The Heritage seventh-grade girls’ basketball team dealt Chrisman a 23-2 loss on Thursday (Oct. 14), at Homer.

The eighth-grade squad dropped a 31-10 decision to Chrisman.

The seventh-graders won their second consecutive game on Monday (Oct. 18), prevailing over Shiloh 32-2 in Homer.

The Heritage eighth-graders picked up a forfeit win from Shiloh.

Heritage returns to action on Thursday (Oct. 21) at Homer against Bismarck-Henning.  The seventh-graders have a 3-5 record. The eighth-graders are 2-6.

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The Hawks have struggled in the early portion of the junior high girls’ basketball season.

The Heritage seventh-graders have a 1-4 overall record, with a 26-6 win at home against Rossville-Alvin.

The losses were to Schlarman (42-16), Armstrong-Ellis (39-10), Westville (18-11) and Georgetown-Ridge Farm (20-11).

The eighth-grade team is 0-5, reaching a season’s high in points in a 40-14 loss to Rossville-Alvin.

The other setbacks were against Schlarman (49-3), Armstrong-Ellis (51-5), Westville (38-6) and Georgetown-Ridge Farm (51-12).

Both teams return to action on Thursday (Oct. 14) at Homer against Chrisman-Scottland.

The post Heritage Junior High basketball looks for footing first appeared on SJO Daily.

fred@mahometnews.com

Aliya Holloman didn’t get a chance to make a final impression on college coaches this spring.

The Heritage High School softball season was canceled – as were all spring sports throughout the state – by the COVID-19 virus.

Turns out the senior didn’t need any more games for coaches to view her as a coveted recruit.

A three-sport star for the Hawks – Holloman was a varsity starter each year she played in volleyball, basketball and softball – she had options to play each of the sports in college.

Universities in Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee made overtures as did ones in Illinois.

During the recruiting process, Holloman didn’t have a pre-determined favorite.

“I wanted to play at the next level,” she said.

One offer set itself apart from the others.

Most schools wanted her for basketball. Or softball. Or volleyball.

But, she would have to pick a particular sport.

Trinity International, located in the suburban Chicago community of Deerfield, provided more of what Holloman was seeking.

“I could do both sports (basketball and softball),” she said.

Last month, she signed a letter of intent to continue her studies and academic career at the university with approximately 2,500 students.

“I have a strong passion for both sports,” Holloman said.

Over the years, she has played on travel teams in all of her sports. She began traveling with softball – the sport she calls her favorite – for a 10-and-under program.

The COVID-19 pandemic put a premature end to Holloman’s prep career, but not her ability to work out or to play for other teams.

“I still practice on my own,” she said. “I do pitching practice. I go to the field to hit and I have a (batting) cage at home.”

Her attention to detail and willingness to work on her own time are among the traits that have most impressed Heritage softball coach Vicki Roberts.

“Her work ethic for a high school athlete goes hand-in-hand with her ability,” Roberts said. “I tell my athletes, ‘The only difference between a good player and an OK player is their practice time. Which are you?’

“Aliya is always working on her sport at home. They have an indoor batting cage along with workout equipment.

“Aliya will ask for help when her swing gets a little out of whack or when her pitching isn’t quite on. She is always striving to be a better version of herself.”

Holloman’s travel team, the Midland Magic, is competing in softball tournaments each weekend this month. In addition to pitching, Holloman plays shortstop.

She didn’t feel rusty or ill-prepared when the games resumed.

“Putting time in on your own was critical,” Holloman said. “I jumped right back into it.”

The recent travel games helped offset the frustrations that set in when all IHSA spring sports were halted.

“I was very disappointed not to have my senior year,” Holloman said.

Four summers ago, she set a goal to make varsity in each of her sports as a freshman.

“I knew I could if I practiced and put the time in,” Holloman said. “I wanted to achieve and do better.”

She not only matched her expectations, but excelled beyond her team. As a sophomore, Holloman was a special mention All-Area choice in softball.

As a senior, The News-Gazette selected her as an All-Area first-teamer in basketball. Holloman averaged 20.1 points per game as a senior, 18.1 as a junior and 17.9 as a sophomore. She ended her high school career by scoring more than 1,800 points.

“I improved in basketball a lot more than I thought I would,” Holloman said. “I corrected some mechanics that I thought needed correcting.”

Villa Grove/Heritage girls’ basketball coach Dan Sappenfield regarded Holloman one of the best he’s worked with in his tenure.

