High School Sports
Football drops third straight before facing Carlinville this week on homecoming
Bryce McKinney runs the ball for Gillespie.
It looked like Gillespie (2-3) was going to snap their two-game losing streak last Friday night in Hillsboro after taking a 12-0 lead, but then the tide turned in Hillsboro’s homecoming football game and the Toppers (4-1) held the Miners scoreless the rest of the game while scoring 26 points of their own to give Gillespie their third straight loss, 12-26.
After kicking off to start the game, Gillespie took over possession after forcing a Hillsboro fumble 10 yards away form the end zone on their opening drive of the game. The Miners used the escape to score the game’s first touchdown after Bryce McKinney and Bobby Carr each had large runs – McKinney for a 29-yard rush and Carr on a 45-yard rush. After the missed extra point kick, Gillespie led 6-0 after seven minutes of play.
Gillespie’s lead improved in the second quarter after covering nearly 80 offensive yards on their next drive. Quarterback Tate Wargo found Bryce McKinney wide open for a 35-yard completion putting the Miners 15 yards away from the end zone. After a couple rushing plays combined for a first down, Gillespie turned to a passing play and Wargo found Myers open for a 5-yard touchdown reception giving the Miners a 12-0 lead after the failed conversion.
Hillsboro returned the touchdown favor in their third drive of the game after covering 62 offensive yards and after overcoming a fourth down and 1 play, the Toppers quarterback Mitch Reynolds escaped on a 9-yard scamper to trim the deficit to 12-6 with four minutes left before halftime.
[pullquote]The Miners have had their best week of practices this week, according to head coach Don Dobrino[/pullquote]The Miners didn’t give themselves much opportunity after Hillsboro’s Dillon Civitate intercepted Wargo with 3:03 remaining in the second quarter. The Toppers possession lasted two minutes before they ended the half by punting on fourth down and 10.
Keagan West doesn’t let his opponent get away from him as he snags his jersey near the line of scrimmage.
Despite leading 12-6 at halftime, Gillespie’s lead was overtaken within two minutes of the third quarter after Hillsboro broke away and gained 51 yards on the ground before being stopped three yards away from the end zone. The Toppers jumped over a pile of Miners on the next play tying the game at 12 before kicking the extra point to put Gillespie behind 12-13.
Gillespie’s situation continued to worsen throughout the remainder of the second half after their next two drives each resulted in a turnover and Hillsboro used each one to add another touchdown to their side of the scoreboard building a 14-point lead over the Miners, 12-26.
The Miners had seven minutes remaining in the game to draw up a comeback, but then lost Bobby Carr who is a contributing force on offense as a receiver. Carr was injured during Hillsboro’s 5-yard touchdown run and was transported off the field by an ambulance following a 15-minute delay. When play resumed, Hillsboro’s two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
Hillsboro then forced a fumble on the next Miners’ drive, but then punted it away three downs later with 2:50 remaining in the game. Gillespie’s final drive of the game was ignited with a 44-yard completion from quarterback Daniel Dobrino to Bryce McKinney, but then the final seconds rolled off the clock after a pair of sacks.
The Miners (2-3) have had their best week of practices this week, according to head coach Don Dobrino, and are prepared for a victory over Carlinville (3-2) this evening in their homecoming to snap the three-game losing streak. Carlinville is entering the match-up after a marginal win over Staunton last week.
Carr was diagnosed with a concussion and is participating in a strict regime under constant watch by medical professionals to hopefully be back on the playing field this season.
Around the South Central Conference
- Pana (5-0) blanked Southwestern (2-3) last week, 28-0
- Carlinville (3-2) walloped Staunton (0-5), 59-12
- Litchfield (3-2) edged Vandalia (2-3), 12-7
- Roxana (3-2) beat Greenville (1-4), 49-36
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
There are plenty of ways to keep up on BenGil news:
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter
Follow us on Twitter for the fastest breaking news updates and score updates
Comments
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.
Comments
In a nail-biting showdown that will be remembered for years to come, the Gillespie Miners girls basketball team captured the South Central Conference title with a hard-fought 55-52 victory over the Pana Panthers on Thursday night, February 13. This marks Gillespie’s first conference championship since their back-to-back titles in 2001-02, when they shared the honors with Southwestern both finishing with a 9-1 conference record.
The game held at Pana High School was anything but straightforward. After a tumultuous 13-minute delay due to injuries and a technical foul controversy, the Miners rallied their spirits to secure the win. Amari Vickery led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 21 points, while Mia Brawner added 11, Maggie Heyen contributed 10, Delaney Taylor posted 5, Sadie Sholtis scored 4, and Lainey Edwards and Corrine Fellin each had 2 points.
From the opening tip, it was clear that Pana was not going to roll over easily. The Panthers held leads at the end of the first two quarters, 15-14 and 28-26, showcasing their tenacity. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Pana had edged ahead 44-42, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
However, the game took a chaotic turn in the fourth quarter when a collision between Vickery and teammate Sloane Brawner resulted in both players going down with injuries. Sloane was not able to return the game but Vickery did. The Miners also lost both Delaney Taylor and Sadie Sholtis to fouls and Gillespie was assessed a technical foul under controversial circumstances which tied the game at 49. But Heyen carried the weight through the fourth quarter recording 6 of her 10 points in the final quarter of play.
Despite the setbacks, the Miners displayed remarkable teamwork resilience under the leadership of Nikki and Matt Brawner. With the SCC championship secured and the regular season concluded with a 22-8 overall record and 9-0 conference record, the Miners now shift their focus to the upcoming regional which is being hosted in Gillespie.
Gillespie hosts Alton Marquette on Monday, Feb. 17 for the regional semi-finals after Alton Marquette knocked East-Alton Wood River, 36-29, to face the Miners. The winner advances to the regional championship that will be played on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in Gillespie versus the winner of Staunton/Roxana.
