Final IW 51 vs West Prairie 22

Record  1-0

Brennon Grotts     2 points

Roan Jackson       4 points

Ethan Carlisle       11 points

Wes Robertson     13 points

Tre Neiderman      21 points

Illini West Athletic Events 11/25 to 11/30

Monday, November 25

Depart

6:00 PM Boys Varsity Basketball West Prairie HS
Spartan Tip Off Classic

4:40 PM Away
6:00PM Girls Junior Varsity Basketball Abingdon-Avon High School 4:10 PM Away
7:30PM Girls Varsity Basketball Abingdon-Avon High School 4:10 PM Away
Tuesday, November 26

Depart

6:00 PM Coed Varsity Wrestling Macomb 4:30 PM Away
7:30 PM Boys Varsity Basketball Macomb Jr/Sr HS
Spartan Tip Off Classic

5:15 PM Away

Wednesday, November 27

Depart

7:30 PM Boys Varsity Basketball

Bushnell-Prairie City
Spartan Tip Off Classic

5:15 PM Away

Thursday, November 28

Depart

No events scheduled
Friday, November 29

Depart

6:00 PM Boys Varsity Basketball

Illini Bluffs High School
Spartan Tip Off Classic

4:40 PM Away

Saturday, November 30

Depart

Illini West Athletic Events 11/18 to 11/23

Monday, November 18

8:00 PM Girls Varsity Basketball

Macomb Jr/Sr HS
Macomb Pre Thanksgiving
Tournament

6:30 PM Away

Tuesday, November 19

No events scheduled
Wednesday, November 20

8:00 PM Girls Varsity Basketball

Alleman Catholic High School
Macomb Pre Thanksgiving
Tournament

6:30 PM Away

Thursday, November 21

No events scheduled

Friday, November 22

6:30 PM Girls Varsity Basketball

Canton High School
Macomb Pre Thanksgiving
Tournament

5:15 PM Away

Saturday, November 23

9:00 AM Girls Varsity Basketball

Illini Bluffs High School
Macomb Pre Thanksgiving
Tournament

7:30 AM Away

1:30 PM Girls Junior Varsity Basketball

West Hancock
2 Games @ Brown County (1:30-
West Hancock, 4:30- Liberty)

11:45 AM Away

3:30 PM Girls Varsity Basketball

Havana Jr & Sr High School
Macomb Pre Thanksgiving
Tournament     Away

Prairieland  High School  Volleyball All Conference- South Division

1st Team 

Josie Hughes - Havana - Unanimous 

Reagan Reed - IW

Kathryn Lukkarinen - Macomb

Kylie Robinson - Macomb

Quinn Rexroat - Macomb

Jacque Adair - Macomb

Madelynn Sullivan - West Prairie 

2nd Team

Prairieland  High School  Volleyball All Conference- South Division

Kaydi Miller - Havana

Kate DeSotel - IW

Abi White - IW

Madeline McClure - Macomb 

Katie Miller - South Fulton

Lexie Hite - South Fulton

Kali Wright - West Prairie 

Special Mention

Abby Nelson - Bushnell

Audra Carroll - IW 

South Fulton - Sportsmanship

Sandburg volleyball draws Walters St. in 1st round of national tourney

 The Sandburg volleyball team will square off against the Senators.

The Chargers on Wednesday were seeded 19th in next week’s NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championship and will open the tournament against 14th-seeded Walters State at 11 a.m. Nov. 20 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Sandburg (35-10) is making its fourth trip to nationals in program history. The Chargers also advanced in the 2017, 2018 and 2021 (counted as the 2020 season). Sandburg earned a spot in the field after beating 17th-ranked Moraine Valley in five sets Sunday in the championship of the Region 4 Division II District B tournament.

Walters State (26-5), located in Morristown, Tenn., won the Southeast District B title with a five-set victory over Cleveland. The Senators were ranked 18th in the final NJCAA poll of the regular season. This is Walters State’s second straight trip to nationals and third appearance in school history.

