High School Sports
Price sets four tournament records as boys, girls capture third place at Carlinville Holiday Tournament
Nick Price set two new tournament records this week with 42 points in a single game and 129 total points in the tournament. Price was also a pick for the all-tournament team. (Archived photo)
Both the Gillespie girls’ and boys’ basketball programs finished in third place on Thursday in the annual Carlinville Holiday Tournament after winning three of their four games this week. The boys knocked off Mt. Olive in overtime 72-69 for the bronze finish while the girls beat Carlinville 44-39 for third.
Despite failing in third place, Gillespie’s Nick Price set four new tournament records while tying another. Price scored 42 points versus Mt. Olive in the third place game breaking the 1976 record of 41 points set by Terry Bruckert for most points scored in a single game and finished the tournament with 129 points setting the new record for most points scored in a tournament passing Mike Tisdale’s 2005 record of 118 points. He also set two free throw records – beating a 1992 record for most free throws in a game (16) and most free throws in the tournament (39). Price also tied the record for most three-point baskets in the tournament (16).
[pullquote]Earning all-tournament team honors from Gillespie were Nick Price and Amanda Schmidt.[/pullquote]Gillespie junior Karli Carr also tied the girls’ tournament record for most three-point baskets scored in a single game in the Miners first game of the tournament on Monday against Staunton after scoring 18 points from beyond the three-point arc.
Earning all-tournament team honors from Gillespie were Nick Price and Amanda Schmidt.
GIRLS TOURNAMENT
The Miners (6-7) nearly evened their record at the tournament after entering the Christmas break with a 3-6 record. Gillespie bounced Staunton for the second time this season in the first game of the tournament on Monday winning 75-21, and then followed Monday’s performance with a two-point loss to the tournament victors Litchfield Panthers – the only loss suffered by the Miners at the tournament, 55-57.
After facing Abby Brockmeier and company 10 days prior to seeing them again in the tournament, the Miners were much better prepared the second time around after losing 29-53 to Litchfield on Dec. 19. Gillespie led the Panthers 25-22 at halftime, but couldn’t hold the edge in the second half as the Brockmeier scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half. Schmidt led Gillespie with 18 points versus Litchfield while Paige Niemeyer followed with 11.
[pullquote]Gillespie cinched a seat in the third place game with a Wednesday night victory over Bunker Hill, 47-44.[/pullquote] Gillespie cinched a seat in the third place game with a Wednesday night victory over Bunker Hill, 47-44. The Miners trailed the Minutemen after the first, second and third quarters, but scored 21 fourth quarter points to oust Bunker Hill in the team’s first meeting this season. Schmidt scored 14 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter and two-thirds of the team’s total fourth quarter points. Bunker Hill’s Mallory Schwegel led all scorers with 26 and Gillespie’s Niemeyer led the Miners with 22. Schmidt followed with 18.
Third place went home with the Miners on Thursday after the team defeated Carlinville 44-39 on the Cavie’s home court. Despite losing to the Cavaliers back on Nov. 28, Gillespie beat the South Central Conference rival in a back and forth concluding game of the tournament. The Miners led Carlinville by two points at halftime and one point heading into the fourth quarter but sealed the victory from the charity line scoring seven of the team’s 16 fourth-quarter points from the free throw line. Schmidt led all scorers with 15 points while Niemeyer finished with seven and Carr tallied six.
Senior Amanda Schmidt was named to the tournament’s all-tournament team after the Miners finished third on Thursday. (Archived photo)
The girls have a short break until they take the floor again next week on Thursday, Jan. 5 against Hillsboro in Gillespie.
BOYS TOURNAMENT
The boys (6-7) also nearly evened their record in the Carlinville Holiday Tournament after snapping a four-game losing streak with a victory over Staunton, 56-41, in the team’s first game of the tournament on Monday. Price posted 27 despite being heavily pressured by Staunton and Tate Wargo helped the Miners with 12 as the duo nearly outscored the Bulldogs themselves.
The Miners knocked off the Litchfield Panthers in the second night of pool play, 61-52, as Price scored 31. Gillespie led 12-11 after the first quarter and 25-24 at halftime, but extended their lead in the third quarter thanks to some precision shooting and full-court defensive pressure.
The team’s first loss of the tournament came on Wednesday as Bunker Hill squashed Gillespie’s hopes of playing for the championship. Price led all scorers with 28 points, but Bunker Hill’s scoring pair tossed up a combined 38 points as Dane Sellars scored 20 and Chase Williams scored 18. Yates also scored 11 for the Minutemen and freshman Anthony Kravanya was Gillespie’s next top scorer adding 10 for the Miners.
[pullquote]Gillespie brought home third place on Thursday with an overtime victory over Mt. Olive as Price scored a tournament-high 42 points.[/pullquote]Gillespie brought home third place on Thursday with an overtime victory over Mt. Olive as Price scored a tournament-high 42 points. The game went past regulation playing time after the Wildcats nailed a three-pointer with less than a second remaining in regulation.
In a game similar to the Gillespie girls’ game versus Bunker Hill, the Miners trailed Mt. Olive after the first, second and third quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Miners snapped a four-point deficit as Price scored 12 of the team’s 16 fourth quarter points – seven of which came from the free-throw line. Wargo and Kravanya each added two in the fourth quarter.
The Miners outscored Mt. Olive 13-10 in overtime for the bronze title as Price scored eight in the extra period, Wargo and Daniel Dobrino each scored two and Kravanya scored one. The Miners made 78 percent of their free throws finding the bottom of the net 19 of 25 attempted times as Mt. Olive only made 12 of their 21.
Gillespie has the New Year’s weekend off and will be back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 3 when they host Pleasant Plains.
Hillsboro won the boys’ tournament title defeating Bunker Hill, 41-28.
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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.
