Lady Eagles win track sectional
By TERRY LIDY
The NCHS Lady Eagles qualified in nine events last Friday and took home two first place finishes along with the team title to be crowned Newton Sectional champions at Chizevsky Field. Newton won scoring 100.5 points to pace the field. Teutopolis was next with 93, Altamont 65, Oblong 56, St. Anthony 49, Red Hill 46.5, St. Elmo 46, Olney 33, Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran 20, Robinson 20, Lawrenceville 15, Vandalia 6, Mt. Carmel 4, Flora 4.
Maura Cummins won the high jump going 5-5. The 1600 relay team of Jackie Michl, Lisa Frichtl, Megan Jansen and Maura Cummins also won in 4:17.24 min. Maura Cummins also qualified for the state finals at E.I.U. with a second place in the 400 in 1:02.6 min. Carly Niebrugge made it to the finals with a second in the 800 in 2:34.2 min. The 3200 relay team of Jackie Michl, Lisa Frichtl, Carly Niebrugge and Morgan Swingler finished second in 10:23.89
The 400 relay team of Megan Jansen, Jackie Michl, Calla Niebrugge and Maura Cummins also qualified with a second place in 53.57 sec. Sydney May was second in the triple jump at 32-0 1/2. Tara Wirth was second in the shot at 32-2 1/2. Megan Jansen was third in the pole vault, but qualified by meeting state standards with a 9-3 leap.
In other places, the 800 relay team was third in 1:54.24 min. Tara Wirth was third in the discus at 94-9 1/4. Calla Niebrugge was fifth in the long jump at 15-1. Sydney May was sixth in the high jump at 4-7. Jamie Michl was third in the 400 in 1:04.20 min.
Morgan Swingler was third in the 1600 in 5:46.24 min.
Congratulations to Coach Jackie Schackmann and her assistants, Mike Hartrich, Jerry Denoyer and Pat Mammoser and to the Lady Eagles. Now it is on to O'Brien Stadium at the I.H.S.A. State Finals this weekend in Charleston.
Lady Eagles win on Senior Day
By TERRY LIDY
The NCHS Lady Eagles are 22-6 as they dismantled the Casey-Westfield Lady Warriors 6-1 last Thursday on Senior Day at Boys and Girls Park.
Amber Shedelbower, one of six seniors honored before the game, fanned 12 C-W batters in posting the victory. Lauren Gray, another senior, paced the attack with a two run double. It was the 99th win in Coach Sara Beam's four years at the helm, including four straight Apollo titles led by the seniors honored.
Those recognized were Kimberlin Wallace along with parents, Stan and Linda Wallace; Whitney Koebele with parents, Ken and Sharon Koebele; Amber Shedelbower with parents, Steve and Charlotte Shedelbower; Lauren Gray with parents, Neil Gray and Lynn Gray; Joni Hahn with parents, Larry and Denise Hahn and Courtney Eaton with Racquel Neese and Doug Weddell.
Congratulations to all for an outstanding four years. Now it is off to the Robinson Regional where they are seeded #1. The Lady Eagles will play the Paris-Marshall winner after drawing a first round bye. Robinson and Casey-Westfield will also tangle in the five team regional.
The Championship game will be on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Eagles tune up for regionals
By TERRY LIDY
The NCHS baseball Eagles closed out their regular season last week winning two of three games.
On Monday, the Eagles were victimized by Dieterich pitching as Cody Hinterscher and Blake Kuhl blanked Newtopn 5-0 at Boys and Girls Park on two hits, both by Jared Woodard. Hinterscher allowed one hit over five innings with no walks and eleven strikeouts. Kuhl finished up with one hit allowed over the final two frames. Kuhl walked two and fanned three.
The Eagles' Marc Brandenburg also permitted only two hits in the light-hitting contest. One hit, however, was a two run homer by Sam Thoele. Brandenburg walked two and fanned five Movin' Maroons.
On Tuesday, the Eagles bounced back to win a 6-5 thriller over the visiting Oblong Panthers.