The winner of Wednesday morning’s match will face third-seeded Kirkwood (34-6) at 7:30 that night. The loser will play at 9 a.m. Nov. 21 in the consolation bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

All matches for the tournament will be streamed live and be available on demand on the NJCAA Network.

Sandburg volleyball’s Wagner, Mooney voted to All-Region 4 Team

GALESBURG — Two Sandburg volleyball sophomores among the nation’s statistical leaders have been voted to the All-Region 4 Team.

Outside hitter Taylor Wagner was selected first-team all-region, and coaches voted Chargers libero Madeline Mooney to the second team.

A 5-foot-8 sophomore from Southeastern High School, Wagner has been an offensive force throughout her first season with Sandburg. She ranks fourth in NJCAA Division II with 528 kills and fifth with 1,378 total attacks. Wagner appeared in all 42 matches for the Chargers during the regular season, averaging 3.64 kills per set and posting a .239 hitting percentage.

Wagner put down a season-best 30 kills in the Chargers’ win Sept. 14 against Southwestern Illinois. She has three other matches this year in which she’s recorded at least 20 kills.

Mooney, a 5-3 product of Metamora High School, leads all NJCAA Division II players with 960 service receptions, is third with 856 digs and rates 12th nationally with 5.86 digs per set.

She set a career high with 49 digs in Sandburg’s Aug. 27 match at Sauk Valley. Mooney has recorded double-digit digs in 41 of 42 matches this season. In addition to her defensive prowess, Mooney also leads the Chargers this season with 61 aces.

For her career, Mooney has 1,624 digs across 83 matches and is believed to be the program’s all-time digs leader.

Wagner and Mooney will lead the Chargers into the postseason as they open the Region 4 Division II District B tournament with a quarterfinal match at 6 p.m. Wednesday at home against Highland.

Defending conference champ Chargers open season Tuesday at home

GALESBURG — Coming off the program’s most successful season in 15 years, the Sandburg women’s basketball team opens its 2024-25 campaign Tuesday night at home.

The Chargers will host Lincoln Land — ranked No. 9 in NJCAA Division II — at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at John Lewis Gym. Tuesday is also Sandburg’s Paint the House Red Night.

The Chargers, led by third-year coach Kellen Fernetti, finished 23-10, won a share of the Arrowhead Conference title and advanced to the championship game of the Region 4 tournament last season.

KEY RETURNERS
Brook Pieper (Abingdon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon), 6-foot-1 sophomore forward
• All-Arrowhead Conference and First Team All-Region 4 pick as a freshman.
• Averaged 13.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game on 48 percent shooting last season.
• Led Chargers with 31 percent 3-point percentage last season.
• Fernetti: “Brook really keys our offensive and defensive game plans from the center position. She’s highly skilled, a tremendous passer and a great presence in the paint defensively.”

Capre Ferguson (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg), 5-7 sophomore guard
• Averaged 9.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 32 games last season, making five starts in 32 games.
• Shot 42 percent from the field and 74 percent from the free-throw line as a freshman.

• FernettI: “Capre is a tremendous athlete and defender. She should move into the starting lineup this year after a sixth-woman role last year where she was most comfortable. Capre got better and better as the season went on as a freshman. It could be a big year for her.”

Gabbie Vontz (Oberlin, Kan./Decatur Community), 5-7 sophomore guard
• Averaged 5.4 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 30 percent from the floor in 31 games as a freshman.
• FernettI: “Gabbie is a high-energy player that can play any position for us. She can play defense on the perimeter and in the post, and she’s expanded her offensive game this fall. Gabbie’s a hard-hat-and-lunch-pail type of player. She gives her best all the time.”

KEY NEWCOMERS 
Lillian Covarrubias (San Antonio, Texas/Southwest), 5-4 freshman guard
• Finished her senior season with 419 points, 236 rebounds, 87 steals and 150 assists.

