Community News
9 athletes named All-Stars by Telegraph
Coach Michele Smith receives Coach of the Year
Being a Miner is not something any athlete at Gillespie High School takes for granted. The term is not handed out to just anyone. It is earned. It entails your heart sanctioned to the game you love and whether its gold or silver, a Miner does not give up until the season is over.
Sam Wasylenko
Gillespie had a tremendous year this year, especially the women. The girls’ soccer team played in the regional championship, the closest they ever came to the ship. The softball team won their regional and conference this year. The track girls won their conference, their county, and their sectional. Needless to say, the numbers from this year are indelible and will rank among the best years in Gillespie athletics.
Although, the raw stats do not reveal who these women really are. They are clutch performers, they are determined, they are motivated, they are exceptional ballplayers, and they are exceptional kids. Their season is not defined by their postseason success. Yeah, it’s a disappointment watching the soccer team lose in the championship after beating the same team three times before. Yeah, it’s a disappointment watching the softball team be denied a super sectional game. But, you cannot forget what else the teams have done.
The soccer team opened their season with a first place trophy at the Metro Cup and played superb all season long. The track girls broke school records meet after meet and had one lady place in State competition. The softball girls had a 13 game win streak during the mid-season. This is what defines success for a Miner and what suggests a great year for Gillespie.
Payton Anderson and Laura Halpin.
And a great year for Sam Wasylenko, Payton Anderson, Abbie Cline, Molly Gray, Laura Halpin, Tateum Rosentreter, Alexis Burns, Allison Goldasich, and Tyler Ross it was. All nine girls made a mark this season and were named All-Area First-Teamers by the Alton Telegraph in the 2012 Spring Riverbend All-Stars edition.
Sam Wasylenko, senior, made it for soccer. An asset to the team as some refer to her. Wasylenko helped carry the Miners to great start on the season while being a striker on the offensive side. She was always a threat to score and was always bobbing around the net. Wasylenko earned All-Section Honorable Mention awards from the IHSA soccer coaches.
Payton Anderson, Abbie Cline, Molly Gray, and Laura Halpin all carried the softball team. Anderson, Cline, and Halpin were all seniors for the Miners while Molly Gray was a sophomore. Anderson boasted 52 RBI’s for the team while recording over 18 extra base hits for the year. She earned a spot on the first team all-conference team as a short-stop this season and will go on and play at Missouri Baptist in the fall.
Cline also will go on and play college softball at Austin Peay State. Hitting in the number three spot most of the time, Cline recorded 26 RBI’s and 42 runs while being named a spot on the first team all-conference team as a catcher.
Abbie Cline
Halpin supported the Miners on the mound this season with a 23-6 record and a 2.47 ERA. Halpin was also named a first team spot on the all-conference team and a chance to play in the State Journal Register All-Star Classic along with Abbie Cline and Payton Anderson.
The young gun, Molly Gray, was also named by the Telegraph. Being just a sophomore, Gray has 2 years of softball left to produce for the team. She hit in the lead-off spot for the Miners and batted in 27 base runners over the course of the season. She stole 27 bases and was also named to the first team all-conference team for the Prairie-State Conference.
(L-R): Tyler Ross, Allison Goldasich, Alexis Burns, Tateum Rosentreter
Last, but not least, the 4×800 team comprised of Tateum Rosentreter, Alexis Burns, Allison Goldasich, and Tyler Ross. The relay team broke their record four times ending with a 15th place in state with a time of 10:04.11. Overall, the girls had a tremendous season and, as a whole, were the first girls’ team to win Conference, County and Sectionals in the same year.
Now it is the coach’s turn. Michelle Smith, softball coach, was named small school coach of the year. Smith achieved all 3 of the team goals this year: 20 victories, conference championship, and regional championship. Smith has coached the Miners to a 141-55 record over her time at Gillespie and a chance to coach Prairie-State Conference team in the All-Star game. Smith’s goal for next year will be “reloading” as the Miners will lack a player in the number one position next year.
Winners, champions, and believers. Boom, boom, and boom. Gillespie has them. The Miners made a statement this year and it was definitely one for the books, but next year will bring another season. And with another season will be more challenges, new goals, and new players.
