The Monticello Sages turned some heads this season when they went on a four-game winning streak to close out the season and finish 7-2.

Off a State Championship appearance last season and graduating 14 seniors, the Sages will look to continue that surprise Saturday when they host Paris in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. Coach Cully Welter is proud of his team and the way they rebounded from some early lackluster performances.

Paris went 6-3 in the regular season, and Coach Welter notes like most teams, they are going to be bigger than them. He indicates they are going to have a challenging power run game.

Coach Welter says it is always the goal to make the playoffs and give the kids the opportunity to play on a Saturday afternoon, especially they can secure a home playoff game.

Game time is 2 pm on Saturday. Hear all the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. Be sure to check out video highlights of the action after the game as well at ILSportsWire on your preferred social media platforms.

Class 3A first round matchups

#13 Princeton (6-3) at #4 Bloomington Central Catholic (9-0), Sat. 1:00 pm

#16 Hillsboro (5-4) at #1 Williamsville (9-0), Sat. 1:00 pm

13 Mt. Carmel (5-4) at #4 Tolono Unity (8-1), Sat. 2:00 pm

#10 Greenville (6-3) at #7 Olympia (6-3), Sat. 2:00 pm

#14 St. Joseph-Ogden (5-4) at #3 Benton (9-0), Sat. 2:00 pm

Class 1A first round matchups

#10 Dee-Mack (6-3) vs. #7 Chicago Crane (7-2) Sat. 4:30 pm

11 Ottawa Marquette (6-3) at #6 Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (7-2), Sat. 1:00 pm

#12 Nokomis (6-3) at #5 Tuscola (7-2), Sat. 3:00 pm

Class 2A first round matchups

#9 Tri-Valley (7-2) vs. #8 Chicago Richards (7-2) Sat. 1:00 pm

#15 Chicago Marshall (5-4) at #2 El Paso-ridley (9-0), Sat. 7:00 pm

#10 Ridgeview-Lexington (7-2) vs. #7 Newman Central Catholic (7-2) Sat. 1:00 pm

#9 Maroa-Forsyth (7-2) at #8 Chester (8-1), Sat. 1:00 pm

#15 Shelbyville (5-4) at #2 Westville (9-0), Sat. 2:00 pm

#14 Marshall (5-4) at #3 Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond (9-0), Sat. 1:00 pm

 #11 Sullivan (7-2) at #6 Toledo-Cumberland (8-1), Sat. 2:00 pm

Class 4A first round matchups

#9 Peoria Notre Dame (7-2) at #8 Marengo (7-2) Fri. 7:00 pm

#10 Chicago South Shore (7-2) at #7 Metamora (7-2) Sat. 1:30 pm

#16 Jacksonville (5-4) at #1 Richland County (9-0), Sat. 5:00 pm

#10 Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (6-3) at #7 Quincy Notre Dame (7-2), Sat. 1:00 pm

#14 Taylorville (5-4) at #3 Rochester (8-1), Fri. 7:00 pm

#11 Waterloo (6-3) at #6 Mt. Zion (8-1), Fri. 7:00 pm

Class 5A first round matchups

#16 Normal U-High (5-4) at #1 Washington (8-1), Fri. 7:00 pm

#9 Marion (6-3) at #8 Mahomet-Seymour (6-3), Sat. 2:00 pm

#12 Springfield (5-4) at #5 Providence Catholic (6-3), Sat. 1:00 pm

#15 Champaign Centennial (5-4) at #2 Oak Forest (8-1), Sat. 1:00 pm

#10 Mascoutah (6-3) at #7 Bloomington (6-3), Sat. 6:00 pm

#14 Decatur MacArthur (5-4) at #3 Peoria (7-2), Sat. 7:00 pm

#11 Thornton Fractional North (6-3) at #6 Morton (6-3), Sat. 2:00 pm

Class 6A first round matchups

#16 Joliet Catholic (4-5) at #1 Chatham-Glenwood (9-0), Sat. 2:00 pm

#13 South Holland Thornwood (5-4) at #4 Normal West (7-2), Sat. 1:00 pm

 #11 Pekin (5-4) at #6 Dunlap (7-2), Fri. 7:00 pm

Class 7A first round matchups

#19 Normal Community (7-2) at #14 Mundelein Carmel (7-2), Sat. 1:00 pm

Some solid wins and excellent play down the stretch have GCMS believing it can make some noise when the high school football playoffs get underway this weekend.

GCMS Head Coach Chad Augspurger was pleased with his team's poise on the road, particularly in a 55-27 win over Ridgeview-Lexington in week nine.

The Falcons feature a stout run game and a defense that has been tough all season. Coach Augspurger notes it's different guys on both sides of the ball.

Coach Augspurger indicates it took a little bit for his team to get their run game going but he feels they are in a good place getting ready for the playoffs this weekend.

The Falcons will host Ottawa Marquette on Saturday at 1 pm.

Maroa-Forsyth is getting healthy at the right time, and Coach Josh Jostes hopes that, in addition to a healthy dose of adversity, it is going to pay off as the high school football playoffs begin this weekend.

The Trojans were hit with the injury bug this season, and Coach Jostes says that created some tough challenges for his team this fall.

Maroa-Forsyth's offense has been the strength of the team this year. Coach Jostes indicates they returned several members of that unit that went to the State Championship last season. 

Getting ready for postseason play, Coach Jostes says his team is getting healthier, and because they'll be on the road in week one, they will need to tap into their experience.

Coach Jostes hopes his team can rely on their experience from last season as they hit the road on Saturday to take on Chester in the first round of the 2A playoffs. Game time is 1 pm on Saturday. 

The Clinton boys cross country team won Regionals for the second time in as many years, and the girls team also qualified to advance to Saturday's Sectional run.

Coach Rachel Anderson-Lyons told the Hart Media Group the boys' team has been the headliner this year, with a young group of sophomores leading the way.

While the boys have had a lot of success this season, Coach Anderson-Lyons indicates the girls have turned some heads. She says they, too, have a lot of depth.

The runners will now head to Sectionals on Saturday. Coach Anderson-Lyons calls the Sectional loaded, and it will be a tall order for the girls to advance. The Sectional is Saturday in Elmwood. 

Dee-Mack had a couple of very good wins at the back end of its schedule this year and the Indians are hoping that surge will be the catalyst to making some noise when the high school football playoffs begin this weekend.

