Petersburg

Bluejays

Bluejays in winner’s bracket at WIT

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.  

Lady Bluejays

Lady Bluejays are on fire

The PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays stayed red hot and moved to 14-0 on the season with three wins in the Riverton Christmas Tournament last week.  PORTA-AC destroyed Litchfield and Pana then defeated North Mac by twelve points, their closest game in a month.

Lady Bluejays

Lady Jays are soaring – PORTA-AC Ranked #3 in State

Two more dominating wins by the PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays has pushed their season record to 11-0 and landed them a # 3 ranking in the latest IHSA Class 2A poll.  The Jays held both Midwest Central-Delavan and Auburn to less than 20 points and shut them out for an entire quarter in run-away wins last week.

Beardstown’s Rylan Alhorn and PORTA-AC’s Ethan Mahoney tip it off to start the battle between the Tigers and the Bluejays.

Bluejays fall to Tigers and Vipers

PORTA-AC Central’s boys varsity basketball team had a rough go of it last week, losing both games on the schedule.

On Tuesday, the Bluejays fell to Cass County rival Beardstown at home in a closely contested game, 53 to 45.  The very next day the Jays had to travel to Franklin and take on South County, falling 45 to 30 to the Vipers.

Porta Bluejays

Four wins for Lady Bluejays

The beat goes on for the PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejay basketball team as they picked up four more wins last week to move to 9-0 on the season.  The girls knocked off Pittsfield and North Fulton on the road before winning twice on Saturday over Carlinville and Sullivan in the Red Kettle Showcase at Lincoln Land College.

Bluejays

Bluejays down Ducks

It was a quiet week for the PORTA-AC Central boys’ basketball team with just one game on the docket.  

The Jays welcomed the Havana Ducks to Ashland last Friday then sent them home on the wrong end of a 55 to 32 score, outscoring them in every quarter.

The PORTA-AC basketball team went 3-1 and won the Sportsmanship Award at the Pittsfield Tournament.

Jays start the season with three wins

There is little doubt that new PORTA-AC boys’ basketball coach Steven Price would have loved to win the Championship at the Saukee Turkey Tournament but he’s surely proud of his team after the Bluejays came away with a 3-1 record and the Sportsmanship Award. Only a frustrating loss to the host Saukees in game three kept the Jays from going unbeaten and hoisting the first-place trophy.

Bluejays

Lady Bluejays score two wins

The PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays won both of their games last week to remain unbeaten and push their record to 5-0 on the season. 

The Bluejays found themselves in a dogfight to open the week at home against Dunlap.  PORTA-AC jumped to a 14-11 first quarter lead and extended it to 29 to 19 at the half. The Eagles would not go quietly though and outscored the Jays 13 to 5 in the third to cut the lead to just one basket at 34 to 32. A high scoring fourth quarter saw the Bluejays outscore the Eagles 16 to 14 to secure the 50 to 46 victory.

PORTA/A-C Central Lady Bluejays and coaching staff following their season opening Clinton Turkey Tussle Championship win.

Lady Jays take Turkey Tussle title 

It took an exciting overtime victory over Deer Creek Mackinaw in game two, but the PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejays are the 2023 Clinton Turkey Tussle Champions.  An opening game win over Decatur St. Teresa and a Saturday victory over Stanford Olympia gave the Bluejays the title and a 3-0 start.

PORTA/A-C Girls Basketball Team pictured from left to right, Back row: Jayce Privia, Karlie Hoke, Carson Arthalony, Cassie Cox, Reese Cookson. Front row: Allison Vogel, Aubrey Vogel, Marley Roberts, Kelci Flack.

High expectations for Lady Bluejays

Entering his tenth and final year, retiring PORTA-AC Central head basketball coach Eric Kesler (overall record of 165-71) is hoping to go out on a high note and he has the weapons at his disposal to do so.