The Taylorville girls basketball team finished joint-bottom of the large school girls section of the State Farm Holiday Classic after a 59-33 defeat against Rock Island at Normal Community High School.  Several players on each team found the basket as the Tornadoes struggled to contain Rock Island’s offense. 

Due primarily to turnovers, Taylorville had difficulties producing opportunities on offense.  On the other side of the ball, Rock Island orchestrated many three opportunities, seizing on most of them.  The Rocks led 32-21 at the break before turning up the pressure in the third quarter.  Their 25 points scored, together with only five conceded, ensured a running clock for the fourth quarter.

Like the 9th-place quarterfinal two days prior, three Tornadoes finished as their side’s top scorers with six points each.  Equally equivalent, Julie Wayman was among them and was named Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.  For Rock Island, Nakayla Wilkins top the scoring charts with 10, while Mallory Hudnall and Makayla Curry each added nine.  The Rocks scored 10 three-point baskets in the game.

With the defeat, Taylorville now sits at 5-10.  They are next up against Springfield on the road on Friday, and commentary will be available on 96.5 The Chill.  Rock Island is now up to 9-7 and travels to Dixon next. 

The Taylorville girls basketball team will play for 13th place in the 2025 State Farm Holiday Classic after dropping their first two tournament games.  Competing in the large school girls category, the Tornadoes lost decisively to Freeport, 82-44 before Normal West's second-half surge led to a 47-28 scoreline. 

Friday night at Normal Community High School, Freeport took control of the game and never looked back.  The Pretzels' tally was nearly or exactly double Taylorville's for much of the game thanks to pinpoint shooting, turnovers, and fast-break execution.

Paityn London led the way with 30 points for the Rockford-area side, of which 21 came in the first half.  Baileigh Jackson's 10 points reflected her dominance at low post and earned her the title of Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game. 

Sleep was hard to come by for Taylorville and Normal West, with an 11 a.m. tip-off in the 9th-place quarterfinal the following morning.  Taylorville took advantage of miscues and solid shooting to go in front 19-12 at the break. 

Normal West's lone strength in the first half was claiming offensive rebounds.  This proved instrumental in the second half as – combined with a decline in the Tornadoes' shooting efficiency – they raced out to a 29-24 lead in the third.  The Wildcats only picked up their momentum in the final period as the opposite happened to Taylorville.

Journey Johnson finished as the game's top scorer with 15 points.  Julie Wayman was one of three players to lead Taylorville with six, the others being Nora Thomas and Grace Rogers.  Wayman's effective paint performance won her the Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.

With the defeats, Taylorville is now at 5-9 overall.  Their next game is their last one of the Classic, a matchup with Rock Island for 13th place.  It will take place Monday at 2:30 p.m. at Normal Community High School, and you can listen on 96.5 The Chill. 

The Taylorville Tornadoes didn’t shoot the ball particularly well Monday night, but strong defense down the stretch lifted them to a 49–42 win over North Mac in front of a packed home crowd that included the Taylorville High School jazz band.

North Mac opened the game with a 7–2 run behind Luke Alexander, but sophomore Brock Brown answered with six first-quarter points to help Taylorville pull even at 11 at the end of one. The Panthers continued to apply pressure in the second quarter, as Carson Powell knocked down a three and scored five in the period. Still, the Tornadoes took control midway through the quarter and carried a 22–18 lead into halftime, despite North Mac staying within striking distance.

The Panthers made their push in the third quarter, outscoring Taylorville 16–13, but Brown caught fire, pouring in 11 points in the frame, including three three-pointers. North Mac closed the gap to just one, trailing 35–34 heading into the fourth. After briefly taking the lead early in the final quarter, the Panthers were held in check by Taylorville’s defense. The Tornadoes found success at the free throw line late and pulled away to secure the seven-point home victory.

Brock Brown led all scorers with 27 points for Taylorville. Luke Alexander paced North Mac with 15, while Carson Powell added 13. Brock Brown was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game.  Coach Ryan Brown said it wasn't pretty but it got the job done. 