Dee-Mack football Coach Cody Myers credits his team for a solid win at Ridgeview in a tough environment. Not only did his team win over a state-ranked team, but they had to come back to do it. 

Coach Myers has enjoyed his team this year and feels their strength on the field has been their defense, but off the field, they are learning to just worry about the things they can control and focus on getting better each week.

Staying in the moment in enjoying the process that is the football regular season has been enjoyable for Coach Myers.

Dee-Mack will travel to Chicago Crane for a Saturday afternoon game starting at 4:30 pm. 

After getting off to a 5-0 start and a lot of momentum on their side, Bloomington High School's football squad saw the toughest part of its schedule become a challenge later in the season.

After a week nine win, Coach Niall Mulcahy is hoping that win will be the confidence boost they need to make a run in the Class 5A playoffs when they start this weekend.

For Coach Mulcahy, there's nothing wrong with facing some adversity, and hopes his team is going to be better for it going into the playoffs.

The Purple Raiders host Mascoutah Saturday evening at 6 pm. 

Mt. Zion gets a lot of attention because of an elite playmaker on its offense, but the Braves are out to prove their team is more complete than just one player.

Coach Patrick Etherton led the Braves to an 8-1 campaign this year, it's only loss coming to a tough Rochester team in week 2. The veteran coach says his team has plenty of experience.

While JC Anderson gets a lot of attention for his commitment to Ole Miss next fall, the Braves are more than just their 6-6, 240 elite target.

For Coach Etherton, the run to the State finals last season gave his program a leg up coming into the season with all the extra practices. He feels that has paid off this season.

Mt. Zion hopes to return to the Class 5A state finals this November. The journey begins when the Braves host Waterloo on Friday night at 7 pm. 

Normal West was challenged early on in its season this fall, but after some close games, the Wildcats feel primed for the playoffs when they begin on Saturday.

Coach Nathan Finchum indicates his team went up against four playoff teams in the first five weeks and feels the close games they were able to win are starting to pay off for them.

The Wildcats were carried early by their offense, but Coach Finchum says a trend you like to see is the defense starting to get better with the playoffs on the horizon.

Coach Finchum and the Wildcats have had some tough draws in the first couple of rounds of the 6A playoffs in the last few years. He is hoping his team can draw on those experiences this year.

Normal West will host South Holland-Thornwood on Saturday at 1 pm.

The Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs feel like they have a lot of momentum going into the 5A playoffs this weekend. 

Coach Jon Adkins has a young team this year and indicates that after a slow start, his team had to grow up fast to get to six wins and make the playoffs.

The Bulldogs have ended up being a very balanced offense. Coach Adkins has been pleased with the development of the playmakers in his offense.

According to Coach Adkins, the defensive side of the ball has shown the most growth for his team, and after starting 2-3, he challenged his team to treat every game like a playoff game. He feels they are playing good football going into the first round of the playoffs.

The Bulldogs will host Marion on Saturday at 2 pm. 

Class 1A First Round Matchups

#9 Heyworth (7-2) at #8 Princeville (7-2)
#10 Dee-Mack (6-3) vs. #7 Chicago Crane (7-2)
#11 Ottawa Marquette (6-3) at #6 Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (7-2)
#16 Villa Grove (5-4) at #1 Hardin-Calhoun

Class 2A

#9 Tri-Valley (7-2) vs. #8 Chicago Richards (7-2)
#15 Chicago Marshall (5-4) at #2 El Paso-Gridley (9-0)
Ridgeview-Lexington (7-2) at #7 Newman Central Catholic (7-2)
#9 Maroa-Forsyth (7-2) at #8 Chester (8-1)
#15 Shelbyville (5-4) at #2 Westville (9-0)
#14 Marshall (5-4) at #3 Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond (9-0)
#11 Sullivan (7-2) at #6 Toledo-Cumberland (8-1)

Class 3A

16 Hillsboro (5-4) at #1 Williamsville (9-0)
#13 Mt. Carmel (5-4) at #4 Tolono Unity (8-1)
#12 Paris (6-3) at #5 Monticello (7-2)
#10 Greenville (6-3) at #7 Olympia (6-3)
#14 St. Joseph-Ogden (5-4) at #3 Benton (9-0)

Class 4A

#9 Peoria Notre Dame (7-2) at #8 Marengo (7-2)
#10 Chicago South Shore (7-2) at #7 Metamora (7-2)
#16 Jacksonville (5-4) at #1 Olney Richland County (9-0)
#10 Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (6-3) at #7 Quincy Notre Dame (7-2)
#14 Taylorville (5-4) at #3 Rochester (8-1)
#11 Waterloo (6-3) at #6 Mt. Zion (8-1)

Class 5A

#16 Normal U-High (5-4) at #1 Washington (8-1)
#9 Marion (6-3) at #8 Mahomet-Seymour (6-3)
#12 Springfield (5-4) at #5 Providence Catholic (6-3)
15 Champaign Centennial (5-4) at #2 Oak Forest (8-1)
#10 Mascoutah (6-3) at #7 Bloomington (6-3)
#14 Decatur MacArthur (5-4) at #3 Peoria
#11 Thornton Fractional North (6-3) at #6 Morton (6-3)

Class 6A

#13 South Holland Thornwood (5-4) at #4 Normal West (7-2)
#11 Pekin (5-4) at #6 Dunlap (7-2)

Class 7A

#19 Normal Community (7-2) at #14 Mundelein Carmel (7-2)

In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Monticello's defense pitched a shutout and the Sages overcame a sluggish offensive performance to beat Paxton-Buckley-Loda 14-6 in Illini Prairie Conference high school football action Friday in Monticello.

For a second week in a row, Monticello played spoiler, knocking the Panthers out of postseason contention, sending them to a 4-5 season.

Monticello improved to 7-2 and is in a prime position to host a playoff game next week.

The Sages scored on its first drive of the game, set up by a 24-yard throw from Nolan Buehnerkemper to Will Osborne that put the Sages at the one-yard line. Buehnerkemper scored on a keeper on the next play.

Monticello had the ball inside the red zone twice in the first half and failed to come away with points after a pair of missed field goals and offensive miscues got them behind the chains. 

PBL hurt their chances with penalties as well. They had a 45-yard run in the first half called back because of a holding penalty and were penalized for a total of 65 yards.