The Eagles took a 2-1 edge into the fifth when the Panthers rallied with a three run outburst to knockout starter Jared Woodard. Zak Snearley relieved and pitched 2.1 innings with three hits and a run. Up 5-2 going into the Newton seventh, Oblong's Cory Littlejohn allowed three runs in the frame as the Eagles tied it at 5 all. The Panthers brought on Lukas Jones to relieve Littlejohn as the game went to extra innings.
In the eighth junior righthander Dylan Casey set the Panthers down in order. Now it was time for heroics as leadoff man A.J. Hyatt socked a walk off two out homer to make the Eagles and Dylan Casey a 6-5 winner. It was the fourth Eagle homer of the contest as Kelby McCoy went long twice driving in four. Peyton Wyatt also smacked a solo shot.
The Eagles banged out ten hits off Littlejohn and Jones. With Kelby McCoy, Peyton Wyatt, Alex Frohning and Mark Mammoser each collecting two. Connor Walters had a single, while A.J. Hyatt had the game winner.
Oblong had nine hits off Eagles pitching with Devin Aikman driving in three with a homer.
On Thursday, the Eagles made their record 18-16 with a 10-7 victory over the Edwards County Lions at Albion. After the Eagles scored three times in the first off Dylan Smith, the Lions tied it at 3 with a rally in the third off Dylan Casey. A two run Eagle fourth gave Newton a 5-3 edge that lasted until the Lions scored four times in their fifth to take a 7-5 margin. However, the Eagles came to town with lively bats as they banged out 15 hits off Dylan Smith.
A.J. Hyatt led with a perfect 5 for 5 in his leadoff role. Connor Walters added three hits including a double with three RBIs. Scott Jansen and Mark Mammoser each collected two hits. Mammoser continued on his home run terror with another blast. Kelby McCoy, Peyton Wyatt, and Alex Frohning each had a hit as seven Eagles hit safely.
Down 7-5, the Eagles rallied with three in the sixth and two insurance runs in the seventh to make a winner of freshman southpaw Elijah Knepper. Over the final three frames, Knepper held the Lions hitless with six strikeouts and two walks.
Up next for the Eagles will be the 2A Robinson Regional. The Eagles seeded #4 will play #5 Lawrenceville. That winner will play #1 Flora on Wednesday. #2 Robinson will also play #3 Olney on Wednesday. The title game will be Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Junior Eagles going to state
By TERRY LIDY
The JCJH Eagles qualified three athletes for the state finals in boys and girls I.E.S.A. track this Friday and Saturday at Eastside Centre in East Peoria.
For the girls, Gabby Zerrusesn won the eighth grade 100 meter dash at the Charleston Sectional last Saturday in 13.78 sec. Reise Wyatt finished second in the eighth grade shot at 26-11 to qualify. For the boys, Brandon Tolliver won the eighth grade pole vault at 12-6 to also advance.
Other JCJH athletes who placed at the Section 36 meet were seventh grade girls Brooke Koebele who was fifth in the 100 in 14.33 sec. and Rachel Mammoser who finished fifth in the high jump at 4-2. The team scored 4 points.
For the eighth grade girls who scored 28 points, Madelyn Green was sixth in the 800 in 2:45.22 min. Madison Kinder was third in the pole vault at 7-0. The 400 relay team placed fourth in 57.49 sec. The 800 relay team was fifth in 2:06.27 min. as the team scored 28 points good for eighth place.
For the seventh grade boys, Cody Riddle was sixth in the discus at 90-10. The eighth grade boys scored 37 1/2 points good for seventh place. Colten Schultz was sixth in the shot at 36-0 1/2. Ryan St. Clair was sixth in the 110 hurdles in 18.34 sec. Tanner Shull was third in the discus at 110-3. Allen Taylor was third in the 100 in 12.64 sec. Patrick Schulte was fifth in 12.76 sec. and sixth in the 200 in 26.56 sec. Gunner Pickens was sixth in the high jump at 5-0. The 800 relay team was third in 1:44.26 min. The 1600 relay team was fourth in 4:10.90 min.
