News-Gazette Prep Sports

07/31/2024

Who’s ready for some football? These eight area high school football programs are after stopping by our office in Champaign today. Many thanks to players and coaches from Mahomet-Seymour, Milford/Cissna Park, Monticello, Oakwood, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, Prairie Central, Rantoul and Ridgeview/Lexington for making time today to share insight about their programs

07/31/2024

Two tradition-rich programs in Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley and LeRoy stopped by our office earlier today to take part in our high school football media days. Thanks to the Falcons and Panthers for making the trip to Champaign

07/30/2024

Episode 308: End of summer wrap | Summer workouts are about to conclude in Champaign, but there's still plenty happening in the Illinois basketball-sphere. Like Kasparas
Jakucionis playing for Lithuania in the FIBA U18 EuroBasket. And recruiting. Always recruiting. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and
more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

College basketball beat writer and AP voter Scott Richey weighs in on the sports he loves with insight on Illini basketball.

07/30/2024

Thanks to the Clinton, Danville and Fisher football teams for stopping by already today for our high school football media day event

07/30/2024

Hours 1 & 2 | Central Football | 7-29-24 | Members of the Champaign Central High School football and head coach Matt Leskis pay an in studio visit in hour one, and the News-Gazette sportswriters take over the second hour. |

Scott Beatty hosts a daily two-hour look at the latest in sports, mostly focused on the Illini. Veteran sportswriter and broadcaster Loren Tate and Evan Conn join as co-hosts. A variety of guests join the program, and the News-Gazette sportswriters make r

07/30/2024

Many thanks to Blue Ridge, Urbana, Cerro Gordo/Bement and Champaign Central football programs for stopping by The News-Gazette today as part of our high school football media days event

07/29/2024

Many thanks to Arcola, Argenta-Oreana, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond and Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin football for stopping by our media days event already today. Will continue throughout the week for all of our area teams

07/26/2024

Preps coordinator Zach Piatt looks into Lenny Sementi's "very tough goodbye" to the Tuscola softball program as well as an Olympic swimmer with Champaign ties.

'‘Very tough goodbye’

07/26/2024

Salt Fork's defense has led to many victories over the last few years. It's also led the Storm to the No. 6 spot in our preseason Top 10 rankings.

'The best thing I’ve seen so far is our seniors have done a nice job stepping into leadership roles'

07/26/2024

Two former prep volleyball players are set to begin new chapters when the NCAA season tips off in August.

07/25/2024

Kris Bell’s basketball roots go back to his childhood in Danville’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

07/25/2024

Friday’s Savannah Day 2.96 Memorial Run in Sidney could use our help: 'We would like to keep it going because we want to keep my sister’s memory alive.'

07/24/2024

Meet Myron Schroeder, a Hall of Famer getting better by the day

07/23/2024

Congratulations

Veteran coach won 500-plus games in 23 seasons at Tuscola.

07/23/2024

Bears and their coach welcome Danville's flag football team to practice

The inaugural Danville High School girls' flag football team on Tuesday attended the Chicago Bears training camp at Lake Forest to watch practice and meet head coach Matt Eberflus, pictured

07/22/2024

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond Football (7-22-24) | Joey Wright and Matt Daniels talk with Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond football players Easton Frederick, Colin Smith and Ryan Appleby ahead of the 2024 season.

The prep sports writers and broadcasters from the News-Gazette and NewsTalk 1400 & 93.9 and Lite Rock 97.5 deliver game broadcasts, interviews, and insight into high school athletics in the Champaign-Urbana area and east central Illinois.

07/22/2024

Episode 207: Best. Summer. Ever. | Did Illinois have the best summer ever? The argument can be made the way Brad Underwood retooled his roster ahead of the 2024-25 season with a depth of talent he might not have had at his disposal thus far in his
tenure as coach. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

College basketball beat writer and AP voter Scott Richey weighs in on the sports he loves with insight on Illini basketball.

07/22/2024

Dylan Dodd made seven starts with the Braves in 2023 (2-2 with a 7.60 ERA).

Dylan Dodd made seven starts with the Braves in 2023 and was 2-2 with a 7.60 ERA.

07/20/2024

Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk 7-20-24 | Steve Kelly and Loren Tate talk sports with Carey Davis (Illini football radio analyst), Adam Fletcher (Illinois basketball strength & conditioning coach), Howard Milton (chief development officer for UI athletics) and Matt Stevens (Illini Guys).

It's downstate Illinois' longest running sports radio program. Hosts Steve Kelly and Loren Tate have in-depth conversations about Illini athletics and beyond with notable guests.

07/19/2024

Good luck, kids

Third consecutive trip to state for talented group from Champaign East

07/18/2024

Local teachers Theresa Carley and John Lubinski are nearing the halfway mark of the fundraising St. Jude Run from Memphis, Tenn., to Peoria.

07/18/2024

Pretty cool moment for the Danville native

Danville graduate set to get another shot with his second MLB team after briefly playing with the Reds in 2022

07/17/2024

Coming to Urbana High this fall (a year earlier than anticipated): Girls' flag football

Urbana plans to field a girls' flag football team in Year 1 of the IHSA-sanctioned sport.

07/16/2024

It could be a tearful farewell. "I hope I can get through it. I've thought a lot about what I'm going to say. ... I do hope people realize this place has meant a lot to me."

It could be a tearful farewell. "I hope I can get through it. I've thought a lot about what I'm going to say. ... I do hope people realize this

07/16/2024

These athletes, all extremely talented and deserving of all the fanfare, didn’t always get the individual praise, but here's a look at each of their final rides:

These athletes, all extremely talented and deserving of all the fanfare, didn’t always get the individual praise, but preps coordinator Zach Piatt revisits each of their final rides

07/16/2024

Congratulations

Congratulations to our Golfers of the Week, longtime friends Cole Taylor and Bobby Harvey.

07/16/2024

They may not have received our ultimate honor of Athlete of the Year, but here are some of the best senior males from the Class of 2024:

Compiled by preps coordinator Zach Piatt, here are some of the best from the Class of 2024

07/16/2024

Macie Russell played five sports at the highest of levels this past school year, earning her the title of News-Gazette Female Athlete of the Year.

Macie Russell’s family wasn’t home very much throughout her four years at Salt Fork High School, primarily because everyone was out supporting her as she competed in five sports for

07/16/2024

After an All-State First-Team football season and a 44-0 wrestling season that was capped with a Class 2A state title at 285 pounds, Centennial senior Jack Barnhart is The News-Gazette Male Athlete of the Year.

After an All-State First-Team football season in Class 6A that included 114 tackles from the defensive line and a 44-0 wrestling season that was capped with a Class 2A state