The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is proud to announce its ninth class of recipients of the IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award.
The 2023-24 honorees include a Chicago TV legend, a Northern Illinois radio mainstay, and a pair of longstanding writers who have made their respective marks on opposite sides of the state.
The 2023-24 honorees include Kenny McReynolds, Steve Raymond, Brian Reusch, and Matt Schuckman.
McReynolds is a Chicagoland broadcast staple who has won five Emmys in his career, while Reusch has broadcast games on WCCI radio in Savanna for over 30 years. Schuckman has been a staple of the Quincy area, including stints at the Quincy Herald-Whig and MuddyRiver.com, dating back to 1999, which was also the year that Raymond arrived in the Effingham area, where he continues to cover high school sports as the owner and publisher of the Effingham & Teutopolis News Report.
The IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award was created to recognize media members who have covered high school sports and activities in Illinois for a significant period of time, while maintaining perspective on the amateur events they report on.
“Congratulations to each of these gentlemen on this deserving honor,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “Their contributions to high school sports in Illinois, and to their communities, is immeasurable. We know they are beloved figures within the areas and communities they provide coverage and look forward to having a special moment to honor each during the 2023-24 school year.”
IHSA member schools submit nominations for the award, with McReynolds being nominated by Simeon Academy and Proviso East High School. Raymond was recognized by Teutopolis High School, while Reusch and Schuckman were tabbed by Erie High School and Quincy Notre Dame High School, respectively.
The IHSA’s media advisory committee, and a veteran committee of retired media members voted on the nominees. Those who received the required percentage of votes were named honorees with a limit of one winner per IHSA Board Division. Each winner will be honored at a high school event of their choosing during the 2023-24 school year.
“A vital element of this award is the recognition within the community,” said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Matt Troha. “We look forward to seeing this year’s winners being recognized in front of the students, coaches, and communities they have impacted with their exceptional work.”
A bio on each of the honorees is below:
Steve Raymond
Steve Raymond has been around the newspaper business since he was six years old and has covered prep sports for more than 25 of the nearly 50 years he has spent in the business. He grew up just south of Decatur and attended Assumption High School (which since has consolidated into Central A&M), where he played on the basketball and baseball teams. After a stint at Taylor University, Raymond returned home to work for his father’s newspaper, The Golden Prairie News, where a spark for covering sports was lit within him.
When the IHSA comes out with the regional pairings, you know the postseason is near.
The pairings for the four boys classes in Illinois were released Friday afternoon.
St. Anthony, Teutopolis and Effingham will all begin play in their respective regionals either Saturday, Feb. 19 or Wednesday, Feb. 23.
St. Anthony is seeded No. 2 in the Patoka Regional and will play its first game at home on Saturday, Feb. 12. The remaining games will be played in Patoka.
Teutopolis is the No. 1 seed in the Arthur Regional. The Wooden Shoes will open play Wednesday, Feb. 23.
Effingham will also play its regional opener on Wednesday, Feb. 23. The Hearts are the No. 8 seed in the Olney Regional.
Here is the schedule for each of those regionals.
Class 1A Patoka Regional
Saturday, Feb. 19
Game 1 – 6 p.m. -- Mulberry Grove (16) at St. Anthony (2)
Game 2 – TBA -- Sandoval (12) at Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran (9)
Game 3 – TBA -- Ramsey (15) at Carlyle (3)
Game 4 – TBA -- Patoka (13) at Nokomis (8)
Wednesday, Feb. 23
Game 5 – 6 p.m. – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6 – 7:30 p.m. -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Friday, Feb. 25
Game 7 – 7 p.m. -- Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
The winner of the Patoka Regional will advance to the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional. The champions of the regionals in Arcola, Stewardson-Strasburg and Dieterich will also advance to the St. Anthony Section, which will begin Tuesday, March 1.
Class 2A Arthur Regional
Saturday, Feb. 19
Game 1 – 3:30 p.m. – Shelbyville (11) at Arthur (9)
Game 2 – TBA – Sullivan (13) at Paris (7)
Wednesday, Feb. 23
Game 3 – 6 p.m. -- Teutopolis (1) vs. Winner Game 1
Game 4 – 7:30 p.m. -- Newton (4) vs. Winner Game 2
Friday, Feb. 25
Game 5 – 7 p.m. – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
The winner of the Arthur Regional will advance to the Flora Sectional. The champions of the regionals in Robinson, Greenville and Pana will also advance to the Flora Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, March 1.
Class 3A Olney Regional
Wednesday, Feb. 23
Game 1 – 6 p.m. – Olney (2) vs. Effingham (8)
Game 2 – 7 :30 p.m. – Mascoutah (3) vs. Marion (6)
Friday, Feb. 25
Game 3 – 7 p.m. – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
The winner of the Olney Regional will advance to the Highland Sectional. The champions of the regionals in Centralia, Chatham Glenwood and Cahokia will also advance to the Highland Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, March 1.
It’s been a while, but the postseason for Illinois high school “spring” sports is just about to resume.
There hasn’t been postseason play for any sport since early March 2020 – and it’s been a two-year wait for all spring sports after being cancelled a year ago due to COVID-19.
But that all changes next week.
Baseball is one of the sports that will begin postseason play and two of the local teams – Teutopolis and St. Anthony – are seeded No. 1 in their respective regionals. Effingham is seeded No. 5.
All regional games will be played at the home of the higher seed. So as a top seed, the Shoes and Bulldogs will continue to play at home as long as they win. If they lose, the season is over.
That’s how it works in the postseason. It’s always like sudden death.
Below is a look at the respective regionals for St. Anthony, Teutopolis and Effingham.
The Bulldogs are competing in the Class 1A Regional A. Their first game will be Friday, June 4. They will face either Hutsonville or Oblong. Game time is 4:30 p.m. at Evergreen Hollow Park.
The winner will play for the championship of that regional on Monday, June 7. The winner will play either Dieterich or North Clay. Game time has not yet been set.
The Wooden Shoes will compete in the Class 2A Regional A. THS will play either Lawrenceville or Salem at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 4. The game will be played at the Teutopolis baseball diamond.
The winner will then face Greenville or Flora for the regional championship. That game will be played Monday, June 7. Game time has not yet been determined.
The Hearts will play in the Class 3A Regional C. They will play at Mattoon at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 3. The winner will then play either Olney or Troy Triad on Monday, June 7, in the title game. The time for that game has not been set.
Regional winners will advance to sectional play. Sectional games will be on Wednesday, June 9, and Friday, June 11. Sites and game times will be determined after the regionals are completed.
The postseason is right around the corner.
For the girls basketball teams in the state of Illinois, postseason play will get underway Saturday, Feb. 12.
St. Anthony, Teutopolis and Effingham will all begin play in their respective regionals on Monday, Feb. 14.
St. Anthony is a No. 2 seed in the Toledo Regional; T-Town is the top seed in the Salem Regional; and Effingham will host the regional and enter as a No. 3 seed.
Here is the schedule for each of those regionals.
Class 1A Toledo (Cumberland) Regional
Saturday, Feb. 12
Game 1 –Casey-Westfield (11) vs. Dieterich (6)
Game 2 – Martinsville (13) vs. Toledo (Cumberland) (5)
Monday, Feb. 13
Game 3 – 6 p.m. -- St. Anthony (2) vs. Winner Game 1
Game 4 – 7:30 p.m. – Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City (3) vs. Winner Game 2
Friday, Feb. 18
Game 5 – 7 p.m. – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
The winner of the Toledo (Cumberland) Regional will advance to the Tuscola Sectional. The champions of the regionals in Altamont, Hume Shiloh and Macon (Meridian) will also advance to the Tuscola Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, Feb. 22.
Class 2A Salem Regional
Saturday, Feb. 12
Game 1 – Salem (9) vs. Carmi (7)
Game 2 – Vandalia (10) vs. Flora (5)
Monday, Feb. 14
Game 3 – 6 p.m. – Teutopolis (1) vs. Winner Game 1
Game 4 – 7:30 p.m. – Robinson (4) vs. Winner Game 2
Thursday, Feb. 17
Game 5 – 7 p.m. Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
The winner of the Salem Regional will advance to the Monticello Sectional. The champions of the regionals in Clinton, Marshall and Arthur will also advance to the Monticello Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, Feb. 22.
Class 3A Effingham Regional
Monday, Feb. 14
Game 1 – 6 p.m. – Mt. Vernon (2) vs. Charleston (9)
Game 2 – 7:30 p.m. – Effingham (3) vs. Olney (Richland County) (6)
Friday, Feb. 18
Game 5 – 7 p.m. – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
The winner of the Effingham Regional will advance to the Bethalto (Civic Memorial) Sectional. The champions of the regionals in Herrin, Troy (Triad) and Bethalto will also advance to the Bethalto (Civic Memorial) Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, Feb. 22.
Are you ready for some softball postseason play?
After all, it’s only been a two-year wait, thanks to the COVID pandemic.
Thankfully, the wait is just about over.
The postseason for all IHSA “spring” sports will begin next week.
St. Anthony will enter regional action as the No. 1 seed, while Teutopolis is seeded No. 4 and Effingham No. 5 in their respective regionals.
All regional games will be played at the home of the higher seed. So as a top seed, the Lady Bulldogs will continue to play at home as long as they win. If they lose, the season is over.
That’s how it works in the postseason for every team. It’s always sudden death.
Below is a look at the respective regionals for St. Anthony, Teutopolis and Effingham.
The Lady Bulldogs are competing in the Class 1 Regional C. Their opening game will be on Thursday, June 3. They will face either Mulberry Grove or Ramsey. The game will be at 4:30 p.m. at Bulldog Field.
The winner will then face either Altamont or Beecher City/Cowden-Herrick for the regional championship. That game will be at 4:30 p.m. at the home of the higher seed.
The Lady Shoes will play in the Class 2A Regional A. They will host No. 5 seed Newton at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 3. The game will be played at the T-Town softball diamond.
The winner of that contest will play for the regional title against either Marshall, Lawrenceville or top-seeded Mt. Carmel. That game will be at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 4. The team with the highest seed will host.
The Lady Hearts will open play in the Class 3A Regional A on Wednesday, June 2. They will play at Mattoon at 4:30 p.m. The winner of that game will travel to Charleston and face the top-seeded Lady Trojans. The championship game will start at 4:30 p.m.
Regional winners will advance to sectional play. Sectional games will be on Tuesday, June 8, and Thursday, June 10. Sites and game times will be determined after the regionals are completed.
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