inherited a good 

team. I know what the coach 

did in the past. I know I 

inherited a good team.” 

What’s strange for Gibson 

is that his return to basketball 

comes in the place where 

he first started. Gibson, a 

former star Knoxville player 

under winning machine 

Steve Sandholm, coached the 

Blue Bullet sophomore boys 

from 1994 to 1999. 

For him, there was probably 

no better place than home. 

“There is nothing like high 

school athletics. Coaching 

junior college is like coaching 

high school kids but 

you don’t the support you 

do at the high school level. 

I am really looking forward 

to our first game because I 

am looking forward to high 

school atmosphere,” Gibson 

said. “Knoxville is a great 

high school basketball town. 

They can be tough. They like 

winners, but it’s a great high 

school basketball town.”

GALESBURG HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SWIMMING 

Streaks seniors expected to sparkle in 2008-09 

BY MIKE TRUEBLOOD 


GALESBURG — “You win 

with your seniors,” is an 

old adage most often linked 

with basketball coaches, but 

Galesburg High School swim 

coach John Willy might want 

to borrow it. 

“We’ve got nine seniors,” 

said Willy of his 24-swimmer 

roster, “and that’s a big group 

of seniors. 

“Any time you have a team 

dominated with seniors, 

we’re pretty confident about 

what we’ll be able to do.” 

With just four seniors a 

year ago, the Silver Streaks 

did pretty well. They won 

their third Western Big 6 title 

in four years, finished second 

at sectional and qualified in 

six events for state. 

Two key members of that 

team — Mike Whittle and 

Tom Fornander have graduated 

— but Willy is quick to 

toss out names that should be 

ready fill the ranks. 

“Kenton Cooper qualified 

for state in four events 

last year and Patrick Inness 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

342-0071 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Galesburg High School’s Kenton Cooper competes in the 200 freestyle 

during a meet last season. Cooper leads a group of talented 

Silver Streaks seniors this season. 

swam in one individual event 

and one relay,” said Willy of 

new crop of seniors. “Brandon 

Johnson worked hard all 

summer and all preseason 

Tucker-Swanson 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and we’re looking for a fourth 

swimmer to fill out a couple 

of relays for us.” 

Relay candidates include 

Tom Shotts, Sam Thompson 

and Jake Anderson. 

“Jake is in just his fourth 

year of competitive swimming 

but I’m really excited 

about what he might be able 

to accomplish,” said Willy. 

Another Streaks’ senior 

expected to be a top performer 

is diver Dan Doubet, 

“We’re looking for a lof out 

of him,” said Willy. “I think 

he’s got a good possibility of 

qualifying for state.” 

But of all Willy’s seniors, 

Cooper stands out and he 

might have the biggest year 

of all. 

“He’s one of those guys who 

could be dominant in this 

area,” said Willy. “I definitely 

think we’ll be hanging his 

name on the wall for team and 

pool records this season.” 

GALESBURG HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING 

Cooper competes in the 100 

and 200 freestyle and the 50 

and 100 backstroke and in 

relays. According to Willy, he 

does nearly everything that 

needs to be done. 

“I could schedule a practice 

at 6 a.m. on a Sunday and he’d 

be there,” said Willy. “He’s 

going to do everything he can 

to improve and have a great 

senior season.” 

And there’s another factor 

that could contribute to a 

super season for Cooper. 

“Brandon Johnson is pushing 

him,” Willy noted. “A year 

ago, that wasn’t happening.” 

Led by the seniors, it 

appears another winning season 

is ahead for the Streaks 

including another run at a 

WB6 championship. 

“I think we’ll be in there but 

East Moine will be awfully 

strong,” said Willy. “We will 

be going back and forth like 

we have before.” 

Youthful exuberance works well for GHS wrestlers 

Junior Streaks feed 

into high school 



GALESBURG — For the 

second straight year, the 

Galesburg High School wrestling 

team will start the season 

with 17 freshmen dominating 

its roster. 

Once again, that makes the 

Silver Streaks a young team, 

but many of the team’s 13 

sophomores are varsity veterans. 

“I’d say we’re going to be 

competitive and young,” said 

GHS coach John Chapman, 

starting his 10th season as 

coach. 

“We’ve got just four seniors 

and two juniors, but the good 

thing is there the same kids I 

had last year. 

“A lot of them are showing 

a big difference 

between their 

first and second 

year.” 

The Streaks are 

tapping a young 

talent pool that 

is being gener- 

Tatum 

ated by their 

Junior Streaks 

program that draws about 80 

youngsters to GHS three days 

a week. According to Chapman, 

40 them are in grades K 

through third. 

“That has been nice to 

see,” he said. “It’s been a 

positive turnout and the 

parents are involved.” 

Seniors Isaiah Tatum 

and Ben Lafollette — a 

pair of 30-win wrestlers 

— return to lead this year’s 

varsity along with seniors 


Diego Moore and Riche 

Bloomgren. 

“Unfortunately, they’re 

all within about six or eight 

pounds of each other — from 

D21 

152 to 171 or so — so we have 

four seniors and three spots. 

be challenged.” 