• Named First Team All-Class 5A Region IV District 28 as a senior.
• FernettI: “Lillian is a phenomenal athlete at the point guard position and will look to lead our offensive and defensive attack. She’s capable of scoring on all three levels. Lillian brings a great work ethic with her. In high school, she was a multiple-sport athlete and will look to bring that athleticism to the Chargers.”

Antonia Kisler (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg), 5-9 freshman forward
• Fernetti: “We’re ecstatic that Antonia chose to stay home and play for us. Coming from the legendary Silver Streaks program, she knows winning basketball. Antonia can post up and shoot the 3-point shot. She’s also a strong defender and rebounder, which fits into our system well.”

Ashley Brach (Winter Park, Fla./Lake Howell), 5-8 freshman forward

• Averaged team highs of 18.9 points and 10.5 rebounds as a senior on 55 percent shooting.
• Fernetti: “Ashley is a high-motor, high-energy player. She’s all about making those effort plays, taking charges and defending hard. She’ll bring some versatility to the forward position for us this season.”

STATES OF PLAY
The Chargers’ roster includes seven players from five states outside of Illinois. Sandburg boasts players from:

• Florida (Ashley Brach and Precious Marshall)
• Kansas (Gabbie Vontz)
• Mississippi (Tyriunna Steele)
• Missouri (Layni Dobbins)
• Texas (Lillian Covarrubias and Tiera Hall)
   

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?
Fernetti: “We expect to be better than yesterday, and for tomorrow to be better than today. The goal will be to play our best basketball in February and, hopefully, early March when we need to play our best.”

THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …
Fernetti: “We need to become the definition of a team, which is to be 13 strong, all pulling in the same direction. Defend, rebound, run and share are the four key daily factors. We also need to compete with the three Es: effort, energy and enthusiasm.”

GAME TO WATCH
Nov. 16 vs. Madison (Chargers basketball alumni reunion)

Sandburg men’s basketball tips off season with 5 games in 8 days

GALESBURG — With a roster featuring eight freshmen, the Sandburg men’s basketball team will gain plenty of on-court experience in short order to start the 2024-25 season.

The Chargers play five games in the new campaign’s first eight days, starting with their opener at 3 p.m. Saturday at Spoon River. Sandburg, under the guidance of 18th-year head coach Ryan Twaddle, then comes home to face St. Ambrose JV at 3 p.m. Sunday at John Lewis Gym.

KEY RETURNERS
Ethan Price (Fulton, Ill./Fulton), 6-foot-5 sophomore forward
• Averaged 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 31 games (30 starts) as a freshman
• Twaddle: “Ethan works very hard on and off the floor. He’s our leader, and we expect him to have a great season this year.”

Logan Sluder (Normal, Ill./Normal West), 5-11 sophomore guard
• Averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 31 games last season, including seven starts.
• Twaddle: “Logan can shoot it and is very creative around the rim. He’s a willing passer who we also expect to be a leader for us.”

KEY NEWCOMERS 
Tyler Heffren (Eureka, Ill./Eureka), 6-4 freshman guard
• All-time leader at Eureka for career points (1,834), single-season points (677) and career 3-pointers (199).
• Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class First Team All-State
• Associated Press all-state honorable mention
• Two-time Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament MVP
• Twaddle: “Tyler is in range when he steps into the gym. He’s able to provide scoring, toughness and a team approach to winning.  We expect Tyler to have a big freshman season.”  

Ralph Wires (Quincy, Ill./Quincy), 5-11 freshman guard
• Point guard for Blue Devils team that finished 31-4, won the Western Big 6 Conference title and reached the Class 4A sectional final.
• Twaddle: “Ralph is a great on-ball defender who can disrupt the other team’s offense. We expect Ralph to set the tone for our defense this season.”

