A&M boys dominate Sangamon Valley

The Central A&M boys basketball team opened the Macon County tournament against Sangamon Valley on Monday night. The Raiders lead the whole way through the game and were victorious 92-25. Tuesday, December 10, 2019

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Big fourth leads Raider girls over Monticello

There’s an old saying in sports that it’s never about how a team starts a game, but how they finish. That was evident on Monday night in Monticello as the Central A&M girls used a 21-7 fourth quarter to defeat Monticello 52-43. Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Turnovers lead Lady Raiders past Taylorville 58-27

The Central A&M Lady Raiders didn’t run many offensive sets Saturday night when they hosted the Lady Tornadoes. They didn’t need to. CAM was able to consistently force turnovers and score in transition as they ran away from Taylorville on a 58-27. Monday, December 9, 2019

Raiders fend off early LSA attack, open season 1-0

Thirty-six: That’s the combined number of games that all other teams in the AP top-10 1A basketball rankings had played going into Friday night. For the top-seeded Raiders, that number was zero. Saturday, December 7, 2019

Lady Raiders open CIC play with win

The Central A&M Raiders continued their winning ways as they took on Meridian on Thursday night in their first conference game of the season. It was a defensive showcase as the Raiders were victorious 54-24 on the night. Friday, December 6, 2019

A&M girls down Arcola at home

The Central A&M girls basketball team was back at home on Monday night after wrapping up the Pana tournament on Saturday with two wins. The Raiders continued their streak against Arcola, as they defeated the Purple Riders 53-44. Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Central A&M girls finish fifth in Pana tournament

The Central A&M girls had a rough trip through the Pana tournament as they found themselves 1-2 in the tournament after the first two days. On the final Saturday, though, the Raiders came out on top in both of their contests to finish the tournament with a 3-2 record. The Raiders defeated Okaw Valley 52-18 in the afternoon session, and defeated Athens in a rematch from last week with a 51-30 final score. Monday, December 2, 2019

Seasons Change: A&M caps off State run in DeKalb

DEKALB — Central A&M knew that they had a tough test going into their matchup on Friday morning, but they had their goal in mind: To come away with a State championship. Saturday, November 30, 2019

Record Day Leads Lena Over Central A&M

DEKALB — Jacob Paradee breaks away for a big gain on a kickoff return in the second quarter of the IHSA 1A State title game. Unfortunately, the Raiders fell 58-20 in the contest. A full recap will be in Sunday’s edition of the Breeze-Courier. Breeze-Courier photo/Robert Fagg Friday, November 29, 2019

Raider girls dominate Argenta

The Central A&M girls basketball team faced off against Argenta-Oreana as they took a break from the Pana tournament for a game on Tuesday night. The Raiders were victorious 57-14. Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Raiders down Athens for 1A title bid

“The best part about being 13-0, is that you get a chance to play next week and be 14-0,” said a lemon-lime Gatorade drenched Brent Weakly to his team after topping Athens in their 35-21 State semifinal game on Saturday afternoon. Going into the game, it was Athens’ rushing game that was the point of emphasis by everyone, but the Raiders proved that they could score in both the rushing game and passing game en route to their first State championship game since being classified as a 2A school in 2001. Monday, November 25, 2019

A&M girls split on day two of Pana tourney

The Central A&M girls basketball team faced off against Williamsville and Athens on Saturday for their second games of the tournament. The Raiders defeated the Bullets 54-52, but fell to the Warriors 41-38. Monday, November 25, 2019

Pana earns zero quarter in win over A&M

There’s always a different atmosphere when two neighboring schools are scheduled to face off against one another. That rivalar was on display Friday night at the Pana Thanksgiving Tournament when the Panthers hosted the Central A&M Raiders. The contest between Central A&M and Pana was played tightly throughout, but the difference maker was the Panthers holding the Raiders scoreless in the second quarter as they would go on to win 50-33. Saturday, November 23, 2019

Lady Raiders have all the pieces for deep run

For the Central A&M Lady Raider basketball team, all the pieces are in place for a deep playoff run. Head coach Tom Dooley and his squad just have to put them all together. The Raiders are coming off a 20-10 season a year ago where they took home a regional title. Channing Collins and Haylee Virden have departed, but the Lady Raiders will see the return of all-conference center Channing Reed, who is expected to be a physical presence on the floor for the Raiders. “Channing is an excellent, excellent rebounder, and she’s such a strong finisher inside on offense,” Dooley said, noting that his team will have an inside-out look this season due to the presence Collins will bring.  “We’ve also got Hannah Schinzler coming back for us, who is our point guard. She had to kind of step into that role a year ago, but she’s worked hard, and I think she just has a better feel for the  offense this year. We run the pick-and-roll a lot, and just having the confidence on when to make those reads is really huge for us, and she’s made some big strides.” Saturday, November 23, 2019