See WRESTLE, Page D22


Varsity Boys Basketball 

Nov. 26 — at Dunlap Thanksgiving 

Tournament 

Nov. 28-29 — at Dunlap 



Dec. 6 — at Metamora, 6:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — United Township, 7:30 

p.m. 


Dec. 20 — at State Farm IA/IL 

Shootout 


Classic 


Classic 

Jan. 10 — at Peoria Manual, 7:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 16 — Moline, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — Springfield, 7:30 p.m. 


Jan. 24 — Rockford East, 7:30 p.m. 



Feb. 6 — at United Township, 7:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Eisenhower, 6:30 p.m. 



Feb. 21 — at Peoria Notre Dame, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Feb. 27 — Quincy, 7:30 p.m. 

Sophomore Boys Basketball 

Nov. 26, 28-29 — at Dunlap 



Dec. 6 — at Metamora, 5 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — United Township, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 19 — at Alleman, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 29-30 — at Rochelle 

Tournament 

Jan. 10 — at Peoria Manual, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 17 — Springfield, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 24 — Rockford East, 6 p.m. 


Jan. 31 — at Geneseo, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — at United Township, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Eisenhower, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 13 — Alleman, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 20 — at Moline, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 21 — at Peoria Notre Dame, 6 

p.m. 

Feb. 27 — Quincy, 6 p.m. 

Freshmen Boys Basketball 


Dec. 4 — Peoria Manual, 6 p.m. 



Dec. 20 — at Quincy, 11 a.m. 

Dec. 29-30 — at Moline Tournament 

Jan. 8 — at Moline, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Burlington Tournament 

Jan. 12 — at Peoria Richwoods, 6 

p.m. 


Jan. 22 — at Burlington, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Peoria Notre Dame, 10 

a.m. 


Feb. 2 — United Township, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Eisenhower, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 9 — at Alleman, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Dunlap, 10 a.m. 


Feb. 17 — at Peoria High, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 19 — Geneseo, 6 p.m. 

Varsity Girls Basketball 

Nov. 21-22 — Galesburg 


Nov. 25 — Rock Island, 7 p.m. 






Galesburg 


Dec. 20 — at Maine South, 2:30 

p.m. 

Dec. 22 — Canton, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 26-27, 29-30 — at State Farm 

Holiday Classic 


Jan. 10 — Queen of Peace, 1:30 

p.m. 



Tournament at Alleman 



Jan. 31 — at Bloomington, 1:30 p.m. 


Feb. 7 — New Trier, 2:30 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — at Quincy, 7 p.m. 

Sophomore Girls Basketball 



Nov. 25 — Rock Island, 5:30 p.m. 



Dec. 4 — at United Township, 5:30 

p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Dunlap, 12 p.m. 

Dec. 11 — Alleman, 5:30 p.m. 


Galesburg 

Dec. 18 — at Moline, 5:30 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Maine South, 1 p.m. 

Dec. 22 — Canton, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 8 — Quincy, 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — Queen of Peace, 12 p.m. 



SCHEDULES 

Galesburg High School 

Tournament at Alleman 

Jan. 22 — United Township, 5:30 

p.m. 


Jan. 31 — at Bloomington, 12 p.m. 

Feb. 5 — Moline, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — New Trier, 1 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — at Quincy, 5:30 p.m. 

Freshmen Girls Basketball 

Nov. 22 — at Canton, 10 a.m. 

Nov. 24 — Macomb, 6 p.m. 


Dec. 4 — Dunlap, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — United Township, 10 a.m. 



Dec. 13 — at Burlington, 10 a.m. 

Dec. 15 — at United Township, 6 

p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Rock Island, 10 a.m. 

Dec. 22 — at Peoria Notre Dame, 6 

p.m. 

Jan. 17 — at Alleman, 10 a.m. 

Jan. 19 — Burlington, 6 p.m. 


10 a.m. 

Jan. 26 — at Peoria Richwoods, 6 

p.m. 

Jan. 29 — at Geneseo, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — Moline, 10 a.m. 

Feb. 2 — Peoria High, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 9 — Rock Island, 6 p.m. 

Bowling 

Nov. 29 — at Rock Island 

Invitational, 9 a.m. 

Dec. 1 — West Central, 4 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Kewanee Invitational, 

9 a.m. 


Dec. 11 — Rock Island, 4 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at UTHS Panther 

Invitational, 9:30 a.m. 

Dec. 16 — at United Township, 4 

p.m. 

Dec. 18 — at Illini Bluffs, 4 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Taylorville Invitational, 

9:30 a.m. 


Jan. 17 — Galesburg Invitational, 9 

a.m. 

Jan. 19 — at Sterling, 10 a.m. 


Jan. 29 — Kewanee, 4 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Dixon Invitational, 9 

a.m. 

Feb. 2 — vs. Rock Island and United 

Township (Location TBA) 

Feb. 7 — at IHSA Sectional 

Varsity Wrestling 

Nov. 25 — Canton, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 2 — at Woodruff, 5 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — Geneseo and Limestone, 

6 p.m. 


