Area volleyball scores & highlights for September 15



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Area volleyball scores

• Urbana 2, Centennial 0
25-12, 25-11

Janasia Dillon led the Tigers with four kills to even out Urbana's record to 4-4. Senior Sophia Sheyko-Frailey, who pounded four aces, matched Omega Lugano on offense with three kills. Lugano also contributed four of Urbana's 21 digs.

"Aidyn Leming had a strong presence in the back row with a total of 9 digs," head coach Sarah Fisher said after the Big Twelve conference road win. "The team had 10 aces throughout the two matches and 13 kills, holding a great offensive line."


• St. Joseph-Ogden 2, St. Teresa 1
25-27, 25-13, 25-21

Behind the big swings of Vivian Smith, who finished with a team-high nine kills, the Spartans survived a three-setter. Addi Stevens and Emerson Williams added seven kills each to help SJO improve to 10-4. SJO's offensive success was powered by passes from Alivia Learnerd and Megan Kearney, who delivered 15 and 12, respectively.

Tenacious defenders Ava Alexander and Hadley McDonald kept the ball in play with 18 digs each. Reagan Wheatley blocked two shots, and Lyla Pattono recorded the team's other stuff.

St. Teresa was paced offensively by senior Avery Harrison with six kills. Gianna Schook distributed 18 passes for the Lady Bulldogs.


• Champaign Central 2, Richwoods 0
25-8, 25-20

• Maroa-Forsyth 2, Unity 0
25-17, 25-19

The Rockets allowed 19 kills in the non-conference away match while the Trojans' defense thwarted 32 of their kill attempts. Maroa-Forsyth's Sydney Pottala led the team's effort with 13 and Jacy Ravenscraft chipped in six more. While Unity drops to a 6-8 record, the Trojans move closer to .500 with six wins against ten losses. • Mahomet-Seymour 2, Taylorville 0
25-15, 25-17

• Armstrong 2, Deland-Weldon 0
25-15, 25-18


Other scores from around the state

• Cerro Gordo 2, Arcola 0
25-10, 25-15

Offensively, the Purple Riders mustered just four kills across two sets. Arcola sophomore Reese Miller led the team defensively with five digs. Addyson Williams kept three more balls in play. Teammates T Thomas and A Kutz recorded one block each.


• Prairie Central 2, Olympia 0
25-20, 25-15

Miranda Hari collected 13 service points and delivered three aces in the Hawks (9-7) non-conference win. Senior outside hitter Kinley Elliott finished the two-setter with seven kills. Lexi Donovan was credited with 15 kill assists and Charlee Popejoy delivered 11 digs.

Hannah Sedam and Lexi Donovan recorded a solo block and one assist a piece.

Olympia's Grace Small hammered eight kills for the Spartans, who drop to a 8-7 record. Myra Books was responsible for 15 of the team's 38 digs.


• Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin 2, Schlarman 0
25-8, 25-20

• Breese Central 2, Freeburg 1
25-15, 21-25, 25-22

• Brooks 2, Hubbard 0
25-20, 25-14

• Huntley 2, Burlington Central 1
19-25, 25-14, 25-13

• Iroquois West 2, Chrisman 1
14-25, 25-15, 25-21

• Cissna Park 2, Georgetown-Ridge Farm 0

• Salt Fork 2, Hoopeston Area 0
25-14, 25-6

• Kewanee 2, Mendota 0
25-16, 25-16

• Macomb 2, Farmington 0
25-19, 25-16

• Paxton-Buckley-Loda 2, Tuscola 0
25-22, 25-16

• Williamsville 2, Mt. Pulaski 0
25-19, 25-10

• Beecher 2, Momence 0
25-9, 25-22

Hey, volleyball coaches ~

Keep your fans and community informed. Send The Sentinel your match scores and player stats to sports@oursentinel.com to be included in our volleyball scoreboard and recaps.




