Seven area players earn basketball all-conference recognition

Tanner Siems - IPC First Team
URBANA - The Illini Prairie Conference presented its boys' basketball all-conference team this week. Teams members are selected by coaches from each of the member teams. St. Joseph-Ogden center Tanner Siems and Coleton Langendorf from the conference champion Unity Rockets received votes to earn First-Team status.

See the complete list below of this year's all-conference players.


Illini Prairie Conference Final Standings

 1. Tolono Unity 8-1 / Overall: 23-9
 2. Bloomington Central Catholic 8-1 / Overall: 22-12
 3. St. Joseph-Ogden 7-2 / Overall: 21-9
 4. Monticello 5-4 / Overall: 18-14
 5. Pontiac 5-4 / Overall: 11-18
 6. Illinois Valley Central 4-5 / Overall: 13-19
 7. Rantoul 4-5 / Overall: 13-19
 8. Paxton-Buckley-Loda 3-6 / Overall: 14-15
 9. Prairie Central 1-8 / Overall: 8-24
10. St. Thomas More 0-9 / Overall: 11-20

First Team
Kayshaun Manney, Central Catholic, So
Ike Young, Monticello, Sr
DJ Davis, Rantoul, Sr
Tanner Siems, St. Joseph Ogden, Sr
Coleton Langendorf, Unity, Jr
Tyler Cole, PBL, Jr

Second Team
Trey Eller, Central Catholic, Sr
Coy Taylor, St. Joseph Ogden, Sr
Brady Ward, IVC, Jr
Cayden Masching, Pontiac, Jr
Dane Eisenmenger, Unity, Jr
Brayden Henry, Unity, Jr

Honorable Mention
Will Vogel, Central Catholic, Sr
Cole Yates, IVC, Sr
Simon Zimmerman, Prairie Central, Sr
Jayden Rice, Rantoul, Sr
Parker Fitch, St. Joseph Ogden, Jr
Owen Yeager, St. Thomas More, Jr
Johnson, Pontiac, Sr


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Prairieview-Ogden third-quarter Honor Roll

pvo logo
ROYAL - This week, Prairieview-Ogden Junior High School announced the list of students who achieved honor roll status for their academic performance during the third quarter of the 2024-25 academic year. Congratulations to all the students below who earned the requisite grade point to qualify for recognition.


Highest Honors
(GPA greater than or equal to 3.7)
Sydney Abernathy
Reagan Blakey
Allie Bott
Chloe Bressner
Ava Buhr
Max Buhr
Kolbie Busboom
Gatlin Finfrock
Dean Franzen
Ella Gerdes
Emma Hammond
Eli Hendry
Quinn Heuer
Elijah Kelly
Blake Lackey
Blair Mathis
Waylon McKinney
Ella Mohr
Imogen Osterbur
Noah Rademacher
Alea Rash
Easton Ray
Lauren Risley
Caylah Roberts
Lilly Sarver
Ryan Schmitz
Charlie Sjuts
Waylon Vaughn
Ben Waters
Makala Wisehart

High Honors
(GPA between 3.4 and 3.7)
Madison Alsip
Emma Hale
Kelsie Harms
James Ketchum
Maddie Larson
Devin Loschen
Allie Marschke
Lincoln Meier
Owen Olson
Brylee Ramm
Ben Taulbee
Kavin Vanetta
Honor Roll
(GPA between 3.1 and 3.4)
Maxine Armstrong
Calvin Clem
Kaden Flesner
Torin Huckstep
Ben Loschen
Oxley Mohr
Dylan Rineberg
Lyli Vilven
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Redbird girls basketball team win program's first trophy at state, Alton defense suffocates Loyola in third-place game

Talia Norman holds up the team's third-place state trophy
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

A-Town's Talia Norman holds up the team's third-place state trophy after defeating Loyola Academy, 54-44. The Alton Redbirds celebrated taking home the program's first state trophy last week.
NORMAL - The Alton girls' basketball team etched its name in school history by defeating defending champions Loyola Academy 54-44 in the Class 4A third-place game at the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals. Led by seniors Kiyoko Proctor, Jarius Powers, and Talia Norman, the Redbirds secured their first state trophy on Saturday, March 8, on the ISU Redbirds' home court.

"We've been chasing this moment for a long time," said Alton head coach Deserea Howard, surrounded by her team during the postgame conference. "Our biggest battle initially was just getting in the gym. This morning, we decided we would end on a win, and that's exactly what we did."

Howard emphasized that this season's team had prepared by adapting to various styles of play, stating, "You never know what to expect in a state championship (game)."

Since 2019, Alton's girls' basketball program has transformed from a four-win season to consistently achieving 30-plus wins the past three season under Howard. Despite being located in southern Illinois among a handful of Class 4A schools, Howard has molded the Redbirds into a formidable force.

Alton vs Loyola Photo Gallery

Reflecting on their journey, Howard noted the team's determination to finish on a high note after a hard-fought 61-65 loss to Kenwood in the semifinals.

