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Wednesday Sports

Routt claimed the WIVC baseball crown, with a 10-6 win over GNW yesterday.

Elsewhere, New Berlin-South County blanked Carlinville 10-0, Beardstown was thumped by Illini West 15-4, Stanford Olympia was tripped by Pleasant Plains 8-1, Pittsfield shut down Liberty 10-0, and North Mac was dropped by Williamsville 9-2.

In softball, JHS thumped Southeast 24-1, and Pleasant Plains was shut out by Auburn 3-0. In addition, Carrollton claimed the WIVC crown with a 9-8 win over Calhoun.

In soccer, JHS was shut out by Springfield 8-0, and North Mac downed Taylorville 6-1.

The JHS boys tennis team downed Maroa Forsyth at the IC courts 7-2.

Today in baseball, we plan to be back at Future champions Field, where JHS hosts Southeast. Our pregame on WEAI starts at 4:15.

Elsewhere, Macomb heads to Beardstown, GNW is on the road to Staunton, Pleasant Plains travels to Lincoln, Havana stays home for Mount Pulaski, Porta/AC invites in Maroa Forsyth, and Brown County is on the road at Illini West.

In softball, Routt invites over JHS, New Berlin-South County heads to Athens, Staunton welcomes in GNW, Pittsfield will be at North Greene, Beardstown travels to Mendon Unity, Porta/AC hosts Maroa Forsyth, Pleasant Hill goes to Liberty, Western is gone to Payson, and Riverton goes to Pleasant Plains.

April Weather

Rainfall and temperatures were up last month in Jacksonville.

The average temperature last month was 55. That’s about 3 degrees warmer than normal.

Average highs last month was 67, and the nightly lows settled at 43.

The gap in the highs and lows is reflected in the range of readings in April. The top reading was a near record 86 on the 15th. The low was 29 on the 6th.

In fact, we were right around freezing on 4 nights, producing a frost warning that made gardeners and farmers nervous.

There were eight nights of readings below 40. Three of the daytime highs climbed above 80.

Rainfall for April, when we are supposed to have our showers, reached 5 and two thirds inches. Normal rainfall for April is just over 4 inches.

There was just under an inch and a half rain on the 2nd, another one inch rainfall on the 28th, and nearly an inch and a half on the 29th. There was some type of precipitation on half of the 30 days in April.

WLDS-WEAI is an official reporting station for the National Weather Service.

South County needs a new head boys’ basketball coach

South County is looking for a new head boys’ basketball coach.

Bryon Graven told his players this past weekend that he was leaving the coaching and teaching position to accept a job in the private sector. He says it was for financial and family reasons.

Graven says he does not plan to return to coaching.

Graven took over the South County program five years ago, and finished 73-63 there.

His 25 wins last season was a record for a South County team.

Graven was in the coaching profession for 16 years. His father, Doug Graven, was a long time coach with Auburn.

Bryon Graven served as the south squad coach for the Country Financial West Central Illinois Boys’ All Star Classic last month.

November Weather

It was a warmer than normal November, but very dry.

The precipitation total came to just 3-quarters of an inch. Normal rainfall for November is 3 and two thirds inches. The driest November Jacksonville has ever had was 23 hundredths in 1933.

The wettest day was just a half inch of rain on the 21st. We did get a half an inch of snow. Normal snowfall is a little over an inch. There were just four days of measurable precipitation in November.

The temperatures last month were only slightly warmer than normal. The average reading was 42-point-7 degrees. That’s just 2 tenths a degree higher than normal.

A typical day last month saw a high of 55, and a low of 31.

Readings ranged from 78 on the 9th, to 14 on the 28th. The 78 degree reading was just 2 degrees from the record high for that date.

There were 12 days of 60 or better readings. One of the stretches saw the mercury reach 70 or better three straight days, starting on the 7th. And, just one night below 20.

WLDS-WEAI is an official reporting station for the National Weather Service.

Mitchell-All State-CP and GNW has Two Each

For the second year in a row, Jacksonville has a player on the Illinois Football Coaches all state first team.

A year ago, it was Elijah Owens. This year, it is senior running back Cam Ron Mitchell.

Mitchell had an outstanding year with JHS, rushing for 1433 yards. He also finished with 12 touchdowns, averaged 8 point 8 yards a carry and 159 yards a game. He was the only all state player on the 5A all state team from the Central State Eight.

JHS finished 4 and 5, missing the playoffs by one point.

In Class 1A football, the list includes two from Greenfield Northwestern and Camp Point.

Running back Kohen Vetter and quarterback Dylan Pembrook were named from the Tigers, and running backs Elijah Genebacher and Drew Paben were named from Camp Point.

Camp Point hosts Greenfield Northwestern in the Class 1A semi final game on Saturday.

July Heat

The heat was on last month, but not at a record level.

The average temperature last month was nearly 75 and a half degrees. That’s just 6-tenths of a degree higher than normal. One only needs to look to last year for a hotter July, when the average was 75 and a half degrees.

Typical highs last month averaged close to 87, and lows reached 64.

The hottest temperature did not reach 100. It was 97 on the 29th. The coolest night was 58 on the 10th.

The mercury reached 90 0r better on just 5 of the first 25 days. But, we climbed to 90 or better on 5 of the last six days. And, the highs averaged 95 over a three day period starting last Wednesday.

The total rainfall last month was 4 and a half inches. That’s a full inch less than July of last year. It’s still a half an inch above normal.

Keep in mind, much of the rainfall was in the first three days. Close to three inches fell in the first three days. Just two inches fell in the final 28 days of July.

July historically is the hottest month of the year.

WLDS-WEAI is an official observing station for the National Weather Service.

Two From Jacksonville on All State FB teams

A Jacksonville High School senior has been named to a 5A all state football team.

Senior quarterback Elijah Owens has been named to the Illinois High School football coaches association all state team.

Owens is headed to Indiana State next year.

He was the only player in the Central State Eight to make the 5A all state team.

Routt has one player on the IHSFCA first team all state FB team.

Running back Will Jackson has been included on the Class 1A team.

North Mac has placed Cooper Starks as an offensive lineman on the 2A all state team

Two From New Berlin Make First Team All Sangamo in baseball

Two players from New Berlin/South County have been named to the 2022 Sangamo All conference baseball team.

Lucas Bixby and Rockman Prince were placed on the first team.

Jacob Roberts and Gannon Dodd of New Berlin/South County received honorable mention.

Jake Shannon and Dane Degroot of Porta/AC were named to the 2nd team, and teammate Aaron Suiter was named honorable mention.

NG Looking for new Head Basketball Coach

North Greene High School is looking to fill another coaching vacancy.

Justin Vinyard has told the administration that he will step down from the boys’ head basketball coaching position to pursue other endeavors.

Vinyard has been head coach at North Greene for the past three season, and struggled this year with a depleted roster.

His overall record is 18 and 58.

Athletic director Brett Berry says the school has been appreciative of his work and effort, and wish him well.

North Greene has begun taking applications from qualified candidates to fill the vacancy.

North Greene had just filled its head football coaching position with North Greene graduate Brian VanMeter last month. VanMeter had been on the staff of outgoing head coach Donnie Allen.

Hayes Cries Foul in DCFS Move Downtown

A downtown building owner is crying foul in an apparent move by a state office out of a north side building.

            There are moving vans stationed outside of the DCFS building, which housed the Sears store years ago.

            The building is owned by Mike Hayes. He says the building is safe, in good shape, and complaints about a leaky roof were addressed over the weekend.

            He says he walked the building and the roof over the weekend to make sure it was safe, and the leaks were repaired. Hayes says he has reached out to state officials, but has had no response as of noon today.

            Hayes says the department of children and family services has been a tenant in the building for over 15 years.  He says he was contacted when roof leaks popped up after the big snow.

            Hayes says he has told central management service officials that a new roof will be done. Hayes says efforts to put on a new roof are in the plans for this spring, once supplies resume and the weather breaks.

            He says he and others on his staff have been monitoring the building on a daily basis.

             Hayes says he was e-mailed papers yesterday from a Chicago attorney saying the office would move out unless the leaks and repairs were done by February 25th. That’s this Friday.

            He has tried to reach her, but she has not returned his phone calls.

            Hayes says the state is breaking its lease with no notice. And, he is still owed money on the lease. The last payment made was in December, and it was for July.

            Hayes says the building is very structurally sound. He thinks the state wants to close the local office, and is looking for an excuse. He also thinks the decision was made long before now.

            Hayes says Mayor Andy Ezard is looking into the situation.