Dec. 13 — at Riverdale Invitational, 

9 a.m. 

Dec. 16 — at Peoria Manual and 

IVC, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 19 —at Washington, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Metamora Invitational, 

9 a.m. 

Dec. 26-27 — at Lincoln Invitational 


Jan. 13 — Pekin, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 16-17 — at Quincy Invitational 


p.m. 

Jan. 23 — Jacksonville and Quincy, 

6 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Princeton and Dixon, 11 

a.m. 

Jan. 30 — at Alleman and Rock 

Island, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — United Township and 

Moline, 11 a.m. 

Junior Varsity Wrestling 

Dec. 13 — at Keokuk JV Invitational, 

10 a.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Washington 

Sophomore Invitational, 9 a.m. 

Freshmen Wrestling 

Nov. 29 — at East Peoria Freshmen 

Invite, 8:30 a.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Princeton Blackmark 

Invite, 9 a.m. 

Jan. 10 — at Peoria Woodruff 

Freshmen Invite, 9 a.m. 

Varsity Boys Swimming 

Dec. 6 — Pekin, 10 a.m.; 11 a.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Moline 10 a.m. 

Dec. 15 — at Macomb, 4:30 p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Peoria Richwoods 

Invite, 8:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. 

Jan. 6 — at Burlington, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — Richwoods, 10 a.m. 

Jan. 12 — United Township, 4:30 

p.m.; 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — at Burlington Invite, 11 a.m. 

Jan. 22 — Dunlap, 4:30 p.m.; 5: 

30 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at UTHS, 8:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — Peoria Woodruff, 4:30 

p.m., 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 2 — at Rock Island (diving), 6 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at Rock Island, 6 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Western Big 6 Meet, 1 p.m. 

Junior Varsity Boys Swimming 

Jan. 12 — at Rock Island JV Meet, 

12:30 p.m. 

Freshmen Boys Swimming 

Jan. 28 — at Woodruff Freshmen 

Invite, 4 p.m. 

GHS BOWLING 

Streaks 

steadily 

improve 



GALESBURG — Brad 

Bennewitz starts his third 

year as Galesburg High 

School bowling coach and 

he can tell a big difference 

from the days 

since he started. 

“One thing I 

feel good about, 

is that it gets 

tougher every 

year to get the 

roster down to 

15,” said Bennewitz. 

Wiechmann 

The Silver Streaks had 

tryouts last week and about 

23 bowlers showed up. Bennewitz 

kept 17, two more 

than usual. He said the process 

involves more than just 

keeping track of scores. 

“You look at their experience 

and I usually know 

what they can do,” said 

Bennewitz. “I consider their 

attitude and their form, 

even if they don’t score all 

that well.” 

One bowler who did score 

well, sophomore Kendra 

Wiechmann, really stood 

out. One of the Silver 

Streaks top bowlers last 

year with a 164 average, 

she bowled a 600 series in 

tryouts to emerge as a candidate 

for the top spot this 

season. 

Also returning is senior 

Tifany Carns, who led GHS 

with a 167 average last year 

and Kerbi Boland, another 

in the group of six seniors 

who gives Bennewitz a 

nucleus of bowlers who’ve 

been with him from the 

start. 

“I’m excited because in 

my first year we had one 

senior, in my second we 

had two and now almost all 

of them have been with me 

See BOWL, Page D19

Knox Men’s Basketball 

Dec. 5 — at Lawrence University, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Beloit, 5 p.m. 

Dec. 10 — at Grinnell, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — Lake Forest, 5 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — Monmouth, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — St. Norbert, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — Ripon, 3 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Carroll, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at St. Norbert, 4 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Monmouth, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at Illinois College, 7:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Beloit, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Lawrence University, 4 p.m. 

Feb. 11 — Grinnell, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — at Lake Forest, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 18 — Illinois College, 5:30 p.m. 

Knox Women’s Basketball 

Nov. 25 — Clarke College, 5 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — at Rockford, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 5 — at Lawrence University, 5: 

30 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at Beloit, 3 p.m. 

Dec. 10 — at Grinnell, 5 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Webster, 2 p.m. 

Dec. 17 — MacMurray, 5 p.m. 

Dec. 19 — at Eureka, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 8 — at Principia College, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 10 — Lake Forest, 3 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — Monmouth, 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — St. Norbert, 5 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — Ripon, 1 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — Lincoln Christian College, 

7 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Carroll, 5 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at St. Norbert, 2 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Monmouth, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at Illinois College, 5:30 

p.m. 

Feb. 6 — Beloit, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Lawrence University, 2 p.m. 


Feb. 14 — at Lake Forest, 3 p.m. 

Feb. 18 — Illinois College, 7:30 p.m. 

Knox Swimming and Diving 

Nov. 8 — at Augustana, 12 p.m. 

Nov. 15 — at Monmouth Invitational, 

12 p.m. 

Dec. 5-6 — at Augustana 

Invitational 

Jan. 10 — Knox Invitational 

Jan. 24 — at Eureka Sprint Meet, 

12 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Monmouth Invite, 12 

p.m. 

