Photo Gallery | Photos from Urbana's 40-24 win over Danville

Urbana's Jasmine McCullough dribbles the ball around Danville Diamond Landfair in the first half. Three-for-four from the free throw line, McCullough finished the game with seven points to help the Tigers log their first home win since February 8, 2020. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Aziyaha Davis dribbles around senior Diamond Landfair during first half action of their Big 12 Conference game on December 8, 2022. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Tigers' Jasmine McCullough plays defense on Vikings' Jyah Parker. Urbana held Parker scoreless the entire game. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Urbana's Gabreille Mboyo-Meta fights to keep the ball away from Danville's Ajia Johnson in the second quarter. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

McKenzie Sprague is fouled going up for a shot between Danville's Diamond Landfair and Dajahnae Taylor. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Gabreille Mboyo-Meta goes up for a shot around Danville's Laila Johnson. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Urbana's McKenzie Sprague fires a jumper from the corner during the second half. The senior chipped in two points and four rebounds for the Tigers. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

McKenzie Sprague slides across the floor while try to get the ball away from Danville's Ajia Johnson. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Tiger freshman Elizabeth Lange reaches for a loose ball. Lange chipped in 2 points and collected one board for Urbana. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Urbana's Gabreille Mboyo-Meta goes for a second-half shot. Meta-Mboyo shared team-high scoring with eight points, three steals, and one rebound. The senior leads the team in steals (3.3), assists (7), and scoring (9.8) per game. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Freshman Mia Schroeder sees minutes in the Tigers' first home win in nearly three years. She collected five points and tallied a pair of rebounds in the rout. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Urbana fans cheer for their team in the fourth quarter. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Urbana's Aziyaha Davis is fouled as she goes up for a shot in the second half of the game by Danville's Diamond Landfair. Davis contributed eight rebounds and three steals with her three field goals in the Tigers' home win. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Tigers' Destiny Barber shares a funny story with teammates as the game clock with Danville passes the one minute to play mark. The senior forward finished the game with eight points, three steals, and five boards. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

at

Prep Sports Notebook | Urbana drops home opener

URBANA - The Urbana girls' basketball team opened their 2023-24 campaign with a loss at home on Tuesday. While playing a defensively solid game, the Tigers' offensive effort fell short in the 35-14 loss.

Aziyaha Davis led UHS' scoring effort with six points, four produced in the final quarter of the game. Zion Reid and Janae Hall came off the bench to hit a field goal and sink one free throw to finish with three points apiece.

The Tiger varsity squad is back in action tonight, hosting McArthur at 7pm.

Aziyaha Davis dribbles around senior Diamond Landfair during first half action of their Big 12 Conference game on December 8, 2022. The senior started the season as the Tigers' leading scorer. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Rockets open season with win over PBL
Back again at the Lady Falcon/Bunnie Tip Off, the Unity girls' basketball team notched tipped off the season with a 51-27 win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda.

Raegen Stringer led the Rockets with 18 points and six steals. Addison Ray contributed another 13 points in the rout. Ray and Meredith Reed had six rebounds apiece in Unity's total haul of 32.

UHS was up 24-9 at the half and kept the foot of the gas, adding another 27 points in the second half.

Two area players earn All-State recognition
Brock Suding after the Unity's homecoming game against Rantoul in 2022.
St. Joseph-Ogden's Logan Smith and Unity's Brock Suding were named All-State players by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association earlier this week.

Suding, a 6-foot, 195-pound linebacker was key in Rockets' postseason run. Averaging 13 tackles per game, he led Unity to 9-3 and was the anchor on a defense that allowed opponents just 259 points in 12 games. The senior also saw playing time as a running back, carrying the ball 13 times for 72 yards.

Smith, the Illini Praire Conference's most explosive signal caller, threw the ball 269 time for 2,686 yards, topping his 2022-23 stat of 2,582 yards. In addition to the two-year starter's 5,268 total passing yards, he also amassed 796 rushing yards in his 22 varsity appearances. The senior ran in 20 touchdowns and passed for 29 this season.

