PANA — For so many of the Harbert children Of the eight Jim and Amy Harbert children, Isaiah Harbert is the last still in high school — though with 12 grandchildren already Jim and Amy don’t get a reprieve from traveling to and from sporting event to sporting event has already tied his dad’s 1983 personal best at Pana of 13-feet with less than a month left in his high school career Rachelle Harbert was the second of the eight Harbert children, but the 2008 Pana High graduate was the first of six siblings to take up the event While Isaiah was just a 1-year-old during Rachelle’s senior year — when she won the 2008 Class A pole vault at 10-6 — he might’ve already been destined for it While Rachelle was pole vaulting at Illinois State University Three days (after three days Isaiah was born) he was in the gym because Rachelle was playing basketball when he was born,” Jim said He went with us when we followed Rachelle at Illinois State Everyone says there are gym rats; he could be a mat rat There are photos of Isaiah wearing a matching ISU track suit as Rachelle at just 4-years-old and I knew I wanted to do it,” Isaiah recalled The only two of the Harbert children who did not pole vault were Renea and Evan Renea is the couple’s firstborn and Evan is the oldest son More: Taylorville's Howard vaults into rare air for Tornadoes' boys track and field team Pana celebrated its senior track and field athletes at the Tuesday April 29 home triangular meet against Rochester and Hillsboro — a sea of orange navy and white jerseys with all three schools sporting similar color schemes When Isaiah was recognized and walked down the track with his parents on each side The crowd laughed when Epley read that Isaiah’s favorite track memory was tying his dad’s best mark at 13-6 Jim did that in the 1983 Class A state meet; Isaiah achieved that feat on April 22 at the Tri-County Invitational in Sullivan When Rachelle matched her dad’s freshman mark of 9-9 Neither Jim nor Isaiah had come up with anything in mind as of Tuesday of what Jim should do if Isaiah breaks his dad’s record Jim said he was nervous of what his son might come up with; Isaiah thought about it and smiled Eventually he thought of an option: turn his dad’s snow-white beard into half orange and half navy — Pana’s colors but added he was afraid of what Isaiah might come up with if he beats his dad’s mark because of how close he already is I’m afraid to because he’s got the ability to get there He’s doing good: he has good days; he has bad days you’ve got to catch the right weather: if you can have a tailwind No excusesIsaiah acknowledged he still has work to do if he wants to surpass that mark “I just got to put some things together,” Isaiah said I just got to string good practices with good technique and I think there's a good possibility — I'm hoping at least — I'm going to hopefully beat it “I had the height at the (Tri-County Invitational at Sullivan on April 22) Isaiah wasn’t ready to use April 29th's headwind as an excuse for his showing He topped out that day at 12-0 and lost to Rochester’s Jack Stanton “You have to be ready to vault in any condition,” Isaiah said “Just got to lock in and really focus on the basics on these type of days I was lazy with my plant today and wasn't driving in I think there's a good shot I can (beat Jim’s mark).” More: How this Rochester softball connection started in a pitcher’s backyard One person who knows Jim and Isaiah’s pole-vaulting skills is Pana vaulting coach He’s been coaching at Pana since the early 1980s and was the boys head coach for a time but is now in his last year as a volunteer assistant because Isaiah is already picking apart his jumps before Duez can get to him “I just enjoy working with him because he’s a smart kid and he’s a really good kid We didn’t have a very good day today (April 29) He’ll come back tomorrow at practice and say the correction lies in what you did just before that You’ve got to go back and find what’s going to correct the error: ‘Here’s the error here’s what you did that made you hit that error so let’s go back and work on this.’”  “(Duez) always gets on me because the first things out of my mouth almost after every jump is what I did wrong,” Isaiah said and don't focus so much on what you did wrong there's other parts of my technique that slips.”  a three-sport athlete who ran for 621 yards and 11 touchdowns during football and set the program’s career solo and total tackles records with 207 and 284 He will go to Greenville University to play football and pole vault. Jim’s already told him that 13-6 record is only for high school, so no matter how high Isaiah gets in college, it doesn’t count as beating his dad. The Class 1A state meet is at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium in Charleston on May 29 (prelims) and May 31 (finals) Not only does Isaiah believe in his talents “If we can get a couple of things straightened out “He’s put some vaults together that if he’d do it at the right time We’ve got to get the right warm day with a tailwind — a little bit of everything coach Duez always told me to be a pole vaulter you’ve got to be about half-crazy anyway.”  “You’ve got to have a screw loose almost to pole vault and then you get that one where you're floating through air and just the feeling after you hit the mat Whether it's in junior high and you're eight feet and just the feeling of being close to flying it's one of the best feelings in the world.”  Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com The Greenville and Pana softball teams battled in a hard-fought contest Friday at Pana Payton White handled the pitching duties for GHS Haylee Clark and Ava Potthast drove in the runs Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m Memorials may be given to Mound Cemetery or United in Faith Church Arrangements are by Howe & Yockey Funeral Home the son of James Herbert “Herb” and Helen Frances (Protsman) Jordan Warren married Sheila (Ade) Patrick on January 31 He graduated in the Class of 1967 from Assumption High School Warren “supervised” the farming operation from his truck Warren was a member of United in Faith Church and Pana Eagles Aerie #4109 both in Pana and Chaney Niehart; five great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews He was preceded in death by his parents; and four brothers Add to Calendar Add to Calendar Add to Calendar This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Office of the Mayor Events and Public Art Installations on View atFort Street and Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park HONOLULU—The City and County of Honolulu proudly unveiled the first activation of Phase One of Wahi Pana: Storied Places Pao and Imaikalani Kalahele through two powerful installations at Fort Street Mall and Kalahele’s poetry installation featuring six of his poems on banners transformed Fort Street Mall into a space of reflection where visual and literary art converge to share stories of justice Honolulu City Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam unveil first art installation at Fort Street Mall Phase one will also feature art installations by esteemed Native Hawaiian artists Rocky KaʻiouliokahihikoloʻEhu Jensen Each will highlight the rich cultural and historical significance of storied places across Oʻahu Wahi Pana was awarded a $1 million grant through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge temporary public art projects that address important civic issues in their communities in collaboration with Hawaiʻi Triennial 2025 (HT25) presents multimedia art installations that illuminate the deep histories and cultural significance of Honolulu By amplifying Indigenous Native Hawaiian stories through contemporary public installation Wahi Pana aims to build a deeper connection to the place encouraging people to engage in the community with heightened cultural awareness and respect Phase 2 and 3 will be in May and September 2025 “Wahi Pana is about connecting our communities to the places that shape our identity as a people,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi “These public art pieces remind us of the importance of preserving and sharing our cultural heritage with residents and visitors alike This initiative underscores our commitment to honoring Oʻahu’s history and rich resources for future generations.”  The public is welcome to attend and participate in two more unveilings this week and learn about the moʻolelo (stories) behind the public art Visual Assets: https://wahipana.com/pr25-0218 Wahi Pana: Storied Places is a temporary public art project led by the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (MOCA) in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies Honolulu is honored to be one of eight U.S cities selected to receive funding from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge grant unprecedented project includes art installations across the island of O‘ahu that connect each site with their indigenous The project spans 2025 through 2028 and includes contributions from renowned local artists The initiative invites the public to engage with the transformative power of art and to reflect on the stories embedded in our landscapes Hawaiʻi Triennial 2025 is the state’s largest thematic exhibition of contemporary art from Hawai‘i It will be on view for 78 days across collaborating sites on O‘ahu For more information on Wahi Pana and HT25, visit wahipana.com and hawaiicontemporary.org About the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge  (WICS) — A Stewardson man was arrested in connection with a drug trafficking investigation involving the U.S was taken into custody on Tuesday at the Pana Post Office after law enforcement found him in possession of multiple suspected packages Logsdon faces charges of possession of methamphetamine over 100 grams and methamphetamine trafficking Authorities recovered more than 234 grams of purported methamphetamine Postal Inspection Service and Central Illinois Enforcement Group (CIEG) initiated the investigation in March 2025 focusing on the trafficking of illegal drugs into the Pana area The Christian County State's Attorney and Pana Police Department are assisting with the ongoing investigation Logsdon was transported to the Christian County Correctional Center following his arrest The Greenville Lady Comets soccer team had fun at Pana Monday recording an 8-0 triumph in South Central Conference action The local team was led by senior Erin Peppler She scored three goals for a hat trick and added two assists Also scoring goals for GHS were Tinley Walker Posting one assist each were Ada Jefferson Maddie Beckers was the winning goal keeper The Lady Comets host Carlinville on Thursday at Tom Doll Field and travel to Trenton Wesclin Friday HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu on Monday proudly unveiled the first-ever art installation on TheBus as part of the Wahi Pana: Storied Places public art initiative Designed by local artist Cory Kamehanaokāla Holt Taum the bus wrap is inspired by the epic of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele and visually connects residents and visitors to the history and