Knox Wrestling 

Nov. 14 — Knox Invite Duals, 5:30 

p.m. 

Nov. 15 — Knox Invite, 9 a.m. 

Dec. 2 — at UW-Platteville, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 5 — at MSOE Duals, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at MSOE Invite, 10 a.m. 

Dec. 11 — Augustana and Central, 

6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Dick Walker Invite, 9 

a.m. 

Jan. 10 — Chuck Porter Duals, 9 

a.m. 

Jan. 16-17 — at North Central Invite 

Jan. 24 — at Monon Bell Duals, 9 

a.m. 

Jan. 27 — at Lincoln College and 

SIU Edwardsville, 6 p.m. 

Jan. 30-31 — at Pete Wilson Invite 

Jan. 31 — at “NCC” B Team Invite, 

9 a.m. 

Knox Indoor Track and Field 

Jan. 17 — Knox Pentangular, 10 

a.m. 

Jan. 24 — at Monmouth Invitational, 

10 a.m. 

Jan. 31 — at Cornell Hilltop Invite, 

10 a.m. 

Feb. 7 — at I.C. Blue Classic, 10 

a.m. 

Feb. 14 — Knox Invitational, 10 a.m. 

Feb. 21 — at University of Dubuque 

Invite, 10 a.m. 

Mar. 7 — at Karl Schiender last 

Chance Meet, 10 a.m. 

Monmouth Men’s Basketball 

Nov. 15 — at Minnesota State, 8 

p.m. 

Nov. 19 — at Central Missouri State, 

7 p.m. 

Nov. 21-22 — at Cleveland Ohio 

Tournament 

Nov. 26 — at Eureka, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 1 — MacMurrary College, 7 

p.m. 

Dec. 5 — at Ripon, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at St. Norbert, 4 p.m. 

Dec. 9 — at Central College, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 7 — Illinois College, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — at Knox, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — Lawrence University, 7 

p.m. 

Jan. 17 — Carroll University, 4 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Beloit, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at Lawrence University, 

5 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — at Grinnell, 5 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — Knox, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — Lake Forest, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — St. Norbert, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Ripon, 4 p.m. 

Feb. 11 — at Illinois College, 7 p.m. 

Feb. 18 — at Lake Forest, 7:30 p.m. 


SCHEDULES 

Colleges 

Feb. 27-28 — at Midwest 

Conference Championships 

Monmouth Women’s Basketball 

Nov. 18 — at Eureka, 7:30 p.m. 

Nov. 22 — Augustana, 5 p.m. 

Nov. 25 — at North Park University, 

6 p.m. 

Nov. 29-30 — Monmouth College 


Dec. 5 — at Ripon, 5 p.m. 

Dec. 6 — at St. Norbert, 2 p.m. 

Dec. 30 — Cornell, 2 p.m. 

Jan. 5 — Illinois College, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 8 — at North Central, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 13 — at Knox, 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 16 — Lawrence University, 5 

p.m. 

Jan. 17 — Carroll University, 2 p.m. 

Jan. 23 — at Beloit, 5 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — at Lawrence University, 

3 p.m. 

Jan. 28 — at Grinnell, 5 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — Knox, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — Lake Forest, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 6 — St. Norbert, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — Ripon, 2 p.m. 

Feb. 11 — at Illinois College, 5 p.m. 

Feb. 18 — at Lake Forest, 5:30 p.m. 




Monmouth Swimming 

Nov. 8 — at Lake Forest, 2 p.m. 

Nov. 15 — Monmouth College 

Invitational, 11:30 a.m. 

Nov. 21 — Augustana, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 5-6 — at DePauw Invitational, 

8:30 a.m. 

Jan. 10 — Lindenwood University, 

1 p.m. 

Jan. 17 — at Rose-Hulman Institute 

of Technology, 1 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Coe College and Ripon, 

1 p.m. 

Jan. 30 — at Lincoln College, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 31 — Monmuth College 

Invitational, 1 p.m. 

Feb. 7 — at Illinois Wesleyan 

University Diving Invitational, 11 a.m. 



Feb. 21 — at Midwest Invitational, 

10 a.m. 

Carl Sandburg Men’s Basketball 

Nov. 1 — at Spoon River, 4 p.m. 

Nov. 6 — St. Ambrose JV, 7:30 p.m. 

Nov. 8 — at Vincennes, 5 p.m. 

Nov. 15 — Clinton, 3 p.m. 

Nov. 17 — Millikin JV, 7 p.m. 


Nov. 21-22 — at Lincoln Land 

Tourney 

Nov. 25 — at Illinois college JV, 7 

p.m. 

Dec. 1 — at Clinton, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 4 — at St. Ambrose JV, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 8 — Lincoln Land, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 10 — Spoon River, 7:30 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at Mineral Area Classic 

Dec. 18 — at Southeastern IA, 7 

p.m. 

Dec. 20 — at Triton, 3 p.m. 

