Heyworth Hornets girls host travelling trophy for very first time!

The Heyworth girl's basketball team on paper is short on experience, especially in the depth of the bench.  The roster shows 4 seniors and the rest are all sophomores.  The lack of juniors would normally signal an alarm, and it probably does in this situation as well. The 4 seniors take the center, forward and one guard positions, whilst the starting sophomore handles the point guard duties.  It served them well in the defeat of the Eureka Hornets.  When I first looked up at the scoreboard it read 21-7, Heyworth in charge.  Eureka managed to bring it back to within 5 a couple of times, but Heyworth ended the comp at the buzzer with a 67-56 victory.  The sophomores that came in from the bench showed great poise and potential.  The Hornets outlook is good.

Eureka had hosted the travelling trophy since the end of last year, their first year of eligibility after joining the HOIC.  Us old timers know that those golden globed trophies started their existence in the McLean County Tournament.  It always warms our hearts to see them inside our county lines.  Thank you to the Heyworth Hornets for bringing it back home.  It's tradition!

I must also mention that (and most that know me at least subconsciously know this) I have a specially good time photographing refs and coaches.  Coach Tony Griffin is becoming one of my favorites.  Lots of emotion, lots of animation and all exactly in the right place!

Go Hornets!

Be sure to check the Alan Look Photography facebook page for discount codes on prints and files!

Heyworth Boys survive visit from Warrensburg Latham Cardinals

In what looked like it would be a runaway win for the Hornets in the beginning of each half ended with a 2 point lead for the Hornets as they got possession of the ball with split seconds left avoiding a last second tie by the Cardinals. The Hornets successfully hit a lot of outside shots for 3 points.

2015 November Issue of Best Look Magazine

Best Look Magazine, Volume 4 Issue 4, November 2015

By Alan Look in Best Look Magazine

32 pages, published 11/10/2015

Best Look Magazine, Volume 4 Issue 4, November 2015

The 2015 November Issue of Best Look Magazine has arrived. The front cover features a High Dynamic Range image of the Normal Theater in Normal taken during the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in July.  The rear cover is a shot of the memorial at Illinois State University that remembers the 7-
Aaron Leech, Torrey Ward, Scott Bittner, Jason Jones, Andrew Butler, Terry Stralow and Thomas Hileman who lost their lives in a plane crash on their way home from the NCAA basketball tournament in April.  Other features in this issue - a wrap up of the Normal CornBelters winning season, McLean County Antique Automobile Associations annual car show, Sugar Creek Arts Festival, a preview of the State Farm Holiday Classic basketball tournament, Ron Knisley Memorial Shootout, some highlights from the very wet Friday Night football games, the blood red moon and eclipse, volleyball and football from both Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan and It's Official makes a return.

Be sure to look up our sponsors.  They probably offer something you want or need.  Buy local where most of the money from your purchase returns to our local economy.

Heyworth Hornets hosts Gibson City Melvin Sibley (GCMS) Falcons

Well, 3 times in one season we've covered the Heyworth Hornets at home.  It was the fall of 1976 since we last did that!

The night wasn't too kind to the Hornets.  GCMS is a force to be reckoned with this year.  If they have lost a game, I couldn't tell you who beat them.  We saw them in week one against LeRoy and the story was much the same.  The crowd was a little lighter this trip to the Hornets field than it was the other 2 times.  Not sure if everyone was expecting this lopsided affair or if they just stayed home to watch the Cubs in the Division Series in St. Louis against the Cardinals for the first time in history of the MLB.

Watch the Normalite Newspapers (Heyworth Buzz), Best Look Magazine for more covered provided by Alan Look Photography - Bloomington-Normal's Best Look in Sports Action Photography.


20151009 GCMS at Heyworth football photos - Images by Alan Look
 - chimper

Heyworth host Tremont for Homecoming

Friday Night September 25, the Heyworth High School Hornets hosted the Tremont Turks for the Hornets homecoming football game.  As we drove to the game, it was kind of deja vu of the 2nd week of the season when we also covered the Hornets in Heyworth at clouds started backing in from the Northeast.  The resulting sunset was nearly the same as week two - vivid brilliant colors providing back light for silhouettes of some houses and birds flying just west of the field.  The playing conditions were night and day.  The clouds cleared off to reveal a brilliant moon and there was no precipitation or lightning in the area to prevent any action on the field.

Our star of the night was the Homecoming King, Cole Sinn who seemed to have about twice as much will and fire as the next Hornet on the field.  The Queen this year was Lydia Martens.

Please look for more coverage in the Heyworth Buzz - a Normalite Newspaper, and in Best Look Magazine.  The image show below is complements of Alan Look Photography - Bloomington Normal's Best Look in Sports Action Photography.

20150925 Tremont Turks at Heyworth Hornets football photos - Images by Alan Look

 - Chimper

Friday fizzled out.

The high temperatures and humidity across the mid section of the country spawned isolated storms on Friday night.  Although some rain fell in the area, the biggest problem locally for football games was the lightning.  Many area schools saw their games suspended because of the electric atmosphere.  Normal West playing in Collinsville, Normal Community and Bloomington both playing at home and Heyworth were all subject to the suspensions.  One report tells of more severe thunderstorms to the east affecting the Champaign - Urbana area, Danville and into west central Indiana.

Play did get started at the Heyworth game.  Heyworth hosted the Falcons of Flanagan, Cornell, Woodland.  The Falcons started the game kicking to the Hornets and defending the north end zone. Brandon Day accepted the kickoff for the Hornets and made a good run up the field.  He followed it shortly after moving the ball much closer to the goal.  After a too high pass to Skyler Cox in the corner of the end zone, the Hornets kept the ball on the ground with runs by Keith Hickenbottom and eventually one by Matt Schultz for the first score of 6 points. A 2 point conversion ensued on a keeper run to his right by quarterback Jacob Day.

The game suspended shortly after with the Hornets in the lead 8-0

 - Chimper

20150904 Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland Falcons at Heyworth Hornets football photos - Images by Alan Look

#IHSA, #IHSAFOOTBALL, #HEYWORTHHORNETS #FLANAGANFALCONS #HEYWORTH #FLANAGAN #CORNELL #WOODLAND #ALANLOOKPHOTOGRAPHY

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

Heyworth and IWU guys win

Heyworth Hornets beat out Le Roy Panthers on Friday night and the Illinois Wesleyan Titans toppled the University of Chicago Maroons on Saturday.

Alan Look Photography covered both games for the Normalite Newspaper and Best Look Magazine.  Check both publications for coverage.

Ridgeview defeats Heyworth on Colfax gridiron

The Ridgeview Mustangs hosted and defeated the Heyworth Hornets on Friday Septemeber 7th, 2012 at Colfax IL by a score of 54 - 0.

Check out the images in Alan Look Photography's gallery.

Not spending enough time on the web?  Check out the current issue of Best Look Magazine.

Heyworth a Star and a Buzz

In 1961 when I first moved to Heyworth, the Heyworth Star was a thriving weekly newspaper. I can't tell you the whole history of the paper, but it was then run by Glen Beverage and his son Jim. I also don't remember a lot about Glen except that he always had a smile when I saw him.

Jim lived 3 doors away from us on Poplar St. with his wife Nancy who taught school in a near by community and Sonja their girl who was the same age as I.

Jim was a newspaper man through and through. Always looking for the scoop. Always at the local sports events. Always wearing a dress hat, carrying a camera, tablet and pen and when it was cold, a trench styled overcoat. He was inquisitive and full of common sense. He also liked to show off his shop to any youngster that showed an interest. More than once I walked in unannounced and he would appear in the front office and offer a quick tour. Didn't matter how busy he was, he always had time for an interested youth.

In those days it was type press machinery. All the type was set on aluminum plates, put together on carriers and loaded into the press. All the plates were made on site at the Star. I may still have a couple floating around somewhere that Jim made for me on one of those tours. Clink, clink, clang, bang and there was your name on the edge of one. The Star also printed stationary, invitations, etc. to bolster the coffers and add a service to the community.

Several years ago, Jim passed on and Nancy became the owner of the Star and kept it open with employees. Gone also were the typeset days and computers replaced much of that layout and printing work. Staying the same was the offering of local news about Heyworth to the community and to those who had lived there an moved on.

Speed ahead to about 2 years ago... The economy in the tank, the newspaper industry sinking under the weight of new "paperless" technologies, and her age, Nancy decided to sell the Star to the Daily 12 miles to the north. The Pantagraph was able to justify and keep the paper open until last month when it announced that it was pulling the plug on 3 or more weeklies it had been publishing. It seemed the town would be without a mainstay that it had for a long long time.

Enter newpaper man, Ed Pyne. Ed jumped at the opportunity to get a paper in the Heyworth communuty. He had also bid on the Star when it was for sale a few years ago. The inaugural edition of the new Heyworth Buzz was published on November 18. Not knowing what to put into the first edition was a real puzzler until the Heyworth High School Hornet volleyball team won the state title in their division. The Hornets had never won a title in any sport. The volleyball match against Scales Mound was exciting and had maybe one of the best finished of any volleyball match I've ever viewed or covered. The Hornets came from behind at match point for the final 5 points to put away their opponent. Too bad Jim couldn't have been around to see it. He was one of Heyworth's biggest cheerleaders for a long time.

Congrats to Heyworth Hornets, the Heyworth Buzz and the whole community.


20101113 Heyworth v Scales Mound - Images by Alan Look

Ridgeview Lady Mustangs swat away the Heyworth Hornets

Well, the High School Girls Regionals are here. Play this year is at Lexington. I guess it is already down to the semi and final rounds.

Last night, Ridgeview swatted the Heyworth Hornets. The Mustangs are so well organized and execute so well. THey are a pleasure to watch.


20100210 Heyworth v Ridgeview - Images by Alan Look

Historic McLean County Tournament

Ah, one of my favorite weeks of the year started Saturday January 16th. No, not because of the weather, because the McLean County Tournament has started! Yes, the weather always seems to throw it's rimshot too. I've seen everything from blizzard like conditions to sunshine to torrential rains on Championship day, but the fans and teams always show up.

This year the competition should be pretty good, although some of the team rankings are pretty different from past years. ElPaso-Gridley boys are seeded in the top 5, a different look than some of the past years where they struggled past the 1st round. Ridgeview played two games on the 16th and was eliminated from the rest of the competition. That's a big change. The Mustangs seemed to be just a half a click off with just about every play attempt. I did see a couple of sequences that went well for them, but for some reason they just aren't quite there.

Heyworth looks to be back in it, but on the boys side, it appears that no one will take down Fieldcrest. EP-G came within 10 the other night, so maybe they will get a second chance on the 23rd.

On the girls side, the Ridgeview Mustangs look to be the team to beat. They only lost one senior last year from a team that competed at Redbird Arena for the state title in March. Nord, Gleeson, Jones, Hardman, Hughes and the rest should be fun to watch.

Those of you who follow my images will probably notice that last year and this year are both billed as the 99th McLean County Tournament. Well, there is a story for that. This is actually the 100th year, but only the 99th tournament. 1933 did not have one. Now you know the answer to that question of life.

be sure to visit the galleries tab on http:\\www.alanlook.com for galleris of the games I was able to cover. Looking is always free and prints are always competitively priced.

Ridgeview goes winless, Heyworth to playoffs

Well, the Ridgeview Mustangs ended the football season winless losing the final game at home to the Heyworth Hornets 62-38. The game was played in the rain and on a muddy field producing ground campaigns from each team and keep fans to a minimum. Those that did come saw a lot of courage and fortitude by players on both teams.