A&M boys eager to get back to State

While a majority of the Central A&M basketball team is still fighting for a football title, the rest of the team has been in the gym hard at work to get back to State. The Raiders return four starters form their third-place 33-4 team a year ago. The Raiders fell to Cissna Park on the opening day of the State series last year, but finished the season with a 70-39 victory over Concord Triopia. Saturday, November 23, 2019

Hardimon signs to play volleyball with Carl Sandburg

Hattie Hardimon made it official on Thursday afternoon as she signed to continue to play volleyball at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois. Carl Sandburg is a community-college, but Hardimon plans to get a majority of her classes out of the way en route to her Elementary Education degree. “My grandpa on my dad’s side taught for a really long time and my mom is a second grade teacher. It just runs in the family, I guess,” said Hardimon. Friday, November 22, 2019

First half woes down A&M girls

The Central A&M girls basketball team hosted Cowden-Herrick/Beecher-City on Thursday night. The Raiders only scored 12 points in the first half while Cowden took an eight-point lead, but the Raiders battled back in the second half to close the gap, but fell 45-40. Friday, November 22, 2019

A look ahead to potential State title matchups

If Central A&M can defeat Athens on Saturday and make it to the State title game next Friday, they would face off against the winner of the other game with Lena-Winslow and Wethersfield/Annawan. Both teams are 12-0 going into the contest, so one team will emerge with a perfect season on the line. Thursday, November 21, 2019

Paradee, Heaton named to 1A All-State team

Although the Raiders are still vying for the State title with a shot at the championship game this weekend against Athens, the IHSA announced the All-State team Wednesday night. Two Raiders were selected for the team: Connor Heaton at quarterback and defensive back and Jacob Paradee at wide receiver and defensive back. Connor Heaton has posted some of the best numbers of his career this season: he’s had 32 touchdowns compared to one interception, he’s completed 61 percent of his passes, and is averaging nearly 200 passing yards per game. Heaton also has produced with his legs, as he has posted 718 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns as well. Thursday, November 21, 2019

A&M looking to control Warrior ground game in semifinals

The Central A&M Raiders will hit the road for the first time this postseason, when they travel to Athens on Saturday for a 2 o’clock kickoff with the Warriors. Athens, a 10-2 team, has a tough running attack under head coach Ryan Knox, and has used that to control the game and handle the ball. Not only is their running game an issue, but their defense has been ferocious this season as well. Thursday, November 21, 2019

TJHS 7th and 8th girls top CAM

The Taylorville seventh and eighth grade girls basketball teams defeated Central A&M on Monday night. The seventh grade team was victorious 39-18 while the eighth grade won 33-18. Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Lady Raiders rally past Neoga in season opener

While a lot of the focus in Raider Nation has centered around the football team, which is headed to the semifinals on Saturday, the girls basketball team opened their season on Monday night in front of a solid crowd inside the gym. The Raiders opened the game with their usual demeanor, forcing turnovers and creating opportunities in their offense, but just weren’t able to capitalize on them. The adjustments at halftime in the locker room proved to be beneficial, as they were victorious 50-26. Tuesday, November 19, 2019

A&M stays hot, tops Arcola 42-8 to head to semifinals

A lot of emphasis and focus this season has been on Central A&M’s skill players. Guys like Connor Heaton, Connor Hutchins, Jacob Paradee, Hunter Gregory, Brody Barnes, and Brycen Burgener have been putting up big numbers for the Raiders all season. But those guys wouldn’t be successful without the work of their big men up front. Monday, November 18, 2019

Raiders vs. Riders: New challenge awaits A&M in quarterfinals

Another year, another trip for Central A&M to the quarterfinals of the 1A IHSA playoffs. Last season, the Raider season was ended in the third-round by Argenta-Oreana in a 56-21 loss on their home field. This year, the Raiders are looking to change their fate and advance to the State semifinals. Thursday, November 14, 2019

Potential semifinal matchups for A&M

For the second year in a row under head coach Brent Weakly, the Central A&M Raiders are back in the quarterfinals of the 1A IHSA playoffs. They have a chance to make the semifinals if they get past Arcola this Saturday, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m. The Raiders will matchup with either Carrollton or Athens in the semifinals, depending on how their contest goes at 3:30 on Saturday in Athens. Thursday, November 14, 2019

