GALESBURG — On Monday night, Galesburg District 205’s school board members approved having Legat Architects work on architectural drawings for a major construction project that is still in the preliminary stage.
And a property tax increase will not occur if it’s completed, as District 205 will use its revenues and Fund 60 money that is available. A $5 million short-term loan might be taken out, which would be repaid via 1% sales tax revenue funds over the course of up to five years.
According to 205, Fund 60 “is restricted to the use of expenditures for construction, repairs, and maintenance of district facilities. Salaries, benefits, and non-facility maintenance related items cannot be paid from this fund.”
In the plans is a new 25,000 square feet district warehouse on the Galesburg Junior/Senior High School campus, turf at Jim Sundberg Field, the home of the Silver Streaks’ varsity baseball team, the elimination of the freshman/sophomore baseball field, and infield work at Galesburg’s varsity softball field.
Gale and Rose Hoben Welch need a combined $5 million in life safety improvements, and the schools will be demolished if the project eventually gets approval.
Gale’s lot will be left as a green space while the district warehouse would be constructed in Rose Hoben’s footprint.
The warehouse will provide a space for new food coolers, have a permanent dock and be located on property where 50% of the student population resides, District 205 officials have stated.
Diamond improvements
A new drainage system, fencing, and turf would be installed at Sundberg, and “allows for a safe field that is playable in multiple weather conditions and little maintenance required,” District 205 documents state.
A 144 space parking lot would replace the freshman/sophomore baseball field, and “provides much needed parking for the softball, baseball, stadium events, the field house (and) improves traffic safety on the north end of the property,” district documents state.
“It also allows for the current softball/baseball parking lot to be converted to ADA parking.”
The JV softball field will have revisions made to its fence “to allow for use by baseball and softball for practice areas.”
Sundberg Field will be used for games by all of Galesburg’s baseball squads if turf is installed.
Work will also be done on the varsity softball field’s infield, as it is currently clay and doesn’t allow for sufficient water drainage.
An artificial playing surface for Galesburg’s softballers is among future considerations and wasn’t included in the current proposal.
What’s going to happen at Wicall?
The architectural drawing for an addition at Wicall Gym/Mustain Pool, which was presented during Monday’s board meeting, shows a multi-use building connected to the existing structure.
8,600 sq. ft. wrestling practice facilty
7.250 sq. ft. softball/baseball practice facility
3,200 sq. ft. weight room with 16 power racks and an outdoor expansion area
Public bathrooms and concession area for Wicall Gym and Mustain Pool
Ex-Streak Demott takes over girls hoops program
Lexi (Daniels) Demott has been named the next head coach of Galesburg’s varsity girls basketball team.
The 2016 GHS grad replaces Evan Massey, who retired after the 2023-24 season, and she spent four seasons serving as an assistant under him.
A four-year player for Galesburg, Demott appeared in 132 games in her high school career, and she netted 906 points (No. 22 on the all-time scoring list).
Demott averaged 11.3 points per game and went 109-for-249 (43%) from 3-point territory in 2015-16, her senior season, and she made 256 3-pointers in her high school career.
Massey guided the Streaks for 46 seasons, and the hardwood inside John Thiel Gym will now be known as Evan Massey Court – that proposal was approved Monday night along with the hiring of his replacement.
GALESBURG — As he sat at a table draped with a Silver Streaks table cloth, the spotlight shined on Galesburg High School senior Gauge Shipp inside the Hegg Performing Arts Center on Thursday afternoon.
But Shipp is used to being in the limelight.
The 132-pounder has drawn attention throughout his wrestling career, and moving forward the stage will be even bigger.
A lifelong dream has come true for Shipp, who has committed to wear a singlet for Hofstra University, an NCAA Division I school in Hempstead, New York — roughly an hour and 20 minute drive from New York City, also known as “The Big Apple.”
“Hofstra, I fell in love with the program when I took a visit,” Shipp said. “The coaches reached out to me constantly, and they were always asking about me. They care about me as a person and as a wrestler, and that’s what you want.
“With those coaches and the right leadership, I think they’re going to help set up my future,” Shipp added.
Unlike in high school, Shipp will have access to a wrestling room 24/7 as a member of the Pride, and he will take full advantage.
“If I could live in the wrestling room I would,” Shipp said. “Everyone in a Division I room is going to be great, and being in that atmosphere every single day is going to help me get so much better.
“I feel like I haven’t even hit my prime yet.”
Resume speaks for itself
Shipp finished his high career with an overall record of 172-10. He’s a four-time state qualifier. As a junior, Shipp took first at 138 pounds, and he placed third as a freshman, sixth as a sophomore, and ended up with a second place medal this winter.
Shipp aimed for back-to-back state titles in two different weight classes, but a left ankle/foot injury in the Class 2A championship match derailed that goal.
“It’s unfortunate the way I ended my high school career, but when you look at the overall picture I had a great run in high school,” Shipp said. “Hopefully, I set a great example.”
Shipp, who ditched a walking boot last Monday and is fully recovered, did indeed, and the list of his accolades is extensive.
Shipp holds Galesburg school records for most varsity wins, consecutive wins (96), takedowns in a career and season, pins in a career and season, and individual match points in a career and season. He finished atop the Western Big 6 four straight times, and Shipp won four regional titles.
“Gauge has taken the program to heights that I couldn’t imagine,” said Greg Leibach, who has coached the Streaks for eight seasons. “It wasn’t just him, but it was his senior classmates as well.
“Gauge has a personality that other people are drawn to,” Leibach added. “He has fun.”
Five questions, five answers…
1. How do you feel about your Galesburg High School career?
Shipp: “There’s nothing that I would change about my high school career. It was amazing. Coach Leibach, the Galesburg wrestling program, and just the Galesburg community as a whole made it perfect for me. Not only did I make myself better, but I helped create a great team atmosphere. Hopefully, I set a great example for the future Galesburg wrestlers and Galesburg athletes as a whole for what it’s like to be a unified team.”
2.Do you get nervous at all on the mat?
Shipp: “I’m never nervous about losing. I’m nervous about not being perfect. My goal every time I step out there is to be perfect. If it doesn’t happen then it doesn’t happen, but that’s what I’m worried about.”
3. How much do you look forward to the challenge of collegiate wrestling?
Shipp: “I’m going to get beat on a little bit in the practice room, but that’s exactly what I’m ready for. I’m going to make my mark in college.”
4. How special was your signing ceremony?
Shipp: “It was great to see everyone who has supported me right in front of me. It was perfect and a great atmosphere.”
5. How much does it mean to you to teach other wrestlers?
Shipp: “I love it, and they help me out, too, and they don’t even realize it. They make me such a better leader and a better person. I thank them for that. My dad always told me that once you can teach something you get eight times better at it, and I truly believe that. When I teach someone how to shoot a single leg, I get a lot better at shooting a single leg.
“I started through the Knox County Krushers, and that’s how I learned to wrestle. Anyone in this town can take that route, it is a free club that my dad runs.”
Departing thought…
“I’m excited to see how the next chapter of his career plays out,” Leibach said. “I’m hoping to watch him in person as often as possible even though his season is going to overlap with our season.
“I just believe that with consistent quality training partners and the high-level coaching at Hofstra is going to send Gauge onward and upward.”
GALESBURG — Chad Thompson saw the 2023-24 edition of Galesburg High School’s boys basketball team gathered together one final time Sunday night.
Those who represented the Silver Streaks on the hardwood reflected on their season in the GHS Commons area during the annual end of the season banquet.
Things didn’t end up like Thompson had hoped for his squad, as Galesburg went 11-21 overall and 4-10 in Western Big 6 Conference play. However, the Streaks closed things out by winning six of their last nine games, and they grew along the way.
“Looking back on the season, the greatest accomplishment of our season is playing our best basketball down the stretch,” Thompson said. “We won six or our last nine games including the postseason, and we were really starting to click on the offensive end.
“Throughout the season I also thought that our sophomores progressed really well and played high level basketball all season,” added Thompson, who has accumulated a 44-52 record in three seasons as Galesburg’s coach.
The Streaks dealt with adversity on more than one occasion this winter, and they fought-and-clawed in every single contest.
Nine questions, nine answers…
1. What were the biggest challenges the team faced this season, and how did you address them?
Thompson: “The team this year faced many challenges and did a great job of not making any excuses. We were a young and small team in a conference dominated by height and experience. We used many different defenses and defensive approaches in conference play and found some things that we really like moving into next year. When we lost Ian (Dominique Jr.) during the first game in Taylorville, we lost a huge piece of offense as well as our vocal on court leader. Jackson Crock-Sibbing and Tyree Taylor did a great job of picking up the offensive slack, and I think Tyree also started to show some very strong leadership qualities.
“When we lost Leslie (Kelley) in the early stages of the season, we lost the guy that we believed was going to be a 32-minute player for us as well as our starting point guard. With that being said, we had different guys step up throughout the season as a point guard, and we are looking forward to getting Leslie back as soon as possible.”
2. In what areas do you think the team showed the most improvement throughout the season?
Thompson: “I think the team showed great improvement in their rebounding throughout the year. We did a great job of battling on the glass against some very big and imposing teams. I also thought our team did a great job of moving on and turning the page. This team always came to practice ready to work and did a great job of not dwelling on things that did not go their way. Their ability to turn the page and get to work led them to playing their best basketball of the season at the end of the year and that is always the goal.”
3. Reflecting on the season, are there any changes you would make in your coaching approach or strategies for next season?
Thompson: “There is still a lot of reflecting to be done and internal work to be done before looking to next season.”
4. How do you assess the overall growth and development of individual players throughout the season?
Thompson: “I thought the overall growth of players on our team was very good this year. We ended up having four sophomores consistently providing valuable minutes on the varsity roster, we saw two juniors play themselves into the rotation and really start to play well. And we saw senior Jace Keith play very well on the offensive end all season even though he changed positions and was going up against players anywhere from four to seven inches taller than him.”
5. What role do you think team chemistry played in the team’s performance this season?
Thompson: “I believe that the team chemistry was huge down the stretch. This was a team made up of four seniors, five juniors, and seven sophomores. As they all learned from each other and got closer throughout the season, the level of play continued to increase and that sets us up nicely moving into the summer.”
6. Are there any specific areas of focus or goals you have in mind for offseason training and preparation?
Thompson: “This offseason, our biggest focus is going to be the weight room and getting stronger. We have some decent height coming up in our program with the incoming freshmen, and we also have some height in our current underclassmen. We have to invest in getting bigger and stronger in the weight room to be ready for the conference schedule next season.”