Lee finds success at conference wrestling meet


St. Joseph-Ogden's Levi Lee wrestles Prairie Central's Treyton Zimmerman in a 106-pound match on Friday at the Illini Prairie Conference wrestling championships at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. Lee, who won the bout by technical fall 16-0, finished the two-day tournament with five wins, three by forfeit, and one loss. Here are photos from the freshman's opening match.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

More photos -

TAGS: SJO's Levi Lee, Prairie Central's Treyton Zimmerman, Illini Prairie Conference, IPC Wrestling, 106-pound weight class, Varsity Pass gallery

Backtrack |
Prairie Central battles but falls short to Lexington in tight home matchup



Highlights, Heartbreaks, and Hustle:
Back at the end of August, Prairie Central dropped a hard-fought match to Lexington but showed promise across all levels. The JV team earned a solid 2-0 victory to highlight the night.


FAIRBURY – A long rally here, a dig there, and a crowd that kept holding its breath — Prairie Central’s matchup with Lexington on Sept. 2 had all the energy of midseason volleyball, even if it ended in disappointment for the home team.

The Sentinel's Illini Prairie Conference sports coverage The Lady Hawks dropped a tight 2-0 decision to the visiting Minutemen, falling 25-19 in the opener and 27-25 in a second-set nail-biter that could’ve gone either way. For head coach Kirsten Smith’s squad, it was one of those early-season games that reveal a team’s character as much as its record.

“We came out a little slow tonight but we were able to get some energy as we went on,” Smith said. “The second set was exciting but Lexington got us on a five-point run that swayed the momentum in the opposite direction. Lexington played solid defense and played scrappy when it mattered, keeping our hitters from getting the kills we wanted.”

Prairie Central had its share of bright spots in the loss. Charlee Popejoy led all servers with six service points and two aces, while Kinley Elliott paced the attack with seven kills. Setter Kyah Creek distributed the ball efficiently, finishing with 17 assists, and sophomore libero Paige Young showed her defensive chops by collecting 18 digs. The front line saw contributions from Mia Elliott, who recorded two assisted blocks to slow Lexington’s momentum when the Hawks needed it most.

The loss comes on the heels of a two-set defeat to Illini Prairie Conference rival Pontiac (25-23, 25-18), but it follows a solid showing in the early-season tournament, where Prairie Central swept both Dwight and Tri-Point in straight sets. Those results, paired with Smith’s steady focus on growth and chemistry, suggest a squad capable of tightening up as the season wears on.

“We’re proud of our JV team as they really came alive against Lexington today,” Smith said, noting that the younger groups continue to make big strides. The JV earned a solid 2-0 victory (25-20, 25-16), while the freshman team battled through three sets before falling 25-15, 15-25, 15-6.



Link to more Sentinel articles
Backtrack: Highlights, Heartbreaks, and Hustle is the Sentinel's retrospective look back, highlighting games and athletic performances that might have been lost or overlooked in the regular season chaos.

TAGS: Prairie Central Lady Hawks volleyball, Lexington Minutemen volleyball, Illinois high school volleyball recap, Fairbury sports news, Prairie Central vs Lexington 2025


Lydia Kilgus leads Prairie Central to convincing victory over Heyworth



Prairie Central dominated Heyworth in straight sets, winning 25-7, 25-23 to close their early-season schedule.


FAIRBURY - The Prairie Central volleyball team made a powerful statement in their final non-conference matchup of the season, sweeping Heyworth in straight sets, 25-7, 25-23. The victory on September 29 brings the Hawks' overall record to 12-9 as they head into the heart of their conference schedule.

The Sentinel's Illini Prairie Conference sports coverage Serving was a key factor in the Hawks' success, with Lydia Kilgus delivering 8 service points and Charlee Popejoy adding 7 service points and an ace. On offense, Miranda Hari led the attack with 10 kills, while Kyah Creek orchestrated the plays with 15 assists.

"The girls came out and wanted the win tonight in their homecoming week," said head coach Kirsten Smith. "It was great to see them really come out strong and together, especially that first set."

The defensive effort was anchored by Paige Young, who tallied 17 digs. Prairie Central now turns its attention to a busy week of conference play.

The Hawks will travel tonight to face Rantoul (10-8 overall, 0-2 conference) before returning home on Thursday to host St. Joseph-Ogden (7-11 overall, 1-1 conference).