Raiders clock Bunnies to coast into Round 3

“Football is all about momentum” said Central A&M senior running back Connor Hutchins after the Raiders rolled the Fisher Bunnies 69-34 in Saturday’s second round Class 1A playoff contest. “We had the momentum from the first play of the game and that helped us to set the tone for the rest of the day.” Monday, November 11, 2019

Postseason runs are a familiar territory for Raider hoopsters

MOWEAQUA — Four of the starting skill players on the Central A&M football team have very recently been in this one-and-done scenario before, and they thrived in it. Connor Heaton, Connor Hutchins, Brycen Burgener, and Jacob Paradee all played big roles in the Raiders’ third-place trip to the state basketball tournament a year ago. Thursday, November 7, 2019

A&M Raiders looking to stay perfect against visiting Bunnies

MOWEAQUA — Central A&M will look to maintain their perfect record Saturday afternoon when they host the visiting Fisher Bunnies at 1:00 p.m. It will be Fisher’s second consecutive appearance in the second round, and, just like a year ago, they will be facing a top-seeded opponent. Thursday, November 7, 2019

Raiders move to 10-0 with win over Ducks

Four of the five 9-0 teams entering the first round of the playoffs were put into the North division of the bracket. As the lone 9-0 team in the South, Central A&M was up against a 5-4 Havana team. Monday, November 4, 2019

A&M drops regional 'ship to Stew/Stras

Central A&M and Windsor-Stewardson/Strasburg have history with one another. They faced off in the A&M’s third match of the season, where Stew/Stras was victorious in three sets. Friday, November 1, 2019

Raiders on to title game

The Central A&M Raiders took on the host Cerro Gordo in the Regional semifinal on Wednesday night. The Raiders swept the host 26-24 and 25-17. Thursday, October 31, 2019

What's next? A look ahead into Round 2

Although Central A&M isn’t looking to round two in the playoffs until they get there after a victory on Saturday. They could either face off against Fisher or Toledo in the second round. Thursday, October 31, 2019

Road to the playoffs: A look back at A&M's undefeated season

With an offense that averaged 44 points per game and a defense that allowed just 11.6 points per game, the Raiders finished out the year with a 9-0 record. A run that began back in August, it’s hard to remember exactly what happened, so let’s take a look back throughout the year. Thursday, October 31, 2019

Top-seeded Raiders take on Havana Saturday in 1A playoff

A quick Google search for Havana football won’t produce too many results. While many schools are prominently featured on MaxPreps for their stats and Roster, but not so with the Ducks. “We haven’t been to the playoffs since 2012, so I think that lack of information just comes down to our success. We have never really been a football powerhouse, more a basketball school. We also have been a part of a co-op for the past two years and this was our first year removed from that co-op,” said third-year Havana head coach Nick Wright. Thursday, October 31, 2019

Central A&M moves past ALAH

The Central A&M Raiders advanced to the Regional semifinals on Wednesday night with a win over Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond on Tuesday night. The Raiders dropped the first set 19-25, but battled to win the next two sets 25-18 and 25-19. Wednesday, October 30, 2019

CAM/Pana finish XC season at Regional

Although the conditions were less than ideal for a cross county meet at the tail-end of October, the Central A&M and Pana teams competed in their final meets of the year as teams in Shelbyville on Saturday. Monday, October 28, 2019

IHSA playoff pairings announced

Central A&M, Pana, and Taylorville all made the IHSA playoffs this season as A&M was 9-0, Pana was 8-1, and Taylorville made it with a 5-4 record and 37 playoff points. Monday, October 28, 2019

Raiders finish season undefeated with 55-14 win

The Central A&M Raiders defeated Sullivan Okaw Valley on Friday night to finish with an undefeated regular season for the first time since 2001. The Raiders also secured the CIC conference championship, the first for A&M since 2010. Saturday, October 26, 2019

Raiders win final regular season game

The Central A&M Raider volleyball team traveled to Warrensburg-Latham to take on the Cardinals Thursday night. The Raiders were victorious in three sets with scores of 25-18, 21-25, and 25-16. Friday, October 25, 2019

Bittersweet: A&M volleyball celebrates 8, falls to Auburn on senior night

MOWEAQUA — It was senior night on Tuesday for the Central A&M volleyball team. They honored their eight seniors on the night, but it was a bittersweet farewell as they fell to Auburn 14-25 and 19-25. Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Raiders secure CIC title with Senior Night win

