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Cardinals' advance to title game
North Clay tops WC, face Edwards County Saturday; Crab Orchard defeats Cisne
12/20/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
WAYNE CITY – It wasn't the kind of start that Coach Josh Zink wanted on Friday night in the final game of pool play of the 70th annual Conrad Allen Wayne City Holiday Tournament.

But the ending was just fine.
Waltonville stays undefeated
Spartans led 'gate to wire' at Christopher; improve to 8-0

12/17/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHRISTOPHER - It took just a couple of big scoring bursts for the Waltonville Spartans to take control and stay in control of their road contest at Christopher on Tuesday night.

An 11-1 start of the game and a 10-1 start of the third quarter allowed the unbeaten Spartans to stay that way.

Benton routs Hiltoppers
Tedeschi nets 25-points in 68-39 win; Rangers improve to 7-0
Nokomis, Metro-East Lutheran, Rochester, Litchfield victorious in boy's contests
Litchfield, Hillsboro, Triad win girl's games

12/14/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARLINVILLE - On Saturday afternoon at the 6th annual T. Todt Shootout vs. Cancer basketball shootout Benton senior forward Docker Tedeschi left little doubt who was the best player on the floor in the Rangers' 68-39 dismantling of Hillsboro.

The 6-8 forward and D-I commit delivered 25-points, grabbed 11-rebounds and blocked six shots in a dominating performance as he and his teammates .....
Columbia rolls past Wildcats
Eagles handle league rival, 63-30; improve to 7-1
12/13/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
COLUMBIA - The Columbia Eagles could not have been in a very good mood on Friday night when they hosted Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division rival Salem.

Coach Mark Sandstrom and his club were a day removed from a road trip to the University of Missouri for a basketball shootout and a loss to Montgomery County.
Steeleville takes tournament title
Warriors hold off Gibault, 67-58, complete 4-0 week
12/07/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CAMPBELL HILL - It had been a minute since the Steeleville Warriors won the Trico “Tip-Off Classic” championship.

It was like the first line of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

“It was 20 years ago today.”
Webber wins road battle
Trojans' defense shines, 63-44; Marlow nets 32 in victory
12/06/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
ELDORADO - After giving up 81-points in a first round loss at the Christopher Thanksgiving Tournament to open the 2024-25 season, head coach Jaxon Helm at Webber Township knew that his team needed to get better defensively.

The last four games have shown a noticeable difference.
Top shelf clubs continue to impress
Arcola, BMD, Tuscola reload for postseason; SJO, Tolono Unity also strong up North
Rebuilding projects in progress around the South

12/01/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - Tuscola and head coach Justin Bozarth had about as disappointing of an ending of a postseason as one could imagine.

As one of the favorites to reach the state finals again after finishing third in 2022-23, the Warriors won the program's 20th regional championship to reach the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional.
Veteran teams look to improve
Greenville, Staunton, Carlinville, Southwestern have key players back
Vandalia has new coach; Litchfield, Hillsboro, North Mac, Pana try to rebuild
11/30/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - The South Central Conference, like some of the other leagues last season, didn't have much in the way of postseason success as none of the members managed to advance past the regionals.

But this is a league that isn't without talent.
League looks much more wide-open
Graduation took a lot of talent from the LIC

11/29/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - Last season the Lawrenceville Indians were the only team in the Little Illini Conference not to lose a league game.

The Tribe went 7-0 for then head coach Randy Bishop.

Newton and Olney Richland County were the next two .....
Central, Columbia top Mississippi
Cougars still talented, Eagles look loaded for the postseason
Salem, Roxana look to challenge, new coaches at EAWR, Freeburg
Carlyle returns strong group
Indians' five starters back; Wesclin, Sparta, Red Bud must regroup
Warriors look for another title
New Athens, Marissa/Coulterville look to challenge Steeleville's supremacy

11/27/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - The Cahokia Conference largest division known as the Mississippi has been won for the last four consecutive seasons by Breese Central.

The Cougars have more than dominated this conference since it went to divisions in 2006-07.

Top teams on both sides set for war
Benton looks to repeat in Mississippi; Wide open Ohio Division is the norm

11/26/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - It's yet another year in the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference and any preview of the league will see teams that are thinking not only regular season championships but also postseason hardware.

The boy's basketball programs in the SIRR will always be in the conversation on who is going to reach the state finals in March.
Goreville looks to continue dominance
Blackcats hope to repeat; challengers will need to 'step it up' to dethrone champs
Bulldogs hungry for repeat
Carmi-White County must fend off Flora, Fairfield; others look to move up

11/25/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - The Black Diamond Conference, split into divisions since its expansion back in 2003-04, has had member changes over the years since its inception back in 1949.

Each season the schools come up with quality teams that compete and fare well in the postseason and regular season tournaments.

St. Anthony leads strong contingent
League posted dominant figures last season with four 20-game winners

11/25/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - When it comes to the world of sports there are always heartaches and disappointments because, as in life, there are winners and there are losers.

The French phrase is “c'est la vie” which translates to “such is life.”

Last season the two top teams in the National Trail Conference .....
St. Elmo/Brownstown, CHBC look strong
Patoka/Odin, Ramsey, Martinsville looking to move up

11/25/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - Each season Coach Greg Feezel at St. Elmo/Brownstown seems to get the best out of each of his teams.

Last season was a 22-10 finish, 4-4 in the National Trail Conference and 4-1 in the Egyptian Illini.
Meridian wears favorites label
 Bobcats return key players from 1A second place club; others look to improve
11/25/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - The dominance of the South Egyptian Conference by Mounds Meridian in boy's basketball is almost scary to think about.

Other than a brief run by Cobden during the covid19 season in 2020-21, the Bobcats have owned this league.
Wide-open race to the top
 A repeat of last season's battles will surprise no one

11/25/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - How close was the race to the top of the Greater Egyptian Conference standings in 2023-24?

It ended up with a four-way tie with the quartet of teams ending up with identical 5-2 records.

Spartans set to continue success
Waltonville looks to add hardware; Webber, Woodlawn, Cisne, Red Hill give chase
Rebuilding coming from WC, Patoka/Odin, Grayville, Sandoval
11/25/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - As things went in the Midland Trail Conference last winter, the top two teams each made postseason waves while splitting their two games against each other during the regular season.

League standings champ Waltonville and MTC tournament titlist Webber Township each brought home hardware last season, including regional championships.