7. Can you share any insights into the team’s strengths and areas for improvement going forward?
Thompson: “Moving forward, some of the strengths that we know we have right away are chemistry, shooting the basketball, and guard rebounding. We will have three returning starters and two excellent leaders in Tyree Taylor and Cody Jones. We are returning our Top 2 3-point shooters in Jackson Crock-Sibbing and Tyree Taylor, and we are also returning one of the best rebounders in the state in Tyree, as well.
“When looking at improvement, we need to get better at handling the ball, and we have to really work towards finding our physical play and defensive identity. We have not had the same physical nature the past two seasons, and we need to work both mentally and physically to get that back.”
8. Looking ahead, what are your expectations for the team next season?
Thompson: “Looking forward I expect this team to continue to work and improve on the past season. When we began the rebuild of the varsity at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, our goal was to improve every year and get younger players some good experience. We have done that in the past two years, and I expect us to take another step forward next season.”
9. Do you feel you were playing your best basketball, as a team, at the end of the season?
Thompson: “We were definitely playing our best basketball at the end. When you are working to rebuild and build up a program, you have to look at the big picture and even through all of the adversity and injuries, our guys never lost sight of that throughout the season.”
Galesburg’s roster
Seniors: Ian Dominique Jr., Jace Keith, Jackson Hillhouse, Gino Williams.
Keith led Galesburg with an average of 12.3 points per game. Williams contributed an average of 10 points and 6.3 rebounds. Dominique Jr. chipped in an average of almost nine points per contest, Crock-Sibbing averaged 8.4 points, and Taylor averaged 8.1 points and almost six rebounds per game.
Streaks’ Award Winners
Newcomer of the Year: Jaxon Wyatt
Most Improved Player: Ethan Oxley
Top Rebounder: Gino Williams
Top 3-point shooter: Jackson Crock-Sibbing
Best Offensive Player: Jace Keith
Warrior Award for Toughness: Ian Dominique Jr.
Silver Streak Award for Leadership, Scholarship, and Citizenship: Jackson Hillhouse
Most Valuable Player: Tyree Taylor
Academic All-Conference: Jace Keith, Ian Dominique Jr., Jackson Hillhouse
GALESBURG — Galesburg High School senior Kiarra “Ki” Kilgore was named to the Class 3A all-state second team by the members of the Illinois media.
The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 20.7 points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Silver Streaks, who finished with a 26-7 overall record.
“I’m incredibly grateful and honored to be chosen for the Illinois media all-state team,” Kilgore said. “It’s a reflection of my hard work and dedication that I’ve put into my basketball journey. I want to thank my amazing teammates, coaches, and of course, my tribe for their constant support. It’s been a privilege to represent Galesburg girls basketball the past four years.”
Kilgore shot 56% from the field in 2023-24 and was selected to the All-Western Big 6 Conference first team for the third straight season. Only six other Streaks – Debbie Roberts, Tiffany Sibley, Ann Henderson, Megan Pacheco, Jessica Howard, and Shayli Florine – secured All-WB6 first team honors back-to-back-to-back.
Kilgore, who will play collegiately for Missouri S&T, an NCAA Division II school in Rolla, Missouri, netted a career-high 37 points on Feb. 12 in regional semifinal action against Peoria Richwoods.
On Feb. 5, Kilgore drained a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:38 left in the second quarter in a non-conference road tilt at Freeport, and she became Galesburg’s all-time leading scorer. Kilgore ended her career with 1,986 points.
Last winter, Kilgore was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s all-state second team in Class 3A and was named the MVP of the WB6.
Other area all-staters
West Central High School senior Shelby Bowman, a 5-foot-6 guard, earned first team all-state honors in Class 1A. She averaged 31.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, four steals, 3.5 assets and 2.5 deflections for the 20-8 Heat.
Bowman, who finished her career with over 2,500 points, shot 83.7% from the charity stripe, 50.4% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range in 2023-24. She will continue her basketball career at Western Illinois University.
Abingdon-Avon High School point guard Kennedy Quinn received honorable mention all-state honors in Class 1A.
She averaged 19 points, six rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.3 deflections, and 2.9 steals for the Tornadoes, who concluded their season with a 26-8 overall mark.
Quinn shot 65% from the free throw line and drained 56 3-pointers in 2023-24. She also set A-Town’s freshman single season scoring record with 640 points.
Monmouth-Roseville High School’s Carmyn Huston received an honorable mention nod in Class 2A.
The 5-foot-8 senior forward averaged 16.4 points and seven rebounds for the 21-12 Titans, and the four-year starter surpassed the 1,000 point mark.
All-State Squads
Players received five points for a first-team vote and three points for a second-team vote. A five-player first team and five-player second team was selected in each class based on voting totals. A player had to have been named on two ballots to receive honorable mention.
The Class 1A and 2A all-staters were released Wednesday. The Class 3A and 4A squads were announced Thursday. All players listed include height, year in school, position and points earned.
CLASS 4A
First team
Destiny Jackson, Chicago Whitney Young (5-6, Jr., G) 80 Brooke Carlson, Batavia (5-7, Sr., PG) 79 Lorena Awou, United Township (6-5, Sr., F/C) 77 Amalia Dray, LaGrange Nazareth Academy (5-8, Sr., G) 71 Paige Engels, Wilmette Loyola Academy (5-7, Sr., G) 66
GALESBURG — Jeremy “Pick” Pickrel is entering his seventh season as Galesburg High School’s baseball coach.
And the first two days of practice weren’t typical to what Pick’s Silver Streaks have experienced in the past. Mother Nature normally deals out conditions that forces Galesburg to stay indoors, but that didn’t happen.
“To be out on the field in February and 70 degree weather is pretty crazy,” Pickrel said after Tuesday’s practice. “Being outside helped the energy level and enthusiasm. The opportunity to be out in the sun and on the dirt helped after being cooped up all winter.
“I’m pretty pleased with what we’ve seen so far out of the boys,” Pickrel added. “For the first couple of days being out on the dirt, you’d think that we’ve been at this for quite a while, so that’s a good sign. Hopefully, we can keep stacking days and get better as we approach opening day.”
GHS did practice inside the school’s fieldhouse Wednesday but the Streaks are expected to be back at Jim Sundberg Field to close out the week.
What happened last spring?
Galesburg finished with an overall record of 18-18 in the 2023 season and went 8-6 in Western Big 6 Conference play. The Streaks’ season came to an end on Sat., May 27, 2023 when Galesburg suffered a 7-6 loss to Streator in regional championship action.
How do the Streaks improve from that finish?
“Last year, we had a fairly young team, and we have most of those guys back and that’s a start,” Pickrel said. “There were obviously some growing pains for some guys last year but I think that starting that process earlier for a freshman or a sophomore can only pay off as you go into that second year of varsity baseball – just from the speed of the game and everything. It’s quite a jump that I don’t think people realize.
“We’ve got our entire infield back from last year, and we’ve got some guys back who got experience in the outfield last year coming back,” added the 2001 GHS grad. “We have a pretty good sophomore class that we’re pretty high on, and there will be a lot of them out there this year. We have the makings of a hungry team. They want to prove that they’ve gotten better and that the .500 record was a fluke.”
Sophomores: Alfred Ayala, Nicolas Ojeda, TJ Heatherly, Hayden Ralston, Ayden Clark, Zander Vest, Caden Riley, Caleb Claeys, Noah Nalley, Alex Ritchie.
Streaks’ schedule
Wed., March 13 vs. Knoxville, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., March 16 vs. Salem @ Belleville West Township High School, 12:15 p.m. (Metro East Kickoff Classic presented by Prep Baseball Report)
Sat., March 16 vs. Rochester @ O’Fallon City Park, 4:45 p.m. (Metro East Kickoff Classic)
Tue., March 19 vs. Macomb, 4:30 p.m.
Wed., March 20 at Metamora, 4:30 p.m.
Fri., March 22 vs. Providence Academy @ Knoxville Catholic (Tennessee), 1:30 p.m.
Fri., March 22 at Knoxville Catholic (Tennessee), 4 p.m.
Sat., March 23 at Webb (Tennessee), 3 p.m.
Sat., March 23 at Hardin Valley Academy (Tennessee), 5:30 p.m.
Tue., March 26 vs. Washington, 4:30 p.m.
Wed., March 27 at East Peoria, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., March 30 vs. Sterling (DH), 11 a.m.
Tue., April 2 vs. Limestone, 4:30 p.m.
Thu., April 4 at Monmouth-Roseville, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 6 at Quincy (DH), 11 a.m.
Tue., April 9 vs. United Township, 4:30 p.m.
Wed., April 10 at Rockridge, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 13 at Rock Island Alleman (DH), 11 a.m.
Tue., April 16 vs. Morton, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 20 vs. Geneseo (DH), 11 a.m.
Tue., April 23 at United Township, 4:30 p.m.
Thu., April 25 vs. Dunlap, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 27 at Moline (DH), 11 a.m.
Thu., May 2 vs. United Township, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., May 4 vs. Rock Island (DH), 11 a.m.
Wed., May 8 vs. Orion, 3:30 p.m.
Thu., May 9 at Rock Island, 4:30 p.m.
Wed., May 15 vs. Peoria Richwoods, 4:30 p.m.
Fri., May 17 vs. Bloomington, 4:30 p.m. (Streaks Classic)
Sat., May 18 – Streaks Classic vs. TBD
Departing thought…
“It’s a good mix of guys. I wouldn’t say anyone is necessarily standing out right now,” Pickrel said. “We’re trying to really focus on being a team and trying to push each other to be better.
“We have to stack days where we’re trying to be better today than we were yesterday, and I think if we do that consistently we could have a pretty good season.”
On Monday, you announced your retirement as the Silver Streaks’ coach, and what a run.
Your legacy speaks for itself. The list is extensive of the accomplishments Galesburg High School’s varsity girls basketball team has had under your watch.
To name just a few, the Streaks finished below .500 just seven times (1978-79, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1986-87, 2008-09, 2012-13, and 2017-18) in 46 seasons with you as their coach and won 26 regional titles. Galesburg advanced to eight Elite 8’s, finishing in second place in the state in 1999, third place in 1996, and fourth in 2000 and 2001. The Streaks finished atop the Western Big 6 on 13 different occasions, and no other school in the conference has accomplished that feat. GHS was ranked among the Top 10 in the Associated Press poll 18 different seasons with you calling the plays.
Along the way, you garnered a career record of 1,018-397, and only two other Illinois girls high school basketball coaches have racked up over 1,000 victories in their careers.
You stood at the podium, and you cracked jokes. You spoke about the season your Streaks had.