Jan. 6 — at Sauk Valley, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 8 — Black Hawk East, 7:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 13 — at Indian Hills, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 15 — at Illinois Valley, 7:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 20 — Black Hawk, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 22 — Kishwaukee, 7:30 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — at Highland, 7 p.m. 

Jan. 29 — Sauk Valley, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at Black Hawk East, 7: 

30 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — Illinois Valley, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — at Black Hawk, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — South Suburban, 3 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — at Kishwaukee, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 19 — Highland, 7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 21 — Olive-Harvey, 3 p.m. 

Carl Sandburg Women’s Basketball 

Nov. 1 — at Spoon River, 2 p.m. 

Nov. 13 — Waubonsee, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 21 — at Iowa Central, 6 p.m. 

Nov. 22 — at Ellsworth, 4 p.m. 

Nov. 25 — Illinois Central, 7 p.m. 

Dec. 3 — at John Wood, 5:30 p.m. 

Dec. 8 — Monmouth JV, 5:30 p.m. 

Dec. 10 — Spoon River, 5:30 p.m. 

Dec. 12 — at Elgin, 6 p.m. 

Dec. 13 — at College of Lake 

County, 1 p.m. 

Dec. 28-30 — at ICC Tourney 

Jan. 6 — at Sauk Valley, 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 8 — Black Hawk East, 5:30 

p.m. 

Jan. 10 — at McHenry, 1 p.m. 

Jan. 15 — at IVCC, 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 20 — Black Hawk, 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 22 — Kishwaukee, 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 24 — Kankakee, 1 p.m. 

Jan. 27 — at Highland, 5 p.m. 

Jan. 29 — Sauk Valley, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 3 — at Black Hawk East, 5: 

30 p.m. 

Feb. 10 — IVCC, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 12 — at Balck Hawk, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 14 — South Suburban, 1 p.m. 

Feb. 17 — at Kishwaukee, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 19 — Highland, 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 21 — Olive Harvey, 1 p.m. 

Wrestle 

From Page D21 

“They’re going to be challenged.” 

Underclassmen who Chapman 

expects to excell include 

152-pounder Eric Spray —who 

won 18 varsity matches as a 

freshman — sophomore Jeremy 

Fall at 119 pounds and 

sophomore Cole Spinks at 215 

pounds. 

“They all looked really 

outstanding in practice last 

week,” Chapman said. 

Despite their youth, the 

Streaks finished just under 

.500 in duals last season and 

took fourth in the Western 

Big 6 Conference meet. 

“One of our goals is to win 

conference and ultimately, 

we’re looking to take a regional 

title,” said Chapman. 

And the Streaks, who had 

no one advance to state competition 

last year, might see 

their odds for that achievement 

improve. 

“We’ll be competing in 

three classes for the first 

time,” said Chapman, whose 

team will wrestle in 2A. “That 

will eliminate some of our 

tougher competition. 

“The kids are young so they 

don’t know what to make of 

it yet. The older kids might 

know they have a better 

chance. 

“But we want to win conference 

so we’re going to have 

to beat some 3A schools anyway.” 

GHS Wrestling Roster 

Seniors — Richie Bloomgren, Ben 

Lafollette, Diego Moore, Isaiah Tatum. 

Juniors — Dustin Hathaway, Doug 

Shope. 

Sophomores — James Buebe, Malcomb 

Cagle, Chris Edwards, Jeremy Fall, 

Mike Garrett, John Grawey, Bronson 

McNeely, Colton Motz, Cole Spinks, Brandon 

Spray, Eric Spray, Jake VanVelsor, 

Malik Williams. 

Freshmen — Josh Brown, Samantha 

Cooper, Cody Darby, Kyle Fall, Jacob 

Fitch, Deonta Franklin, Ryan Hickey, 

Jondalar Jackson-Kidd, Ryan Lisenbee, 

Marcu Neal, DJ Orozco, Trevin Peters, 

Jared Rasso, Jimmy Schofield, Cortez 

Shepherd, Jade Thompson, Alex Wignall. 

Coach: John Chapman 

D23


Prairie Fire picked 

ninth despite new 

direction, recruits 



GALESBURG — New Knox 

College coach Rob Purlee is 

young, full of ideas and energy 

for change and just a little 

bit brash. But few people outside 

the Prairie Fire program 

are impressed or really care. 

That was obvious when last 

week’s Midwest Conference 

preseason coaches poll picked 

Knox to finish ninth in the 

10-team league, only ahead of 

Beloit. 

That’s just fine with Purlee, 

who is taking over the Prairie 

Fire program from Tim 

Heimann, previous coach for 

the past 24 years, who stepped 

down after last season. 

“My expectation was that 

we would be in the bottom 

half and that’s OK with us,” 

said Purlee. 

“I think our kids have 

worked hard enough to earn 

the right to expect some success. 

I don’t know if that’s 

always been the case. 

“With that extra hard work, 

I’d like to think we’re starting 

to believe that we’re as good 

as anybody else if we play the 

right way.” 

