Canon fires, Ridgeview - Blur Ridge mis-fires

Last night it was Ridgeview-Blue Ridge Mustangs at Tri Valley Vikings. My ears are still ringing from that canon. Thought the EMT's were going to have to defib me when that thing scared the breath out of me the first time they fired it!

It also intimidated the Mustangs.  As I was leaving the field in the 3rd quarter I think I heard the score announced at 68-14.   At the very least it was  a great fall evening with a distinct lake of precipitation - something new for this season!

Photo gallery below from Alan Look Photography, the Best Look in Sports Action photos in Bloomington - Normal and McLean County.  Look for coverage in the Normalite Newspapers and Best Look Magazine.



20140919 Ridgeview-Blue Ridge Mustangs @ Tri Valley Vikings Football Photos - Images by Alan Look

 - Chimper -

103rd McLean County Tournament concludes

In McLean County Illinois, the granddaddy of local basketball tournaments has been held for 103 times in 104 years.  It's changed a lot over the years as school districts grew larger or small and many consolidated.  The current day tournament is a coed tournament including boys and girls brackets.  The schools filling those brackets are from the county or from the Heart of Illinois Conference (HOIC).  County proper teams have dwindled over the years as consolidation erupted.  Schools that currently have a McLean County presence are Heyworth, LeRoy, Ridgeview, Lexington, El Paso - Gridley, and Tri Valley. The only non-Bloomington-Normal school I can think of that has students from the county but isn't included in the tournament is Olympia.

This year, the Ridgeview Mustangs entered the tournament undefeated and with Coach Rodney Kellar looking for his 500th win.  He got that win as Ridgeview defeated El Paso Gridley in the semi-final.  Ridgeview stood up against the Blue Ridge Knights in the final.  The game was an epic battle that tied at 49 in regulation.  The Knights managed a score with 6 seconds left in OT that went unanswered leaving them ahead by one point as the buzzer sounded.

In the girls brackets, El Paso - Gridley's Lady Titans took home the 1st place brass for the 4th straight year.  Watching Codee Schlipf, The Ehresman girls and the rest of the team is a real treat.  It wasn't all roses during the championship game for the girls.  They faced off against HOIC foe - Tremont Turks.  It was a back and forth battle with both sides sharing lead changes.

Images from all games can be found at Alan Look Photography, and a few presentation and other small video links can be found there as well.



20140125 Tremont Turks v El Paso Gridley Titans Girls Basketball Championship game photos - Images by Alan Look



20140125 Blue Ridge Knights v Ridgeview Mustangs Boys Basketball Championship game photos - Images by Alan Look

 - Chimper -

Heyworth falls to Blue Ridge in McLean County Tournament Quarter Final

In a very fast paced game slowed by only fouls and time outs, the Heyworth Hornets fell to lower ranked Blue Ridge Knights on Tuesday January 21st at the Shirk Center in Bloomington as a part of the 103rd McLean County Tournament.  Blue Ridge advances to the Semi Finals to face Tremont on Friday night, Heyworth moves to the consolation bracket and faces Le Roy on Thursday at Lexington High School.

Brackets can be found on Alan Look Photography website.



20140121 Blue Ridge Knights v Heyworth Hornets boys basketball photos - Images by Alan Look

2013 McLean County Tournament concludes

The McLean County Tournament concluded yesterday with the four final games from the right side of the bracket held at Shirk Center.  Third place games were played in the afternoon with Le Roy topping Tri-Valley in the girls page and Fieldcrest pulling out another close game, this one over Blue Ridge.  In the evening, El Paso - Gridley girls took the crown from Tremont and Tri-Valley and Ridgeview fans packed the house to see Tri-Valley victorious over Ridgeview.  There is never a bad Tri-Valley v Ridgeview game.

Memories will last for ever and can always be stimulated with the right photo.  Get yours from Alan Look Photography and check out the coverage by the Normalite and Best Look Magazine.

2013 102nd McLean County Tournament photos

-chimper-

2013 McLean County Tournament Semi-Final, boys

The Ridgeview Mustangs pulled off an upset on Friday night in the first boys semi-final game of the 102nd McLean County Tournament defeating number one seed Fieldcrest Knights.  In the second game, Tri-Valley Vikings walked off the court all smiles after defeating the Knights of Blue Ridge.  The two wins set up an in county HOIC rivalry championship game between the Vikings and Mustangs.

Fieldcrest Knights will meet the Knights of Blue Ridge in the boys consolation game.

In the Girls bracket today, #1 seed El Paso - Gridley will take on the Turks of Tremont for the title match and the consolation game will be between the Le Roy Panters and the Tri-Valley Vikings.

Click to view all the 2013 102nd McLean County photo galleries by Alan Look Photography. Be sure to check out the Normalite Newspaper Group editions for coverage and the next issue of Best Look Magazine.

-chimper-

Le Roy always supports their Panthers

For as long as I can remember Le Roy has always been a big football town.  The stands were always full in the '70s when I was in a competing high school and they are still full every time I go down to shoot.  Last night was no different as they sent Blue Ridge Knights packing back to Farmer City as the Panthers won their Homecoming.

Be sure to get your copy of Best Look Magazine.

Blue Ridge Knights v LeRoy Panthers football photos

John Power took this weekend off from shooting, but be sure to check out his galleries from past games for some more great action photos.