They ended up with a 26-7 overall record, and 20-win seasons were a regular occurrence for you and your players. Thirty times Galesburg accomplished the 20-win mark when you stood on the sideline.
Before the banquet ended Sunday, you told the student-athletes what it takes for them to be successful on the hardwood individually and as a unit. You certainly know, and your words resonated with those who heard them that night, and what you’ve said has had that affect for years.
I’ve heard you speak plenty of times over the last 13 years or so. I was assigned your team as my beat during the 11 years I wrote full-time for the daily newspaper in Galesburg. The last few years, I’ve covered your program via this blog the best I could.
My youngest nephew plays hoops for Knoxville, and I’ve been enjoying life as a fan in the stands. You’ll be doing the same thing more now wherever your son Allen is coaching, and your wife Amy will be by your side.
You never wanted the limelight. It was always about shining the spotlight on the players. I know they’re appreciative of that. Their families, and the fans of the Streaks are too.
You’re a five time Hall-of-Famer, and you’ve shaped the lives of countless individuals over the years. Both in the classroom and on the basketball court.
You’ve talked to the media no matter what the end result for your team was. You heard some good questions and some bad. I’m sure I threw a few of the latter at you myself.
You built a dynasty, Coach, and you figured out a winning formula.
“You need to play good teams to get better. You’ve got to play good teams. You’ve got to compete against good teams.”
GALESBURG — There was a collective theme that applied to every member of Galesburg High School’s girls basketball program in the 2023-24 season.
In some form or another, it was about growth for all the Silver Streaks.
On Sunday night, they gathered together in the GHS Commons area to bid farewell to each other in Galesburg’s annual end of the season banquet, and they reflected on what they accomplished. Despite falling short of their goals, no tears were shed, as it was a joyous occasion.
“I’ve been looking forward to the banquet because we haven’t been able to be together as a group. It was nice seeing everyone again,” said senior Syriah Boyd, who will compete collegiately in track and field for Tennessee State. “It was great to have the memories and flashbacks from the beginning of the season until now. It’s really bittersweet but honestly I’m happy. Everybody did great this season.”
The Streaks’ varsity squad ended up with a 26-7 overall record. Galesburg’s season ended on Thursday, Feb. 15 after falling to Morton 41-29 in Class 3A regional championship action at John Thiel Gym.
“We had a lot of outcome goals that we didn’t meet but I think we still put in the work and the time that we needed to put in,” said senior Alexis Edgerson. “It just didn’t work out.”
Evan Massey wrapped up his 46th season at the helm of the Streaks, and he’s accumulated a 1,018-397 record in that time span.
Kilgore ‘uplifts other players’
On Feb. 5, senior Kiarra “Ki” Kilgore drained a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:38 left in the second quarter in a non-conference road tilt at Freeport, and she became Galesburg’s all-time leading scorer. She ended her career with 1,986 points, which happens to match the year her father Curtis Kilgore was born.
Kilgore was selected to the Western Big 6 All-Conference first team for her efforts on the court, and it’s the third season in a row she’s received the honor.
Other Streaks to make the league’s first team three years in a row include Debbie Roberts, Tiffany Sibley, Ann Henderson, Megan Pacheco, Jessica Howard, and Shayli Florine.
Last winter, Kilgore was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s all-state second team in Class 3A and was named the MVP of the WB6.
“Her competitiveness is unmatched,” Edgerson said of her friend and teammate. “If she wants something she’s going to do what she needs to do to get it done.”
Kilgore would trade in the hardware for more team victories, if she could, and Kilgore made those around her better.
“She’s determined, and she uplifts other players,” Boyd said of Kilgore. “If you are ever down, she will pull you back up and make sure you’re doing good. She will give you motivation.”
Sarah Larson sits behind Kilgore for career scoring with 1,906 points. Sibley netted 1,806 points in her career and ranks third.
“I had so much fun these last four years, and I learned so many things for life and my future,” said Edgerson, who was an honorable mention selection to the All-WB6 team. “I learned how to be a leader, responsibility, coachability.
“I’m going to be coached the rest of my life whether I’m on a team or not.”
GALESBURG — Galesburg High School’s boys swimming and diving team has claimed back-to-back Western Big 6 Conference and sectional championships.
And eight will represent the Silver Streaks in the IHSA state meet, which takes place this weekend at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.
The long standing tradition of earning a state bid goes back quite a ways. John Willy was Galesburg’s first coach, and under his watch countless student-athletes were able to accomplish the feat.
Amanda White guided the Streaks for a pair of seasons after Willy retired, and VanHootegem has been pulling double duty serving as Galesburg’s boys and girls coach for the last 13 seasons. He’s been in charge of the Streaks’ girls since the 1993-94 academic year.
What’s been the key to success for Galesburg’s boys this winter?
“We knew we were going to have maybe an easier time to win the sectional this year than we did last year, because we kept a higher quality of team than everyone else did,” VanHootegem said. “We had a lot returning from the previous year.
“I said from the beginning that we just had to focus all this year on the little things such as sharp returns, never backing off,” he added. “It takes depth and commitment to win back-to-back sectional and conference titles. You can’t just win races. Everybody has to score, and that’s what they all did (this past Saturday). The Top 6 got medals and every single swimmer got a medal, which was huge.”
Who is headed to state?
Senior Andrew Peterson will rep Galesburg on the diving board during the state meet.
“I’ve had consistency. It’s getting to practice and going to work every single day,” Peterson said of his individual success. “Diving is very much a mental sport so I just have to mentally prepare myself for each and every dive that I do.
“Normally, I’m the person that is kicking off the meet so I’m telling myself that I need to set the team off on a good note today. Some people that wouldn’t motivate them but I like putting that pressure on myself,” added Peterson, whose best dive is the inward double. He scores around 60 points consistently when leaping off boards for it.
Junior Carson Olson, seniors Riley Stevenson and Luke Thomas will compete in four different events during the state meet. Individually, Olson will take part in the 100 fly and 200 individual medley. He’s also on the Streaks’ 200 medley relay and 200 free relay squads.
Stevenson is on the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay team. He will also compete in the 50 free and 100 free as a solo act.
Thomas will take part in the 100 breaststroke at state. He also will be on the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay squad. Junior Travis Henry is the fourth swimmer on the 200 medley relay team.
Junior Ryan Tapper is also on the 400 free relay team. Junior Nathan Nelson will rep Galesburg on the 200 free relay and 400 free relay teams. Sophomore Jackson Warren is slated to swim for the Streaks’ 400 free relay team.
Olson, Stevenson, and Thomas earned trips to state in the 2022-23 season.
“Our goal is to have someone in the finals this year at state, so we’ll see,” VanHootegem said. “They all just need to stay focused and keep getting better.”
Who will participate on the collegiate level?
Peterson will head to Bryant University, an NCAA Division I school in Smithfield, Rhode Island, later this year to dive for the Bulldogs. What’s he need to improve before that time arrives?
“I just need to work on my flexibility and my toe point,” Peterson said. “Those are probably my biggest weak spots as a diver. I’m not very flexible, and I don’t have the prettiest toe point.”
Stevenson and Thomas are going the NAIA route, and they’ll be closer to home, as they’ve both committed to compete for St. Ambrose University, located in Davenport, Iowa.
Departing thoughts…
“We set big goals for ourselves, and we keep those in mind every single day we get in the pool,” Thomas said. “That helps us get after it, and when we set goals we get those goals.”
“We’ve been really fast all season,” Stevenson said. “We’ve put in a lot of hard work. Usually, we kind of die off in the middle of the season but we’ve just been hammering it every single meet. We’ve been swimming great all year.”
GALESBURG — The No. 7 ranked in Class 3A Galesburg High School girls basketball team battled the No. 2 ranked Morton Potters on Thursday night inside John Thiel Gymnasium with a regional title on the line.
And when the final buzzer sounded, the Silver Streaks found themselves on the losing end.
The affair was tied up at 8-all after a quarter of play, and the Potters held a 15-11 advantage at the half.
But Morton pulled away in the final 16 minutes en route to a 41-29 victory over Galesburg (26-7).
“We got ourselves in a hole, and we never really got things going offensively well enough to get the job done,” said Streaks coach Evan Massey.
Galesburg senior Kiarra “Ki” Kilgore knows why the Potters (25-5) are hard to beat.
“They get up and deny the passing lanes. They pressure us hard,” Kilgore said. “In the post, they were double teaming me, and we couldn’t get the ball inside. We weren’t hitting shots tonight.
“Compared to the last time we played them, we did well,” added Kilgore, who led the Streaks with 10 points.
Kilgore finishes career as all-time leading scorer
Last winter, Kilgore was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s all-state second team in Class 3A and was named the MVP of the Western Big 6 Conference.
More accolades will come for her soon.
And Kilgore achieved a feat she didn’t set out to do when her high school career began.
On Feb. 5, Kilgore drained a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:38 left in the second quarter in a non-conference road tilt at Freeport, and she became Galesburg’s all-time leading scorer. Kilgore ended her career with 1,986 points.
“It’s a great accomplishment but to me it doesn’t really feel any different,” Kilgore said. “I just wanted to play basketball. I didn’t think becoming the leading scorer was going to happen. It wasn’t an idea or a goal of mine my freshman year. It wasn’t until this year that I knew I could actually accomplish it.”
Sarah Larson sits behind Kilgore with 1,906 points. Tiffany Sibley scored 1,806 points in her career and ranks third.
Farewell to the Seniors
Along with Kilgore, Syriah Boyd, Alexis Edgerson, Antonia Kisler, Addison Peck, and Julia Robinson made up the Streaks’ senior class.
“I’ll miss them but with them it’s going to be great to see all the exciting things they achieve going forward,” Massey said of his seniors. “They have been very special to me.”
Life will be different soon enough for the six but they’ll stay connected for years to come.
“They’re my best friends. I hang out with them outside of school, too,” Kilgore said of her senior teammates. “We’re all going to go our separate ways and go to different colleges so it’s not going to be the same.
“I’ve been playing with this group of girls since third grade, so it’s definitely going to be different not playing with all of them,” Kilgore added. “It’s been a great four years here. I’ll definitely miss good old Coach Massey, and I wish them luck in the next coming years. I’ll be back to watch my sister (freshman Jozalyn ‘Joz’ Kilgore) play.”
What happened in 2022-23?
Last winter, Galesburg went 26-8 overall, finished in second place in the WB6 with a 9-6 record and grabbed its second straight regional crown — 26th overall. The 2022-23 season ended with a 63-34 loss to Peoria Central in Class 3A sectional semifinal action.