With the win, Taylorville improves to 3–4 on the season, while North Mac falls to 5–6. The Tornadoes will next play Glenbard South on December 29th at 8:30 as part of their holiday tournament.

The Taylorville Tornadoes jumped out to an early lead against the Mattoon Green Wave, and kept the Green Wave's leading scorer in check, but couldn't hold off big games from Theran Gent and Tyler Haacke as the Green Wave stormed back to beat Taylorville 53-47 on Friday night. 

Taylorville jumped out to a 14-9 lead courtesy of Landon Bowsher, Maddyx Owens, Patrick Curtin, and Malique Pearse, but Taylorville's shooting went cold in the second quarter, and Taylorville went into halftime trailing 23-21.   The Tornadoes again came out strong in the third quarter with a huge quarter from Brock Brown who poured in 7 including two three pointers, and Blake Ladage who scored 5 and Taylorville outscored Mattoon 18-9 and even had a 10 point lead at one point in the third taking a  39-32 lead into the fourth quarter. 

Max Wetzel hit a big three a little into the fourth quarter to tie up the game at 39-39 followed by a Lincoln Hayes three gave the Green Wave a 42-39 lead.  Hayes, who had been quiet through most of the game, finished the game with only 5, despite averaging 18 a game. The Tornadoes couldn't hold onto a lead and Mattoon used a strong free throw attack to go on a 21-8 run giving the Green Wave the victory. 

The Tornadoes fall to 2-4 on the season, while Mattoon improves to 4-5.  The Tornadoes will face North Mac on Monday evening on WTIM.  Blake Ladage was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Tornado Player of the Game

The Taylorville girls basketball team picked up a 52-34 win away to Mattoon on Friday night.  A big third quarter carried the Tornadoes to their third conference win in four for the season.

Taylorville built solid leads in the first and second quarters only for Mattoon to close the gaps.  A pair of three-point makes from McKynlee Siempelkamp set the Tornadoes loose, from which point the Greenwave could not keep up.  Big third quarters from Baileigh Jackson and Josephine Durbin sealed the win.

Siempelkamp finished with ten points and as Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.  Jackson had 13 points, with Durbin at eight.  For Mattoon, Ava Larson led all players with 17.

Taylorville is now up to 5-7.  Their next fixture is on Boxing Day at 8pm against Freeport at Normal Community High School as part of the State Farm Holiday Classic.  There will be live commentary on 96.5 The Chill.  Mattoon is now 1-9 and must turn its attention to Danville. 

As heard on Genuine Country 94.3 WMKR….

Central A&M – 54 vs. Okaw Valley – 45

Seitz Funeral Homes Player of the Game: #1 Ace Spinner (26 points)

Central A&M came into the ballgame with some serious spark putting up double digit points in just two minutes of play. Okaw Valley would slowly respond in the first, keeping the score close. The Timberwolves outscored the Raiders 13 to 9 in the second quarter on their way to a 1 point lead at halftime. Wyatt Hildebrandt of Okaw Valley poured on 13 points in the first half helping lead the way.

First Christian Church of Moweaqua Halftime Show score:
Central A&M – 28 vs. Okaw Valley – 29

The Raiders used several role and bench players in their starting five tonight to find the best matchup. Coach Rob Smith made changes to Raider’s interior defense approach, limiting the Timberwolves’ second chance opportunities and size advantage in the paint. Ace Spinner found his stroke from distance and his touch at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Spinner would finish with 26 total points, 13 in each half with 5 three point makes on the contest.

Central A&M – 5 – 3 overall
Okaw Valley – 0 – 6 overall

Next game: Central A&M @ Pana (12/20/2025)

The Taylorville girls basketball team could not build another winning run as they lost away to O'Fallon, 74-27.  The Panthers combined sharp shooting and steals in the opposing half to run away with the result. 