The only score of the game for the Panthers was a third-quarter blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown by Mason Vaughn. The two-point conversion failed to make the score 7-6. 

Monticello scored on the next drive when Buehnerkemper hit Zeke Young for a 50-yard score. Young was left wide open at the 10-yard line and finished the play with a strong run to the goal line to put Monticello up 14-6.

The Sages' defense answered the bell all night, allowing under 150 yards of total offense, and sacked Sam Hall twice on the last drive to end the game and PBL's season.

DT Jake Motsegood was the State Bank of Bement, Monticello location player of the game, leading the defensive onslaught. 

Buehnerkemper passed for 202 yards, finishing 19-for-23 with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran for 37 yards on 12 carries with another score.

Young surpassed the 100-yard threshold again, catching 11 more passes and amassing 128 yards. Maddux Utley had 54 yards on 11 carries. 

Monticello awaits its first round playoff opponent to be announced Saturday night.

Hear first-round playoff action next weekend on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

In a game heard on WHOW and all its digital platforms, the Clinton Maroons showed flashes of production on offense, but slid in the second half and fell to the Tremont Turks by a final score of 40-0. 

Clinton allowed two touchdowns in the first quarter, but found themselves in the red zone twice in the second, while the Turks' offense suffered from mistakes. Unfortunately, the end zone hopes were dashed each time by an interception and bad snaps that would put the Maroons behind the sticks. 

The Maroons were led by Senior QB Josh Bass, who threw for 94 yards and rushed for eight yards. Jaeden Bell received for 52 yards, while Zach Potts rushed for 16 yards on seven carries. Luther Fitch posted 27 receiving yards. 

Big plays were the key for the Tremont offense, with four of its six touchdowns being from 30 yards or more. 

The Turks were led by Senior RB Troy Keever, who achieved a hat trick with 113 yards on the ground. Brett Bane II threw for 164 yards and rushed for a five-yard touchdown. Josh Papenhause was the only receiver utilized, being on the other end of all 164 of Bane’s passing yards and two passing touchdowns. 

With the loss, the Maroons finish their season without a win, falling to 0-9. Tremont also misses the playoffs with a final record of 2-7. 

We will pick back up with the Maroons on November 17th, when Clinton’s Lady Maroons play in the Turkey Tussel Basketball Tournament, hosted at Clinton High School. 

Clinton will look to get in the win column for the 2025 high school football season when it travels to Tremont for a Heart of Central Illinois Conference matchup. 

The Maroons will look to bounce back after a 64-0 loss to El Paso-Gridley. Clinton coach Ron Bass says while the Turks enter play 1-7, his team cannot afford to take for granted their last opportunity for a win. 

Clinton will try to stop the Turks' run game and contain their main pass catcher. Bass hopes his defense can take advantage of a relatively simple offensive scheme under a new coach, but notes they could be in trouble if they aren't disciplined.

Clinton has been no stranger to adversity this season, but Coach Bass has been proud of the way his guys have stayed focused and made improvements throughout the year. He is especially excited for the future of his young players and the opportunities that next year holds for them. 

Hear all the action tonight on WHOW and all its digital platforms. Kickoff is at 7 PM. 

Heart of Central Illinois Conference action tonight

Eureka @ Tri-Valley

Shelbyville @ El Paso-Gridley

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley @ Ridgeview-Lexington

Fieldcrest @ Warrensburg-Latham

Heyworth @ Central A & M

LeRoy @ Tuscola

Monticello will look to play spoiler while improving its playoff positioning again tonight when it hosts Paxton-Buckley Loda in an Illini Prairie Conference high school football showdown in Monticello. 

Monticello knocked off Prairie Central last Friday night, 18-14, making the Hawks' path to the playoffs exceedingly difficult. Tonight, the Sages host PBL with a chance to spoil the Panthers' hopes at the playoffs. Coach Cully Welter knows PBL has been preparing for them for several weeks.

Coach Welter anticipates the kitchen sink this week as PBL enters play 4-4 overall - needing a win to qualify for the playoffs.

For Monticello, they cannot get overwhelmed by the chaos that may be coming their way. Coach Welter believes PBL will want to establish the run, but they have to be ready for anything.

The 6-2 Sages will look to improve their playoff seeding with a win tonight. Game time is 7 pm. Hear the action - starting with a 6:45 pregame on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. And be sure to catch highlights of the action after the game at ILSportsWire on all your preferred social media sites. 

Illini Prairie Conference action tonight

Prairie Central @ Bloomington Central Catholic

Illinois Valley Central @ Rantoul

Pontiac @ St. Joseph-Ogden

Big 12 Conference action tonight

Champaign Central @ Peoria Manual

Bloomington @ Champaign Centennial

Peoria Notre Dame @ Danville

Urbana @ Normal West

Normal Community @ Peoria

Central State Eight Conference

Lincoln @ Jacksonville

Springfield Lanphier @ Normal U-High

Decatur MacArthur @ Quincy Notre Dame

Chatham-Glenwood @ Springfield

Rochester @ Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin

Decatur Eisenhower @ Springfield Southeast

Lincoln Prairie Conference action tonight

Nokomis @ Arcola

Sullivan @ Argenta-Oreana

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond @ Villa Grove

Mid Illini Conference action tonight

Limestone @ Canton

unlap @ Metamora

Washington @ Morton

East Peoria @ Pekin

Sangamo Conference action tonight

Riverton @ Athens

Maroa-Forsyth @ New Berlin

Petersburg PORTA @ Pittsfield

Auburn @ Olympia

Pleasant Plains @ Williamsville

Non-Conference action tonight

Dee-Mack @ Benton-Kelly (MO)

Taylorville @ Bethalto Civic Memorial

Mt. Zion @ Breese Mater Dei

Peru St. Bede @ Decatur St. Teresa

Peoria Richwoods @ Mahomet-Seymour

Tolono Unity @ Mt. Vernon 

8-Man Football tonight

Milford @ Decatur Unity Christian

Blue Ridge @ St. Anne

Champaign St. Thomas More @ Meridian

An ad hoc committee is preparing to present a bylaws change to the IHSA this winter that would expand the high school football playoffs in Illinois.

Monticello Athletic Director Dan Sheehan is the President of the Illinois Athletic Directors Association and explains they have an ad hoc committee that is exploring an expansion of the playoffs.

