High School Sports
Miners pick up two wins behind Daniel Wolber and Tristen Wargo
The Gillespie Miners baseball team pockets a win against Bunker Hill on Monday, April 22, with a final score of 8 to 1.
Daniel Wolber toed the rubber against Bunker Hill, picking up another win on the season. Wolber gave up only one hit and one run, striking out 12 over five innings of work. Wilcox took the loss for Bunker Hill on the mound, giving up five runs on seven hits.
The Miners had a collection of 10 hits in their winning efforts. Tristen Wargo and Luke Shuckenbrock were dynamic in the 1 and 2 spots of the lineup. Wargo went 2 for 4 with 1 run scored, and Shuckenbrock went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and pulled a base on balls. Colin Griffith went 2 for 4 at the plate, driving in one run and plating one. Bryce Hohnsbehn, Jesse Berry, Bryce Buhs, and Jack Kaylor all had a hit in the victory.
Griffith had two stolen bases on the night. Hohnsbehn, Berry, and Wargo had a stolen base each.
The Miners collected another win this week against Pana on Friday, April 26. Wargo collected the win on the mound with 11 strikeouts. Wargo surrendered five hits and two runs over six innings of play. Meadows took the loss for Pana, giving up 2 runs on four hits.
Gillespie had a total of 9 hits throughout the game. Shuckenbrock, Buhs, and Griffith each had two hits in their efforts. Griffith went 2 for 2 at the plate with 2 RBIs and collected a walk. Berry and Buhs each had an RBI in the books.
The Miners had a watchful eye at the plate, drawing a total of seven walks during the game. Jaydon Baker led Gillespie in the walk column, pulling three walks on the night. Shuckenbrock, Hohnsbehn, Griffith, and Kaylor had collected a base on balls.
The Miners will face off against Southwestern on Saturday.
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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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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.