“I think the key to our success this season was we have a core group of kids who invested a lot of time on basketball,” Massey said. “They were committed to each other, and they were coachable. It made it an absolute great year.”
“I feel like I’ll be able to go there and make a difference,” Boyd said after last Tuesday night’s girls basketball game between Galesburg and Washington.
Boyd had a handful of scholarship offers to put on track spikes at the next level but TSU felt like the right fit for her.
“It was between Ball State, Northern Illinois University and TSU because they all offered a full ride,” Boyd said. “At the end of the day, I wanted to go out of state and Nashville, Tennessee, sounds like a good place to be. Also, when I went on my visit and met with the coach (Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice) and my teammates there was just an automatic bond, which is what makes the sport fun.
“The coach has two Olympic gold medals and one silver in the events that I run in,” added Boyd, who will major in nursing at TSU. “She’s going to be somebody that can probably help me a lot.”
Sights set on trio of GHS school records
Boyd, who was named the MVP of the Western Big 6 last spring, competes in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash, and she has some goals she wants to accomplish before her high school career concludes.
“My goals are to beat my 200 record and get the 100 record and the 400 record,” Boyd said. “To get those, I just have to grind on the track and push myself.”
The Galesburg school record in the 200 is 24.81 seconds. The 400 school record mark is 56.6, and Boyd’s personal best in the event is 56.8. The time to break in the 100 is 12.1, and Boyd’s PR is 12.3.
“I should get there and break them,” said Boyd, who — including middle school — has competed at state for eight straight seasons.
Departing thought…
“Track is definitely a mental sport so when it comes time to having big meets having a lot of experience helps mentally so you won’t psych yourself out,” Boyd said.
GALESBURG — It was a back-and-forth battle for about three and a half quarters for Galesburg High School’s girls basketball team Tuesday night at John Thiel Gymnasium.
But the Silver Streaks pulled away and handed the Panthers of Washington a 43-33 defeat in non-conference action.
“I’m very happy with the way we played,” Galesburg coach Evan Massey said. “I thought we were solid defensively, and Ki (Kilgore) did what Ki does in the first half. I thought Alexis (Edgerson) and Antonia (Kisler) stepped up and scored points. A key for us was our three post players – Joz Kilgore, Syriah Boyd and Antonia – were all able to defend inside and outside, and they were able to rebound.”
The Streaks moved to 6-0 overall with the victory, and Massey, who is in his 46th season, is two wins away from 1,000 in his career.
The three time Hall of Famer says that achievement isn’t in the back of his mind. Like always, Massey is more concerned about what his squad accomplishes.
And Galesburg has been able to overcome adversity in the early part of the 2023-24 season, according to Kilgore, who last winter was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s all-state second team in Class 3A. Kilgore averaged 22.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game in 2022-23, and she also was named the MVP of the Western Big 6.
Kilgore led GHS with a game-high 22 points against Washington. Edgerson chipped in 11 points, and Kisler added nine points for the Streaks, who held a 20-18 edge against the Panthers (4-1) at the half. Heading into the fourth quarter, Galesburg was up 32-29. The Streaks outscored the Panthers 11-4 in the final eight minutes.
“I feel like we handled their pressure really well,” Kilgore said. “We stayed composed. We didn’t let them speed us up, and we worked really well together as a team.”
What happened in 2022-23?
Last winter, Galesburg went 26-8 overall, finished in second place in the WB6 with a 9-6 record and grabbed its second straight regional crown — 26th overall. The 2022-23 season ended with a 63-34 loss to Peoria Central in Class 3A sectional semifinal action.
GALESBURG — The prospective members of Galesburg High School’s boys basketball team rolled out of their beds bright and early Monday to attend their first practice in the 2023-24 season.
It’s a long standing tradition for the Silver Streaks.
A key word Galesburg coach Chad Thompson, who is entering his third season, preached to the Streaks inside their locker room after Monday night’s practice, their second of the day, was accountability.
And Thompson, overall, liked what he saw on Day 1, but there’s plenty of room to grow.
“I feel very encouraged after our first day,” Thompson said. “We really liked this group coming into the summer. We like the culture that they’ve built together as friends, as guys that push each other. It’s going to be a group that’s very diverse in terms of age. We have a lot of youth, but there’s also names that people have heard forever like Ian Dominique Jr, Gino (Williams), and even Jackson (Crock-Sibbing), and Leslie (Kelley) coming back as sophomores. There’s a lot of new guys, too.
“Over the summer, they really bonded together to make a good nucleus for our program, as we rebuild what we want Galesburg Basketball to be,” Thompson added. “It was a very exciting first day.”
The Streaks went 4-10 in Western Big 6 Conference play and 10-23 overall last winter, and Thompson wasn’t satisfied with the win-loss total. He is focusing on a few areas to improve upon last season’s performance.
“Two things. Individually, we had guys who had to get better, and as a team, we had to reflect back on what did we not do well, which by our record shows we did quite a few things not great,” Thompson said. “I think we have the guys that we need right now to continue to rebuild what we need to. We need to have way better guard play this year. We need to lower the turnover margin, and I think with more ball-friendly guards this year we will.
“We’re really looking to take care of the ball better this year,” Thompson added. “At the same time, we have a team that is full of shooters. We’re going to be able to shoot the ball in some way one through five. Almost every single night that we’re on the court, we have a shooter at every position. We’re really going to look to spread the floor, and drive the ball hard.”
In other words, Galesburg will play a different style on offense, and the Streaks will on defense, too. Personnel is the leading factor in the switches.
“We’ve got to improve defensively, and the defensive philosophy is different this year,” Thompson said. “We don’t have that big huge guy in the middle like we’ve had the last two years. We have to get a little scrappier with our defense this year.
“We have to take advantage of what we have, which is speed and quickness. We have to use it.”
Streaks’ 2023-24 schedule
Fri., Nov. 10 Meet the Streaks, 7:30 p.m. Wed., Nov. 22 vs. Limestone, 7:30 p.m. Fri., Nov. 24 vs. TBA, Galesburg Turkey Tourney Sat., Nov. 25 vs. TBA, Galesburg Turkey Tourney Fri., Dec. 1 at Rock Island, 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 2 at Dixon, 6 p.m. Tue., Dec. 5 vs. Quincy, 7 p.m. Fri., Dec. 8 vs. United Township, 7 p.m. Tue., Dec. 12 vs. Burlington (Iowa), 7:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 15 vs. Moline, 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 16 vs. TBA, Iowa/Illinois Shootout at Augie Wed., Dec. 20 at Danville, 6:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 27 vs. TBA, at Taylorville Holiday Tournament Thu., Dec. 28 vs. TBA, at Taylorville Holiday Tournament Fri., Dec. 29 vs. TBA, at Taylorville Holiday Tournament Fri., Jan. 5 at Sterling, 7 p.m. Tue., Jan. 9 at Geneseo, 7 p.m. Fri., Jan. 12 at Rock Island Alleman, 7 p.m. Sat., Jan. 13 vs. TBA, Galesburg MLK Tourney Tue., Jan. 16 at Limestone, 7 p.m. Fri., Jan. 19 vs. Rock Island, 7 p.m. Tue., Jan. 23 at Quincy, 7 p.m. Fri., Jan. 26 at United Township, 7 p.m. Sat., Jan. 27 vs. TBA, Peoria Manual Shootout Fri., Feb. 2 at Moline, 7 p.m. Tue., Feb. 6 vs. Sterling, 7 p.m. Fri., Feb. 9 vs. Geneseo, 7 p.m. Tue., Feb. 13 vs. Rock Island Alleman, 7 p.m.
GALESBURG — Despite being in this situation last fall, Galesburg High School’s Dominic “Dom” Cantarini is battling some nerves.
And that’s because the senior is getting ready to compete in the Illinois High School Association’s Class 2A cross country state meet for the second year in a row. He’ll log three miles Saturday morning.
In 2022, Cantarini finished in 101st place at the state meet, which is held at Peoria’s Detweiller Park, with a time of 17:03.94. This time around, he hopes to shave some time off. Cantarini has his sights set on the GHS school record, which is 14:52. However, he’d be happy breaking the tape in 15:31 or less.
Cantarini’s personal best is 15:31.9, and he set that mark at the end of September in the Peoria High School Invite, held at Detweiller. Cantarini has competed there twice this season, and he knows what the key is to be successful at Detweiller.
“I need to make sure I get out decently fast because it’s going to be a fast race,” Cantarini said. “The conditions are supposed to be pretty good so the goal is to get out fast.
“The back triangle is the hard part. There’s no spectators. There’s no nothing. It’s 800-meters of you trying to push with other people, and it’s the time to make a move,” Cantarini added. “The second mile is going to be the hardest and the biggest factor I think to the race, because it could make or break you.”
What’s led to Cantarini’s success in cross country?
“It started after my sophomore cross country season, I felt I could have done a lot better so I started training a lot harder,” Cantarini said. “Going into the track season, I broke five minutes for the first time in the mile which was a pretty big improvement and that paved the way for me. I knew I could probably go to state in cross country if I tired and worked hard.”
Chad Thompson, who is in his second year as the Silver Streaks’ boys cross country coach, echoes Cantarini’s assessment.
“He’s got a great work ethic. He set reachable goals that were within grasp but at the same time they were big goals that he had to really work for,” Thompson said. “Dating all the way back to last winter, he had a great plan of how he wanted to take care of his body moving into his track season, and he had a great year in track.
“He did a great job this summer preparing his body for what it was going to take this cross country season to be back at state and have a great year,” Thompson added. “The mental toughness that Dom carries and his determination to succeed in a very mentally and physically grueling sport has been impressive to see the last two years.”
“He starts races strong, and he’s got to be able to maintain and separate himself from the group and just give his all out best,” Thompson said of Cantarini. “HIs last two races at Detweiller have been fantastic. He’s one of the Top 20 runners we’ve had at Detweiller.
“We’re just looking for him to go out and run like crazy because this is the last one in his high school career.”
GALESBURG — One-by-one, the student-athletes who represented Galesburg High School’s football team in the 2023 season turned in their gear Monday night.
With a 2-7 overall mark, the Silver Streaks were at least two wins away from making the cut for the postseason.
Out of the 256 schools who will have teams on gridirons in the first round of the playoffs, six of them will do so with 4-5 records. Typically, 5-4 means an at-large bid to play in Week 10.
Galesburg went 4-5 in Derrek Blackwell’s first season at the helm, and the Silver Streaks finished with a 3-6 overall record last fall.
“This year’s team along with the previous two teams have laid the foundation for Galesburg football,” Blackwell, who holds a 9-18 career record, said. “Obviously, the record has declined but I feel like everybody is playing hard. Everybody has an understanding of what’s expected with Galesburg football, and we played with a lot of young guys this year.
“We just had a nice little meeting with the guys, and we spoke about leadership, accountability and those types of things,” added Blackwell, who served as an assistant for a dozen seasons before being named Galesburg’s head coach. “I feel like we’re heading in the right direction.”
Blackwell knows he’s not perfect – no one is – and he will improve heading into the 2024 season.
“There’s always room to grow in any profession,” Blackwell said. “My room to grow is outside of football, you know. Like the paperwork things, the interview things, the scheduling things. Those type of things seem to catch up to me by not getting them done soon enough. Football is second nature. I know it like the back of my hand. I love coaching football. I love scheming a game. I love drawing up X’s and O’s. I love watching film. I love everything about the game of football and the preparation involved with the game of football.
“My room to grow in coaching is the outside stuff,” Blackwell added. “One thing I can do better coaching wise is listening, and that’s from everybody – players, other coaches, and outside sources. It’s just taking in what I hear and applying it.”
Streaks ended with a loss
Last Friday night, the Silver Streaks battled the Panthers of United Township in a Western Big 6 affair at Van Dyke Field. Galesburg faced a 28-27 deficit at the half, but UT pulled away in the final two quarters and came away with a 63-46 victory.
“It was really difficult to watch the seniors have to depart like that at home, senior night and in a tight one,” Blackwell said. “We lost it at the end. It was hard for me to watch the seniors have to deal with that. I want the underclassmen to understanding that feeling and fight to defeat that feeling all offseason.
“That game on Friday was tough,” Blackwell added. “It’s kind of how life goes. You can put all you have into something, and it doesn’t work out sometimes but then you just have to keep working, move on and work harder.”
Juniors: Kenneth Ward (FB/ILB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Mark Franklin (OL/DL), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Larry Randolph Jr. (OL/DL), Celestin Matala (OL/DL), Gilbert Lewis (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL), Andre Exauce (TE/OLB).
Sophomores: Caden Riley (QB/OLB), Drew Hickey (WR/DB), Bradley Eaton (WR/DB), Ayden Clark (QB/OLB), Anthony Makwala (K), Demetrius Watson (RB/DB), Alfred Ayala (RB/OLB), Nicolas Ojeda (FB/ILB), Madon Taylor (TE/DE), Marquis Horne (OL/DL), LaVant Ritenour (OL/DL), Davion Collins (OL/DL), Dajian Mitchell (OL/DL), Pierre Welcome (OL/DL), Kohyn Baughman (WR/DB), Drake Easley (WR/DB), Dallin Junious (OL/DL), Cooper Ray (TE/ILB).
Final numbers
Williams completed 41 of 98 passes for 457 yards and two touchdowns, and he was picked off four times. Williams also had 87 rushes for 226 yards and five touchdowns, as well as an 11-yard catch.
Richardson had 150 carries for 1,059 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he had 13 catches for 125 yards. Range had 67 rushes for 512 yards and broke the plane three times, and he had three grabs for 59 yards.
Lewis had three rushes for 18 yards, and he had 10 receptions for 126 yards and a TD. Phillips had eight grabs for 98 yards and a TD.
As a unit, Galesburg committed 18 fumbles and lost 11 of them. The Streaks averaged 20.6 points per game while their opponents put up an average of almost 39 points per outing.
GALESBURG — The members of Galesburg High School’s football team know once the fourth quarter concludes Friday night the 2023 season is over.
With a 2-6 overall mark heading into the Western Big 6 Conference affair against the Panthers of United Township (3-5, 1-4 in WB6), the Silver Streaks won’t play in the postseason. It takes five victories to accomplish that feat. However, Galesburg can end its season on a positive note and avoid finishing in last place in league play with a win over UT.
The Panthers have had more time to prepare for the Streaks, as they didn’t play in Week 8. That’s because UT never found anyone else to play to fill the void left with Alleman not fielding a varsity team, so the Panthers’ third win came via forfeit.
Gino Williams (WR/DB/QB), Amarie Richardson (RB/DB),Markis Lewis (WR/DB), Izaiah Coleman (FB/ILB), Nicholas Curtis (RB/OLB), Sam Satisky (K), Keyondre Harrison (TE/ILB), John Willis (OL/DL), Jamari McDonald (OL/DL), Yoreh Yarita (TE/OLB), and Adrien Phillips (WR/DB) are Galesburg’s seniors, and they’ll be honored before the contest. For some of them, they’ll never don a football uniform again, and they’ll be cherishing every moment.
Derrek Blackwell, who is in his third season at the helm after a dozen as an assistant, doesn’t want a win for himself. It’s all about the student-athletes who make up his program.
“I took this job because I love coaching football, and I love being around kids and teaching them the game of football. It’s exciting. It’s fun,” Blackwell said. “I feel like the moment that the chills go away then you’re probably in the wrong profession. I get those chills every Friday night.
“This isn’t about me personally,” Blackwell added. “This is about the seniors who have put in four years of work. This is about the underclassmen that have stepped up and played varsity games as sophomores. This is about building a program at Galesburg.”
And what’s the key for the Streaks to come out on top over the Panthers?
“It’s to play hard, to play consistent, to play together and not get too high with the highs and too low with the lows,” Blackwell said. “We just have to stay even keel and play together.”
Juniors: Kenneth Ward (FB/ILB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Mark Franklin (OL/DL), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Larry Randolph Jr. (OL/DL), Celestin Matala (OL/DL), Gilbert Lewis (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL), Andre Exauce (TE/OLB).
Sophomores: Caden Riley (QB/OLB), Drew Hickey (WR/DB), Bradley Eaton (WR/DB), Ayden Clark (QB/OLB), Anthony Makwala (K), Demetrius Watson (RB/DB), Alfred Ayala (RB/OLB), Nicolas Ojeda (FB/ILB), Madon Taylor (TE/DE), Marquis Horne (OL/DL), LaVant Ritenour (OL/DL), Davion Collins (OL/DL), Dajian Mitchell (OL/DL), Pierre Welcome (OL/DL), Kohyn Baughman (WR/DB), Drake Easley (WR/DB), Dallin Junious (OL/DL), Cooper Ray (TE/ILB).
By the numbers
Williams has completed 36 of 88 passes for 389 yards and a touchdown, and he’s been picked off three times. Williams also has 76 rushes for 170 yards and a pair of scores, as well as an 11-yard catch.
Richardson has 123 carries for 786 yards and nine touchdowns, and he has 12 catches for 121 yards. Range has 62 rushes for 453 yards and has broken the plane three times, and he has three grabs for 59 yards. Lewis has a four yard carry, and he has nine receptions for 121 yards and a TD.
As a unit, Galesburg has committed 16 fumbles and lost 11 of them. The Streaks are averaging 17.4 points per game while their opponents are putting up an average of almost 36 points per outing.
GALESBURG — Galesburg High School senior Sam Satisky has accomplished things no other Silver Streak has.
Satisky holds the school record for longest field goal — a feat he accomplished last Friday night after nailing a 48-yarder in a Western Big 6 Conference affair in Quincy — and he also has scored more goals in a single season (30) than any other Galesburg boys soccer player.
That’s right, Satisky takes the pitch and the gridiron for the Silver Streaks in the same season.
He’s a valuable asset for GHS boys soccer coach Phil Redington and GHS football coach Derrek Blackwell, who had no doubt Satisky wouldn’t miss when he lined up near midfield with 6:30 left in the first quarter against the Blue Devils.
“I knew he could do it. I believe in him. I believe he has more in him, as well,” Blackwell said of Satisky’s record boot. “We kind of needed to get that on film for Sam, as well, so people can see how good his leg is.
“Sam came in here three years ago with John Rehn, who was a soccer player, as well,” Blackwell added. “John Rehn was a good field goal and PAT kicker, and he kind of passed that over to Sam. In the middle of Sam’s sophomore year, John got hurt and Sam had to take over, and he did an excellent job. He did even better his junior year, and right now, he’s kicking awesome.”
Satisky serves as a captain for both the Streaks’ boys soccer team and the football team.
“He’s a leader. I don’t know of too many special teams kicker only guys that are elected captain by their peers,” Blackwell said. “I believe he’s the only person in school history that set two records in the same season. That’s outstanding. That’s astonishing.
“Not only is Sam an athletic record holder, he excels in his academics. That’s what we preach around here, and why the word student is before athlete. Sam does all of that well,” Blackwell added. “Everything Sam does I appreciate. I couldn’t ask for anything more from Sam.”
And is playing two different sports at the same time difficult for Satisky?
“No, it’s really easy because of the way the coaches work together,” Satisky said Tuesday night before Galesburg’s boys soccer team faced Rock Island at Van Dyke Field. “The partnership they have makes it really easy for me being a kicker and a striker.”
Satisky, who dons No. 14 while playing soccer and wears No. 40 on football fields, puts in a lot of work on his own honing his football skills.
“Most of it is just technique and working on the small little details whether it’s at home or coming to the field,” Satisky said. “I go to a lot of kicking camps to learn and get tricks.”
Satisky isn’t sure what sport he will play at the next level.
“I hope to keep my options open as long as possible,” Satisky said.
Departing thought…
“I love both my teams. They’re both special groups,” Satisky said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without them. They’re both like second families to me.”
GALESBURG — With only three weeks left in the regular season and a 1-5 overall record, Galesburg High School’s football team knows it won’t take the gridiron in Week 10.
Pride is the only thing on the line for the Silver Streaks.
Galesburg remains hopeful a couple more wins come before the final buzzer sounds to end its season.
And up next for the Streaks is a Western Big 6 Conference home affair on against the Rocks of Rock Island (1-5, 1-2 in league play) on Friday night.
Galesburg heads into the contest after suffering a 56-19 loss at Quincy while Rocky secured a 24-14 home victory over United Township last week.
Traditionally, the Rocks are a powerhouse in the WB6, and the Streaks haven’t had much success against them in the last 30 years. Galesburg coach Derrek Blackwell knows all about the history.
“We’re not treating this like Rocky is 1-5 like us. They have athletes,” Blackwell said. “When you walk into Rocky Stadium, you see all the state appearances. You see all the Big 6 titles. You see all of those things.
“We’re treating Rocky like Rock Island football should be treated,” Blackwell added. “With that being said, we feel we have a good chance to win a football game. I told the seniors the other day that they have a good chance to do something that hasn’t been done in a while. We haven’t beaten Rocky since 2015, before that it was 2004 and before that it was 1991. You’re talking three wins in a 30-year span.
Juniors: Kenneth Ward (FB/ILB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Mark Franklin (OL/DL), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Larry Randolph Jr. (OL/DL), Celestin Matala (OL/DL), Gilbert Lewis (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL), Andre Exauce (TE/OLB).
Sophomores: Caden Riley (QB/OLB), Drew Hickey (WR/DB), Bradley Eaton (WR/DB), Ayden Clark (QB/OLB), Anthony Makwala (K), Demetrius Watson (RB/DB), Alfred Ayala (RB/OLB), Nicolas Ojeda (FB/ILB), Madon Taylor (TE/DE), Marquis Horne (OL/DL), LaVant Ritenour (OL/DL), Davion Collins (OL/DL), Dajian Mitchell (OL/DL), Pierre Welcome (OL/DL), Kohyn Baughman (WR/DB), Drake Easley (WR/DB), Dallin Junious (OL/DL), Cooper Ray (TE/ILB).
Week 9: Friday, Oct. 20 vs. United Township, 7 p.m.
Last week’s box score
Quincy 56, Galesburg 19
Score by Quarters
Galesburg 5 0 14 0 – 19
Quincy 28 28 0 0 – 56
Scoring summary
First Quarter
Q – Jeriaus Rice 33 pass from Bradyn Little (Justin Beaver kick), 11:37
Q – Caeden Johannessen 25 pass from Little (Beaver kick), 8:45
G – Sam Satisky 48 yard FG, 6:30
Q – Tykell Hammers 13 pass from Little (Beaver kick), 5:23
Q – Rice 15 pass from Little (Beaver kick), 2:38
G – Safety, Quincy holding call in end zone, 35.7
Second Quarter
Q – Rice 56 run (Beaver kick), 9:49
Q – Johannessen 20 pass from Little (Beaver kick), 6:14
Q – Rice 19 pass from Little (Beaver kick), 4:19
Q – Adon Byquist 16 pass from Little (Beaver kick), 1:09
Third Quarter
G – Amarie Richardson 69 run (Satisky kick), 10:55
G – Richardson 7 run (Satisky kick), 2:18
Team statistics
First downs – Galesburg 9, Quincy 13
Rushes-yards – Galesburg 28 -137, Quincy 12-164
Passing yards – Galesburg 73, Quincy 275
Comp-Att.-Int – Galesburg 5-12-0, Quincy 16-18-0
Total yards – Galesburg 210, Quincy 439
Fumbles-lost – Galesburg 3-2, Quincy 1-1
Penalties-yards – Galesburg 1-5, Quincy 4-22
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Galesburg – Richardson 15-123, 2 TDs; Jamar Range 10-18, Gino Williams 1-3, Caden Riley 2 -(-7). Quincy – Rice 6-156, TD; Baker 2-9, 26 2-2, Wilson 1-1, Williams 1-(-4).
Passing
Galesburg – Williams 4-5-0-62; Riley 1-7-0-11. Quincy – Little 15-17-0-269, 7TDs, Day 1-1-0-6.
Receiving
Galesburg – Richardson 2-54, Nico Ojeda 2-8, Williams 1-11. Quincy – Byquist 5-52, Johannssenn 3-98, Rice 3-67, Hammers 3-45, Carter Hildebrand 1-6, Jack Mettemeyer 1-5.
WB6 Standings
Quincy 6-0, 4-0 in WB6
Sterling 3-3, 3-0 in WB6
Geneseo 5-1, 3-1 in WB6
Moline 3-3, 1-2 in WB6
Rock Island 1-5, 1-2 in WB6
Galesburg 1-5, 0-3 in WB6
United Township 2-5, 0-4 in WB6
Departing thought…
“I want to point out that the last time we played at home the fan support was great. The student section was great. I hope they bring that back again and don’t look at us as just a 1-5 team playing another 1-5 team,” Blackwell said. “I hope they bring the energy on Friday night because that really did help us out against Geneseo. The score didn’t look good, but I thought we fought hard and played well, and the people in the stands really helped that out.”
GALESBURG — Jeremy Pickrel is in his sixth season as Galesburg High School’s baseball coach.
And the goals for the Silver Streaks haven’t changed since he took over for Arnie Gonzalez.
Galesburg wants to secure 20 victories or more, and a Western Big 6 Conference crown. After that, the Streaks aim for a deep run in the postseason.
Last spring, Galesburg went 20-16 overall and finished in a four-way tie with Rock Island, United Township and Quincy for second place in the WB6 with an 8-6 record. The Streaks secured a regional crown, and then fell 3-2 to the Panthers of Washington in Class 3A sectional semifinal action to end the 2022 season.
In 2021, Galesburg finished with a 20-8 overall mark and won the WB6. At the time, it was the second straight league title for the Streaks. GHS failed to win a regional plaque, as the Streaks suffered a 7-6 loss to the Streator Township Bulldogs in a Class 3A regional semifinal affair at Jim Sundberg Field.
The 2020 season was nixed by the coronavirus pandemic, and Galesburg went 29-8 overall, won its first regional title since 2013, took a school record 17 games in a row and captured the WB6 crown in 2019.
In other words, Pickrel guided squads are more than capable of accomplishing the goals the 2001 GHS grad sets. Pickrel, who played five seasons of professional baseball, knows what it takes to have success on diamonds.
The Streaks need to work out the kinks as the season rolls along, and Galesburg needs to be playing at its best when the playoffs begin.
At the moment, Pickrel isn’t quite sure how his Streaks will fare in the early part of 2023. When he ganders at his roster, Pickrel sees a list that contains six seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and a trio of freshmen in Alfred Ayala, TJ Heatherly, and Nicolas Ojeda.
The official first day of practice was Mon., Feb. 27, and the Streaks’ 2023 season opener is slated for next Friday. Galesburg will take on Mount Carmel at 7 p.m. in Metro East Kickoff Classic action in the St. Louis Metro Area.
What do the Streaks need to do to get ready for the contest against the Caravan?
“We just need to continue to improve every day,” Pickrel said before Wednesday night’s practice in the GHS Fieldhouse. “We are a young team. We’ve got a mixture of older guys and younger guys, so it’s going to be a matter of finding our identity quickly. How quickly can we bring along those underclassmen? The upperclassmen have been a huge help in that.
“Easton (Steck) and Tristan (Legate) have really kind of taken some of the younger guys and taken on that leadership role to kind of bring those guys along,” Pickrel added. “I think we’re going to have some growing pains, definitely. The one thing about this group that I’ve noticed is top to bottom, we have a bunch of guys that are willing to put in the work, work hard and play hard.
“Last year, we took our lumps but when we got to the end of the season we were a pretty tough team.”
Steck is a three-year starter
Steck, a senior, has committed to continue his baseball career for the University of Illinois-Springfield. In the 2022 season, Steck, who mans shortstop and center field for Galesburg, had a .355 batting average, .618 slugging percentage, 1.089 on-base plus slugging percentage, 8 doubles, 7 homers, 32 runs, 30 RBIs, 26 steals and drew 23 walks, and he had a .884 fielding percentage.
“He’s been pretty consistent the last two years. He really increased his power numbers last year,” Pickrel said of Steck, a three-year starter. “We’re looking for a big year out of him this year. We’ve talked to him about this being the year we want him to push and see if he can get all-state.
“Easton having a big year is crucial but there’s other guys around him that we need to have big years, too,” Pickrel added. “Tristan Legate should offer some protection for Easton. He’s going to have to have a good year, and we all think if he has a good year we have the potential to have a good year because if Easton’s being pitched around that means he’s doing his job. If Easton’s getting his pitches then that means Tristan is doing his job, too. He’s got a big role this year, definitely.”
Are Streaks better offensively or defensively? How’s the pitching?
As a team, Galesburg batted. .296 and had a .814 on-base plus slugging percentage last spring. The Streaks’ pitching staff combined for a 2.96 ERA in 2022.
It’s too early to know what Galesburg will accomplish at the plate or on the mound in 2023. One thing is for certain, multiple Streaks can play in different spots.
“We’re going to have a lot of guys moving around. I think the one thing this team offers is versatility,” Pickrel said. “There’s a lot of guys who can play multiple positions. We may have a couple games in a row where we have different line-ups out there all the time. We have a little flexibility.
“Defensively is the one area we’re trying to shore up,” added Pickrel, who saw his team commit 78 errors in 2022. “We had some games last year where errors cost us, and we’re trying to eliminate those type of mistakes. The margin for error is so thin. Some of those games that we lost, we can point to one inning where things just got out of hand for us.”
Senior Charlie Lardi was one of Galesburg’s top arms in 2022. He toed the rubber in 13 games (53 2/3 innings) and struck out 60 batters, allowed 34 runs (16 earned) on 43 hits for a 2.09 ERA. Lardi had a 5-4 record, and when the spotlight was shining on him the brightest, he excelled.
“He kind of flew under the radar coming into the season as a junior,” Pickrel said of Lardi.
Freshmen: Alfred Ayala, TJ Heatherly, Nicolas Ojeda.
Streaks’ schedule
Fri., March 17 vs. Mount Carmel at Metro East Kickoff Classic, 7 p.m.
Sat., March 18 vs. Kaneland at Metro East Kickoff Classic, 12:30 p.m.
Sat., March 18 vs. Vernon at Metro East Kickoff Classic, 3 p.m.
Wed., March 22 at Metamora, 4:30 p.m.
Thu., March 23 at Canton, 4:30 p.m.
Fri., March 24 – Streaks Early Tourney, TBD
Sat., March 25 – Streaks Early Tourney, TBD
Tue., March 28 at Washington, 4:30 p.m.
Wed., March 29 vs. East Peoria, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 1 vs. Quincy, 11 a.m. (DH)
Tue., April 4 at Limestone, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 8 at United Township, 11 a.m. (DH)
Mon., April 10 vs. Monmouth-Roseville, 4:30 p.m.
Tue., April 11 at Alleman, 4:30 p.m.
Wed., April 12 vs. Rockridge, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 15 vs. Geneseo, 11 a.m. (DH)
Tue., April 18 at Morton, 4:30 p.m.
Fri., April 21 vs. Pekin, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 22 at Rock Island, 11 a.m. (DH)
Tue., April 25 vs. Alleman, 4:30 p.m. (Senior Night)
Thu., April 27 at Dunlap, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., April 29 vs. Moline, 11 a.m. (DH)
Thu., May 4 at United Township, 4:30 p.m.
Fri., May 5 at Sterling, 3:30 p.m. (DH)
Mon., May 8 at Normal Community, 4:30 p.m.
Thu., May 11 vs. Rock Island, 4:30 p.m.
Sat., May 13 at La Salle-Peru, 11 a.m.
Wed., May 17 at Peoria Richwoods, 4:30 p.m.
Fri., May 19 – Streaks Classic, TBD
Sat., May 20 – Streaks Classic, TBD
Departing thought…
“I think we have a lot of team speed,” Pickrel said. “We have maybe more than we did last year. We have a lot of guys that can run really well, and that offers us a little more versatility offensively.
“We don’t have to bang the ball out of the yard. We can put some pressure on defenses in other ways that can lead to runs.”
GALESBURG — Those who hit the hardwood for Galesburg High School’s girls basketball program in the 2022-23 season met up for a final time Monday night.
The Silver Streaks did so in the GHS Commons area, and they reflected on what they accomplished. Despite falling short of their goals, no tears were shed, as it was a joyous occasion.
As a collective unit, Galesburg went 50-23 overall this winter and 25-18 in Western Big 6 Conference action. The Streaks’ freshman squad, coached by Josh Biddle, finished with a 12-4 mark and went 9-1 in league play. Galesburg’s sophomores, who were guided by Michael Rux, finished with a 12-11 record and finished with .500 winning percentage in the WB6 with a 7-7 mark.
The Streaks’ varsity team went 26-8 overall, finished in second place in the WB6 with a 9-6 record and grabbed its second straight regional crown — 26th overall.
Galesburg’s season ended with a 63-34 loss to Peoria Central in Class 3A sectional semifinal action back on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
“We were upset that we didn’t win first in conference but I don’t think it made that big of an impact on us, and we still played hard,” said junior guard Alexis Edgerson. “We had a great season.”
Evan Massey, who has accumulated a 992-390 record in 45 seasons as the Streaks’ varsity coach, agrees.
“This was a great team. They were one of my favorite teams to coach,” Massey said. “They were not afraid to work hard, and they really worked to help each other.
“Defensively, we did not give up many easy points in transition, with second shots, or at the foul line,” he added. “Offensively, we did not turn the ball over.”
Galesburg had four seniors — Lilly Clark, Capre Ferguson, Kayla Pendergast, and Juniper Schwartzman — and they set good examples.
“Our four seniors were hard workers and leaders,” Massey said. “They definitely were positive models for our younger players.”
Kilgore paved the way for Galesburg
Junior Kiarra Kilgore was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s all-state second team in Class 3A, and she also was named the MVP of the WB6.
“She’s a great player,” Edgerson said of Kilgore. “I love playing with her.”
Kilgore averaged 22.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game in 2022-23, and she has netted 1,422 points so far in her career, which ranks sixth in the Streaks’ record book. Sarah Larson holds the top spot with 1,906 points.
“Kiarra being selected as the MVP of the WB6 was a tremendous honor and a very deserved honor,” Massey said. “She did so many good things for us as a team.”
And Kilgore is hungry for more. She has already started preparing for her senior season.
“I’m not satisfied with what I accomplished,” Kilgore said. “I’ve already been getting back in the gym with my dad (Curtis Kilgore).
“I pretty much shoot layups and 3s,” she added. “I need to get better at my mid-range and become a better ball handler.”
Streaks’ Award Winners
Most Improved Player: Antonia Kisler
Best Defensive Player: Alexis Edgerson
Amy Crisman Award (outstanding player): Kiarra Kilgore
GALESBURG — Past, present and future Galesburg High School football players will gather together Friday night at Van Dyke Field.
And the Silver Streaks (2-6) will face Fritz Dieudonne’s Pioneers of Rock Island Alleman (1-7) in Western Big 6 Conference action. It’ll be the 2022 season finale for both squads, as the playoffs are out of the picture. Pride is the only thing on the line.
Galesburg hopes to wrap things up with its third victory under its belt and have some momentum heading into offseason workouts.
Last Friday night, the Silver Streaks handed the Panthers of United Township a 46-35 loss in a league affair at the Soule Bowl in East Moline. Alleman fell to Quincy 65-13 in Week 8 in a WB6 contest at Almquist Field in Rock Island.
Derrek Blackwell, who is in his second season as the Silver Streaks’ head coach after a dozen as an assistant, knows what the key will be for his team when the Pioneers come to Galesburg.
“We played well last week in order to get a victory. It’s going to take all of the same things we did last week, all of the same energy — making sure our techniques are correct for 48 minutes,” Blackwell said after Tuesday night’s practice. “We have to sustain for 48 minutes. We have to play tough. It’s the Big 6, and there’s no easy opponent. We say ‘respect all opponents but fear none,’ and that’s the approach we’re taking this week.
“We have one win in the Big 6, and they don’t have a win in the Big 6 so they’re searching for that, and they’re going to be hungry for that,” Blackwell added of Alleman. “We’re just going to have to play hard and stick to what we know in order to get a victory on Friday night.”
Alleman’s Jagusah is a Notre Dame recruit
In June, the Pioneers’ Charles Jagusah, a 6-foot-7, 317 pound senior offensive tackle, committed to continue his collegiate career for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Jagusah, who had 16 NCAA Division I offers, is ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of Illinois by both ESPN and 247Sports. The later organization lists him at the No. 35 recruit in the country, and he sits at No. 65, according to ESPN.
“He’s always going to be a challenge. He’s been a challenge for four years,” Blackwell said. “Charles Jagusah is going to go to Notre Dame and play left tackle but you also notice him at defensive end, and you’ll notice him on the field as soon as you show up.
“He’s just a big athletic kid. He’s a state champion wrestler,” Blackwell added of Jagusah. “We try to preach to kids to play multi-sports and do as many sports as you can, and that’s what he does and makes him so good. He’s a great player.
“It’s going to be a tough night dealing with Mr. Jagusah.”
Seniors: Nolan Carl (TE/OLB), Mikey Eiker (WR/DB), Jon Sibley III (RB/DB), Tristan Legate (QB/ILB), Cam Aguirre (RB/LB), Bryce Harter (RB/ILB), Carter Clary (OL/DL), Noah Wright (OL/DL), Grant Rees (OL/DL), Aaron Kelley (OL/DL), Dishon Nolen (OL/DL), Gavin West (OL/DL), Treyson Hardges (WR/DB), Mason Kimmitt (WR/DB), Graham Peterson (WR/DB), Xavier Van Dyke (TE/DE), Jerry Taylor (TE/OLB).
Juniors: Gino Williams (QB/WR/DB), Amarie Richardson (RB/DB), Adrien Phillips (WR/DB), Markis Lewis (WR/DB), Izaiah Coleman (RB/ILB), Nicholas Curtis (RB/OLB), Sam Satisky (K), Keyondre Harrison (TE/OLB), John Willis (OL/ILB), Gavin Kaden (OL/DL), Jamari McDonald (OL/DL), Bradley Pearce (OL/DL).
Sophomores: DeAmiyn Elston (WR/OLB), Darius Walker (RB/DB), Easton Reed (QB/OLB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Kenneth Ward (RB/ILB), Saxen Patrick (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Aguy Isala (WR/DB), Don Patrick, Jr. (WR/DB), Josiah Carter (WR/DB), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Keaton Bane (OL/ILB), Nathan Maloy (OL/DL), Masen Iams (TE/OLB), Schuylur Sturgeon (OL/DL), Gilbert Lemus (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), David Bernhart, Jr. (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL).
GALESBURG — The Galesburg High School football team is on a three game losing skid.
And the Silver Streaks are hopeful things go in the right direction sooner rather than later, as they only have four regular season contests left on the schedule.
Galesburg needs to secure victories in all of them in order to be eligible for the postseason, and a tough test awaits the Silver Streaks next.
Galesburg (1-4, 0-3 in Western Big 6) will hit the road and battle Rock Island (3-2, 2-1 in WB6) at 7 p.m. Friday in league play.
The Silver Streaks are coming off a 42-14 home loss to the Blue Devils of Quincy. The Rocks handed the Panthers of United Township a 68-35 loss last week in East Moline.
Galesburg coach Derrek Blackwell, who is in his second season in charge after a dozen as an assistant, respects Rock Island, and he’s well aware of the success the Rocks have had over the years.
“Rock Island is a measuring stick. If you want to be the best you have to beat the best, and I’m not saying Rock Island is the best right now but traditionally over time Rock Island has been the best in the Western Big 6,” Blackwell said after Tuesday’s practice. “They’re our measuring stick. When we go to Rocky, we’ve got to play tough.
“When you walk onto Almquist Field you see all their banners. You see all the Western Big 6 Championships. You see all the state playoffs. You see all the tradition of Rock Island football,” Blackwell added. “We’re trying to bring that here and it starts this week.”
What happened last fall?
Last fall, Galesburg went toe-to-toe with Rock Island at Van Dyke Field, and the Silver Streaks were edged by the Rocks 33-30 in overtime.
When the fourth quarter was over, the affair was tied up at 27-all. However, Galesburg thought it had secured a win before the final 12 minutes ticked off the clock.
With two seconds left in the fourth, Rock Island went for a 25-yard field goal but the Rocks’ kicker didn’t boot the ball due to a bad snap. The Silver Streaks’ Hunter DeVena, who know suits up for Monmouth College, ended up with the pigskin, and he scored a touchdown but the play was called off.
And the game went into overtime.
Streaks’ Legate will return against Rocks
Senior Tristan Legate will be Galesburg’s starting quarterback versus Rocky. He sat out the Silver Streaks’ last two games due to a left high ankle sprain, and Legate has completed 11 of 27 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns in conference action.
Seniors: Nolan Carl (TE/OLB), Mikey Eiker (WR/DB), Jon Sibley III (RB/DB), Tristan Legate (QB/ILB), Cam Aguirre (RB/LB), Bryce Harter (RB/ILB), Carter Clary (OL/DL), Noah Wright (OL/DL), Grant Rees (OL/DL), Aaron Kelley (OL/DL), Dishon Nolen (OL/DL), Gavin West (OL/DL), Treyson Hardges (WR/DB), Mason Kimmitt (WR/DB), Graham Peterson (WR/DB), Xavier Van Dyke (TE/DE), Jerry Taylor (TE/OLB).
Juniors: Gino Williams (QB/WR/DB), Amarie Richardson (RB/DB), Adrien Phillips (WR/DB), Markis Lewis (WR/DB), Izaiah Coleman (RB/ILB), Nicholas Curtis (RB/OLB), Sam Satisky (K), Keyondre Harrison (TE/OLB), John Willis (OL/ILB), Gavin Kaden (OL/DL), Jamari McDonald (OL/DL), Bradley Pearce (OL/DL).
Sophomores: DeAmiyn Elston (WR/OLB), Darius Walker (RB/DB), Easton Reed (QB/OLB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Kenneth Ward (RB/ILB), Saxen Patrick (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Aguy Isala (WR/DB), Don Patrick, Jr. (WR/DB), Josiah Carter (WR/DB), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Keaton Bane (OL/ILB), Nathan Maloy (OL/DL), Masen Iams (TE/OLB), Schuylur Sturgeon (OL/DL), Gilbert Lemus (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), David Bernhart, Jr. (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL).
GALESBURG — Galesburg High School’s football team hits the road Friday night.
And the Silver Streaks (1-2) will take on the Maple Leafs of Geneseo (2-1) in Western Big 6 action.
Galesburg heads into the contest off a 48-21 home loss to Sterling in league play, and Geneseo handed United Township a 36-13 defeat last week in a conference affair in East Moline.
Silver Streaks coach Derrek Blackwell and company are focused more on themselves rather than the Maple Leafs.
“Geneseo is a very good football program traditionally but this week’s not about Geneseo,” Blackwell said after Tuesday’s practice. “It’s about the Galesburg Silver Streaks and what the Silver Streaks do. It’s about the Silver Streaks’ preparation, the Silver Streaks’ execution. How are the Silver Streaks going to respond to losing a game?
“Like I said, Geneseo is a great football program traditionally but again this week is all about the Silver Streaks and how we respond,” Blackwell added. “After our last loss, the guys honed in and were really after it in practice. They did everything they were asked to do but it can’t be we have to get a loss to get that hunger. That hunger has to remain even after a win.
“We keep preaching the little things and trust the process — just the details about life, the details about everything. All the little things matter to Silver Streak football.”
Legate sitting out this week
Galesburg senior quarterback Tristan Legate won’t be under center against Geneseo. Legate suffered a left high ankle sprain in the Silver Streaks’ loss to the Golden Warriors, and he’s expected to be back in the starting lineup when Galesburg faces Quincy at home in Week 5. Junior Gino Williams will be the Silver Streaks’ signal caller against the Maple Leafs.
Seniors: Nolan Carl (TE/OLB), Mikey Eiker (WR/DB), Jon Sibley III (RB/DB), Tristan Legate (QB/ILB), Cam Aguirre (RB/LB), Bryce Harter (RB/ILB), Carter Clary (OL/DL), Noah Wright (OL/DL), Grant Rees (OL/DL), Aaron Kelley (OL/DL), Dishon Nolen (OL/DL), Gavin West (OL/DL), Treyson Hardges (WR/DB), Mason Kimmitt (WR/DB), Graham Peterson (WR/DB), Xavier Van Dyke (TE/DE), Jerry Taylor (TE/OLB).
Juniors: Gino Williams (QB/WR/DB), Amarie Richardson (RB/DB), Adrien Phillips (WR/DB), Markis Lewis (WR/DB), Izaiah Coleman (RB/ILB), Nicholas Curtis (RB/OLB), Sam Satisky (K), Keyondre Harrison (TE/OLB), John Willis (OL/ILB), Gavin Kaden (OL/DL), Jamari McDonald (OL/DL), Bradley Pearce (OL/DL).
Sophomores: DeAmiyn Elston (WR/OLB), Darius Walker (RB/DB), Easton Reed (QB/OLB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Kenneth Ward (RB/ILB), Saxen Patrick (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Aguy Isala (WR/DB), Don Patrick, Jr. (WR/DB), Josiah Carter (WR/DB), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Keaton Bane (OL/ILB), Nathan Maloy (OL/DL), Masen Iams (TE/OLB), Schuylur Sturgeon (OL/DL), Gilbert Lemus (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), David Bernhart, Jr. (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL).
GALESBURG — Galesburg High School’s football team opens the conference portion of its schedule this week.
The Silver Streaks (1-1) will clash with the Golden Warriors of Sterling (1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday in Western Big 6 action at Van Dyke Field.
Galesburg heads into the contest with some momentum after securing a 52-12 home victory over Thornton last week. Sterling fell 35-27 to Wheaton St. Francis on the road in Week 2, and the Golden Warriors look to rebound against the Silver Streaks.
Last fall, Sterling edged visiting Galesburg 24-21 in the Week 3 affair, and the Golden Warriors ended up with a 6-1 mark in the Western Big 6 and a 7-3 overall record in 2021. The Silver Streaks went 4-5 last fall.
“The Big 6 is a meat grinder. There’s not a week off in the Big 6. You go play tough teams. It’s going to be hard nosed. It’s going to be physical, and it’s going to be like I said a meat grinder,” said Blackwell, who is in his second season in charge after a dozen as an assistant. “You’re in a dogfight and you’re in it until the end. It’s just non-stop dogfight, and you’ve got to be able to withstand the punches.
“Sterling is a well coached team. They’re predominately good,” Blackwell added. “When you talk about football around the state, you’ve got to throw Sterling in that mix. We’re trying to get to where everybody talks about Galesburg football, too. This is a stepping stone for that.”
The key for the Silver Streaks as they continue to reconstruct greatness is pretty simple.
“If we keep up the fundamentals I believe that good things are ahead for us,” Blackwell said.
“We just have to do the things we’re doing at practice and translate that to the game,” Galesburg junior running back/cornerback Amarie Richardson said.
Seniors: Nolan Carl (TE/OLB), Mikey Eiker (WR/DB), Jon Sibley III (RB/DB), Tristan Legate (QB/ILB), Cam Aguirre (RB/LB), Bryce Harter (RB/ILB), Carter Clary (OL/DL), Noah Wright (OL/DL), Grant Rees (OL/DL), Aaron Kelley (OL/DL), Dishon Nolen (OL/DL), Gavin West (OL/DL), Treyson Hardges (WR/DB), Mason Kimmitt (WR/DB), Graham Peterson (WR/DB), Xavier Van Dyke (TE/DE), Jerry Taylor (TE/OLB).
Juniors: Gino Williams (QB/WR/DB), Amarie Richardson (RB/DB), Adrien Phillips (WR/DB), Markis Lewis (WR/DB), Izaiah Coleman (RB/ILB), Nicholas Curtis (RB/OLB), Sam Satisky (K), Keyondre Harrison (TE/OLB), John Willis (OL/ILB), Gavin Kaden (OL/DL), Jamari McDonald (OL/DL), Bradley Pearce (OL/DL).
Sophomores: DeAmiyn Elston (WR/OLB), Darius Walker (RB/DB), Easton Reed (QB/OLB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Kenneth Ward (RB/ILB), Saxen Patrick (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Aguy Isala (WR/DB), Don Patrick, Jr. (WR/DB), Josiah Carter (WR/DB), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Keaton Bane (OL/ILB), Nathan Maloy (OL/DL), Masen Iams (TE/OLB), Schuylur Sturgeon (OL/DL), Gilbert Lemus (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), David Bernhart, Jr. (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL).
GALESBURG — Galesburg High School football coach Derrek Blackwell didn’t like what he saw from his Silver Streaks in Tuesday night’s practice session at C.C. Van Dyke Field.
“Unfortunately, today we took a step backwards but yesterday I was ecstatic. I was on Cloud 9,” Blackwell said. “We’ve been rolling, we’ve been doing everything right, we’ve been doing everything good. We threw a little mix up in today and it kind of rattled them a little bit but that’s what we expected with the mix up.
“We’ll come back tomorrow and now they can expect the mix up, and we’ll see how tomorrow goes,” Blackwell added. “We’ve got some things to work on before Friday.”
In their 2022 season opener, the Streaks will hit the road to face the Eagles of Dunlap. They’ll do so in a non-conference affair.
And what will it take for Galesburg to secure a win Friday evening?
“Just playing fundamental football and doing things right,” Blackwell said. “They have to know their alignment, their assignment, their technique and be doing everything they’ve been taught all summer long. I keep preaching to them ‘don’t get outside of yourself and just do what you’ve been taught and stay with what you know.’
“The guys are ready. They’re tired of hitting each other. They’re tired of going through the motions doing the same things they’ve always done,” Blackwell added. “They’re ready to hit somebody else in a different color, so we will see what happens Friday.”
Galesburg edged by Dunlap in 2021
Galesburg fell 7-6 to Dunlap to open 2021, which was Blackwell’s first season in charge after a dozen as an assistant coach. The Streaks dropped a pair of games after that, and Galesburg’s first win under Blackwell, a 2003 GHS grad, came in Week 4 — a 28-7 home victory over Geneseo in Western Big 6 Conference action. The Streaks went 3-2 from that point, and Galesburg ended up with a 4-5 overall mark and missed out on playing in the postseason.
The Eagles were playoff qualifiers in 2021. Dunlap went 5-5 overall, and the Eagles’ season ended in a 28-20 loss to the Mascoutah Indians in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Streaks’ D ‘little above right now’
At this point, the Streaks’ defense is a bit ahead of Galesburg’s offense.
“Obviously, defense is clicking a little more than the offense because offense is timing and defense is all effort and they just give all out effort all the time,” Blackwell said. “Defense is a little above right now — a little ahead — but in time the offense will come along.”
Seniors: Nolan Carl (TE/OLB), Mikey Eiker (WR/DB), Jon Sibley III (RB/DB), Tristan Legate (QB/ILB), Cam Aguirre (RB/LB), Bryce Harter (RB/ILB), Carter Clary (OL/DL), Noah Wright (OL/DL), Grant Rees (OL/DL), Aaron Kelley (OL/DL), Dishon Nolen (OL/DL), Gavin West (OL/DL), Treyson Hardges (WR/DB), Mason Kimmitt (WR/DB), Graham Peterson (WR/DB), Xavier Van Dyke (TE/DE), Jerry Taylor (TE/OLB).
Juniors: Gino Williams (WR/DB), Amarie Richardson (RB/DB), Adrien Phillips (WR/DB), Markis Lewis (WR/DB), Izaiah Coleman (RB/ILB), Nicholas Curtis (RB/OLB), Sam Satisky (K), Keyondre Harrison (TE/OLB), John Willis (OL/ILB), Gavin Kaden (OL/DL), Jamari McDonald (OL/DL), Bradley Pearce (OL/DL).
Sophomores: DeAmiyn Elston (WR/OLB), Darius Walker (RB/DB), Easton Reed (QB/OLB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Kenneth Ward (RB/ILB), Saxen Patrick (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Aguy Isala (WR/DB), Don Patrick, Jr. (WR/DB), Josiah Carter (WR/DB), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Keaton Bane (OL/ILB), Nathan Maloy (OL/DL), Masen Iams (TE/OLB), Schuylur Sturgeon (OL/DL), Gilbert Lemus (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), David Bernhart, Jr. (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL).