Add undefeated Sangamo Conference Champions to the ever-growing list of accomplishments for the 2023-2024 PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays.
A whipping of rival Pleasant Plains last week gave the Lady Jays a perfect 8-0 mark in the conference and the championship. Wins over Athens and Canton pushed their record to 29-1 overall entering postseason play.
The PORTA-AC Central Bluejays lost three times last week to fall below .500 on the year at 12-14. They fell at home to New Berlin and on the road at Riverton in Sangamo Conference games to fall to 1-4 in conference play. On Saturday the Bluejays had to match up with 3A Rantoul in a Sangamo-Illini Prairie inter-conference shootout and lost 51 to 40 to the Eagles.
The PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays moved to 26-1 on the season with two more dominating conference wins over Williamsville and Illini Central last week. The Jays received a first round regional bye and will play the winner of Waverly and Williamsville at the Riverton Regional at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 12.
Two more wins at home last week have the PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays flying high with a 24-1 season record. A tough conference win over Stanford Olympia to start the week gives the Jays a 4-0 Sangamo Conference mark. PORTA-AC closed the week with another dominating win, this one over Bloomington Central Catholic.
The Ashland Fire Protection District Board and Fire Chief Shane Hall continued the discussion from last month on obtaining body armor for firefighters. The district had gotten three quotes for possible purchases and discussed the various options offered as far as protection versus mobility.
The beat goes on for the PORTA/A-C Central Lady Bluejays as they won their only game last week to improve to 23-1 on the year. The boys’ team meanwhile split a pair of home games to remain over .500 on the season at 11-9.
Ashland Mayor Kitty Mau reported to the village board at last week’s meeting that she has been approached by residents about hosting a bed & breakfast and asked the board what they thought about having these operating in the village. The members of the board were receptive to the proposal.
PORTA-A-C Central went 3-1 in the 101st Winchester Invitational Tournament to secure a Fifth-Place finish. After their opening round win over North Greene, the Bluejays faced off against eventual tourney champion West Central and fell 69 to 46. A 43 to 35 win over Triopia followed. PORTA-AC won the 5th Place game over Hardin Calhoun by a score of 54 to 47.
Following their only loss of the season over the Christmas holiday, the PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays are right back on track with a four-game winning streak including three last week. All four of the wins were by over twenty points. Coach Eric Kesler has the Jays at 18-1 on the season.
The PORTA-AC Central Bluejays have won their last two games including an opening round win in the 101st Winchester Invitational Tournament. Prior to last week, the Jays had dropped three out of four games. They lost 53 to 33 in the first game of the Williamsville Holiday Tournament, then knocked off Roanoke Benson 54 to 40 in round two before their tourney ended at the hands of Tremont 66 to 58. A 46 to 29 loss to highly ranked Illini Bluffs followed before the Jays would right the ship.