Each week the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier features some of the top performances of local high school athletes. Here are the athletes of the week from Oct 28-Nov. 2
Ivy Ayers, Tayler McMechan, Cumberland volleyball, L/DS sophomore/S junior
Cumberland won its first regional championship since 2011. The Lady Pirates, who entered Monday's sectional semifinals against WSS with an 18-15 record, beat Martinsville 25-21, 25-10 and then Palestine/Hutsonville 25-15, 25-19 at Casey. Ayers had a team-high 28 digs, while McMechan was tops in assists with 20. She also had nine digs, three kills, and an ace.
Michael Carpenter, Cumberland boys' cross country, senior
Carpenter advanced from the Effingham St. Anthony sectional to the state meet by placing sixth among the top seven individuals not on an advancing team to move on. He was 14th overall with a time of 16:58.29.
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Jazmyn Dittamore, Cumberland girls' cross country, junior
Dittamore was the seventh and final individual in the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional that was not on an advancing team to move on to the state meet Saturday at Peoria's Detweiller Park. Dittamore was 18th overall with a time of 19:46.25. The Lady Pirates were 15th as a team.
Melia Eskew, Kaylenn Hunt/, Tri-County volleyball, 5-5 S/6-0 MH juniors
Eskew had 37 assists and three kills, while Hunt had 25 kills and four blocks to lead Tri-County to 2-0 week. The Lady Titans won their own regional at Kansas beating Chrisman 25-13, 25-17 and then fellow Lincoln Prairie Conference foe, Okaw Valley 25-15, 25-17. Tri-County entered Monday's sectional semifinal game against Altamont with a 22-8 record.
Pedro Gauna/Austin Hopkins/ Beau Smothers Arcola football, 5-8, 180 RB/LB, senior
Arcola advanced to the final 16 teams in Class 1A with a 42-19 win over Tri-County Saturday at Thomas-Bradford Field. Gauna had four carries for 31 yards, recovered an on-side kick and forced a fumble as the Purple Riders improved to 8-2. Hopkins had had 4.5 tackles and 18 carries for 183 yards. He scored four touchdowns on runs of 5,8,16 and 25 yards. Smothers had a 13-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Kylie Haacke, Mattoon girls' cross country
Haacke was 14th with a time of 19:19.47 good for the sixth of seven individuals not on an advancing team. Haacke advanced to the state meet. As a team the Green Wave placed 14th.
Layton Hall, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, junior
Hall qualified for the IHSA Class 1A state cross country meet at Peoria's Detweiller Park by running the three-mile course at Mid-America Corvette in Effingham in 16:10.14, good for fourth place out of 163 runners. He was second among the top seven individuals not on an advancing team to move on to state. As a team the Knights played sixth in the meet hosted by Effingham St. Anthony.
Hannah Hayes/Mackinzee Reynolds, WSS volleyball, 5-7 S, OH junior/6-0 OH, M, senior
WSS won its fifth straight regional beating Central A&M 25-10, 25-21 after topping Decatur LSA/Decatur Christian 25-16, 25-17. Hayes had a team-high 29 assists to go with five kills and eight digs and a team-high four and a half blocks. Reynolds had a team-leading 16 kills and 16 digs along with 3.5 blocks and 2 assists. The Hatchets entered Monday's sectional semifinals against Cumberland with a 24-14 record.
Kyleigh Marty/Chloe Watson, Shelbyville volleyball, 5-9 senior OH/5-6 junior S, OH
Shelbyville won its first regional Class 2A regional since 2016 beating Newton 25-20, 25-18. The Lady Rams reached the championship game at Robinson with a 25-9 25-13 victory over the host school. The lady Rams entered Monday's sectional semifinal at Salem against Massac County with a 23-14 record. Watson had nine kills, a team-high 29 assists, 10 digs, and an ace. Marty had a team-high 21 kills to go with 12 digs, 3 aces, and 2 blocks.
Ailey Mitchell/Gabrielle Spain, Shelbyville girls cross country, senior/sophomore
Spain and Mitchell were second and fourth among the top seven individuals not on an advancing team to move on to the state meet at Peoria. Spain was sixth overall with a time of 19:09.40, while Mitchell was eighth with a time of 19:19.78. A total of 129 runners competed at Effingham St. Anthony and the Lady Rams placed seventh as a team.
Grace Spoonhour, Charleston girls' cross country, junior
Spoonhour was 18th out of 140 runners in the Class 2A sectional meet at Hickory Point Golf Course in a meet hosted by Decatur MacArthur. Her time was 19:27.01 and it was good for the seventh and final spot among the top individuals not on an advancing team. Spoonhour advanced to the state meet. As a team the Lady Trojans placed ninth.