"Yesterday, we discussed the pace and physicality of the game, which is our style. We knew it would be tough, but today we came out and played Alton basketball," Howard said.

Loyola struggled from the start against Alton's speed and size, managing just four points in the first quarter while shooting a dismal 14% from the field. Despite a fourth-quarter resurgence led by Emily Naraky, whose scoring sparked a shooting percentage increase to 63%, it wasn't enough to overturn Alton's strategic lead.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Loyola's Ellie Thompson pleads with an official to reverse a call during second half action against Alton in the Class 3A third-place game.

The moment was not lost on Howard and team members.

"It means a lot because I know how hard we've worked all these years," said Powers, who led the game with 16 points, eight rebounds, and two steals. "We definitely deserve this. I'm proud of how we executed."

Joining Powers in double figures were Proctor with 11 points, and Ja'Kayla Steen and Norman each contributing 10 points. Alton wrapped up the season with an impressive 34-3 record. For Loyola (34-4), seniors Aubrey Galvan and junior Marycait Mackie both scored 11 points, with Naraky adding 10 in their final game of the season.


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Illini Prairie announces girls' all-conference basketball team

SJO's Addison Brooks
SJO's Addison Brooks earned a spot on the IPC Second Team her junior year.
URBANA - The Illini Prairie Conference presented its girls' basketball all-conference team this week. Teams members are selected by coaches from each of the ten teams. This year's IPC First Team is comprised of two outstanding freshman players. Two players from Central Catholic and two from IVC were named to the top team this season.

Bloomington Central Catholic won the league title, finishing with a perfect 9-0 record.

See the complete list below of this year's all-conference players.


Illini Prairie Conference Final Standings

1.  Bloomington Central Catholic 9-0 / Overall: 24-9
2.  Illinois Valley Central 8-1 / Overall: 20-11
3.  Pontiac 6-3 / Overall: 15-17
4.  Monticello 6-3 / Overall: 20-11
5.  St. Joseph-Ogden 5-4 / Overall: 12-17
6.  Tolono Unity 5-4 / Overall: 14-17
7.  Prairie Central 3-6 / Overall: 12-21
8.  Paxton-Buckley-Loda 2-7 / Overall: 4-27
9.  Rantoul 1-8 / Overall: 4-26
10. St. Thomas More 0-9 / Overall: 5-24


First Team
Karissa Cook, Central Catholic, 9
Emme Hurie, Central Catholic, 11
Anna Foster, IVC, 10
Alayah Nelton, IVC, 9
Megan Allen, Monticello, 12
Trinity Miller, Pontiac, 11


Second Team
Logan Shanks, Central Catholic, 12
Kayt Miller, IVC, 10
Tanner Graham, PBL, 12
Jayla Hammond, Prairie Central, 10
Addie Brooks, SJO, 11
Emily Decker, Unity, 12


Honorable Mention

Kate Stolfa, Central Catholic, 10
Meg Uhren, Central Catholic, 12
Sarah Cresap, Monticello, 10
Ali Weidner, Monticello, 10
Grace Lanning, Pontiac, 11
Araceli Serna, Pontiac, 9
Josie Roseman, Rantoul, 11
Sara Kearney, SJO, 12
Ashley Wells, STM, 12
Claire Meharry, Unity, 11


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Sweet revenge; Nashville crushes Peoria Notre Dame to win girls' 2A basketball title

NORMAL - Last March, in a heartbreaking buzzer-beater, Emy Wardle of Peoria Notre Dame scored a layup with one second left to clinch the Class 2A title, 48-46.

The sting of defeat lingered throughout the season until Saturday night at CEFCU Arena, where The Hornettes exacted revenge in a state title rematch against Peoria Notre Dame. This time, Nashville left no doubt about the superior team, handing the Irish a decisive 55-29 loss.

Nashville basketball player Avery Reeder
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Nashville's Avery Reeder, is all smiles while carrying the team's newest piece of state hardware. Saturday's trophy is the second one for Hornette program, who won their first state title in 2013.

Only two other teams held PND to fewer than 30 points all season: Alton, who secured a 41-27 victory in the state Class 4A third-place game on Friday, and Missouri's Incarnate Word Academy, who limited the Irish to their lowest output of the season at 26 points, scoring 69 themselves.

After a competitive first quarter, PND struggled over the next three, managing just 18 points total. Nashville surged with an impressive 18-point fourth quarter, sealing the championship and heading home with the hardware south of Interstate 70.

The victory was especially poignant for Nashville's lone senior, Avery Reeder.

"It means so much to me. It's everything I've ever wanted," Reeder said. "Honestly, I always wanted to end my last game with a win. On Thursday, I said I wanted to dominate them, and that's exactly what we did."

Emma Behrmann led Nashville's offense with 14 points, supported by the Brinkman twins, Summer and Samantha, who contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively. Summer also shone defensively with seven rebounds and five steals, while Samantha grabbed six boards and three steals.

Julia Mingus led Notre Dame with 11 points, while Lexi Baer and Cora Heinz added six points each.

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