'The drive for five' is the biggest calling card in high school football. At five wins, a team qualifies for the postseason. Sheehan indicates, unlike every other sport within IHSA, not all football teams make the postseason.

According to Sheehan, the restructured playoff would add just one round to the postseason, with the top 16 seeds getting a bye in the first round. Then, instead of having scrimmages for week zero, that would be the beginning of the season.

The playoff expansion would take place next year. Sheehan notes, there are a few other proposals out there for playoff expansion. The proposal has been submitted. After a process of the proposal's review and it makes it through that process, the proposal could be in front of IHSA member schools in December for a vote. 

In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Nolan Buehnerkemper hit Zeke Young from 30 yards out for what proved to be the game-winner, and Monticello knocked off Prairie Central 18-14 in Illini Prairie Conference high school football action from Fairbury Friday night.

Monticello had to score on a fourth and short to get within 14-12 after a back-and-forth spot and measurement. On a third down, the Sages were spotted very close to a first down. The officials congregated to determine the spot, then decided to measure.

Upon the measurement, it was originally ruled a first down, but then a second look determined the ball was barely short of the first down.

On the fourth and short, an end-around-reverse sprung Young free for a 32-yard touchdown. Monticello's attempt to tie the game on the two-point conversion failed.

The Sages then stopped the Hawks on the next possession, setting up Buehnerkemper and Young's connection late on a well-run post route by Young and well well-thrown ball by Buehnerkemper.

Each team scored on its opening possession. Monticello opened the scoring with a 14-play, 80-yard drive - highlighted by a trio of third-down conversions and a fourth-down conversion - capped by Buehnerkemper scoring from two yards on a third-and-goal from the two-yard line. 

The drive lasted 8:02, and the extra point was blocked for a 6-0 lead.

The Hawks answered when Daulton Steidenger hit Collin Kilgus on an 18-yard pass that Monticello lost track of the tailback on a wheel route out of the backfield. 

Each team had its only other possession of the first half stall out, making it 7-6 at the half.

Prairie Central opened the second half by scoring on a four-yard pass by Steidenger to Teegan Knox. 

 The Sages' opening drive was highlighted by Buehnerkemper completing his first five passes. The senior finished 22-of-29 for 245 yards with a touchdown. He also rushed for 8 yards on five carries with a touchdown. 

Young led the Sages with 11 receptions and 107 yards as well as 52 yards rushing and another score. He also helped seal the Sages' victory with a late interception as the Hawks were driving late. Young earned the State Bank of Bement Player of the Game.

Senior Jake Robinson had seven catches for 117 yards.

Will Skala led Prairie Central with 24 carries for 84 yards. Steidenger threw for 114 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. 

Friday's loss puts a dent in the playoff hopes for Prairie Central. The Hawks fall to 4-4 and matchup with undefeated Bloomington Central Catholic awaits next Friday.

Monticello clinches a playoff spot, going to 6-2. They will host Paxton-Buckley-Loda next Friday. Hear Friday's action on 95.9 F WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

In a game heard on WHOW and all its digital platforms, the Clinton Maroons were without key players and were unable to stop the run and fell to the El Paso-Gridley Titans by a final score of 64-0.

The Maroons were led by Senior QB Josh Bass, who threw for 18 yards and rushed for 23 yards. Lucas Baker added 18 receiving yards while Zach Potts contributed 7 rushing yards. 

The Titans lived up to their mascot's name, particularly RB Aaden Adams, who achieved 183 rushing yards on only six carries, the final four of which were touchdowns. QB Owen Adams only completed 33% of his passes, but still threw for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Noah Whitman, Andrik Schippert, Nathaniel Hayes, Cha’von Maxon, and Brayden Hiles all contributed a touchdown as well. 

With the loss, Clinton falls to 0-8 and 0-4 in the Heart of Central Illinois Conference while EPG stays perfect at 8-0 and 5-0 in the Conference. 

Tune in next week when the Maroons travel to Tremont for their final game of the season. Kick off is at 7 PM, and you can hear all the Heart of Central Illinois action on WHOW and all its digital platforms. 

Clinton returns home from a 42-6 loss at Shelbyville to battle El Paso-Gridley in week eight Heart of Central Illinois high school football. 

Last week, Clinton showed a sustained offense that was able to work it's way into the redzone, but Coach Ron Bass says they left too many points on the table and was pleased with the progress in the team's passing game. 

The Maroons will be missing some key pieces of their offense this week against the Titans, including senior Keaton Graves - who will miss the remainder of the season. Coach Bass indicates that they have some positions that do not have a backup. 

El Paso-Gridley comes into this week with a perfect record (7-0) through seven weeks. Coach Bass says his team will face some of the most talented skill players they have seen all season, noting they will have to tackle well to contain the players he calls "home run hitters."

This season, the Maroons have been focusing on self-improvement and avoiding the same mistakes. While the outcomes have not been ideal this season, Coach Bass plans to make a lot of improvements in the off-season and is excited for next year. 

Clinton enters week eight of the high school football season with a record of 0-7 and is 0-3 in the Heart of Central Illinois Conference. EPG is 7-0 and is 4-0 in the Conference. 

Hear the action on WHOW and all its digital platforms. Kick off is at 7 PM. 

Heart of Central Illinois Conference action tonight

Shelbyville @ Tri-Valley

Tremont @ Eureka

Dee-Mack @ Ridgeview-Lexington

Fieldcrest @ Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

Central A & M @ Fisher

Tuscola @ Heyworth

While Monticello has its playoff fate likely locked in, the Sages will be facing two teams fighting for their playoff lives to wrap up the regular season and begin tonight when they travel to Fairbury to take on Prairie Central in Illini Prairie Conference high school football action.

The Sages enter action 5-2 overall, while the Hawks enter week eight at 4-3. Coach Cully Welter says tonight's game will show a lot about his team - as both Prairie Central and next week's opponent, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, have their matchups with the Sages circled as wins to qualify for the playoffs.

Coach Welter indicates Prairie Central has a lot of size, speed, and athleticism. Their offense is going to pose a great challenge for his defense.

Game time tonight is 7 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. Be sure to follow ILSportsWire on all your social media platforms for video highlights of Friday night's matchup as well. 