“Offensively, Aliya is as good as anyone I’ve had in 15 years,” Sappenfield said. “She’s a scorer at all three levels. Coaches (from colleges) like how she can finish.”

The 5-foot-8 Holloman’s development on the hardwood is reflected by her personal growth.

“Her maturity from her freshman to senior year was tremendous,” Sappenfield said. “She’s an amazing young lady and a good athlete.

“She is ready for the next level. Every school is looking for a scorer.”

Holloman didn’t focus on her perimeter prowess as her high school career progressed.

“She relied on the ‘three’ as a freshman,” Sappenfield said, “but after that, developed an ability to get to the basket. Her field goal percentage on threes went up every year.”

Sappenfield believes Holloman’s biggest transformation in his sport came in her overall performance.

“The best thing is she became a teammate,” Sappenfield said. “We asked, ‘What are you doing for someone else?’ and she developed the ability to share the ball.

“And, she came along better defensively. She always competed.”

Holloman never needed to make sacrifices on the offensive end.

“She finds ways to make it happen,” Sappenfield said. “She is very gifted with her hand-eye coordination.”

Roberts said modern technology is conducive for athletes to get recruited despite unusual circumstances like what occurred this spring with the coronavirus pandemic.

“Being placed in a college sport is much easier now than even a few years ago,” Roberts said. “Most coaches are online and you can communicate directly with them or their staff.

“It still takes a lot of hard work and determination.”

Holloman will take the same ambitions with her to Trinity International. She wants to contribute and make an immediate impact.

Roberts, for one, believes Holloman will continue to shine.

“Aliya will do very well at the collegiate level,” Roberts said. “Aliya’s strengths have gotten her to that next level. She is very driven, knows the sports, does well under pressure, is a risk taker – which I like – and a very talented athlete.”

There will still be challenges for Holloman, some of which are difficult to prepare for in advance.

“Going off to college is always hard because most athletes have never experienced living anywhere except at home,” Roberts said. “College life is not anything like living at home.

“As long as Aliya stays focused and grounded, I predict she will do great things for her new school.”

Holloman plans to major in neonatology.

The post Aliya Holloman to play basketball and softball at Trinity International first appeared on SJO Daily.

Two juniors were recognized on the postseason Lincoln Prairie Conference all-league team.

Jake Eversole was a member of the six-player first team and Logan Nohren was chosen for the six-player second team.

Of the 12 total players selected to the first or second teams, five were juniors.

Eversole led the 21-11 Blue Devils with a 17.0 scoring average. He was second on the team with 75 assists.

Nohren averaged 13.7 points per game and led VG/H with a 9.8 rebounding average. Nohren ended with 24 assists.

Both Eversole and Nohren had two games where they eclipsed the 30-point mark in a game.

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The Blue Devils’ Kyleigh Block finished in a tie for 10th in the Class 2A three-point shooting contest on Thursday at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena.

A total of 32 finalists participated at state.

Block, a junior, hit 8 of her 15 attempts at Redbird.

During the regular season, Block led the Blue Devils with 54 three-pointers. In her varsity career, Block has amassed 1,217 career points.

Also on Thursday, VG/H teammate Aliya Holloman was chosen for the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state special mention team.

Holloman was the top scorer this season on a 25-6 team, averaging 20.0 points per game. She completed her prep career with 1,853 points, 599 of those coming this season.

The post Block places 10th in State 3-point contest, Holloman named honorable mention IBCA first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Villa Grove/Heritage boys’ basketball season ended in Wednesday’s semifinal round with a 56-40 loss to the host Spartans.

After three lead changes in the early minutes, SJ-O shot ahead 5-4 as part of a 16-0 run. The Hawks were unable to recapture the lead although they pulled within six points (42-36) in the game’s final seven minutes before SJ-O went on a 14-4 run to end the game.

Jake Eversole nailed a team-high 16 points. Logan Nohren added 11 points.

On Tuesday, the Hawks picked a great time to earn their first overtime win of the season.

VG/H used the extra four minutes to power past Tolono Unity 67-63 and secure a spot in the Class 2A regional semifinals.

Eversole led the way for the Hawks, hitting the 30-point mark for the second game in a row. His 30 points included four three-point baskets.

Nohren added 16 points to the VG/H cause and Blake Smith contributed 12 points.

Unity led 15-6 after one quarter and 27-22 at halftime. VG/H took a 40-36 lead into the final period. The teams ended in a 55-55 deadlock after regulation.

Until Tuesday, VG/H was 0-2 for the season in overtime games.

VG/H ends the season with a 21-11 overall record. SJ-O snapped the team’s season-best five-game winning streak in the regionals.

For the season, Eversole was the team’s top scorer in 17 of the 23 games in which he played, including the final nine.

Nohren led – or shared – the team lead in scoring in nine games. Both Eversole and Nohren hit the 30-point mark in two games.

Blake Smith was the scoring leader in five games, Issac Mahoe in two games and Ierik Sorenson in one game.

Eversole (40), Smith (22), Mahoe (17) and Sam Reno (16) were the team’s top three-point marksmen.

Coach Corey White didn’t know what to expect coming into a season where four starters from the previous year’s 20-win team had to be replaced and one of those candidates – Ezra Ely – never played basketball this season following a football injury that sidelined him throughout most of the winter.

“For the first month, we were trying to see the best combination,” White said. “By mid-January we figured it out and took off from there (winning nine of 11 games before Wednesday).”

For the majority of the season, four juniors and senior Sorenson were in the starting lineup.

“We’ll have a nice nucleus back,” White said. “It’s great to have back-to-back 20-win seasons and we hope to make it three in a row next year.

“We’ll keep building and try to get to the point where we can play for a regional championship and win one.”

In addition to the underclassmen who played prominent roles this season, Ely is expected to return next year along with junior Nick Coffin, who suffered a season-ending injury in December.

In addition to Sorenson, Reno and Anthony Arbuckle were the other seniors who were a part of the Hawks’ regular rotation this season.

The post VGH boys’ basketball ends another 20-win season, looks forward to next season first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Hawks completed the regular season with a season-best four-game winning streak following Friday’s 56-34 triumph on the road against Sangamon Valley.

Jake Eversole hit a season’s high for points (32) and three-pointers (seven) to lead VG/H. Blake Smith contributed nine points and Logan Nohren added eight points.

The Hawks led 21-9 after one quarter and 36-13 at halftime.

The Hawks (20-10) are part of the seven-team Class 2A regional at St. Joseph. VG/H will play in the 7:30 p.m. game on Tuesday against Tolono Unity.

The post Heritage goes into IHSA play on four-game win streak first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Hawks built a 46-12 halftime lead on Wednesday in a makeup home game at Heritage against Argenta-Oreana and went on to overpower the Bombers 63-28.

Senior Sam Reno and junior Jake Eversole shared the VG/H scoring lead with 14 points apiece.

Reno reached his season’s high for points and also drained a season-high four three-point shots. Eversole has scored in double figures in 16 of the 20 games he has played.

Logan Nohren scored 12 points, Tanner Clodfelder contributed six points and teammates who chipped in with five points apiece were Anthony Arbuckle and Carson Howard.

The Hawks (19-10) conclude the regular season on Friday with a road game against Sangamon Valley. VG/H is attempting to reach the 20-win mark for the second consecutive season, a feat that last occurred 17 years ago.

Next week, VG/H is part of the seven-team Class 2A regional at St. Joseph. The Hawks will play in the 7:30 p.m. game on Tuesday against Tolono Unity.

The post Reno and Eversole help puts Hawks over Argenta-Oreana first appeared on SJO Daily.

Jake Eversole hit the 20-point mark for the fourth time in his last five games, tossing in 23 on Friday in the Hawks’ 55-38 verdict over Blue Ridge at Heritage.

Eversole canned 23 points and raised his team-high total of three-pointers to 26 by sinking two of those shots.

Logan Nohren netted a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Carson Howard chipped in with six points.

VG/H led 15-13 after one quarter, but expanded its lead to 28-20 at halftime.

Nohren has amassed 278 rebounds in 28 games this season.

The Hawks (18-10) return to action on Friday when they end the regular season at Sangamon Valley.

The post Eversole’s 23-points lead Hawks over Blue Ridge first appeared on SJO Daily.

Jake Eversole scored 16 points and Blake Smith had 10 Tuesday night as the Hawks overcame a slow start to defeat Decatur Lutheran 46-33 at Heritage High School.

VG/H trailed 13-8 after one quarter, but shot into a 21-20 lead at halftime.

Carson Howard contributed nine points.

The Hawks (17-10) return to action on Friday in their regular-season home finale at Heritage against Blue Ridge.

The VG/H seniors are Anthony Arbuckle, Gage Dunn, Sam Reno and Ierik Sorenson.

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