Attention Coaches: Help us keep area fans informed! Email us your team's game and match results for the Prep Sports Notebook. Please send us a clear photo of the scorebook and other stats or information to us at sports@oursentinel.com.

Sign up for the Sentinel
at

Barber and Mboyo-Meta lead Tigers in conference win over visiting Danville

URBANA - It took 34 months, to the day, for the Urbana girls' basketball program to finally post a win on their home court at Oscar Adams Gym. A week ago Thursday, after holding visiting Danville to just eight first-half points, the Tigers (2-4) posted a 40-24 win over the Vikings.


Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Destiny Barber goes up for one of three first-quarter scores during Urbana's home game against Danville on December 8. Barber finished with eight points in the Tiger's first home win since 2020.

The last time the girls' program celebrated a victory on their hardwood dates back to a 64-47 win over visiting Bloomington High School when most of the squad were playing freshman ball back on February 8, 2020.

"It's been almost two and half years since we had a home win. They earned this one," Head coach Bobby Boykin said after the game. Despite their current record, he is pleased with the strides his team is making this season. "They have really grown and are starting to come together."

The Tigers return eight players who saw significant playing time from the previous season. Many of last season's familiar faces contributed to last week's win.

Destiny Barber and Gabreille Mboyo-Meta led the Urbana offensive effort with a game-high eight points a piece. Junior guard Aziyaha Davis finished with seven points, and Jasmine McCullough rounded out the top four scorers for the Tigers with six points.

Barber, a senior, scored six of her eight points in the first quarter with assists from Davis, who forced turnovers to create an abundance of scoring opportunites for UHS in the first half. With the help Mboyo-Meta and McCollough, the Tigers put up an 11-point lead on scoreboard.

Urbana continued to stretch the gap on the scoreboard all the way to the end of the third quarter boasting a 22-point advantage.

"Danville is definitely a hardworking team," Boykin said, acknowledging Danville's attempt to dig themselves out of an impossible situation. "We tried our best to be the same tonight."

Layla Johnson paced the Vikings with seven points.

Box Score

Urbana 40 - Danville 25

  1 2 3 4 F
Urbana 14 6 14 6 40
Danville 3 5 4 13 25

Urbana --
Barber 4(0)-2-0--8, Davis 3(0)-3-1--7, Mboyo-Meta 2(1)-4-1--8, Schroeder 1(1)-0-0--5, McCullough 2(0)-4-2--6, Sprague 1(0)-3-0--2, Hall 1(0)-0-0--2, Blanden 0(0)-2-0--0, Lange 1(0)-0-0--2, Hall 0(0)-2-0--0.

Danville --
Johnson 3(0)-2-1--7, Blandeo 0(0)-0-0--0, Rudy 0(0)-6-1--1, Berryhill 2(0)-4-2--6, Longfair 1(0)-0-0--2, Walls 1(0)-3-1--3, McFarland 0(0)-0-0--0, Brown 0(0)-0-0--0, Parker 0(0)-0-0--0, Johnson 0(0)-0-0--0, Taylor 1(0)-0-0--2, Foley 2(0)-0-0--4, Winston 0(0)-0-0--0.

at

In The Know | Headlines you might have missed

Photo Gallery |
Urbana picks up home win over Danville
McKenzie Sprague is fouled

URBANA - McKenzie Sprague is fouled going up for a shot between Danville's Diamond Landfair and Dajahnae Taylor. See 13 more photos and a recap of the Tiger's first home win since 2020. Destiny Barber and Gabreille Mboyo-Meta led the Urbana offensive effort with a game-high eight points a piece. Junior guard Aziyaha Davis finished with seven points, and Jasmine McCullough rounded out the top four scorers for the Tigers with six points.

