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Football drops third straight before facing Carlinville this week on homecoming

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Bryce McKinney

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.

The Miners have had their best week of practices this week, according to head coach Don Dobrino

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.

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.

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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

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High School Sports

Gillespie Dominates the Court against Southwestern, 41-25

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On December 16, Gillespie played against Southwestern and dominated on the court. They secured an impressive 41-25 win.

Gillespie’s Amari Vickery played a crucial role in their offense in the first period, contributing 5 out of their 10 points. Sloane Brawner demonstrated range from behind the three-point line, extending their lead as they moved into the second period. Southwestern was able to muster up 7 points against Gillespie.

The defense really held strong in the second period of the game. It was a low-scoring affair, with only a total of 11 points scored by both teams. Gillespie managed to score 8 points, while Southwestern scored 3. Darr from Southwestern scored their only 3 points by shooting from beyond the arc. Vickery contributed 6 points for Gillespie, while Sadie Sholtis added two more to the scoreboard. Gillespie held the lead going into halftime with a score of 18 to 10.

After halftime, Gillespie’s Mia Brawner came out refreshed and had a strong offensive performance, scoring 9 out of Gillespie’s 11 points in the third period, while Maggie Heyen contributed the other two points. Southwestern managed to put up 8 points in an attempt to set the stage for a comeback against Gillespie. After three periods of play, Southwestern trailed behind with a score of 29 to 18.

Gillespie secured their victory during the fourth period by outscoring Southwestern 12 to 7. Vickery continued to impress with her offensive performance, contributing 6 points to extend their lead. Brawner also added 4 more points to her total for the game, while S. Brawner contributed an additional 2 points. Despite Stormer from Southwestern successfully scoring from behind the three-point line, it wasn’t enough to give them the lead.

Vickery and Brawner were the key players for Gillespie’s offense. Vickery scored a total of 17 points, while Brawner contributed 15 points to the team’s total.

Gillespie took home another win with a final score of 41 to 25.

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Gillespie emerged victorious over Auburn, 71-65

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Gillespie stepped onto the court against Auburn on December 9th and came out on top, clinching a hard-fought 71-65 win.

Gillespie started off hot, racing to an early lead in the first period. By the end of the period, the scoreboard read 17-15 in their favor. Auburn’s relentless defense sent Gillespie to the free throw line a total of five times in the opening period. Gillespie capitalized on those opportunities, converting 5-of-10 attempts as a team.

The star of the show, however, was Amari Vickery, who shone brightly from the charity stripe, sinking an impressive 4-of-6 free throws. Vickery’s impact didn’t stop there – managing to find the net for an additional goal during the period, further cementing her status as a dominant force in Gillespie’s offense. Mia Brawner and Sadie Sholtis proved to be a dynamic duo, combining for 8 points to bolster Gillespie’s scoring efforts in the first period.

Auburn attempted to make a comeback during the second period, besting Gillespie 16 to 15. Addison Whatley was the driving force behind Auburn’s offense, pouring in 8 of their 16 points. Maggie Heyen, Delaney Taylor, and Sloane Brawner were the forces behind Gillespie’s offensive surge in the second period. Heyen poured in 7 points, while Taylor and S. Brawner demonstrated their shooting range from beyond the arc.

Gillespie clung to their narrow one-point lead as the teams headed into the second half of the nail-biter.

Gillespie’s M. Brawner took over the second half, pouring in 15 points to overwhelm Auburn. Vickery’s offensive onslaught kept on rolling, as she added 9 more points to Gillespie’s tally. Heyen, Sholtis, Taylor, and S. Brawner all contributed to their winning effort.

When the final buzzer sounded, Gillespie emerged victorious, 71-65.

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Gillespie overpowers Pawnee for the win

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Gillespie overpowered Pawnee in their December 7th showdown, emerging with a 48-37 win.

To start off the game, offense on both sides was lacking, with both teams struggling to score. Pawnee held a narrow 7-6 lead.  Despite the low-scoring affair, Gillespie’s Delaney Taylor and Maggie Heyen each earned a trip to the free throw line, converting 2-of-4 attempts collectively. Amari Vickery also managed to get a shot to fall for Gillespie. Taylor added another basket outside of her free throw makes to help Gillespie’s efforts.

Gillespie’s defense shone brightly in the second period, as they outscored Pawnee, 10-4. The scoring was spread across multiple players, with Amari Vickery, Lainey Edwards, Mia Brawner, and Heyen each finding the net during the stretch. To cap off the impressive team effort, Gillespie’s Sadie Sholtis stepped up and sank both of her free throw attempts.

Pawnee’s Manshelt and Brunner held their only points during the second period.

In the second half of the game, Gillespie’s offense really took off, racking up an impressive 32 points. Vickery and M. Brawner showcased their shooting skills, each sinking shots from long range. Vickery contributed 9 points during this period, while M. Brawner added 6. Kaia Vickery, along with Taylor, Sholtis, and Heyen, also made significant contributions to the scoring in the latter half. Meanwhile, Pawnee managed to put up 26 points during the same stretch.

Pawnee battled fiercely against Gillespie but ultimately fell behind, ending the game with a score of 48 to 37.

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