Illini Prairie Conference action tonight

Tolono Unity @ Illinois Valley Central

Rantoul @ Paxton-Buckley-Loda

Bloomington Central Catholic @ Pontiac

Apollo Conference action tonight 

Mahomet-Seymour @ Charleston

Effingham @ Mattoon

Mt. Zion @ Taylorville

Big 12 Conference action tonight

Peoria @ Bloomington

Normal West @ Champaign Central

Champaign Centennial @ Normal Community

Danville @ Peoria Richwoods

Peoria Manual @ Urbana

Lincoln Prairie Conference action tonight

Argenta-Oreana @ Sangamon Valley

Toledo-Cumberland @ Nokomis

Villa Grove @ Sullivan

Arcola @ Oakland Tri-County

Mid-Illini Conference action tonight

Pekin @ Limestone

Morton @ Dunlap

Metamora @ East Peoria

Canton @ Washington

Sangamo Conference action tonight

Pittsfield @ Auburn

Williamsville @ Maroa-Forsyth

Athens @ New Berlin

Riverton @ Petersburg PORTA

Olympia @ Pleasant Plains

Non-Conference action tonight

Decatur St. Teresa @ Breese Mater Dei

Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin @ Chatham-Glenwood

Springfield Lanphier @ Decatur Eisenhower

Jacksonville @ Decatur MacArthur

Warrensburg-Latham @ Dwight

Peoria Notre Dame @ Peru St. Bede

Springfield @ Rochester

St. Joseph-Ogden @ Seneca

Normal U-High @ Springfield Southeast

Forreston @ LeRoy

Quincy Notre Dame @ Lincoln

8-Man Football action tonight

Meridian @ Blue Ridge

Decatur Unity Christian @ Champaign St. Thomas More

Clinton will enter the final two weeks of the high school football regular season searching to get on the board in the win column and that begins this Friday night against a tough El Paso-Gridley squad in Heart of Central Illinois Conference play.

Following Friday night's 42-6 loss to Shelbyville, Coach Ron Bass says his team simply needs to focus on getting better every play.

Coach Bass notes the margin of error is very small for Clinton because of how young and inexperienced they are. He is emphasizing the little things with his team.

For Coach Bass, there were some positive Friday night - like a sustained run game. But penalties were an issue at times.

The Maroons host El Paso-Gridley in the final home game of the season on Friday night. Hear the action on WHOW and all its digital platforms. Game time is 7 pm.

In a game heard on WEZC, Monticello jumped out to a 14-0 lead over Pontiac Friday night and held on for a 27-6 win over the Indians in Illini Prairie Conference high school football action Friday night.

Despite the win, Coach Cully Welter says his team needs to continue to focus on the details if his team is going to make some noise in the postseason.

After its week 6 upset win over St. Joseph-Ogden, Coach Welter didn't feel like his team had an emotional hangover from that victory. He credits Pontiac for doing some things well they hadn't seen on film.

The Sages (5-2) take on two teams in weeks eight and nine that are fighting for their playoff lives. Coach Welter says Prairie Central this week is going to give them everything they've got to qualify for the postseason.

Monticello travels to Fairbury to take on Prairie Central Friday night. Kickoff is 7 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.

Heart of Central Illinois

Heyworth 12

LeRoy 14

Fisher 0

Tuscola 1

Warrensburg-Latham 13

Deer Creek-Mackinaw 46

Ridgeview-Lexington 43

Fieldcrest 8

Eureka 0

El Paso-Gridley 40

Tri-Valley 21

Tremont 13

Illini Prairie Conference

St. Joseph-Ogden 28

Bloom. Central Cath. 67

Prairie Central 40

Rantoul 6

Paxton-Buckley-Loda 0

Tolono Unity 47

Apollo Conference

Mt Zion 31

Effingham 7

Mahomet-Seymour 42

Mattoon 6

Charleston 14

Taylorville 57

Big 12 Conference

Normal Community 41

Danville 0

Manual 0

Normal West 48

Champaign Central 27

Peoria 64

Bloomington 19

Peoria Notre Dame 53

Central State Eight

Glenwood 56

Lincoln 0

Decatur Eisenhower 12

Normal University 55

MacArthur 14

Rochester 51

Jacksonville 0

Quincy Notre Dame 28

Springfield 33

Sacred Heart-Griffin 56

Lincoln Prairie Conference

Tri-County 9

Argenta-Oreana 49

Nokomis 20

Arthur-Lovington 43

Sangamon Valley 24

Villa Grove 25

Mid Illini

Washington 23

Dunlap 15

Limestone 13

Metamora 49

East Peoria 32

Morton 66

Canton 20

Pekin 30

Sangamo Conference

PORTA 22

Athens 18

Pleasant Plains 27

Pittsfield 14

Auburn 33

Riverton 36

Maroa-Forsyth 36

Olympia 50

New Berlin 7

Williamsville 53

Non-Conference

Central A &M 14

St. Teresa 35

Champaign Centennial 40

Thornridge 17

Manteno 35

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 13

IVC 28

Rock Falls 0

In a game heard on WHOW, Josh Bass and Keaton Graves connected for an explosive 81-yard touchdown in the 4th, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Shelbyville Rams, and the Maroons fell by a final score of 42-6 at Shelbyville on Friday night. 

The Maroons were led by Josh Bass, who put up 148 passing yards, 26 rushing yards, and threw a touchdown. Keaton Graves received that touchdown and ran it in to complete the 81-yard play; he had 181 yards of total offense. Jaxon Reynolds added 31 receiving yards. 

Shelbyville was led by RB Jaden Meister, who ran for 220 yards and scored three touchdowns. Will Glick added two touchdowns and 52 rushing yards. Dax Metzger scored a 39-yard touchdown on his only carry. 

With the loss, Clinton falls to 0-7 while Shelbyville improves to 5-2 and becomes playoff eligible. 

Tune in next week when the Maroons return home to take on El Paso-Gridley at 7 PM. Hear the action on WHOW and all its digital platforms. 
 

In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Monticello scored two early touchdowns and Nolan Buehnerkemper accounted for all four scores, leading Monticello to a 27-6 win over Pontiac in Illini Prairie Conference high school football action on Friday in Monticello.

Buehnerkemper had touchdown runs of 20 yards and two yards in the first quarter to go up 14-0, giving the Sages all the scoring they would need to pull away for the victory.

It looked like Monticello was going to run away with the easy win, but the Sages were going to run away with the victory; however, Monticello could not sustain much offense in the second quarter, and a long drive by Pontiac stalled out inside the ten-yard line, but used up a lot of clock.

