Mt. Vernon Register-News

Sports

January 10, 2013

Rams clash with Carbondale

MT. VERNON — The Rams host Carbondale tonight in a critical conference game for both teams.

“I think (tonight) turns into being a huge game for us,” Mt. Vernon coach Scott Gamber said. “Not that if we lose (tonight) it’s the end of our season and that we can’t come back from it. And that not by winning (tonight) means we’re on a roll or anything like that. I just think that it’s a really big conference game.”

The Terriers (11-5) enter the matchup with a 1-3 South Seven Conference record and are trying to move out of the bottom portion of the league. The Rams (8-7) are 2-2 this season and a win pushes them closer to the top. Althoff enters the weekend leading the South Seven with a 3-1 record.

“It’s always early to say that it’s a must win or anything like that,” Gamber said. “It’s been really mixed feelings for me over the last couple weeks because I felt like we played fairly well against Oak Lawn. I felt like we played really well against Alton. I felt like we played well against (Teutopolis). We lost all three of those games.

“I think it’s a huge game for us.”

Mt. Vernon has lost three out of its last four games at the buzzer and hope to rebound at Changnon Gymnasium where the Rams are unbeaten this season. The string of last-second losses started with a pair of defeats at the Centralia Holiday Tournament and continued Saturday when Teutopolis went the length of the court for a layup.

“We’ve been really lucky the previous two years,” Gamber said. “We’ve won a lot of really tight games, and this year we just haven’t been able to get over that hump. It makes us a dangerous team if we can figure it out, but if not the trend’s going to continue.”

Mt. Vernon is unbeaten at home and scored wins against Centralia, Cahokia, Waterloo and Cairo earlier this year.

The Terriers are a guard-dominated squad this season. Allen Billinger, Devontavius Payne and Elijah Bidinger are all key players on the offensive end.

“Their guys can shoot, but we have to make them beat us from the perimeter,” Gamber said. “We cannot allow us to beat them around the rim, which is kind of what we let (Teutopolis) do to us. We can’t let Carbondale get into our interior and beat us.”

Carbondale does bring 6-6 Jordan Kelly off the bench.

“When he comes in off the bench, they have the traditional big, strong post presence,” Gamber said.

Tonight’s game starts with the junior varsity matchup at 6:15 p.m.

Text Only
Sports
  • Liriano dominates as Pirates edge Cubs 1-0 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Francisco Liriano continued his torrid start, scattering two hits over seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Chicago Cubs 1-0 on Wednesday night. Liriano (3-0) struck out nine and walked just one to remain unbeaten sinc

    May 23, 2013

  • 5-23 MTV baseball photo Rams rock Herrin in five HERRIN – Mt. Vernon wasted little time putting its opening round regional opponent away Wednesday. The Rams lashed Herrin 12-1 in five innings to advance to Saturday's title game. “We pitched well, and we really swung the bats well today,” Mt. Verno

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • Sports briefs Neibert starts state today Mt. Vernon boys tennis player Aaron Neibert begins state final action today. Neibert opens tournament play against Lake Forest's Brice Polender. The match will be played in Mt. Prospect near Chicago. The top 32 players in s

    May 23, 2013

  • Sports briefs Jarrett, Petty enter NASCAR hall CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR honored members of its royal families with inductions into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Past champion Dale Jarrett joined father Ned in the hall and master mechanic Maurice "Chief" Pett

    May 23, 2013

  • 5-22 MTV softball photo Rain washes away season early HERRIN - Weather ended up being the ultimate opponent in Mt. Vernon's opening round softball game. The Lady Rams trailed Carbondale 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lightning delayed the game at about 5:27 p.m. About 90 minutes later the game w

    May 22, 2013 1 Photo

  • Palmer ends career with record CHARLESTON – Mt. Vernon's Aaliyah Palmer ended her girls track career as a record holder. Palmer hurled the shot put 39 feet, 11 inches at the 2A state finals this weekend. Previously, Palmer had tied the school record with a throw of 39 feet, six in

    May 21, 2013

  • 5-21 Webber-Woodlawn baseball photo Trojans take first regional title BLUFORD – It's been a season of milestones for Webber's baseball team. The Trojans can add a regional title to a list that includes the school record for wins and Ty Henderson's 500th career strikeouts. Webber knocked off Woodlawn 4-1 to win the 1A

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

  • 5-21 Chelsea Miller photo 2 Crowning achievement WALTONVILLE – Chelsea Miller ended her glittering girls track career in storybook fashion. The Waltonville senior who competes for the Sesser-Valier/Waltonville track team finished her career with 10 state medals and one state title. For the hyper-c

    May 21, 2013 2 Photos

  • School board puts budget on public display MT VERNON – The Mt. Vernon Township Board of Education Monday voted to place the district's tentative amended budget for 2013 on public display for 30 days. Superintendent Mike Smith explained that changes may still be made to the document, which at

    May 21, 2013

  • Trojans take first regional title

    It's been a season of milestones for Webber's baseball team.

    May 18, 2013