Check out the gallery »
New RF technology can make you look years younger in as little as 10 weeks
NewsUSA - With the holiday season upon us, and the return to attending in-person events, everyone wants to look their best. But many people who might consider a skin-tightening treatment shy away from needles, and have concerns about fillers and chemicals.
Read more »
Taking care of yourself during the holidays, steps you can take
Holiday cookies StatePoint Media - With seasonal stressors like end-of-year work deadlines, gift shopping and hosting potentially weighing on you, plus all those extra sweets and indulgent foods to nibble on, the holiday season may be the happiest time of year, but it’s not always the healthiest. Here’s how to take better care of yourself to feel your best this holiday season.
Read more »
Photo of the Day | December 24, 2022
Garrett Siems leaps above a Rantoul defender RANTOUL - St. Joseph-Ogden's Garrett Siems leaps above a Rantoul defender to shield ...
See the photo »
Denied a home loan? Steps you can take to avoid it
StatePoint Media - You have researched the best areas to live within your budget. Spent countless hours visiting homes or viewing them online and talked to seasoned homeowners to ensure you haven't missed anything. You finally make an offer on your dream home that is accepted, and then the worst happens, the bank won't okay your loan.
Read more »
Recipe |
Jalapeno Sweetpotato Chowder

Family Features - Colder, shorter days call for a little comfort. Cozying up with a hearty meal on brisk winter evenings can help fight off the chill while savoring favorite flavors alongside the ones you love.

Avoid venturing into the cold for a trip to the store by turning to a pantry staple like sweetpotatoes. As one of the most versatile veggies, they’re easy to add to a variety of recipes while enhancing both flavor and nutrition.

Read more »
Eye on the prize
RANTOUL - Urbana middle blocker Sammi Christman passes the ball to the front in our December 26 Photo of the Day.
Read more »
The person who investigates suspicious deaths in your town may not even be a doctor
When a group of physicians gathered in Washington state for an annual meeting, one made a startling revelation: If you ever want to know when, how — and where — to kill someone, I can tell you, and you'll get away with it. No problem.

That's because the expertise and availability of coroners, who determine cause of death in criminal and unexplained cases, vary widely across Washington, as they do in many other parts of the country.

"A coroner doesn't have to ever have taken a science class in their life," said Nancy Belcher, chief executive officer of the King County Medical Society, the group that met that day.

Read more »
5 tips to shed those extra holiday pounds
According to a recent poll of 2,000 U.S. adults aged 30 and above commissioned by Nutrisystem and conducted by OnePoll, two in three Americans credit the past two years with teaching them how important their health really is. And 71% believe the pandemic has taught them to be more observant of their health. The poll also revealed that two-thirds of Americans said weight loss is a “top health goal” for them over the next year.

However, for many, losing weight can seem like a difficult task. The truth of the matter is it doesn’t have to be. Courtney McCormick, corporate dietitian at Nutrisystem, offers the following tips to help you take that step toward a healthier you.

Read more »
McGwire Atwood propels SJO to title game Bloomington - St. Joseph-Ogden's McGwire Atwood celebrates his team's 72-69 win over Rockford Lutheran at the State Farm Holiday Classic on Thursday. With less than four seconds on the clock and Crusaders ...
Read more »
at

Prep Sports Notebook | Area basketball teams post losses

  • Urbana 20, Normal Community 57: The Tigers didn't hit a shot from the field in the second quarter of their road game against the Lady Ironmen on Saturday. Junior Aziyaha Davis led all Urbana scorers with six points. Jasmine McCullough and Destiny Barber rounded out the top three scorers with five and four points, respectively.

  • Hoopeston Area 69, Horizon Science Academy Southwest 48: Trenton Montez and Anthony Zamora led the Cornjerkers with 16 points apiece in pool play against the Huskies. Montez snagged four steals, while Zamora collected four of his own out of the team's total of 11. Preston VandeVeer added another eight points while Owen Root provided seven at the Watseka Christmas Tournament.

    Kendrick Sigerill, who finished with six points, led the team on the boards with six rebounds. Root and fellow junior Wyatt Eisenmann hauled in four rebounds apiece. The Hoopeston boys will face VVC foe Westville in the 5th-place game at the tournament on Tuesday.

  • St. Joseph-Ogden 26, Pleasant Plains 55: Addisyn Martinie scored a team-high 10 points in the Spartans' road loss against the Cardinals in non-conference girls action on Saturday. Addie Brooks came off the bench to post two third-quarter treys for six points. Senior Taylor Hug was held to just five points for SJO. The St. Joseph-Ogden (4-7) varsity squad hosts the one-loss Cissna Park Timberwolves (10-1) tomorrow at 6pm.

    • Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
    6-foot-3 senior Austin Langendorf gets a hand slap from a young Unity basketball fan after his team's tough 45-43 overtime loss to Pleasant Plains on Saturday.

  • Unity 43, Pleasant Plains 45: Unity snagged 21 rebounds and tallied eight assists in the 2-point overtime loss to Pleasant Plains. Head coach Matt Reed said his 5-3 team will learn from the loss and improve, especially with a tough conference schedule in front of them. "The effort [and] the desire, that was definitely there. It was just a great high school basketball game. A really good basketball game."

    The Rockets will attempt to shake the loss off and prep for an upcoming non-conference game against Paris at the Rocket Center on Tuesday.

  • Unity 36, Mt. Zion 51: Addison Ray led the Rockets with a team-high 14 points and had five boards in the program's third loss this season. Senior Abbie Piecaynski knocked down six fourth-quarter points, but it wasn't enough to close the gap with the generous Lady Braves' lead. Frosh Claire Meharry also produced her offense contribution in the final quarter with four points and grabbed eight rebounds for the now 9-4 Rockets. Lauren Miller contributed three points, three rebounds and four steals during the home stand.
    • at

    In the Know | 8 headlines from last week you might have missed

    A summary of our stories from December 18 through 19. Subscribe to get your daily notification of The Sentinel's latest news and photos here. It's free and unsubscribe any time.

    Prep Sports Notebook | Area basketball teams post losses
    Unity's Austin Langendorf

  • Junior Aziyaha Davis led all Urbana scorers with six points in loss to Normal Community.
  • Owen Root and fellow junior Wyatt Eisenmann hauled in four rebounds apiece in win over Horizon Science Academy Southwest.
  • Addie Brooks came off the bench to post two third-quarter treys for six points for SJO at Pleasant Plains.
  • Unity snagged 21 rebounds and tallied eight assists in the 2-point overtime loss to Pleasant Plains.
  • Senior Abbie Piecaynski knocked down six fourth-quarter points, but it wasn't enough to close the gap with the generous Lady Braves' lead.
    • Read more »
    Recipe | Impress guests at your next wine party with this tasty tapas
    Family Features - Pairing an easy, delicious appetizer with the perfect wine doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds. When you’re ready to elevate your home entertaining, turn to a simplistic recipe featuring fresh, bold flavors.
    Read more »
    5 ways to celebrate with the holidays and keep your family pet safe
    NAPSI - Most pet parents agree: their animals are part of what makes the holiday season so magical. While it’s an excellent opportunity to integrate furry family members into all the special holiday traditions and make memories together, there are a few things you should keep in mind to keep your pet safe and healthy ...
    Read more »
    Coping with grief during the holiday season with loved ones, here's how

    URBANA - During the holidays, societal norms expect us to be sociable and cheerful. But it can be difficult for people dealing with the loss of a loved one. A normal shopping trip may turn blue when you hear the song you used to dance to. Or the Christmas tradition of baking cookies just seems empty without your friend there.

    Read more »
    Sticker shock:
    Government to halt footing bill for Covid treatment
    Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people infected with covid-19 from being hospitalized or dying, and it may even
    Read more »
    Martinie scores team-high ten in SJO loss
    Pleasant Plains - Hoping to extend their 1-game winning streak to two, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team came up short after this afternoon's road game at Pleasant Plains. Addisyn Martinie led the Spartans' in scoring with 10 points in the 55-26 loss to the host Cardinals.
    Read more »
    Photo of the Day
    December 17, 2022
    Kaytlyn Baker dribbles at Turkey Tourney St. Joseph - SJO's Kaytlyn Baker makes a huge effort to dribble past Mahomet-Seymour's Savannah Orgeron ...
    See the photo »


    Photo of the Day
    December 18, 2022
    Unity football players cheer TOLONO - Players on the bench and Unity fans, even Santa, celebrate a game-tying 3-point shot from Dalton O’Neill with 18 seconds ...
    See the photo »


    at
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

    More Sentinel Stories

    Photo Galleries

    2025 Illinois Marathon Photo Gallery
    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.

    Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks