SPORTS HEADLINES

  • ‘CATS CELEBRATE their sectional championship win over Bishop McNamara.
    Photos by Eric Fisher

    ,

    A FIRED UP Lucas Rink celebrates after getting a strikeout to win the Sectional Championship over Bishop McNamara.

    ,

    PLAY STOPPER—Wilmington third baseman Cooper Holman dives for a hard hit ball in the bottom of the seventh inning of the sectional championship game. Holman got up and threw the runner out at first to end a late threat by Bishop McNamara during a 5-4 victory.

    06/03/2025 - 3:33pm
  • Coal City High School held its Signing Day for seniors going on to play collegiate athletics. A dozen seniors have announced their intent to continue their playing careers in college. Those students are: [from left, seated]: Gabe McHugh will play baseball at Kankakee Community College, Dylan Young will join the Augustana College football team and Aiden [AJ] Wills will play baseball for Aquinas College. In row two: Chloe Pluger will play soccer at Eureka College, Sydney Hughes will participate in cheerleading at St. Ambrose University, Kaycee Graff will play softball at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Emma Rodriguez will join the St. Francis University volleyball team, Abby Viano will play volleyball at Joliet Junior College, Madi Petersen will play softball at Wartburg College, Corinna Barlkey is joining the Augustana College soccer team, D’Arcy Ness will play softball at Joliet Junior College, and Juliana Covington will join the softball team at the College of DuPage.

    04/22/2025 - 3:28pm
  • STATE CHAMPIONS! Coal City won the Class 1A state dual team wrestling title Saturday, March 1, defeating Vandalia 32-25 at Grossinger Auto Arena in Bloomington, capping off a 33-7 season. Team members include (kneeling, from left) Jake Munsterman, Jason Piatak, Dom Grassity, Owen Petersen, Culan Lindemuth, Cooper Morris, Luke Munsterman, Brody Widlowski, Bobby Rodriguez, Aidan Kenney, Jaela Vasquez and Addison Harvey. Standing are coaches Joe Widlowski, Zach Berman, Joe Breneman and Jim Looper plus wrestlers Evan Greggain, Mason Garner, Trace Wilson, Landin Benson, John Keigher, Alec Waliczek, Cade Poyner, Noah Houston, Brody D'Orazio, Brock Finch, Alex Carlson and coaches Nick O'Bert, Bob McGuinn and head coach Mark Masters.

    Photo by Eric Fisher

    ,

    COAL CITY COACHES Mark Masters (right) and Jim Looper point out a near pin during the state championship match on Saturday.

    Photo by Eric Fisher

    03/05/2025 - 11:27am
  • FOURTH IN STATE—Coaler Aidan Kenney went 3-2 during the IHSA state individual finals to earn fourth place at 144 pounds.
    Photo by Kelly Van Duyne

    ,

    COAL CITY SENIOR John Keigher opened the state tournament with back to back wins at 215 pounds. He finished in fifth place.

    02/25/2025 - 3:54pm
  • 02/22/2025 - 12:14pm
  • 02/21/2025 - 8:41am
  • COAL CITY’s Brody Widlowski (right) won a 4-1 decision over Reed-Custer’s Jeremy Eggleston to become a three-time state qualifier on Saturday. Widlowski has a perfect 24-0 record as he enters the state finals on Thursday.
    Photo by Eric Fisher

    02/18/2025 - 4:22pm
  • COAL CITY HIGH SCHOOLl and Hall of Fame wrestling coach Mark Masters achieved his 500th career dual team coaching win on Friday, Jan. 31. The Coalers hosted Prairie Central and Pontiac in a wrestling doubleheader that evening and won both contests. Masters and the Coalers enter state series action Saturday with the IHSA Regional at Herscher.

    02/04/2025 - 4:03pm
  • 01/21/2025 - 4:24pm
  • Todd Lockwood (standing, second from left) was inducted into the Illinois Track Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame Saturday, Jan 11. Standing by his side while receiving the award was his family: wife Ruth, sons Brett (left) and Drew, and grandchildren Audrey (left) and Harper.