The Sages got a touchdown in the third quarter when Buehnerkemper found Heyden Romano in the back of the end zone for a ten-yard touchdown to put Monticello ahead 21-0.

The Indians answered when Alvin Delong scored from eight yards out and kept Pontiac in the game at 21-6. 

Buehnerkemper finished the scoring with a short two-yard run at 6:09 in the third to make it 27-6. 

Delong passed for 173 yards and finished 19-of-27. Pontiac's Jayden Reed had 21 carries for 88 yards, and Brody Carr finished with 12 catches for 80 yards.

Buehnerkemper finished 10-of-15 for 141 yards and had 42 yards on nine carries with four total touchdowns. He earned the State Bank of Bement player of the game for a second straight week. 

Maddox Utley had 12 carries for 85 yards for the Sages. Zeke Young hauled in four catches for 44 yards, while Heyden Roman had two receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown.

Pontiac falls to 2-5 overall. 

Monticello improves to 5-2. The Sages will travel to Fairbury next Friday night to take on Prairie Central in an Illini Prairie Conference tilt. Hear the action starting at 7 pm on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

Clinton will give some young players starting reps as they travel to take on  Shelbyville in Heart of Central Illinois Conference high school football action. 

In a 56-6 loss to Tri-Valley last week, the Maroons snapped a three-game shutout streak when sophomore Marshawn Fitch’s 65-yard rush set up a one-yard touchdown from Cole Thomas. Coach Ron Bass says it was a good opportunity for two key players in the future of his offense. 

With two-thirds of the high school football season behind us, Coach Bass feels that he and his staff are more of teachers than coaches - as young players get set to make a varsity start for the first time this week. 

Shelbyville boasts a prolific passing game, and Coach Bass says this will be a change from the run-heavy teams they've faced this season. This week, his team has been focused on offensive output and execution. 

The Maroons come into week 7 of the season winless at 0-6, while Shelbyville enters at 4-2. 

Hear Friday's action on WHOW and all its digital platforms. Kickoff is at 7 PM. 

Tonight in the Heart of Central Illinois

Heyworth @ LeRoy

Fisher 0Tuscola 1 (Forfeit)

Warrensburg-Latham @ Dee-Mack

Ridgeview-Lexington @ Fieldcrest

Eureka @ El Paso-Gridley

Tri-Valley @ Tremont

Monticello will look to continue its run of good play when it hosts Pontiac tonight in Illini Prairie Conference high school football action.

Monticello pulled off the 28-21 upset win over St. Joseph-Ogden on the road last week, and Coach Cully Welter says his team's performance was very strong, and you can see some of his younger and inexperienced kids starting to understand what they want to do.

Pontiac enters action at 2-4 overall, and Coach Welter notes it is a program going in the right direction. It is a team the Sages cannot take lightly.

After a win, but lackluster performance over Rantoul in Week 3, Coach Welter has been looking for more from his team and feels much better about his team at the two-thirds mark of the season than he did after Week 3.

Game time tonight is 7 pm. Hear all the action - starting with pregame around 6:45 - on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

Illini Prairie Conference action tonight 

St. Joseph-Ogden @ Bloomington Central Catholic

Prairie Central @ Rantoul

Paxton-Buckley-Loda @ Tolono Unity

Apollo Conference action tonight

Mt. Zion @ Effingham

Mahomet-Seymour @ Mattoon

Charleston @ Taylorville

Big 12 Conference action this week

Normal Community @ Danville

Peoria Manual @ Normal West

Champaign Central @ Peoria

Bloomington @ Peoria Notre Dame

Peoria Richwoods @ Urbana 

Central State Eight action tonight

Chatham-Glenwood @ Lincoln

Decatur Eisenhower @ Normal U-High

Decatur MacArthur @ Rochester

Jacksonville @ Quincy Notre Dame

Springfield @ Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin

Springfield Southeast @ Springfield Lanphier

Lincoln Prairie Conference Action tonight

Oakland Tri-County @ Argenta-Oreana

Nokomis @ Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond

Sullivan @ Toledo-Cumberland

Sangamon Valley @ Villa Grove

Mid Illini action tonight

Washington @ Dunlap

Limestone @ Metamora

East Peoria @ Morton

Canton @ Pekin

Sangamo Conference action tonight

Petersburg PORTA @ Athens

Pleasant Plains @ Pittsfield

Auburn @ Riverton

Maroa-Forsyth @ Olympia

New Berlin @ Williamsville

Non-Conference action this week

Central A & M @ Decatur St. Teresa

Champaign Centennial) @ Dolton Thornridge

Manteno @ Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

Illinois Valley Central @ Rock Falls

From one Friday night to the next, it is turning out anyone can be beaten on any given night in the Illini Prairie Conference.

'Surreal' is how Monticello football Coach Cully Welter described his team's 28-21 upset win over St. Joseph-Ogden last Friday night in St. Joseph. His team went into the half trailing 21-7, but felt like they were in a spot where they could still win the game.

A decisive 48-yard run by Maddux Utley put Monticello ahead for good in the fourth quarter. But the sophomore made some tremendous plays on the defensive side of the football and Coach Welter credits his young player's instincts on that side of the ball.

Monticello's front four was tremendous against the high-powered Spartans' passing game, getting pressure in the backfield regularly in the second half. While undersized, Coach Welter called his defensive line relentless.

The Sages racked up over 250 yards on the ground in Friday's win - rushing for four touchdowns - Coach Welter indicates this is the best his team has run the ball in several years. He also made note, he cannot remember the last time his team averaged more rushing yards than passing yards.

The high school golf postseason continues today when high school boys' and girls' teams head to Sectionals.

Clinton and Monticello High School girls will be participating in the 1A Sectional in Champaign at the Savoy Orange and Blue Course. Monticello is the host of this year's Sectional, and Coach Andrew Turner says his team is playing well going into this week's action in Savoy.

The Lady Sages are led by a sophomore this season - who Coach Turner admits has surprised him somewhat. But his team also has some experienced seniors who push each other.

According to Coach Turner, they are the hosts of this Sectional, and one of the reasons they chose to host was even back in the spring, they were confident then they had a team that could make the Sectional and be among the three with a chance to go to State.

On the boys' side, Clinton and Monticello boys will be in the Class 2A Sectional in Jacksonville. Keep it to the Hart Media Group and ILSportsWire for all the highlights and coverage of today's golf action. 