Knox was 8-15 in Heimann’s 

last season, 7-9 in the MWC 

and has started 0-2 this season 

with losses to University 

of Dubuque and Cornell College. 

Five seniors return from 

last year, including Adam 

Estergard, an all-MWC honorable 

mention, who averaged 

10.1 points and a team-leading 

six rebounds at guard. Forward 

Zach Kirven and guard 

Clint Moore also return as 

seniors. Kirven averaged 6.5 

points while shooting 54.9 

percent from the field and 

Moore averaged 8.1 points. 

The team’s other seniors 

are Rusty Baker and LaVar 

Merrell. 

Sophomore Matt Goedeke, 

a former Farmington High 

School star, is back after averaging 

6.4 points and 3.8 rebounds 

KNOX COLLEGE 

Purlee brings intensity, but is that enough? 

and sophomore Peter Cain 

should see more floor time. 

But grabbing some of the 

 

 

 

 

 

 

team’s spotlight for this season 

is freshman Ben Wetherbee, 

a native of Sydney, Austra- 

 

 


Knox College coach Rob Purlee, left, looks on as Adam Estergard drives past Cornell College defender Griffin LaDew during their Monday 

night game in Memorial Gym. The Prairie Fire are winless after two games. 

lia, whose dad played for 

See KNOX, Page D25 

 

 

 

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After years in cellar, 

Knox goes new direction 

Cline excited by 

challenge of turning 

around Knox women 



GALESBURG — Emily 

Cline must relish a challenge 

because she accepted a big 

one by assuming the job of 

Knox College women’s basketball 

coach. 

The Prairie Fire were 3-20 

a year ago and tied for last 

place in the Midwest Conference 

with a 1-15 record. 

Knox has just junior guard 

Kate Moon (7.7 points, 6.5 

rebounds per game) and 

junior guard-forward Erin 

Navalio (9.0 ppg) returning as 

starters and Cline was hired 

in late May, too late to do 

much recruiting. 

Cline replaces Wendy Rogers. 

The Prairie Fire won just 

eight games in three seasons 

under Rogers. 

“The academic reputation 

of Knox appealed to 

me, the conference they’re 

in and there’s a lot of room 

for upward mobility also 

appealed to me,” Cline said. “I 

like the challenge of building 

a program.” 

Cline also has a part-time 

Women’s Basketball 

 

 

 

starter in junior 

Cheyenne Cortez 

and a pair 

of sophomores, 

Carly Kirven 

and Amanda 

Sicoli with 

some experience, 

too. 

Cline 

“There are 

six new players 

in the program. The previous 

staff did a good job, there is 

some talent in the six kids 

they brought in,” said Cline. 

“I can’t complain at all.” 

She added, “We could start 

up to three freshmen.” 

Cline said her team will 

play an up-tempo style on 

offense and a variety of 

defenses.e 

A Farmington, Iowa, 

native, Cline is a Cornell 

College graduate where she 

began coaching as a student 

assistant. 

She served as an assistant 

coach at Sewanee: The 

University of the South in 

Tennessee for four years and 

most recently was assistant 

coach at Buena Vista University 

in Storm Lake, Iowa. 

Cline kept Ashley Sims, 

a former area standout as a 

high schooler at now-defunct 

Alexis High School, on as an 

assistant. Sims was hired by 

Knox in 2007. 

 

 

 

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KNOX COLLEGE 

Knox 

From Page D24 

Galesburg High School and 

Knox College in the late 1960s 

and early 1970s. Ben played 

at Woodstock his senior high 

school season, averaging 19 

points a game. 

Purlee says, “Ben has a 

chance to be one of the best 

players to ever play at Knox 

College. It is our job as a 

coaching staff to continue to 

improve on that.” 

Other freshmen expected 

to quickly contribute are 

Belleville’s Alex Shobert (6-6, 

210 pounds), Chicago’s Jack 

Moore (6-7, 200) and Park 

Ridge’s Joe Kozak (6-4, 215). 

The reorganized Knox 

coaching staff includes a 

couple of familiar names to 

Galesburg fans. 

Former longtime Silver 

Streaks coach Barry Swanson 

returns to the sideline 

as does one of Swanson’s 

former star players, Elmer 

Dickerson. Bobby Wheet and 

John Baillie round out the 

staff. 

Despite his youthful enthusiasm, 

there is a lot of old 


school in Purlee. 

“We’re still going to run 

the swing motion on offense 

and a lot of man-to-man 

defense,” he said. “If we’ve 

got to play zone, then we’ve 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Knox College’s Matt Goedeke drives toward the lane during 

the first half of the Prairie Fire’s first home game of the season 

Monday against Cornell College in Memorial Gym. 

“Ben has a chance to be one of the best players to ever 

play at Knox College. It is our job as a coaching staff to 

continue to improve on that.” 

— Knox coach Rob Purlee of freshman Ben Wetherbee 

D25 

really got a problem. 

“We’re not going to jump 

out and surprise anybody, 

we’re just going to try to do 

what we do better than other 

people doing what they do.”


CSC 

From Page D27 

and will be led by five returnees 

from that team — North 

Fulton product Katie Wilson, 

Avon product Courtnee 

Brown and Park Forest’s Sara 

Turk, Country Club Hills’ 

Shanice Taylor and Antigo, 

Wis., product Britney Below. 

Bailey’s recruits are 

topped by guard Taylor 

Young, a four-year starter at 

Galesburg High School who 

has already earned a Player 

of the Week award for Region 

IV District K. Young averaged 

10.7 points, four assists, four 

rebounds and 3.2 steals her 

senior season. 

Also making an immediate 

impact is 5-9 wing Jasmine 

Brown of Gary, Ind., 

who averaged 14 points and 

nine rebounds her senior 

high school season. 

Other newcomers include 

Sara Heller of Media, Megan 

Schmidt of Knoxville, 

Michelle Storm of Princeville, 

Jennelle Hibser of Bartonville 

Limestone and Cady 

Riggs of Summitville, Ind. 

“The problem is they all 

play the same spot,” he said 

of his guard-dominated roster. 

“Our freshmen post players 

just aren’t getting it done 

yet. Until they come along, 

it’s not going to be pretty 

every night.” 

CSC’s tests will start coming 

soon. The Chargers play 

at Iowa Central on Friday, 

top-ranked in Division II part 

of last season, go to Ellsworth 

(Iowa) CC on Saturday, host 

Illinois College on Nov. 25 

and travel to John Wood on 

Dec. 3. 

“Our level of competition 

is about to go up drastically,” 

said Bailey. 

And the Chargers need 

to find the winning blend 

they’ve been known for. 

 

 

 

 

 

COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 

 

 

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Carl Sandburg’s Courtnee Brown is pressured by a pair of Illinois 

Central College defenders during the first half of a game in the 

NJCCA Division II Tournament last season. 

“Until they ( freshmen posts) come along, it’s not going to 

be pretty every night.” 

— Carl Sandburg College women’s coach Mike Bailey 

“I don’t sense a lot of selfishness,” 

said Bailey. “It’s 

more ‘Where am I supposed 

to be, what am I supposed to 

be doing’?” 

“When you’re thinking like 

that, it makes it hard to play 

the game.” 

 

 

With 15 returning, 

Scots shoot high 

MONMOUTH — Monmouth 

College women’s 

basketball coach Melissa 

Bittner, now in her fourth 

year at the helm, hopes 15 

returners and a talented 

crop of recruits equals a trip 

to the Midwest Conference 

tournament in February. 

Among the 15 returners 

are four seniors. The last 

time the Fighting Scots had 

that many fourth-year players 

was the last year they 

reached the MWC playoffs 

– 1998. A year ago, the Scots 

finished fifth, just missing a 

playoff berth. 

“You win with upperclassmen 

and returners,” said 

Bittner. “Freshmen and 

sophomores come in and 

help fill roles, but you win 

championships with upperclassmen. 

I see no reason 

why we shouldn’t be a playoff-caliber 

team.” 

That would be an interesting 

matchup. The Scots were 

the only blemish on the St. 

Norbert’s otherwise perfect 

conference ledger last year. 

Leading the way is senior 

Melissa Gorski, who has 

taken the reigns in her final 

season. The guard is just 96 

points from becoming only 

the sixth woman at Monmouth 

to score 1,000 points 

and at her current pace, 

the slashing inside-outside 

threat could reach the milestone 

before the new year. 

The Scots are loaded with 

versatility and depth at 

the guard position, where 

they return three with significant 

experience. Bittner 

expects good things from 

her sophomores, including 

Justine Boone, a 5-8 point 

guard, who could be “one 

of the best in the league.” 

Classmate Alison Andrews 

will be one of Bittner’s tallest 

guards at 5-9. She averaged 

nearly 18 minutes per 

game as a freshman. 

“The sophomore class really 

stepped up,” said Bittner. 

“They’re really playing 

like returners. Justine will 

be one of the league’s best 

defenders and Alison has 

developed into one of our 

best scoring threats. That 

one year of experience has 

made all the difference for 

those two.” 

Junior Lynsey Barnard, 

who was used primarily at 

point last season, will be 

used at a variety of guard 

positions. Three-point 

sharpshooter Katie Sheets, a 

senior, led the team with 42 

treys last season and will be 

in the mix down the road. 

Junior guard Kelly Sheets 

– Katie’s sister – is also touted 

as a player to watch.

CARL SANDBURG BASKETBALL 

CSC men ready for success 

 

 

 

 

 


Ryan Twaddle, head coach for the Carl Sandburg men’s basketball team, talks to Graylin Smith during a 

game against St. Ambrose’s junior varsity squad early this season. 

Chargers return 

scorers, add Lewis 



GALESBURG — The Carl 

Sandburg College men’s basketball 

team only returns four 

players from a year ago — but 

all four are starters. 

Still, second-year head 

coach must characterize his 

squad as a young team. 

Saginaw, Mich., products 

Kuddles Hopkins and Robert 

Clark return to lead CSC. 

Hopkins, a 6-2 guard, was 

picked a NJCAA Division II 

All-American prior to the season. 

