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PHOTOS: Gillespie High School homecoming parade

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Students and faculty at Gillespie High School capped their last school day of homecoming week with the annual homecoming parade through downtown Gillespie. The short-lived parade was comprised of fall athletic teams, homecoming attendants, senior homecoming court members, Black Diamond Days royalty, retiring GHS homecoming royalty and the class floats created last week.

During halftime of the football game Friday evening when the Miners (2-5) beat Roxana 20-8, it was announced that the senior class won the float decorating contest while the junior class won the hallway decorating contest.

Senior court members Hannah Doty and Ethan Blevins.

Senior court members Hannah Doty and Ethan Blevins.

The senior float that won first prize in the float building contest.

The senior float that won first prize in the float building contest.

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The Gillespie High School marching band.

The Gillespie High School marching band.

Black Diamond Days 2016 royalty Nina Moutrie as miss and Megan Hatlee as junior miss.

Black Diamond Days royalty Nina Moutrie as miss and Megan Hatlee as junior miss.

2015 Gillespie High School homecoming royalty Paige Adkins and Michael Ross.

2015 Gillespie High School homecoming royalty Paige Adkins and Michael Ross.

The sophomore class float held up by John Wyatt.

The sophomore class float held up by John Wyatt.

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Senior court members Tanner King and Ally Bires. King was voted 2016 Homecoming king.

Senior court members Tanner King and Ally Bires. King was voted 2016 Homecoming king.

Senior court members Zach Carr and Amanda Schmidt. Carr was voted first runner up and Schmidt was voted 2016 homecoming queen.

Senior court members Zach Carr and Amanda Schmidt. Carr was voted first runner up and Schmidt was voted 2016 homecoming queen.

The Gillespie Middle School Indians baseball team that placed 3rd in state last weekend.

The Gillespie Middle School Indians baseball team that placed 4th in state last weekend.

Quentin Blevins (#20) smiles for the camera while carrying Jaylen Ronald.

Quentin Blevins (#20) smiles for the camera while carrying Jaylen Ronald.

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Sophomore class court attendants Rylee Jarman and Joey Carter.

Sophomore class court attendants Rylee Jarman and Joey Carter.

Senior court member Emily Barylske. Barylske was awarded first runner up along with Zach Carr.

Senior court member Emily Barylske. Barylske was awarded first runner up along with Zach Carr.

Gillespie High School's FFA club float.

Gillespie High School’s FFA club float.

Senior court members Liberty Hartley and Trevor Fredericks.

Senior court members Liberty Hartley and Trevor Fredericks.

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GHS News

Miners softball team win regionals

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The Gillespie High School Miners softball team captured the regional championship with a 9-5 victory over conference rival, Staunton High School. The team’s impressive performance on both offense and pitching helped secure their spot in the sectional semifinals being played in Vandalia this week.

Sadie Sholtis led the charge on the mound, delivering a stellar performance with just one earned run, five strikeouts, and no walks over the course of the game. Her dominant pitching kept the Bulldogs at bay and was instrumental in the Miners’ success.

Offensively, the Miners showcased their depth and resilience highlighted by Sholtis’ 2-for-5 performance with a homerun and three RBIs. Delaney Taylor led the charge with an outstanding 4-for-5 effort at the plate, including a double and an RBI.

Laci Schuckenbrock added to the offensive onslaught with a 3-for-4 game featuring a double, while Macie Wright went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, providing clutch hits when needed. Ava Rakers also contributed with a 2-for-4 performance and Paxton Reid chipped in with a 1-for-4 effort and an RBI.

With this win, the Miners advance to the sectional semifinals, eager to continue their successful season. Gillespie faces Newton (24-2) on Tuesday in Vandalia at 5:30 p.m. in a 2024 sectional championship rematch. In 2024, the Miners were beating Newton 2-1 in the sectional championship before the Eagles tied the game in the 7th inning and went on to win in extra innings.

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CUSD 7 News

Miners girls basketball clinch SCC championship

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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.

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Community News

Gillespie teen wins drive safe Chicago video contest

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Wins $2,000 Prize and Video She Created will Air on 160 TV Stations Nationwide

CHICAGO – Emily Bergen, 16, a student at Gillespie High School in Gillespie, has won the annual Drive Safe Chicago public service announcement contest.  Antonio Knott, 15, of Merrillville High School in Merrillville IN, placed second in the voting, and Noelani Elizalde, 17, also from Merrillville High School, was third. 

Sponsored by the National Road Safety Foundation in partnership with the Chicago Auto Show, teens from Illinois and surrounding states were invited to submit ideas for a 30-second PSA about sharing the road with other passenger vehicles, trucks, motorcycles and pedestrians.

Three finalists were selected and each worked with an Emmy Award-winning producer to transform their PSA submissions into 30-second TV public service announcements.  The public was then able to vote for their favorite online.  More than 1,400 online votes were cast.

The winner received $2,000 and will be featured on nationally-syndicated Teen Kids News, reaching more than 160 TV stations across the country. The first runner-up got $1,000 and the second runner-up won $500.  All three finalists’ teachers received $100 gift cards.

Bergen’s winning PSA shows a young driver starting her car and pressing a “share the road” button.  As she drives, an AI voice warns her of a bicyclist, a pedestrian and children in a school zone. The voice then reminds her, “Cars don’t come with devices like me, which is why you need to know how to share the road.”

“The carnage on our roads can be reduced if drivers remain aware of others who share the road,” said Michelle Anderson of The National Road Safety Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes safe driving. “We think the creative ideas about sharing the road from our Drive Safe Chicago winner and runners-up convey that message effectively.”

“Although today’s new cars are safer than ever, with technological advances that are proven to help avoid crashes,” said Chicago Auto Show Chairwoman Kelly Webb Roberts, “drivers must still be aware of others they are sharing the road with, whether it’s a car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrians.”

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The National Road Safety Foundation says driver error accounts for 94 percent of all fatal crashes, with speeding and driver distraction among the leading factors.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 40,990 people died on U.S. roads and highways in 2023, with hundreds of thousands of injuries and an estimated annual cost of more than $340 billion.

View Bergen’s winning video below:

Bergen’s video is also featured center on the National Road Safety Foundation’s website with the runners-up videos to the right and to the left: https://m.shortstack.page/NLxMqT

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