Heart Of Central Illinois

Downs (Tri-Valley) 56

Clinton 6

LeRoy 42

Fisher 14

Alton (Marquette) 0

Heyworth 24

El Paso (Gridley) 38

Tremont 6

Colfax (Ridgeview) 17

Warrensburg (W.-Latham) 0

Gibson City (Melvin-Sibley) 20

Mackinaw (Deer Creek) 14

Illini Prairie Conference

Decatur (St. Teresa) 21

Bloomington (Central Catholic) 61

Monticello 28

St. Joseph (Ogden) 21

Rantoul 22

Pontiac 42

Chillicothe 30

Paxton (Buckley-Loda) 38

Normal (University) 0

Chatham (Glenwood) 42

Apollo

Effingham (H.S.) 7

Mahomet (Seymour) 49

Mattoon 6

Taylorville 50

Charleston 0

Mt. Zion 70

Sangamon

Pittsfield 6

Maroa (M.-Forsyth) 46

Big Twelve

Peoria (H.S.) 80

Peoria (Richwoods) 30

Peoria (Notre Dame) 67

Peoria (Manual) 24

Bloomington (H.S.) 42

Normal (Community) 56

Lincoln Prairie

Sullivan 47

Oakland 6

Arcola 6

Arthur (ALAH) 48

Argenta (A.-Oreana) 10

Villa Grove 14

Toledo (Cumberland) 41

Niantic (Sangamon Valley) 19

In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Maddux Utley scored on a 48-yard touchdown run and capped a big Monticello comeback in a 28-21 win over St. Joseph-Ogden on Homecoming night in Illini Prairie Conference football action Friday night.

Utley's touchdown capped a comeback from an early 14-0 deficit. 

The Spartans had the game's first two scores, on one-yard runs by senior quarterback Kodey McKinney. But Monticello battled back the rest of the way.

With under a minute left, Nolan Buehnerkemper scored the first of his three touchdowns from one yard out to cut the deficit to 14-7. 

The Spartans answered on the next drive when McKinney found Kaden Witeg down the sideline for a 48-yard strike to put St. Joe back up 21-7.

It was all Monticello from there. The only Sages turnover of the game came when Nolan Buehnerkemper had a pass tipped as Monticello was driving down the field in St. Joe territory late in the first half.

However, the Spartans' offense stalled. Monticello got the football to start the second half and had back-to-back scoring drive,s and Buehnerkemper scored from one yard out on each to tie the game at 21-21 - setting up Utley's big run at the 7:24 mark of the fourth quarter. 

Monticello only allowed past midfield once in the second half and Zeke Young intercepted McKinney in the end zone with 1:31 left in the game to help seal the come-from-behind victory for Monticello. 

The Sages eclipsed 250 yards on the ground, led by Buehnerkemper's 115 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns. 

Utley had 99 yards rushing on 12 carries, but a catch for a yard put him at 100 yards of total offense. Young eclipsed 100 yards of total offense with two carries for 33 yards and six receptions for 72 yards. 

Buehnerkemper finished 11-of-20 for 127 yards passing with an interception.

McKinney led the Spartans with 242 yards passing and 70 yards rushing with three total touchdowns - one passing and two rushing. Wetig finished with nine receptions for 135 yards. 

Buehnerkemper's complete game earned him the State Bank of Bement Monticello location Player of the Game.

St. Joseph-Ogden drops to 4-2.

Monticello improves to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Illini Prairie Conference. They will host Pontiac next Friday night. 

A pair of Monticello volleyball seniors reached career milestones Thursday night in the Lady Sages' win over IVC in Illini Prairie Conference volleyball action.

Addison Finet reached 1,000 career assists in the first set of Thursday's match, and just a few plays later, Maddie Melton reached 1,000 career digs. Melton (right with athletic director Dan Sheehan) told the Hart Media Group after the game she has worked to become a more complete player.

Finet (right) echoed Melton's goal to be more consistent. Her all-around performance on Thursday helped the Lady Sages win a thriller over the Lady Grey Ghosts, and she credits the way they all play together.

The Lady Sages picked up their 8th straight win on Thursday, improving to 14-5 overall and 3-0 in the Illini Prairie Conference. 

It's a big week ahead for Monticello, who travels to Tolono Unity on Tuesday and hosts Champaign St. Thomas More on Thursday.

Check out highlights of Thursday's action at ILSportsWire on Instagram and TikTok.

Photos courtesy of Lyman Larson - Lymtime Productions

The Clinton Maroons will look to move on from a 49-0 Loss at Eureka last week as they return home for a Homecoming matchup against Tri-Valley. 

Homecoming can be a distraction for any student-athlete, but Coach Ron Bass feels his guys were locked in during this week of practice. Missing assignments were a downer, particularly in the Maroons' offense against Eureka, and that was a major focus of practice this week. 

The Maroons have a challenge ahead of them in the Vikings. Many may remember Coach Bass was the longtime defensive coordinator for Coach Josh Roop, and his family still has many ties to the community.  

The 0-5 Maroons will look to find their first win this week during Homecoming, while Tri-Valley enters the game at 3-2. Hear all the Homecoming action on WHOW and all its digital platforms. Kickoff is at 7 PM. 

Heart of Central Illinois Conference games tonight:

LeRoy @ Fisher
Tuscola @ Central A & M
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley @ Dee-Mack
Ridgeview-Lexington @ Warrensburg-Latham
Shelbyville @ Eureka
El Paso-Gridley @ Tremont
Alton Marquette @ Heyworth

A tough stretch of the Monticello schedule continues tonight when they travel to St. Joseph to take on St. Joe-Ogden in an Illini Prairie Conference showdown.

Coming off a 41-13 loss to Bloomington Central Catholic on Friday in Monticello, Coach Cully Welter was pleased with his team's effort, but notes there is more that needs to be cleaned up.

Monticello gets set to take on St. Joseph-Ogden, who has real game-breaking ability on the offensive side of the football. Coach Welter indicates the Spartans will do a lot of different things out of various formations.