Demarion Honaker (Camanche, Iowa/Camanche), 6-7 freshman forward

• Averaged team highs of 18.9 points and 10.5 rebounds as a senior on 55 percent shooting.
• Twaddle: “Demarion is able to play inside-out as a big. He’s a great athlete and is still trying to reach his potential as an all-around player.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?
Twaddle: “We have a very young team this season, with eight freshmen. We expect to see growth over the first semester while playing our best basketball at the end of the year when we’ll be more experienced. We have a great freshman class and expect them to only get better with as the season goes along.”

THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …
Twaddle: “We will have a successful season if we continue to improve and mature on a daily basis. We’ve seen this progress over our first month of practice, and we expect that we’ll continue to grow as people, students and basketball players.”

GAMES TO WATCH
• Nov. 5 vs. Lincoln Land (Paint the House Red Night)
• Nov. 16 vs. Madison (Chargers basketball alumni reunion)
• Feb. 22 vs. Olive-Harvey (Sophomore Day)

HOW TO FOLLOW THE CHARGERS
• Watch Chargers home games live and on-demand on the Sandburg YouTube channel.
• Sign up for SportReporting to get free text and/or email notifications of Chargers game results.
• Follow @SandburgNJCAA on Twitter.
• Like @sandburgchargers on Facebook.
• Follow @sandburgchargers on Instagram.

Sandburg volleyball to host Highland on Wednesday in Region 4 quarterfinals

GALESBURG — The Sandburg volleyball team will begin its postseason with a home match against a familiar adversary.

The Chargers (32-10) earned the No. 7 overall seed in the region and will host 10th-seeded Highland (20-14) in the quarterfinals of the Region 4 Division II District B tournament at 6 p.m. Wednesday at John Lewis Gym. The match will be streamed on the Sandburg YouTube channel.

The Arrowhead Conference foes met twice in the regular season, with the Chargers winning both times. Sandburg swept the Cougars 25-15, 25-19, 25-10 on Sept. 24 at Highland and shook off a first-set loss for a 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-21 Sophomore Night win Oct. 22 in Galesburg.

The semifinal and championship matches will be played this weekend at Madison. Wednesday’s winner will face No. 2 Madison or No. 15 Bryant & Stratton in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Saturday. The championship is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

The winner of the tournament will advance to the NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championship from Nov. 20-23 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Chargers are in search of their fourth trip to nationals and first since the 2020-21 season.
 

REGION 4 DIVISON II DISTRICT B TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinals
6 p.m. Nov. 6 at better seed
Game 1 — No. 15 Bryant & Stratton at No. 2 Madison
Game 2 — No. 10 Highland at No. 7 Sandburg
Game 3 — No. 14 Illinois Valley at No. 3 Moraine Valley
Game 4 — No. 11 Oakton at No. 6 Rock Valley
Semifinals
Nov. 9 at Madison
Game 5 — Winner 1 vs. winner 2, 4 p.m.
Game 6 — Winner 3 vs. winner 4, 6 p.m.
Championship
2:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Madison

 The Illini West Boys Cross Country Team competed at the IHSA Sectional November 2nd 2024 in Elmwood

 The IW team placed 19th and ends their season Results for IW:

 

Chase Mudd - 17:08-69th

Bryar Rodeffer - 17:59-104th

Wyatt Jones - 18:36-115th

Kayden Swisher -18:31-113th

Ian Carroll - 21:37-152nd

    Parker Walker-19:22-135th

    Paxton Morehouse - 23:03-156

The Chargers end their season October 31st with a loss to QND in the regional final (16-25, 11-25) and with a season record of 28-9.

tats:

Digs: Kate DeSotel 10, Abi White 8, Corin Robinson 8, AJ Cook 3, Audra Carroll 2, Kennedy Gunning 2, Reagan Reed 1

Blocks: Reagan 3, Kennedy G 2, Audra 1

Kills: Reagan Reed 4, Kennedy Artman 2, Abi 1, Kennedy G. 1, Audra 1, and Anna Jacob 1.

Assists: Corin Robinson 6, Reagan 4

Serving: Audra 3 points, Abi 2 points, Reagan 2 points, Kate DeSotel 1