Senior Jake Pence (left) attacks the paint darting by a Breese Central player during St. Joseph-Ogden's Class 2A state semifinal basketball game on March 11, 2016 in Peoria. Thanks to outscoring the Cougars 33-15 in the second half, the Spartans advanced to Saturday's game on the wings of a 60-48 victory. Playing guard, Pence finished the night with eight points and a rebound for the eventual state champions from downstate Illinois.
After his first loss, Gavel drops the hammer at state
Unity's Ben Gavel celebrates his victory after defeating Winnebago's Carlos Sanchez in the 126-pound third-place medal at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals last February. Gavel, a junior, entered the 2020 state finals with a 50-4 record. After losing his first round match to Ridgeview's Coby Windle, 8-4, he then plowed his way through the consolation bracket rolling off five consecutive pins to take home the bronze medal.
Pulling ahead of CICS/Longwood's Briyanna Desrosiers and Sesser-Valier's Chelsea Miller, St. Joseph-Ogden senior Rachel Ballard appears to have the ability to run through the air on her way to a second place finish in her heat of the Class 1A 100-meter dash at the IHSA State Track & Field Finals on May 17, 2012. Ballard qualified for Saturday's finals with a time of 12.62 and finished that race in fourth place with a time of 12.26.
PONTIAC - People everywhere are conquering their cabin fever and are enjoying the great outdoors after a long, bitter winter. But before you head out for that hike, health care experts remind you to take precautions to avoid tick bites. Read more . . .
CHICAGO - An Illinois law professor is weighing in on what she called a "very public and open test of due process" for immigrants being deported from the United States without court hearings. Read more . . .
CHAMPAIGN - In a show of solidarity against President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies, which critics say are harming families and retirement savings, more than a thousand protesters gathered Saturday at West Park near downtown Champaign for the Hands-Off! Mobilization rally. Read more . . .
Photo Galleries
A couple of runners found themselves in the wrong race at this year's Illinois Marathon. Over 60 photos from the race that you should see.