spirit of the island Monday’s unveiling marks the first time a Honolulu city bus has been wrapped with art offering a unique and accessible cultural experience to all who ride and see it “The unveiling of this bus is a powerful moment for our community,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi “This is the first time TheBus has been transformed into a moving piece of history bringing storytelling to the streets and making art more accessible to all We hope this also encourages more people to ride public transportation and experience the beauty of Wahi Pana firsthand.” The bus selected for this installation is a 200-series the primary model used on most routes across Oʻahu The Department of Transportation Services (DTS) chose this versatile model because it can traverse all of the island’s main roadways This bus will travel across multiple neighborhoods when in active service ensuring that as many people can see and experience the artwork as possible “TheBus is more than just transportation; it is a shared space where people from all walks of life come together,” said Jon Nouchi Deputy Director of the Department of Transportation Services “By wrapping our 200-series bus with Wahi Pana art we are turning our transit system into a moving gallery bringing cultural storytelling to the streets and neighborhoods across Oʻahu.” Three total buses will be wrapped with Taum’s designs and they will remain in service for the remainder of the project’s three-year duration “This project exemplifies how public art can connect people to the stories and landscapes that define our identity,” said Kaʻili Trask O’Connell Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts “Wahi Pana ensures these stories remain visible and celebrated in everyday life and we look forward to highlighting the work of even more local artists and storytellers as we continue to unveil our first phase of Wahi Pana.” The Wahi Pana bus installation is part of a broader effort to activate significant cultural sites across Oʻahu Phase 1 of the project will also feature artwork at Fort Street Mall on February 19 and Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park on February 21 This groundbreaking project is led by the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts and funded by a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge which will feature 11 art and storytelling installations inspired by Oʻahu’s storied places and cultural heritage Other collaborators include the Aupuni Space Please double-check the URL for proper spelling. You can also use search, choose from one of today's top stories below, or visit the Home Page. Winner of the $1 Million Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge the Initiative will support 11 art installations focused on Native Hawaiian History in key Honolulu destinations HONOLULU – Mayor Rick Blangiardi is proud to introduce Wahi Pana (Storied Places) a temporary public art initiative designed to activate culturally significant sites across O‘ahu celebrating stories deeply rooted in Native Hawaiian history Launching its first of three phases in February 2025 this project will feature 11 multimedia installations created by local artists and storytellers In partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation this initiative is set to run from 2025 through 2028 Wahi Pana (Storied Places) is a winning project of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge and artists in creating public art projects that address civic issues in their communities and eight winning cities were selected to develop projects focused on key challenges this initiative has spurred economic benefits and inspired civic action across the United States Wahi Pana will include eleven artistic installations that use diverse forms of creative storytelling Native Hawaiian and Hawai‘i-based artists are commissioned to work with storytellers and community members to research and create site-specific artworks and performances that highlight the rich histories of each location These installations will invite residents and visitors to engage deeply with O‘ahu’s unique heritage enhancing historical and cultural awareness and fostering meaningful connections to Hawai‘i and its people “Wahi Pana will give all of us—residents and visitors alike—a deeper connection to O‘ahu’s history “By experiencing these powerful installations and the stories they tell we gain a richer appreciation for the places we cherish This initiative honors our island’s past and strengthens our collective responsibility for its future.” As one of only eight cities awarded the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge grant Wahi Pana is a purposeful tribute to Indigenous histories and an invitation for all to move throughout the island with a deeper cultural sensitivity “Public art provides free access to arts and culture while enlivening and reimagining our civic spaces.  