The Marshall Lions host the Mt Carmel Golden Aces at Bush Field on SENIOR NIGHT – October 17, 2025! Catch all of the High School Football action with pregame show and play-by-play commentary by the Voice of the Lions, Joey O’Rourke! The Central State Pregame Show starts at 6:30pm; Kickoff at 7pm Central Time.
Richland County Tigers at Casey-Westfield Warriors
Two UNDEFEATED teams come together on the gridiron on SENIOR NIGHT at Sinclair-VIdoni Field in Casey, Illinois, on Friday, October 17, 2025! Catch all of the Friday Night High School Football action with pregame show and play-by-play commentary by the Voice of the Warriors, Patrick Tullock!
On Thursday, October 9th, the Marshall High School volleyball team hosted the four-time reigning LIC champion Newton Eagles in a Little Illini Conference match inside McNary Gymnasium on the campus of Marshall High School. The Lions brought a record of 19-6 into the match, coming off a win at Red Hill on Tuesday night. Newton, which has won or shared the LIC conference crown every year since COVID, came in after having their 13-straight conference match winning streak snapped on Tuesday night by Mount Carmel. The Eagles were looking to bounce back in the win column.
This match was played in front of a big crowd, replete with the Marshall High School pep band and drum line. The Marshall student section showed up with its largest attendance of the season to cheer on this year’s edition, which has been very successful as they look forward to the state tournament. This battle was also played to determine who would remain in first place in the conference race as the LIC title remains in the balance. Both teams found out earlier in the day their seeding assignments in the IHSA Class 2A state tournament later this month. Marshall was awarded a 3-seed in the Clinton sub-sectional (B), while Newton was awarded with a 4-seed in the Benton sub-sectional (A). Pairings, sites, and dates/times will be announced later today.
In the first set of the varsity match, Newton broke out to a 4-2 lead before Marshall outscored the Eagles 8-1 to take a 10-5 lead as Newton called timeout. Harper Richardson scored two kills and a tip winner, while Lilly Ross served an ace. The Lions maintained their 5-point lead when McKenzie Davis scored a kill to make the score 11-6, then Davis and Harper Richardson combined on a block for a point to extend the Lions lead to 6 with the score 14-8. Richardson stepped up to the serving line and promptly served an ace to extend the Marshall lead to 7 points at 15-8.
Harper Richardson (3) smashes a kill through the Newton blockade. Photo by T Ray Henry.
Kills by Lilly Ross and Ella Mattas helped the Lions move ahead 18-9 as the Marshall crowd was ecstatic. Newton responded by reeling off 5 straight points to close the gap to four points with Marshall still leading 18-14. Addy Ross and Lilly Ross combined on a huge block for a point to give the Lions a little breathing room with the score 20-15 before the Eagles trimmed the Lions lead to three with the score 20-17.
An important rally ended when Harper Richardson and Lilly Ross combined on a block winner, and Marshall once again had a 4-point lead with the score 21-17. Newton would not quit, for the Eagles came back within three before Harper Richardson smashed a kill to give Marshall a 22-18 lead. Richardson and McKenzie Davis combined on a block to score another point for the Lions, who now led 23-18. A kill by Ella Mattas brought the Lions to set point, and on Harper Richardson’s next serve, Newton hit the ball out of bounds, and the Lions came away with the first set by the score of 25-20.
Marshall had a prime opportunity to win the match in straight sets when the Lions battled back from behind to take a 14-12 lead. Ella Mattas, Harper Richardson, Lilly Ross, and Ellie Delp kept the Lions close, then a tip winner by Harper Richardson, a kill by McKenzie Davis, and another kill by Richardson had Newton on their heels and the Marshall student section in a frenzy. Unfortunately for the home fans, the Lions were outscored 13-4 the rest of the way in the set, which was won by Newton 25-18, and suddenly the match was all square at one set apiece.
In the third and deciding set, the same issues that plagued the Lions in the second set came to the forefront again in the final set. With the set tied up at 12 as a result of scintillating play on both sides of the net, Newton outscored Marshall 13-7 to win the third set 25-19, taking the match two sets to one. Scoring for the Lions in the third set were Harper Richardson, Lilly Ross, McKenzie Davis, Anna Daugherty, Ella Mattas, Avery Cornwell, and Ellie Delp.
Anna Daugherty (4) returns a serve during Marshall’s three-set match vs Newton. Photo by T Ray Henry.
Addy Ross and Harper Richardson set wonderfully to get the ball in position for strikers on both sides of the court. The back court of Avery Cornwell, Ali Sheets, and Anna Daugherty kept the Lions in many points, and hitters Lilly Ross, Ella Mattas, McKenzie Davis, and Ellie Delp were dialed in. This match will help the team as they move forward in the season knowing they competed with the best the conference has to offer, and if some breaks went their way, the Lions would have come away with a victory. As they enter the final two weeks of the regular season, the goal is to be playing their best volleyball now as they go into state tournament play.
In the junior varsity match, which preceded the varsity contest, the young Lions shook off the cobwebs exhibited in Red Hill and played much better together. In the first set, the teams went to overtime before Newton pulled ahead and won the set 29-27. In the second set, Newton outscored Marshall 25-18 to win the match in straight sets.
Scoring for the junior varsity against Newton were Lilly Ross, Olivia Strohm, Lexi Mason, McKenzie Davis, Ellie Delp, Ali Sheets, Aubree Shaffer, and Lauren Richards.
Marshall (19-7) returns to action next Thursday, October 16th when the Lions travel to Casey to take on the Casey-Westfield High School Warriors in an LIC doubleheader. The junior varsity match begins at 6:00 PM, with the varsity match to follow.
On Tuesday, October 7th, the Marshall High School volleyball teams traveled to Bridgeport to play the Red Hill High School Salukis in a non-conference doubleheader inside the Red Hill Junior High School gymnasium. Marshall’s varsity squad came into the match with a record of 18-6, coming in off a big win in straight sets over Westville the night before. Red Hill came in with a record of 3-16. The Salukis were coming in off a win over Union Dugger the night before in three sets.
From the opening serve by Red Hill when Marshall’s McKenzie Davis scored the first point of the match with a tip winner over the net, Marshall started a 9-0 run to start the opening set as Harper Richardson served four aces during that span.
McKenzie Davis scores early against Red Hill. Photo by T Ray Henry.
Marshall would stay comfortably out in front and build on their 9-0 lead throughout the middle portion of the set. Three kills by Lilly Ross, a combination block by Lilly Ross and Ellie Delp, a kill by Delp, and a kill by Harper Richardson gave the Lions a 20-4 advantage heading into the final stretch of the first set.
From that point, the Lions coasted to finish the first set on kills by Harper Richardson and Ella Mattas, an ace served by Lilly Ross, and a tip winner by Ellie Delp. With Marshall winning the first set by the score of 25-7, the Lions looked to the second set to work on their net play, passing, and setting.
During the second set of the varsity match, a kill and serving ace by Harper Richardson pushed the Lions out to a 2-0 lead. Red Hill, however, responded by scoring three straight points to take their first and only lead of the match with the score 3-2. A tip winner by Richardson evened the set at three apiece, then Marshall went on a 10-3 run to take a 13-6 lead midway through. During the run, Lilly Ross scored two kills, while McKenzie Davis and Ellie Delp each scored a kill. Lilly Ross also served an ace as Marshall continued to put pressure on Red Hill’s defense.
Tip winners by Harper Richardson and Lilly Ross, as well as a kill by Ella Mattas, maintained Marshall’s seven-point lead with the score 17-10. After a side out in favor of Red Hill to make the score 17-11, Marshall’s Lilly Ross scored again for the Lions when she smashed a kill from the middle of the front row.
Ellie Delp wins the point at the net for Marshall against Red Hill. Photo by T Ray Henry.
With the score Marshall 18, Red Hill 11, Ella Mattas stepped up to the serving line for Marshall, and she served the Lions all the way to match point with the score 24-11. Mattas served three aces, and Lilly Ross scored on a kill. Red Hill got a side out and scored three points to make the score 24-15, but Marshall’s Lilly Ross ended the match when she scored a kill to end the set with Marshall winning by the score of 25-15. In the end, Marshall defeated Red Hill in straight sets to improve their record to 19-6.
In the junior varsity match, Marshall’s young Lions could never generate any momentum throughout the match, and for the first time in weeks, Marshall struggled with passing, communicating, and setting. All three sets were close, but in the end, the junior varsity squad fell to the Salukis 25-22, 21-25, and 15-12.
The Lions return to the court this Thursday night when they host Newton in a pivotal conference match inside McNary Gymnasium. With both squads tied in the conference standings, this match will go a long way in deciding the conference title. Junior varsity action begins at 6:00 PM with the varsity match to follow. Let’s get a big crowd to McNary Gymnasium and cheer on these student athletes!
On Friday, October 3rd, the Marshall High School football team traveled to the western edge of Clark County to play Casey-Westfield High School in a Little Illini Conference game at Sinclair-Vidoni Field in Casey. Marshall came into the game with a record of 3-2, while Casey-Westfield, ranked #5 in IHSA Class 1A, came in with a record of 5-0.
Kaiden Sanders caught 2 touchdown passes vs Casey-Westfield.
After Casey-Westfield scored early in the contest to take a 7-0 lead, the Lions fought back and scored a touchdown when Lucca Giannavola ran the ball in from 1 yard out. After the conversion try was no good, the Lions trailed 7-6. On the kickoff immediately following Marshall’s touchdown, the Lions’ Trip Gaines pulled off a perfect onside kick and the Lions recovered the football. The Lions proceeded to run through the Warriors defense like no other team had done thus far this season. Marshall drove the ball all the way down the field and scored a touchdown when Lucca Giannavola plowed in from 2 yards out. A two-point conversion pass by Giannavola to Liam Keim was good for a score, and all of a sudden, the Lions led the Warriors 14-7 as the home crowd sat in stunned silence.
The final two minutes of the first half alone were worth the price of admission, with the two teams combining for 25 points in quick succession. Marshall had the ball after starting a drive at their own 11. The Lions worked the ball out to the 33 where they faced a third down and four yards to go. Lions quarterback Luke Brodie faked a hand-off and threw the ball to Kaiden Sanders on a slant pattern. Sanders caught the ball in stride and weaved his way across the field. Once he hit the edge, Sanders outran the entire Casey-Westfield defense for a 67-yard touchdown. A counter-play on the two-point conversion by Liam Keim was good, and with 1:45 left before the half, Marshall was ahead 22-7.
A run by Casey’s Nolan Clement on a quarterback keeper gave the Warriors the ball in Marshall territory. Another run put the Warriors on the Lions 27 before a holding call on Casey-Westfield moved the ball back to the Marshall 37. As the clock winded down under a minute, the Warriors scored a touchdown. With the two-point conversion good, the Marshall lead was 22-15 with 57 ticks left on the clock until halftime.
On the ensuing kickoff, Marshall’s Silas Dean fielded the kick at his own 9-yard line. Dean followed his blockers up the middle, then he sprinted to an opening on the right side where he had just one man to beat. He bolted past the Casey-Westfield kicker and outran everyone to the house for another Marshall touchdown. After the two-point try was no good, Marshall led 28-15 with 45 seconds to go in the half. A Casey-Westfield 34-yard field goal at the end of the half made the score Marshall 28, Casey-Westfield 18.
In the first half, Marshall gained a total of 330 yards against a Warriors team which had stuffed opponents on the ground, through the air, and in the return game. In the first half, Marshall gained 104 yards on the ground (97 yards and 2 TDs from Lucca Giannavola), 124 through the air (121 yards passing and a TD from Luke Brodie), and a huge 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Silas Dean.
On Casey-Westfield’s first drive of the second half, they tried a fake on fourth down in punt formation. Casey-Westfield’s Nolan Clement was stuffed at midfield short of the marker, and the Lions took over on downs. On the first play from scrimmage for Marshall after the turnover on downs, a play-action fake and slant pass from Luke Brodie to Kaiden Sanders brought the Big Red another strike for a touchdown when Sanders outran all the Warriors across the field and down the right sideline to the end zone. With the two point try short of the goal line, Marshall was now out in front of Casey-Westfield 34-18 with 9 minutes and change left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing possession for Casey-Westfield, the Warriors went three and out as the Marshall pass defense didn’t give the Warriors offense a good look. The Lions took over at their own 30 after the punt and return by Marshall’s Gavyn Boden. A first down run by Lucca Giannavola, a second down run by Liam Keim, and a third down run by Giannavola gave the Lions a first down. The drive stalled, however, and Marshall punted the ball back to Casey-Westfield where the Warriors began their next drive at their own 47.
Casey-Westfield scored on a pass play with 28 seconds remaining in the third quarter, and after a two-point try was good, Marshall’s lead was down to 8 points with the score 34-26.
Marshall began the next drive at their own 15. After a Giannavola run, the third quarter ended with the Lions holding an 8-point lead. Marshall couldn’t generate anything on the drive and got behind the chains, so they punted the ball back to Casey-Westfield where the Warriors began the drive in Marshall territory.
A big fourth down and three from the Marshall 21 resulted in a touchdown for Casey-Westfield with 8:36 to go in the fourth quarter. After the two-point try was good, the teams were all tied up at 34.
Casey-Westfield recovered an onside kick on the next play to take over possession at the Marshall 45. They marched the ball down the field and scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to take a 42-34 lead with 7:42 to go on the clock.
The Lions began their next drive after taking the kickoff back to the 22 with somehow no time running off the clock. Two rushes set the Lions with a third down and four at their own 28. Marshall couldn’t convert the first down, and Casey-Westfield took over possession deep inside Marshall territory. Another Warriors touchdown and extra points made the score 50-34 with 3:12 to go.
The Lions continued to struggle generating any momentum, and after most everything went right during the first half and the majority of the third quarter, nothing went right the rest of the way. In the end, Marshall came up on the short end of the scoreboard with the final score Casey-Westfield 50, Marshall 34.
For the Lions, Lucca Giannavola rushed the ball 26 times for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. Luke Brodie had 5 completions in 7 attempts for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kaiden Sanders caught 3 passes for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns. Silas Dean was brilliant in the kick return game, scoring a touchdown on a 91-yard return which gave the Lions a 16-point lead in the second quarter. On defense, Josef Stafford led the Lions with 10 tackles, while Lucca Giannavola finished with 8.
Marshall (3-3) returns to action Friday night, October 10th, when they host Lawrenceville at Bush Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm.
The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual golf tournament on Friday, September 19, 2025. Teams of four will start at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The tournament will be held at Marshall Golf Club, located at 110 Golf Course Road, Marshall, Illinois.
The school year is about to begin! And along with it comes the beginning of a new season of high school sports! Get a preview of this year’s high school football team leadership with host Joey O’Rourke.
Illinois Legends Baseball 9U team will hold tryouts on Saturday, July 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Sunday, July 27 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Forsythe Field 1, located at 1001 N 6th Street, Marshall, IL 62441