Game time from St. Joseph-Ogden High School is 7 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

Illini Prairie Conference games tonight

Tolono Unity @ Prairie Central

Illinois Valley Central @ Paxton-Buckley-Loda

Rantoul @ Pontiac

Monticello @ St. Joseph-Ogden

Apollo Conference games tonight

Effingham @ Mahomet-Seymour

Charleston @ Mt. Zion

Mattoon @ Taylorville

Big 12 Conference games tonight

Urbana @ Champaign Centennial

Champaign Central @ Danville

Bloomington @ Normal Community

Peoria Notre Dame @ Peoria Manual

Peoria @ Peoria Richwoods

Central State Eight Conference game tonight

Normal U-High @ Chatham-Glenwood

Rochester @ Decatur Eisenhower

Lincoln @ Decatur MacArthur

Springfield @ Jacksonville

Quincy Notre Dame @ Springfield Lanphier

Springfield Southeast @ Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin

Lincoln Prairie Conference games tonight

Arcola @ Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond

Toledo-Cumberland @ Sangamon Valley

Cerro Gordo @ Nokomis

Sullivan @ Oakland Tri-County

Argenta-Oreana @ Villa Grove

Mid Illini Confernce action tonight

Dunlap @ Canton

Pekin @ Metamora

Limestone @ Morton

East Peoria @ Washington

Sangamo Conference action tonight

Petersburg PORTA @ Auburn

Pittsfield @ Maroa-Forsyth

Olympia @ New Berlin

Riverton @ Pleasant Plains

Athens @ Williamsville

Non-Conference action tonight

Normal West @ Waubonsie Valley

Decatur St. Teresa @ Bloomington Central Catholic

8-Man Football games this week

St. Anne @ Decatur Unity Christian

Blue Ridge @ Champaign St. Thomas More

Meridian @ Milford

Even with a high-profile hiccup, No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini keeps clicking behind an explosive offense entering Saturday afternoon's game against Big Ten Conference rival Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind.

The Fighting Illini (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) are averaging 35.8 points a game, and yes, that includes the 63-10 loss in its conference opener at then-No. 19 Indiana on Sept. 20.

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer rallied to rebound last week, earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors in a 34-32 home win against then-No. 21 Southern California, passing for 328 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for one TD and even catching a scoring pass.

Altmyer's 11 touchdown passes are tied for ninth-best in the country.

While wideout Hank Beatty has been splashy as the nation's only player with passing, rushing, receiving and punt-return TDs, Justin Bowick is tops on the team with four touchdown receptions.

Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney said he thinks the 6-foot-4 Bowick's size will be a concern for Purdue and going forward. A Ball State transfer, Bowick was limited to 20 receptions and three TDs last season due to injury. He began his collegiate career at Eastern Illinois.

Purdue (2-2, 0-1), meanwhile, is coming off a bye week in which it sought to make bygones out of the past two games.

During a 33-17 home loss to Southern Cal on Sept. 13 and a 56-30 defeat at then-No. 24 Notre Dame a week later, the Purdue defense yielded 32 plays of at least 10 yards. That included 11 plays of more than 20 yards.

Game time is 11 am on Saturday.

The start of the Missouri Valley Football Conference slate for Illinois State will be a memorable one, as the No. 6 ranked Redbirds (3-1, 0-0 MVFC) host the defending national champion and No. 1 ranked North Dakota State Bison (4-0, 1-0 MVFC) at Hancock Stadium in a matchup of top FCS programs. 

The game between No. 4 Illinois State and visiting North Alabama had a little bit of everything, including a pair of hour-plus long weather delays, turnovers, missed kicks and missed opportunities by both teams. However, it was the Redbirds who came up big in the second overtime period to come away with a two-point victory over the Lions.

ISU had all the momentum with a 17-0 lead before the first delay, but it switched after the break as UNA cut it to three in the third quarter and then tied the game with 33 seconds left before missing the extra point that sent the game into overtime.

North Dakota State rolled to a 51-13 victory over 17th-ranked South Dakota in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener last weekend to improve to 4-0 on the year and 1-0 in league play.

Both programs appear near the top of the national polls, marking the first time since the 2014 National Championship game where both teams came in ranked in the Top 10.

Game time is 6 pm on Saturday evening. 

Eastern Illinois plays the next two weeks at home, hosting Tennessee State this week before welcoming Gardner-Webb to town next Saturday, Oct. 11, for homecoming. EIU moved to .500 (2-2) on the season and 1-0 in the OVC-Big South as the Panthers went on the road for their first win in Macomb since 1990 with a 31-23 victory at Western Illinois.     

Tennessee State will be going on the road for the first time this season as the Tigers are 1-3 on the year, 0-1 in the OVC-Big South after a conference-opening loss to Tennessee Tech.

Jacarre Fleming was named the STATS Perform FCS National Freshman of the Week on Monday following his performance in the road win at Western Illinois.  Fleming rushed for 111 yards on nine carries (12.3 ypc avg.), including two touchdown runs of 55 and 30 yards.  He finished the game with 177 all-purpose yards with one reception for five yards and three kick returns for 61 yards. 

Game time Saturday from Charleston is 2 pm. Hear all the action - starting with the pregame at 1:30 - on WHOW and all its digital platforms. 

The Clinton Maroons went South to the Moweaqua Golf Course on Wednesday, and Grady Douglas shot a 77, leading the team to a second-place finish in the Meridian Boys Golf Regional, and punched their ticket to the Sectional. 

Coach John Reynolds says while his team could have had a better day at the course, he was pleased with the performance. He notes that the short game will be something to work on before the Sectional on Monday in Jacksonville. 

Mindset is one of the most important parts of golf, and Coach Reynolds says that on competition days, his job is to make sure his golfers are staying cool mentally and physically. He says his guys were relieved after their finish on Wednesday. 

The Maroons will travel to Jacksonville on Monday morning to participate in Sectionals. First Tee-offs will begin around 9 AM. 

Despite a 41-13 loss to Bloomington Central Catholic on Friday night, Monticello football coach Cully Welter felt his team did a lot of positive things.

While he is very optimistic about the things his team is doing, he feels there are still a few little things showing up that they need to fix if they want to take the next step.

Monticello's offense is getting more efficient. The Sages rushed for over 100 yards again Friday night against a stingy Saints defense, but Coach Welter says they aren't quite where they want to be yet.

Coach Welter is optimistic the little things he's noticing can be fixed; however, it is week six, and a tough St. Joseph-Ogden football team awaits this Friday night.

The 3-2 Sages travel to St. Joe-Ogden Friday night. Game time is 7 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.