MOWEAQUA — The Central A&M Raiders got their eighth win of the season on Friday night as they hosted Meridian for their Senior Night. The Raiders were victorious 42-12 after they jumped out to a 35-0 lead after the first half. Saturday, October 19, 2019

CAM volleyball defeats Decatur LSA in three sets

DECATUR — The Central A&M volleyball team took on the Lions of Decatur LSA on Monday. The Raiders won the match in three sets 18-25, 25-18, and 25-22. According to head coach Vanessa Rork, the Raiders were able to purse on the defensive side of things, but she would like to see her team be more crisp on all sides of the ball. Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Pana's Karbach misses state by one stroke

CHRISTIAN COUNTY — Taylorville, Pana, and Central A&M all sent golfers to their respective Sectionals on Monday. Tuesday, October 15, 2019

CAM earns conference win over Sullivan

The Central A&M volleyball team was back on the road against Sullivan on Thursday. The Raiders were victorious 25-14 and 25-18. “Scrappy defense and aggressive attacking kept us ahead of Sullivan. Our setters were able to distribute the ball well to all hitters, which was essential to keeping Sullivan guessing,” said head coach Vanessa Rork. Friday, October 11, 2019

Raiders make playoffs for third year in a row

SHELBYVILLE — For the third season under head coach Brent Weakly, the Central A&M Raiders will play more than nine games during their football season. The Raiders earned this honor on Friday night when they defeated Shelbyville 55-13. Saturday, October 5, 2019

A&M falls in conference contest

DECATUR — The Central A&M volleyball team traveled to Decatur to take on St. Teresa on Thursday night. According to Raider head coach Vanessa Rork, the bulldogs had solid ball control which led to few earned points for the Raiders. A&M fell 13-25 and 18-25 on Thursday. Friday, October 4, 2019

Apollo conf. golf results

The Tornado boys and girls competed in the Apollo conference golf match on Monday. Both teams played 18 holes on the day, with the boys at Moweaqua Golf Course and the girls at the Elks in Lincoln. Tuesday, October 1, 2019

A&M volleyball second at Arcola

ARCOLA — The Central A&M volleyball team traveled to Arcola to compete in the Arcola Invite on Saturday. The Raiders were 3-1 at the invite, which was good enough for second place in the tournament, and advanced them to 10-9 overall on the year. Monday, September 30, 2019

A&M edges St. Teresa 28-26, stays unbeaten

The Central A&M Raiders have had a special season so far this year. The Raiders defeated Tuscola in week two for the first time since 2012, and, Friday night, they continued their streak when they defeated St. Teresa 28-26 for the first time since the same season. Saturday, September 28, 2019

A&M drops tough match with Tuscola

The Central A&M Raiders hosted their third home game of the week as they took on Tuscola. The Warriors topped the Raiders 14-25, 26-24, and 16-25. Friday, September 27, 2019

A&M volleyball falls to Clinton in straight sets

In their second of three home matches this week the Central A&M volleyball team hosted Clinton. The Maroons were able to defeat the Raiders, as they outscored them 15-25 and 13-25. Wednesday, September 25, 2019

A&M volleyball holds off Bobcats in straight sets

MOWEAQUA — If there’s one thing that Central A&M was Monday night, they were resilient. Even when the Raiders were down in the sets, they never gave up and continued to fight, which allowed them to take home the 26-24 and 25-21 win against Cowden-Herrick/Beecher-City. Tuesday, September 24, 2019

A&M tackles Warrensburg to remain unbeaten

MOWEAQUA — The Central A&M Raiders continued their unbeaten streak this week when they hosted Warrensburg-Latham. The Raiders moved to 4-0 on the year after defeating the Cardinals 42-14 Friday night. Saturday, September 21, 2019

Cherry wins another race for THS XC

DECATUR — The Tornado cross country team was in action on Thursday for the Decatur Invitational. Both the girls and boys competed in the race, and junior Chris Cherry won the boys race outright. Saturday, September 21, 2019

CAM drops below .500 in loss to Cerro Gordo

MOWEAQUA — The Central A&M Raiders hosted Cerro Gordo on Monday night in which they, “displayed incredible effort, aggressiveness, and attitude,” according to head coach Vanessa Rork. Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A&M volleyball splits LSA tournament

The Central A&M Raiders competed in their first tournament of the season on Saturday in Decatur. The Raiders went 2-2 in the tournament as they defeated Decatur Eisenhower twice, but fell to Leroy and Okaw Valley. Monday, September 16, 2019