    01/14/2025 - 4:18pm
  • WILMINGTON JUNIOR Ryan Kettman slips away for a touchdown against DuPec during Saturday’s playoff game on the road. Kettman rushed for a total of 160 yards, scored two touchdowns and made two interceptions in a 22-13 victory.
    Photo by Alyssa Ohlund

    ,

    WILDCAT SOPHOMORE Declan Moran is about to tackle DuPec quarterback Cooper Hoffman for a loss during Saturday’s game. Moran and the Wildcats pressured Hoffman all game including this stopper which had Moran getting up punching air.

    11/19/2024 - 4:28pm
  • CHARGED UP COALERS—The Coal City football team came out fired up Saturday and took care of business on their home turf, beating Dixon 20-13 to advance to the Final Four teams in the 4A playoffs. Doing his best to electrify Emmett Easton (12) during the Coal City team intro is Coaler super dad Bill Waliczak who is waving the Coaler flag. Coal City gets to come onto the home field one more time, this Saturday at 1 p.m. when they will host Chicago DePaul for the state semifinal.
    Photo by Amy Walker

    11/19/2024 - 4:25pm
  • DIVING FORWARD after making one of his three catches on Saturday is Coaler Gabe McHugh. Coal City advances to the quarterfinal round on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they will host Dixon.
    Photo by Amy Walker

    11/12/2024 - 4:14pm
  • THE LADY WILDCATS celebrate a hard-earned point and hopefully there will be a lot more celebration on Thursday at 5:30 when they play for the Sectional Championship in Manteno. Players include (from left) Rachel Smith, Skylar Knight, Molly Southall, Maggie Lindsey and Reese Van Duyne.

    Photo by Eric Fisher

    11/06/2024 - 2:46pm
  • ,
    10/30/2024 - 12:10pm

Wilmington Region

LOVE’S TRAVEL CENTER opened early Thursday on Illinois 53 near North River Road when Wilmington Chamber of Commerce members and city officials held a ribbon cutting to mark the occassion. Love’s general manager James Riley (with scissors) prepares to cut the ribbon next to Chamber president Steve Evans and employees of the new fuel stop. Love’s, which includes a Hardee’s Restaurant, will be open 24/7.

06/10/2025 - 3:36pm
The new Love’s Travel Center extended some love right from the start. During a celebratory ribbon-cutting, Love’s presented two generous $5,000 donations — one to Kuzma Care Cottage, Wilmington’s local food pantry, and another to the Children’s...

Coal City Region

ALLAN AND RUTH ANNE LILLEY are being honored as Grand Marshals of the 75th annual Carbon Hill Homecoming. The Lilleys live in their neat and tidy home on the north side of Judson Street with its cheerful, well-tended border garden of roses and daylilies set among larger shrubs. The long-time Carbon Hill couple will be recognized at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 at the flagpole in the park when village officials will present them with a plaque as they kickoff the five-day festival.

06/10/2025 - 3:29pm
Carbon Hill’s 75th Homecoming Week will be June 18-22, and this year we will honor long-time residents Allan and Ruth Anne Lilley as our Grand Marshals. Mr. and Mrs. Lilley join a long list of neighbors who over the years have served the community...

Braidwood Region

Summerfest Operations Chairman Josh Bolatto (left) and Summerfest Sr. Advisor Wayne Saltzman (second from right) and Braidwood Lions Club President Beth Burns, recently presented Summerfest parade honors to Freak, owner of Top Fuel Saloon and manager Debbie Stovall.

06/10/2025 - 3:32pm
The Braidwood Lions Club is pleased to announce that Freak, owner of Top Fuel Saloon in Braidwood, has been chosen to serve as Grand Marshal of the 44th Annual Braidwood Lions Club Summerfest Hometown Proud Parade. Freak's passion for helping those...