O'Fallon put up double-digit points before Taylorville scored at all.  The home side led 27-3 after the first quarter and 49-5 at the intermission.  Both sides shot well in the third quarter as Taylorville quadrupled their points tally from the first half.  With a running clock in the fourth quarter, few timeouts, and few fouls under the normal timing rules, the game was completed within an hour. 

Grace Rogers scored ten points, all in the second half, inspiring her offense and earning her the title of Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.  Josephine Durbin's scoring came from two three-pointers, of which her first-quarter score was the team's only points haul in that quarter. 

For O'Fallon, Josie Christopher amassed 27 points, with 14 of them in the first quarter.  She hit five shots from beyond the arc, while her teammates together contributed nine more. 

Taylorville's record now is 4-7 overall.  They take it to Mattoon on Friday in a game for which commentary will as always be available on 96.5 The Chill.  O'Fallon jumps to 7-3 ahead of a tough fixture at home to Alton, the team which ended their 2024/25 season in the sectional semifinal. 

As heard on Genuine Country 94.3 WMKR….

Central A&M – 45 vs. Edinburg – 52

Seitz Funeral Homes Player of the Game: #0 Talon Rhoades

Central A&M provided lockdown defense in the first half limiting the Wildcats to just 10 points headed into half. The Raiders offense provided just enough to take a 7 point lead into the First Christian Church of Moweaqua Halftime show. Talon Rhoades had 7+ steals in the first two quarters alone on his way to a Seitz Funeral Homes Player of the Game recognition.

Central A&M – 17 vs. Edinburg – 10 (Halftime)

The third quarter was detrimental to the Raiders’ hopes of winning as they were outscored 26 – 12. The Wildcats canned 5 shots from beyond the arc and took a lead they never looked back from. Norris for the Edinburg Wildcats led all scorers with 18 points on the night.

Central A&M – 4 – 3 overall
Edinburg – 4 – 7 overall

Next game: Central A&M vs. Okaw Valley (12/19/2025)

The Taylorville Tornadoes completed a doubleheader sweep Friday night in Charleston, pulling away for a 50-30 win over the Trojans.

Taylorville set the tone early, jumping out to a 14-5 lead after the first quarter. Brock Brown sparked the offense with seven first-quarter points as the Tornadoes controlled the pace of play. Charleston looked to push the tempo with fast breaks, but strong defensive efforts from Patrick Curtin and Malique Pearse kept the Trojans in check.

Charleston made a push in the second quarter behind senior Tyler Oakley, who scored seven points and helped cut the deficit to four. Taylorville answered with solid defense and timely scoring from Blake Ladage and Curtin to take a 22-16 lead into halftime.

The Tornadoes took control for good in the third quarter, outscoring Charleston 15-8. Brown added seven more points, including a three-pointer, while Curtin and Maddyx Owens chipped in four apiece. Taylorville led 37-24 heading into the fourth.

In the final quarter, Taylorville slowed the game down and protected the lead. Despite a three-pointer from Oakley, the Tornadoes closed strong, outscoring Charleston 13-6 to secure the win.

                          1             2              3             4               F           

Taylorville        14          8              15            13           50

Charleston       5            11            8              6             30

Brock Brown led Taylorville with 14 points. Blake Ladage finished with 11, Patrick Curtin added nine, while Owens and Pearse scored seven each. Oakley led Charleston with 15 points, accounting for half of the Trojans’ scoring.

Patrick Curtin was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game for a strong defensive showing and a huge effort on the boards. 
 

Taylorville improves to 2-3 on the season, while Charleston falls to 2-6. The Tornadoes’ game against Jersey on Saturday was postponed due to snow. Taylorville returns to action Friday night against Mattoon in another girls-boys doubleheader.

The Taylorville girls basketball team is back to winning ways after an 80-46 win away to Charleston.  Nine different Tornadoes found the basket in the team's first away win of the season. 