Molly Gray
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In a decisive finish that underscored his rising dominance in Illinois Class 1A cross country, senior Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie High School claimed the state title with a time of 14:31.10 at the IHSA State Cross Country Championships held at Detweiller Park on Saturday, November 8.
Finishing just behind Oberkfell, sophomore Evan Knobloch of Toulon (Stark County) crossed the line in 14:46.25, placing second. Rounding out the top five were senior Blake McLeese of Tuscola (14:46.45), senior Luca Bryja of Elgin (Harvest Christian Academy) with 14:48.38, and senior Elijah Teefey of Pleasant Plains at 14:49.02.
This victory marks Oberkfell’s second IHSA Class 1A state championship. He also won the state crown as a junior in 2024 with a time of 14:31.87. In his sophomore year, he finished 21st with a 15:21.43 season-best time.
Looking ahead, Oberkfell is set to compete in the New Balance NXR Midwest Regional Championships on Sunday, November 16, at the LaVerne Gibson Course in Indiana. The meet serves as a critical stepping stone toward the national championships, and Oberkfell will look to carry his state momentum into the regional stage.
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The community is invited to participate in a family-friendly, drive-thru charity event aimed at keeping local students warm this winter. The “Warm Up Our Kids” drive-thru takes place on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Karmak Campus, located at 1 Karmak Plaza, Carlinville, IL and is sponsored by Karmak and Carlinville Area Hospital and Clinics.
Additional drop-off boxes will be available at the following locations to maximize participation and convenience:
- Sullivans in Carlinville, Gillespie, and Litchfield
- Pharmacy Plus in Girard
- Sav-Mor Pharmacy in Virden
- CAH&C Clinic sites in Gillespie, Girard, Carlinville, and Virden
- Briar Rose in Litchfield
- Brave Hazel in Carlinville
- Oh-So Cute Boutique in Virden
Drive through the event route and drop off much-needed supplies listed below. All donations will directly benefit students in the participating school districts, helping ensure every child has the warmth and essentials they need to face the winter season. Community support help bridge gaps and bring tangible, immediate relief to families in need.
Join us in spreading warmth and goodwill this December. The Ben Gil Post and community partners look forward to seeing you at the Karmak Campus drive-thru.
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A Macoupin County jury found Jeffrey D. Brown, 50, of Sawyerville guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm in connection with the shooting death of Rodney Messerly, 42, also of Sawyerville, authorities said.
The verdict was delivered a little before 6 p.m. on November 4, 2025, after a days-long trial led by Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan J. Garrison. Brown now faces a mandatory prison sentence ranging from six to 30 years with the sentence to be served at 85 percent. The sentencing will take place on January 12, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the incident unfolded on September 17, 2024, when Brown called 911 claiming Messerly had entered his home. Responding deputies found Messerly deceased on the front stoop outside the residence. Brown testified that Messerly had forced his way into the home, and he fired in self-defense inside the residence.
Surveillance video played to the jury depicted portions of the confrontation: Messerly speaking with Brown at the door outside the residence before Messerly pushes inside—off-camera for a stretch—followed by four gunshots fired from within the home. Messerly is seen falling back onto the front steps.
A video interview of Brown with Lt. Ryan Dixon of the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department revealed Brown stated he took three steps back inside the residence before firing the initial shots. Forensic pathologist Dr. Nathanial Patterson testified that the first four shots would have been fatal. Approximately seven seconds pass before Brown fires a final shot from inside the residence, striking Messerly in the chest as he yells an expletive.
Garrison offered condolences to Messerly’s family, calling the incident a “horrible situation” and noting that the healing process is just beginning for those affected. He described Messerly as having been experiencing delusions at the time of the incident and emphasized that the last shot was not in self-defense, characterizing it as an act of vengeance.
Brown faces additional charges in unrelated matters: Armed Violence (Class X felony) and Production of Cannabis Plants (Class 4) in 2024CF228, and Resisting Arrest Causing Injury to an Officer in 2024CF252.
Public sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2025. Prosecutors cautioned readers that charges are not proof of guilt and that Brown is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.
