Various coaches at the junior high and high school level provided a fall sports update to members of the Fairbury Rotary on Tuesday.
Prairie Central Junior High Athletic Director Steven Hartke and Prairie Central High School Athletic Director Austin Wenger each introduced the different programs at their schools.
Jim Meister has been working with the junior high softball program for 11 seasons and this year the team finished with a final record of 5-14. Meister noted a slight improvement over last year. They ended up the seven seed in the regional and defeated the number two seed. Then the season ended in the semi-finals.
“The girls definitely showed some improvement as the season went along,” Meister explained.
Junior high baseball coach Derek Underwood said they were able to have two teams again this year for the first time in a while. They are 10-9 as they defeated Streator Northlawn in the first regional game Monday night. Next up is Washington Central on Wednesday.
“The boys all stayed positive which is huge,” said Underwood.
Two seventh graders are starting in the regional games. Underwood considers the 35 kids playing ball great for Prairie Central’s baseball program.
Kirsten Smith is head volleyball coach for PC High School in her fourth season. She considers this a rebuilding year after losing several seniors.
“This year is a fresh varsity team,” she explained. “They are starting off wanting to prove everybody wrong.”
Varsity volleyball is 9-11 and the JV is doing well at 13-7 while the freshman are 5-8. They’ve had success at tournaments this year.
Robin Behrends, head Cross Country coach, reported they have seven boys and five girls this year.
“We are small but we are turning out to be pretty mighty,” observed Behrends.
They placed well at St. Bede and Tuscola.
Head PCHS football coach Mike Goodwin noted the freshman and JV are 2-1 while the varsity team is 2-2 on the season.
“We have a very small senior class,” Goodwin said. “A lot of juniors are just starting to figure out varsity football.”
The Hawks are getting set to play IVC for homecoming. That team may be 0-4 but Goodwin believes they are still good. PC football seems to get better each week and the players are fairly healthy.
Scott Willi, head golf coach at PCHS, described a great golf season so far with the varsity and junior varsity undefeated in match play. The varsity includes six juniors and a senior, Lane Whitfill. Willi said the JV squad as “gotten nothing but better.”
As the golf season winds down, PC battles Central Catholic soon and the regionals are next week. Coach Willi has high hopes for his team.
Wenger gave updates on high school girls golf and fall cheer since the coaches could not be in attendance.
Girls golf is in a rebuilding year and there are some talented younger athletes. Longtime coach Cindy Ifft will be retiring.
Fall cheer has 23 total cheerleaders this year and 51 alumni cheerleaders recently participated in a special alumni night performance at Prairie Central High School.