Taylorville found themselves in control for much of the game.  They led 21-14 after the first quarter, but the Trojans pulled to within four at one point in the second.  The Tornadoes did respond well to lead 40-23 at the intermission. 

The third quarter was an offensive show for both teams, who combined for seven three-point scores.  Taylorville continued to stretch the lead, forcing a running clock for much of the fourth quarter.  

Grace Rogers led her side's individual scoring with 18, while Baileigh Jackson and McKynlee Siempelkamp each contributed fifteen.  Siempelkamp's output included two threes and key steals, which led to her being named the Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.  The game's top scorer across both teams was Charleston's Sadie Phillips with 21 points. 

Taylorville now is 4-6 overall and 2-1 in the Apollo Conference.  They travel to O'Fallon on Wednesday; live commentary of the game will be available on 96.5 The Chill.  Charleston drops to 1-8 overall and 0-3 in the conference and must next travel to Mt. Zion.

The Taylorville girls basketball team suffered a 55-25 loss at home to an unbeaten Pleasant Plains team.  The Cardinals were in control from start to finish and forced a running clock in the final quarter. 

Pleasant Plains scored the first seven points and finished the first quarter on top 20-5.  They continued the momentum through the rest of the half, though turnovers and better Tornado shooting gave the home side a glimmer of hope. 

The team in blue and red began the second half similarly to the first, displaying their quickness and offensive cohesion to put the game beyond any doubt.

Anna Weber topped the scoring chart with 17 points, with 13 coming from Madison Burke.  Grace Rogers's 6 points left her as Taylorville's top scorer and the Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game. 

The Tornadoes are back in action tomorrow night away to Charleston, with commentary on 96.5 The Chill.  Pleasant Plains returns home to face Cissna Park. 

The Taylorville Tornadoes picked up their first win of the season Tuesday night, knocking off Pleasant Plains 47–30 — and making program history in the process. With the victory, Taylorville won their 1500th game in school history and becomes the 33rd winningest boys basketball program all-time among more than 800 high schools in Illinois.

Taylorville set the tone early with strong defense against a Pleasant Plains squad known for its three-point shooting. Blake Ladage sparked the Tornadoes on both ends, scoring four of Taylorville’s eight first-quarter points and piling up blocks and rebounds throughout the night. Taylorville led 8–4 after one.

Pleasant Plains pushed back in the second quarter behind Grady Grisham, but six points from Patrick Curtin helped the Tornadoes take a 17–12 lead into halftime.

The turning point came in the third quarter — an area that has challenged Taylorville at times this season — but not on Tuesday. The Tornadoes outscored Pleasant Plains 16–5, holding the Cardinals without a made three until the final minute of the quarter. Taylorville took a 33–17 lead into the fourth and never looked back.

Pleasant Plains outscored Taylorville 13–12 in the final frame, but the Tornadoes cruised to the 47–30 win.

Head Coach Ryan Brown praised the team’s defensive effort, saying Taylorville’s size and speed allowed them to control the tempo, force turnovers, and dominate the paint.

Taylorville's Blake Ladage was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game was Blake Ladage for his fantastic all around efforts on rebounds, points, and defensive prowess. 

Taylorville improves to 1–3 on the year. Pleasant Plains drops to 2–3.

The Tornadoes return to action Friday night in Apollo Conference play against Charleston.

Final scoring:

For Taylorville — Blake Ladage led with 17, Maddex Havera 8, Patrick Curtin 8, Brock Brown 7, Malique Pearse 5, and Maddyx Owens 2.

For Pleasant Plains — Grady Grisham 8, Owen Johnson 7, Nolan Scott 5, Xander Smith 5, and Lukas Swartz 5.

Taylorville finished 5 of 6 from the line; Pleasant Plains went 0 for 3.

Pleasant Plains hit four threes; Taylorville did not hit a three-pointer.

Next up Taylorville Faces Charleston Trojans on Friday night. 

The Taylorville girls basketball team suffered a fourth straight defeat away to Lanphere, 61-50.  The Tornadoes never led in the game but made formidable attempts in the even-numbered quarters to pull level. 

Lanphere doubled up on Taylorville in the first quarter, leading 18-9, but the Tornadoes pulled to within four with a good start to the second.  Threes from Lanphere's Lovely Jackson and Amiyah Jarrett set the Lions loose, and they built the lead from there. 

Taylorville entered the fourth quarter down 16 but cut the margin in half by forcing turnovers and converting.  The home side eventually found their footing and pulled too far away for the Tornadoes to catch up.

Baileigh Jackson was named the Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game with 11 points, including consistent finishes from the baseline.  Grace Rogers finished with 10.  On Lanphier's side, Amiyah Jarrett and Alayah Jarrett each had 19 points, with 17 scored by Lovely Jackson. 

Taylorville drops to 3-5 and must turn its attention to Thursday's home matchup against Pleasant Plains.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., and live commentary will be available on 96.5 The Chill.  Lanphier makes the short trip to Springfield Southeast for its next game. 

As heard on Genuine Country 94.3 WMKR....

Athens - 69 @ CAM - 29

Seitz Funeral Homes Player of the Game: #5 Callie Robertson

Fatigue proved costly for the Taylorville boys basketball team Saturday afternoon, as the Tornadoes fell 46-33 to Glenwood at the BOS Center in Springfield. Playing their second game in under 24 hours, Taylorville struggled to keep pace after halftime.

“Our legs were just shot,” head coach Ryan Brown said after the loss. Coach Brown also praised the Tornadoes defense encouraged that all three of their games they kept opponents to under 50. 

Taylorville received early scoring from Blake Ladage and Kolton Reiss in the first quarter, but Glenwood sophomore Hugo Lopp set the tone. The 6-foot-2 guard poured in eight points in the opening frame, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer, on his way to a game-high 18.

Trailing 10-5 after one, Taylorville spent the rest of the game trying to chase down the Titans. The Tornadoes held Lopp scoreless in the second quarter but Glenwood’s depth showed, with Jack Kurmann, Cohen Reid, Jaxson Wix and Brody Green all contributing. Taylorville countered with baskets from Landon Bowsher and Malique Pearse, but still went into halftime down 20-13.

For the second straight game, the third quarter proved troublesome for the Tornadoes. Glenwood outscored Taylorville 14-5 in the period, with Brock Brown supplying the Tornadoes’ only field goal. Brown finished with four points as Taylorville entered the fourth quarter trailing 34-18.

Pearse led a late push, scoring nine of his team-high 15 points in the fourth, but the deficit was too much to overcome as Glenwood improved to 2-1 on the season. Taylorville fell to 0-3.

Malique Pearse was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game. The Tornadoes return home Tuesday to face Pleasant Plains.

Team Stats:
Taylorville free throws: 9-of-13. Glenwood free throws: 6-of-10.
Taylorville three-pointers: 2. Glenwood three-pointers: 2.

Scoring:
Taylorville — Malique Pearse 15, Blake Ladage 7, Brock Brown 4, Landon Bowsher 3, Kolton Reiss 2.
Glenwood — Hugo Lopp 18, Brody Green 8, Cohen Reid 8, Jack Kurmann 7, Jaxson Wix 4, Cole Woodward 2.

Quarter Scores:
Taylorville: 5, 8, 5, 15 — 33
Glenwood: 10, 10, 14, 12 — 46

The Tornado girls basketball team suffered a third defeat in succession in a 61-37 loss to Mahomet-Seymour on Saturday.  The Bulldogs dominated from beyond the arc throughout the game. 

The contest was close to start, with Mahomet-Seymour closing out the first quarter up one point.  After Taylorville went in front twice, the Dogs built up momentum and never looked back.  A pair of threes from Hannah Creel helped the away side begin to build up a comfortable margin, which increased after each succeeding quarter.  They also took advantage of cleaner fast-break play and consistent shooting as the game progressed. 

Creel finished with 11 points, while teammates Penelope Bird and Hannah Martin each contributed 12.  Taylorville's Baileigh Jackson, however, led the way across both teams with 13 points.  That stat, plus her solid paint shooting, earned her the title of Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game. 

The loss drops Taylorville to 3-4 overall and 1-1 in the Apollo Conference and ends a five-game conference winning run.  Next, the Tornadoes travel to Lanphere in a game arranged only earlier this week.  It tips off Tuesday at 7 p.m., and live commentary will be available on 96.5 The Chill. 

Mahomet-Seymour is now at 5-2 overall and unbeaten two games into their conference schedule.  They've now won eight of their last nine conference games going back to last season, along with five of seven on the road.  They travel to Peoria Notre Dame for their next game. 

Taylorville boys’ basketball came up just short in their home opener Friday night, falling 44–42 to Mahomet-Seymour in a physical Apollo Conference battle at Dolph Stanley Court.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 8–0 lead before the Tornadoes settled in and rallied to tie the game 8–8 by the end of the first quarter. Taylorville grabbed the momentum in the second, building a 12–8 lead and taking a 25–22 advantage into halftime.

The third quarter proved costly for the Tornadoes. Taylorville managed just four points in the frame—three of them on a Brock Brown three-pointer—while Mahomet-Seymour outscored them 12–4 to take a 34–29 lead into the fourth.

Taylorville made a late push in the final quarter, but the comeback fell just short. Brown laid in a bucket at the buzzer to bring the Tornadoes within two, but Mahomet-Seymour held on for the 44–42 win.

It was a rugged game throughout, with multiple technical fouls and several players fouling out. Taylorville drops to 0–2 on the season and 0–1 in Apollo play, while Mahomet-Seymour improves to 3–1 and 1–0 in the conference.

Brock Brown led Taylorville with 13 points, while Malique Pearse added 11 before fouling out. Pearse was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game. Maddex Havera chipped in 8 points for the Tornadoes.

Taylorville is back in action Saturday at the Capital City Showcase at the BOS Center in Springfield. Tipoff is set for noon.

Mahomet: Malachi Nichols 10 pts, Nolan Franz 2, Parker Henry 2, Paxson O' Malley 9, Jackson Bohm 13, Ryan Pruitt 3, Eli Dyer 3, Jack Stelle 2. Taylorville: Maddyx Owens 5, Maddex Havera 8, Blake Ladage 1, Patrick Curtin 4, Malique Pearse 11, Brock Brown 13.

                          1           2           3           4             T
Taylorville        8         17           4         13           42
Mahomet         8         14          12       10            44

The Tornado girls basketball team suffered a 57-44 defeat away to Williamsville after a late surge from the Bullets.

Taylorville built comfortable leads in the second and third quarter, topping out at 11 points.  That's when Williamsville's comeback began.  They rattled off quick scores, mostly courtesy of Bailey Wherley, in the closing stages of the third quarter.  Her side continued the momentum into the fourth with scores from Reese Larson and Cora Senalik.

Grace Rogers finished as Taylorville's top scorer with 19 points.   Her performance, which included three three-point scores, earned her the title of Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.  As for Williamsville, Wherley topped all players with 22 points, while Larson tallied 14.

Taylorville is now 3-3 and will look to rebound at home to Mahomet-Seymour on Saturday.  The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on 96.5 The Chill. 

Williamsville is now 3-2 and will host Sangamon Valley/Tri City next.

The Taylorville Tornadoes came storming back on the road against the Williamsville Bullets but couldn't get the job done as the Bullets held on for a 44-40 victory in the first game of the season for both teams.  

Both teams came out firing and were all knotted up at 9 when Jackson Sanders was able to hit a shot at the buzzer to give the Bullets an 11-9 lead.  Taylorville struggled in the second quarter with multiple shot clock violations and mistakes which led to a 21-9 lead, but Taylorville would come fighting back in the last two minutes including a 3 from Maddex Havera and Taylorville would cut the deficit 21-16 going into halftime with the momentum.

Coming out into the third, Taylorville looked rejuvenated and firing on all cylinders as Taylorville got scoring from Brock Brown, Blake Ladage, and Wyatt Younker. Williamsville got 8 points including a big 3 from Garrett Timm who finished with 14 points including four 3's.  Taylorville trailed going into the fourth quarter, 29-27. 

In the fourth quarter, Taylorville took an early lead-their first since the first quarter, and even led at one 35-30, but couldn't close out the game, as Kaden Entwistle hit a huge three, and Taylorville couldn't hang on for the victory as Taylorville sent the Bullets to the free throw line, to which, they closed out the game. 

Taylorville got 20 points from Brock Brown, five from Malique Pearse, six from Blake Ladage, five from Maddex Havera, two from Maddyx Owens, and two from Wyatt Younker.  Taylorville sophomore Brock Brown was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game. 

Williamsville got 14 from Garrett Timm, 12 from Jackson Sanders, eight from Brody Neuhoff, six from Kaden Entwistle, two from Nolan Bryant and two from Dalton Root.  

Taylorville               9           7            11         13    40

Williamsville           11         10           8          15    44

The Taylorville Tornadoes came storming back on the road against the Williamsville Bullets but couldn't get the job done as the Bullets held on for a 44-40 victory in the first game of the season for both teams.  

Both teams came out firing and were all knotted up at 9 when Jackson Sanders was able to hit a shot at the buzzer to give the Bullets an 11-9 lead.  Taylorville struggled in the second quarter with multiple shot clock violations and mistakes which led to a 21-9 lead, but Taylorville would come fighting back in the last two minutes including a 3 from Maddex Havera and Taylorville would cut the deficit 21-16 going into halftime with the momentum.

Coming out into the third, Taylorville looked rejuvenated and firing on all cylinders as Taylorville got scoring from Brock Brown, Blake Ladage, and Wyatt Younker. Williamsville got 8 points including a big 3 from Garrett Timm who finished with 14 points including four 3's.  Taylorville trailed going into the fourth quarter, 29-27. 

In the fourth quarter, Taylorville took an early lead-their first since the first quarter, and even led at one 35-30, but couldn't close out the game, as Kaden Entwistle hit a huge three, and Taylorville couldn't hang on for the victory as Taylorville sent the Bullets to the free throw line, to which, they closed out the game. 

Taylorville got 20 points from Brock Brown, five from Malique Pearse, six from Blake Ladage, five from Maddex Havera, two from Maddyx Owens, and two from Wyatt Younker.  Taylorville sophomore Brock Brown was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game. 

Williamsville got 14 from Garrett Timm, 12 from Jackson Sanders, eight from Brody Neuhoff, six from Kaden Entwistle, two from Nolan Bryant and two from Dalton Root.  

Taylorville               9           7            11         13    40

Williamsville           11         10           8          15    44

Taylorville falls to 0-1.  Williamsville improves to 1-0.  Taylorville will play Mahomet Seymour on Friday night at the Dolph. 

Civic Memorial's girls basketball team is the Thanksgiving Holiday Tournament champion after a comfortable 61-38 over Taylorville on Tuesday night.  The game was due to take place on Saturday but was rescheduled due to the heavy snow in the area.  The Eagles were in control wire-to-wire as Taylorville struggled to keep up. 

After an early timeout from the Bethalto-based side, they took control and left Taylorville in their wake.  Civic led 29-10 after the first quarter.  Taylorville played them more closely in the following periods, but turnovers and quick Eagle passing were too much for Hayden Eldred's side. 

Marley Ogden led the scoring across both teams with 19 points, including four three-point scores.  Marlee Durbin and Isabelle Edwards each put up 11 points.  Ogden and Durbin were each named to the all-tournament teams for their performances.

For Taylorville, Nora Thomas's 13 points topped Taylorville's individual numbers, earning her the title of Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.  Baileigh Jackson and Grace Rogers, who both linked up well throughout the game, each supplied ten points.  The other five came from McKynlee Siempelkamp.

Taylorville's record now stands at 3-2 as they next travel to Williamsville for their first game of the season away from home.  Live commentary will be available on 96.5 The Chill.

Civic Memorial remains perfect on the season through five games.  They continue on the road, next against Mascoutah as they open their Mississippi Valley Conference account. 

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Northern Illinois University (NIU) have announced that NIU’s Huskie Stadium will host the 2025 IHSA Class 7A and Class 8A Football State Championship games in DeKalb on Wednesday, December 3 at 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM, respectively. 

“We are incredibly thankful to NIU, the Huskie Athletic Department, and the DeKalb community for welcoming back the IHSA Football State Finals on short notice,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We had a wonderful state final experience in DeKalb over the course of a decade and have a relationship of hosting IHSA State Series events on campus that dates back even further. NIU’s partnership with the IHSA and support of high school student-athletes in Illinois has proven to be second to none.”

The 7A state title game between Brother Rice and St. Rita will kickoff at 3:00 PM and be followed by the 8A championship between Mount Carmel and Oswego.

“I appreciate the many constituents from across our campus who have stepped up to help the IHSA make this happen on short notice,” said NIU Vice President/Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier. “We look forward to welcoming the state championships to DeKalb, NIU and Huskie Stadium on Wednesday and providing a first-class experience for all of those involved.”

The contests were originally scheduled to be played at Hancock Stadium on the Illinois State University (ISU) campus in Normal on Saturday, November 29, but were postponed after ISU closed its campus ahead of the winter storm that has impacted much of the state today. The Class 5A and 6A title games were also postponed, and will be played at ISU on Tuesday, December 2 at 3 PM and 6 PM, respectively.

“Illinois State was committed to hosting all eight state championship games if possible, but could not host the 7A and 8A title games until Thursday due to a scheduling conflict on Wednesday,” said Anderson. “We did not want to further impact the schedules and routines of our competing teams, so NIU’s willingness to step up, especially given the geography of the competing teams, made this an easy decision.”

The IHSA is working with the ticketing groups at ISU and NIU and anticipates that all tickets previously purchased through the ISU ticket office will be honored in DeKalb. More information on ticketing will be announced on Monday.

The 5A-8A title games on December 2 and December 3 will also be broadcast on the IHSA’s statewide TV Network and streamed on the NFHS Network.

NIU hosted all eight IHSA state football title games in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. The IHSA had been hosting the games at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, but a bi-annual scheduling conflict arose and NIU stepped in to host. After the contracts in Champaign and DeKalb ended in 2022, the IHSA Board made the decision to return the title games to ISU, thanks in part to its central location, which had hosted the title games from 1974 to 1998.

The IHSA held its Class 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A Football State Championship games at Hancock Stadium on Friday, November 28. During the Class 2A tilt, ISU announced it would be closing its campus on Saturday, November 29 due to the impending winter storm. The campus closure forced the IHSA to postpone the 5A-8A state title games. The final schedule and results are below:

2025 IHSA FOOTBALL STATE FINALS
Friday, November, 28 at Hancock Stadium (Normal)
Class 1A | Lena-Winslow 58, Brown County 13
Class 2A | Wilmington 42, Maroa-Forsyth 6
Class 3A | Byron 56, Tolono Unity 50
Class 4A | Montini 47, Rochester 33

Tuesday, December 2 at Hancock Stadium (Normal)
3:00 PM | 5A | St. Francis vs. Providence Catholic
6:00 PM | 6A | Fenwick vs. East St. Louis

Wednesday, December 3 at Huskie Stadium (DeKalb)
3:00 PM | 7A | St. Rita vs. Brother Rice
6:00 PM | 8A | Mount Carmel vs. Oswego

All Taylorville sports events are cancelled this evening 12/1 due to the weather.  Make up dates will be announced when they are received.