Prairie Central volleyball 2025, high school sports Fairbury, IHSA volleyball scores, Lydia Kilgus performance, Heyworth volleyball match recap


Prairie Central rallies past Herscher in three-set battle



Hawks flipped last year’s script, beating Herscher 2-1 behind balanced play and tough serving


FAIRBURY - What a difference a year makes. In the 2024 season opener, Herscher handed Prairie Central its third straight loss. This time, the Hawks flipped the script, pulling out a three-set victory Thursday night over the visiting Tigers to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Prairie Central dropped the opening set 23-25, but showed composure under pressure to even the match with a 25-23 win in the second. The Hawks then dominated the deciding set, cruising to a 25-9 finish.

"There was a very long delay tonight and the girls did a great job of pushing through it and finishing out the set for the match win," said head coach Kirsten Smith. "It was definitely a late home match but it was worth it in the end. I am so proud of these girls."

Balance proved to be the difference. Outside hitter Miranda Hari turned in a standout all-around performance with 12 kills, 12 digs, nine service points and three aces. Setter Kyah Creek directed the offense with 22 assists and added seven kills. At the net, Mia Elliott contributed three assisted blocks while scoring 12 service points and four aces. Defensively, libero Paige Young anchored the back row with 18 digs as the Hawks’ coverage frustrated Herscher in the final two sets.

"The girls played as a unit so well tonight and definitely gave their solid effort," Smith added. "Our setter, Kyah Creek, did a great job at seeing both sides of the court and knowing when to tip."

The Hawks are off to a stronger start than last year, when they finished 15-22 and seventh in the Illini Prairie Conference. They will next test their progress at the Livingston County Tournament on Saturday.

Earlier, Prairie Central's sophomore squad lost in straight sets 25-15, 25-20. The freshman squad also took down their opponents after third-set rally, winning 25-22, 24-26, 16-14.


Prairie Central volleyball win, Herscher vs Prairie Central 2025, Livingston County Tournament preview, Illini Prairie Conference volleyball, Miranda Hari performance


Photo Gallery: SJO volleyball overpowers visiting Hawks


Addie Roesch and Ashley Eldridge enjoy a light moment
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Addie Roesch and Ashley Eldridge enjoy a light moment during the team's home match against Prairie Central. After their road loss to Tri-Valley, St. Joseph-Ogden extended their win streak to three matches with the 2-0 conference win over the Hawks.

Kerigan Fehr
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

The ball flies toward the back wall after Prairie Central's Kerigan Fehr tried to pass a St. Joseph-Ogden serve during the first set.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Addie Roesch tips the ball over the net while playing on the front row during the first set for the Spartans.

Hannah Fox celebrates
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hannah Fox and the Spartan bench celebrate a point for SJO on ten-point scoring run during the first set.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan junior varsity players dance to YMCA during a timeout during set one of the varsity game. St. Joseph-0gden picked up another conference win after defeating visiting Prairie Central in straight sets, 25-15, 25-4.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden outside hitter Kennedi Burnett hammers the ball for a kill against Prairie Central. The senior finished the varsity match with two aces, four kills, and 16 digs.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Prairie Central's Gracie Edelman passes the ball during the second set while SJO's Rachel Divan and Kennedi Burnett prepare in the background to counter the Hawks' attack.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Called up to fill the junior varsity roster, Spartan freshman Reese Wheatley tries to block a tip by Hawks' Callie Eisenmann.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

With Hawks' Adeline Kilgus opposing her, Spartan hitter Josey Frerichs pounds the ball over the net during the second set of the JV match. SJO earned the match victory, 2-0.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Addison Ross attempts to block the ball during SJO's junior varsity match.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Before the varsity contest, Peyton Williams puts the ball down on a big swing around Gyllian Davies during second set action in St. Joseph-Ogden's JV match.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans Madison Atwood and Taylor Wells attempt to block a hit from Prairie Central outside hitter Alyssa Stein.

Alexandria Hari
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hawks' Alexandria Hari sets the ball during set of the match against SJO.

Looking for photos of a specific player from either team or from this season? Email us at photos@oursentinel.com with the athlete's name and jersey number for details.


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