He averaged 16 points, 

5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists 

last year. 

But freshman who’ve 

already impressed include 

Williamsfield’s Patrick Lewis, 

The Register-Mail’s Player of 

the Year last season. “He’s 

gotten better at taking the ball 

to the basket. He’s improved a 

lot,” said Twaddle. 

CSC, 10-19 last season, is 

off to a 4-1 start through 

Tuesday. 

“We’ve played pretty well,” 

said Twaddle. “I’ve been 

happy with our offense. We’ve 

put a lot of points on the 

board the first few games. 

“We’ve got the shore up the 

defense. We know we’re going 

to give up points if we’re 

going to run up and down 

— we understand that — but 

a lot of teams are shooting too 

high of a percentage against 

us.” 

The Chargers are a quick, 

athletic team but they might 

struggle in a half-court game. 

A one-time assistant under 

previous coach Mike Bailey, 

Twaddle has high expectations 

for this season. 

“I don’t think there’s any 

reason we can’t win a region 

championship,” he said. 

“That’s our goal — a region 

championship and conference 

championship.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 


Mike Bailey, head coach for the Carl Sandburg College women’s 

basketball team, moves along the bench during a game with 

Waubonsee last week at CSC. 

Sandburg eyes another run 

Bailey trying to 

mesh overhauled 

women’s team 




its fourth straight trip to 

the NJCAA Division II 

national tournament and 

another Arrowhead Conference 

championship, the Carl 

Sandburg College women’s 

basketball team only became 

a bigger target in the eyes of 

their opponents. 

Coach Mike Bailey, whose 

team is off to a 2-0 start 

D27 

hopes his team is up to the 

ever-growing challenge and 

he hasn’t been pleased with 

his team’s early play despite 

the wins. 

“We haven’t been able to 

mesh the kids together yet,” 

said Bailey, whose team 

entered the season No. 11ranked 

in NJCAA Division 

II. 

“We’ve got nice athletes, 

that’s why we’re frustrated,” 

he added. “We just can’t get 

them on the same page. They 

don’t play well together. 

CSC finished 27-9 last season 

and sixth at nationals 

See CSC, Page D26 

 

 

 


CARL SANDBURG BASKETBALL 

CSC men ready for success 

 

 

 

 

 


Ryan Twaddle, head coach for the Carl Sandburg men’s basketball team, talks to Graylin Smith during a 

game against St. Ambrose’s junior varsity squad early this season. 

Chargers return 

scorers, add Lewis 



GALESBURG — The Carl 

Sandburg College men’s basketball 

team only returns four 

players from a year ago — but 

all four are starters. 

Still, second-year head 

coach must characterize his 

squad as a young team. 

Saginaw, Mich., products 

Kuddles Hopkins and Robert 

Clark return to lead CSC. 

Hopkins, a 6-2 guard, was 

picked a NJCAA Division II 

All-American prior to the season. 

He averaged 16 points, 

5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists 

last year. 

But freshman who’ve 

already impressed include 

Williamsfield’s Patrick Lewis, 

The Register-Mail’s Player of 

the Year last season. “He’s 

gotten better at taking the ball 

to the basket. He’s improved a 

lot,” said Twaddle. 

CSC, 10-19 last season, is 

off to a 4-1 start through 

Tuesday. 

“We’ve played pretty well,” 

said Twaddle. “I’ve been 

happy with our offense. We’ve 

put a lot of points on the 

board the first few games. 

“We’ve got the shore up the 

defense. We know we’re going 

to give up points if we’re 

going to run up and down 

— we understand that — but 

a lot of teams are shooting too 

high of a percentage against 

us.” 

The Chargers are a quick, 

athletic team but they might 

struggle in a half-court game. 

A one-time assistant under 

previous coach Mike Bailey, 

Twaddle has high expectations 

for this season. 

“I don’t think there’s any 

reason we can’t win a region 

championship,” he said. 

“That’s our goal — a region 

championship and conference 

championship.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 


Mike Bailey, head coach for the Carl Sandburg College women’s 

basketball team, moves along the bench during a game with 

Waubonsee last week at CSC. 

Sandburg eyes another run 

Bailey trying to 

mesh overhauled 

women’s team 




its fourth straight trip to 

the NJCAA Division II 

national tournament and 

another Arrowhead Conference 

championship, the Carl 

Sandburg College women’s 

basketball team only became 

a bigger target in the eyes of 

their opponents. 

Coach Mike Bailey, whose 

team is off to a 2-0 start 

D27 

hopes his team is up to the 

ever-growing challenge and 

he hasn’t been pleased with 

his team’s early play despite 

the wins. 

“We haven’t been able to 

mesh the kids together yet,” 

said Bailey, whose team 

entered the season No. 11ranked 

in NJCAA Division 

II. 

“We’ve got nice athletes, 

that’s why we’re frustrated,” 

he added. “We just can’t get 

them on the same page. They 

don’t play well together. 

CSC finished 27-9 last season 

and sixth at nationals 

See CSC, Page D26

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