Garrett “Chunk” Dailey gets a pin for the win at the IHSA State Wrestling Tournament. The Tiger junior finished up a great season but did not place, going 1-2 in the tournament.

Dailey wins one at State – Tiger Wrestling results

Beardstown’s Garrett “Chunk” Dailey picked up one win against two losses at last week’s IHSA State Tournament in Champaign.  

The burly junior, wrestling at 285 pounds, lost his first match by fall to David McCarthy of Chicago De LaSalle High School.  McCarthy would go on to place 5th overall in the state.  In the next day’s wrestle back bracket, Dailey won by fall in 1:39 over Jared Claunch of Bryon.  Just over an hour later Chunk’s season ended in a heartbreaker as he lost a 2-1 decision to Roy Phelps of Chicago Hope. Although the final defeat was a tough one to swallow, Dailey will be back on the mats for the Tigers next year.

Porta Bluejays

Cardinals stun Lady Bluejays

A season to remember came to a disappointing end for the PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays in the Regional Championship game last Thursday at Riverton. Just a week after getting pounded by the Bluejays 45 to 27, the Pleasant Plains Cardinals sprang the upset sending PORTA-AC to just their second loss of the year to end their season at 30-2.  

The Tiger’s Rylan Alhorn goes up strong for two points in varsity basketball action against Augusta Southeastern.

Winning streak for Tigers – Most wins since 1996 for BHS Boys

The Beardstown boys’ basketball team closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak to push their record to 22-9 on the season, giving Coach Eric Anderson and the Tigers the most wins in a season since 1996.  The orange and black started last week with a West Central Conference home win over Augusta Southeastern. The win gave the Tigers a 5-4 mark in the conference and was the second victory this season over the Suns, following a Turkey Tourney win. Beardstown hit five of 10 three-pointers and shot 45% from the field overall in the win. It was 14 to 9 in favor of the Tigers after one quarter, and they led

All eyes are on the ball in a home volleyball game against Rushville-Industry.

BJHS Volleyball Action

All eyes are on the ball in a home volleyball game against Rushville-Industry.

Porta Bluejays

Bad week for Bluejays

Two Sangamo Conference losses on the road ended the regular season for the PORTA-AC Central Bluejays dropping them to 1-8 in the conference and 12-18 overall in a rebuilding season. The Bluejays gave a very good Auburn team all they wanted for three quarters before falling 59 to 41 to start the week then dropped a disappointing decision to Standford Olympia 52 to 47.  

Trojans

Tornadoes & Vipers take down Trojans

It was a tough finishing schedule for the Triopia-Meredosia-Virginia Trojans as they faced highly regarded Griggsville-Perry and South County to close the season last week.  Two encouragingly close battles ensued with the Trojans falling to the Tornadoes 53 to 45 and to the Vipers 35 to 31.

Periodical cicadas will be emerging across much of Illinois in 2024.

Good Growing – The cicadas are coming! Periodical cicadas in Illinois in 2024

Can you hear them? Probably not yet, but soon, Illinois will be awash in the songs of periodical cicadas. This year is a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, where Broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time for the first time since 1803. Despite some talk of an impending insect apocalypse, cicadas don’t pose a threat to humans (or pets).

Menard Electric offers college, vocational school scholarships

Menard Electric Cooperative is offering three scholarships: $2,000 to a 4-year college/university, $1,500 to a 2-year/community college, and $1,500 to a vocational/technical program.

Bonus: Applicants can also apply to win a trip to Washington, D.C. on the Youth to Washington Tour June 14-21, 2024.

Shown above is a photo from the St. Louis Post Dispatch that was printed on July 6, 1952. This photo was taken when the bandstand on the Cass County Courthouse lawn held weekly concerts during the summer. Above is a 45-piece of Virginia’s school band under the direction of Anton Cerveny, music supervisor of public schools. At Monday night’s Virginia City Council meeting, it was announced that fundraisers will be held to do much needed repairs to the 111-year old bandstand.

Beautification committee will oversee bandstand revitalization

Members of the Virginia Beautification Committee attended the Monday night council meeting to report that their recent bingo fundraiser was very successful. They’ve planned for proceeds from their last two fundraisers to go toward doing much needed maintenance and repair on the 111-year-old courthouse lawn bandstand. They also have word that their project will be recipient of a popular annual benefit called “The Virginia Open” scheduled for April 20.