For residents and tourists the projects create innovative ways to engage with public space while bringing people together as a community,” said Stephanie Dockery of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts Program “Wahi Pana’s collaborative team of city government and artists will provide new methods to preserve and unearth the cultural heritage of Honolulu’s Indigenous community.” Story Behind Our Logo: The Epic of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele The epic of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele tells the tale of Hiʻiaka a goddess who balances healing and destruction as she journeys through sacred landscapes (wahi pana) of the islands Her story emphasizes respect for place and the need to care for the land artist Cory Taum created the Wahi Pana logo symbolizing a woven lei that honors visitors This logo reflects the project’s message of respect and care for both land and people reminding us to engage thoughtfully with each other and with these cherished places Join us on this huaka‘i (journey) of connection—follow Wahi Pana’s progress at wahipana.com and on social media @wahipana to be part of the story as we unveil O‘ahu’s storied places For approved press images and videos, click here. Wahi Pana sizzle reel click here For site map and list of artists click here. (This story has been updated with quotes from Mark Ramsey.) who is fifth all-time in Illinois football coaching wins is returning to the sidelines to take over the Pana football program Ramsey, who retired from coaching after guiding Decatur St. Teresa to the 2022 Class 2A state championship — his second in his career — was approved by the Pana school board at Monday’s meeting “I think that Pana football is really exciting,” Ramsey said in a statement released by the Pana Community Unit School District on Monday “There’s great support from the school board It’s a great situation to come into and to continue the success of the program.”  He replaces Pana’s all-time winningest coach citing time constraints with his job and family he did some substitute teaching and he played a lot of golf the itch for what he's passionate about returned "(He was going to see) who needed maybe an assistant coach somebody to coach the linebackers or whatever and I really hadn't made any decisions on any of that when this opportunity came up," Ramsey said by phone Wednesday afternoon some football guys — and they're good guys and I met with them already — but I've got a couple of lifelong friends that have been very successful coaches and they're at the stage of their life about where I'm at where When Higgins heard the rumors that Ramsey was interested in the job he was happy to know the program he left would be in good hands Higgins has plenty of history with Ramsey: Higgins who graduated from Moweaqua Central A&M in 2003 played on the 2001 runner-up team Ramsey coached “I never would have guessed that it would have been him to be next but I'm excited for the kids to have the experience that I did to play underneath him and I'm excited for the kids and the community Ramsey brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Panthers’ program which has qualified for the postseason the last nine straight full seasons including reaching the quarterfinals in four of the last five seasons More: New coach Logan Larson dreams of big things for Pleasant Plains football program Ramsey began his career in 1983 at Moweaqua High School Moweaqua and Assumption combined in 1991 to become Central A&M Ramsey reached the state title game for his first time losing 20-6 to Richmond-Burton in the Class 2A championship Following two more runner-up finishes in 1995 and ‘96 the Raiders broke through in 1997 and beat St Joseph-Ogden 35-28 to cap a 14-0 season and win his first state championship He led the Raiders back to second place in the state in 2001 Ramsey went to Shelbyville and helped the Rams make the playoffs in 2014 and 2015 and left for St where he immediately took the Bulldogs to the 1A playoffs and finished second to Forreston he won his second state championship and beat Downs Tri-Valley 29-22 understands the game of football and taught it really well to the players and then surrounded himself with other coaches who were experts at their positions,” Higgins said “(That is) another reason why I think that's a perfect fit for him to be able to have the coaching staff down there who was also my defensive coordinator when I was in high school The Illinois High School Football Coaches Association class of 2007 Hall of Fame inductee sits nine wins away from passing longtime Sterling Newman coach Michael Papoccia for No “This is obviously something that he's been born to do,” Higgins said of Ramsey and I’m just happy that he gets another shot at it.” Taylorville Shootout notes: Dilley appreciates chance to coach on familiar floor added that having a two-year break has recharged his batteries and he enters the job with renewed vigor "There's some excitement again about going back to work," Ramsey said I'm already getting sporting goods guys calling me and fundraiser guys calling me all that stuff that you got to take care of And then you got to come up with a summer schedule really soon so people can understand when they could take their vacation and this and that I guess (he's) kind of refreshed now and looking forward to the challenge." Pana opens its season with a Week 0 scrimmage against Central A&M On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast Mayor Rick Blangiardi joins host Brandi Higa to reflect on the final salute for Honolulu Fire Fighter Jeff Fiala a grant opportunity through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge and a new strategic housing plan for the next four years the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) honored the life and service of Fire Fighter (FF) I Jeffrey Fiala who passed away in the line of duty bravely protecting our community on January 6 “It was one of the more powerful experiences I’ve ever been in “And I’ve been to a number of services.” He goes on to say “I could not commend the fire department enough for putting on an incredible service that really the men and women of the HFD stood shoulder to shoulder with first responder agencies from across the state and nation to give a final salute to our hero gone too soon Mayor Blangiardi is proud to introduce Wahi Pana (Storied Places) The first of three phases are set to launch this month especially compared to other places,” replied Mayor Blangiardi We’re going to take advantage of today’s technology with QR codes there because you can’t have a docent there (all day).” Mayor Rick Blangiardi hosted a press conference on Feb 2025 to unveil the City and County of Honolulu’s 2025-2028 Strategic Housing Plan—a bold initiative aimed at expanding housing opportunities for residents of all income levels across O‘ahu “We haven’t really changed our game plan,” said Mayor Blangiardi we decided as a team we were going to take on the Wicked Problems seemingly irretractable problems that were plaguing this place for a long time we’ve been in that crisis-mode for more than a couple of decades now Same is true with housing and the cost of housing.” The plan outlines key strategies to activate underutilized public lands, explore innovative financing solutions, and streamline housing development efforts. To read more, visit https://www8.honolulu.gov/housing/ To view the full press conference, visit https://youtu.be/KQwEbqm6Oco Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. On Monday, the City and County of Honolulu unveiled an art installation designed by local artist Cory Kamehanaokāla Holt Taum, the first-ever art installation on TheBus as part of the “Wahi Pana: Storied Places” public art initiative. The wrap is inspired by the epic quest of Hiʻiakakapoliopele, visually connecting residents and visitors to the history and spirit of the islands while offering an accessible cultural experience to all who see it. The quest of Hiʻiakakapoliopele tells of Pele’s younger sister, Hiʻiaka and her companions, as they journey to find Pele’s beloved Lohiʻauipo to bring him home to Kilauea. “The unveiling of this bus is a powerful moment for our community,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi in a release. “This is the first time TheBus has been transformed into a moving piece of history, bringing storytelling to the streets and making art more accessible to all. We hope this also encourages more people to ride public transportation and experience the beauty of ‘Wahi Pana’ firsthand.” The Department of Transportation Services selected the 200-series, 40-foot Gillig bus for the installation since it’s the one used on most routes and neighborhoods on the island, making the artwork widely accessible. “TheBus is more than just transportation; it is a shared space where people from all walks of life come together,” said Jon Nouchi, deputy director of the Department of Transportation Services. “By wrapping our 200-series bus with ‘Wahi Pana’ art, we are turning our transit system into a moving gallery, bringing cultural storytelling to the streets and neighborhoods across Oahu.” A total of three buses will feature Taum’s design and will remain in service throughout the project’s three-year duration. “This project exemplifies how public art can connect people to the stories and landscapes that define our identity,” said Kaʻili Trask O’Connell, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts. “’Wahi Pana’ ensures these stories remain visible and celebrated in everyday life, and we look forward to highlighting the work of even more local artists and storytellers as we continue to unveil our first phase of ‘Wahi Pana.’” Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Nathan Pastor elected Mayor of Panaby WICS (WICS) — Nathan Pastor has been elected the Mayor of Pana Pastor had 522 votes or 55% of votes while Jeffers had 428 votes or 45% Road Conditions  That’s the message that was given over and over again on Wednesday during a mock DUI crash that was held at Pana High School  The crash simulated what would happen in case of a real DUI crash with students simulating two deaths and multiple injuries  First responders came to the high school in real time along with police  Pana High School Junior Kennedy Bowker says it was a real powerful lesson Pana High School Principal Kevin McDonald says that too many students see themselves as invincible without realizing the impact that accidents such as these can have on a small community The students heard from a speaker “Big Tony” who several years ago was in a DUI accident as a passenger  He survived but it left a huge impact on his life  Chief Deputy Jim Baker says that having a birds eye view of an event like that can make a difference.  If you need help accessing our website due to a disability, please contact us Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Disclaimer Built on Envisionwise Technology (This story has been updated with minor edits PANA — The second quarter was the outlier as defense brought the most exciting — and determining — action in Pana’s 34-28 Class 2A second-round football win over conference rival Vandalia on Saturday at Brummett Field The two teams combined for 35 points in the second quarter including a game-changing 86-yard kickoff return by Pana’s Sam Sims A lost fumble on Vandalia’s ensuing possession allowed Pana to jump out to a 22-14 lead when Isaiah Harbert capped off a three-play, 11-yard scoring drive to put the Panthers (10-1) up for good After Pana chased Vandalia to match scores in the first 14 minutes And Pana’s defense made sure its South Central Conference foe stayed behind the rest of the game “They’re a team that stuck with us all four quarters so we knew we had to show up and handle (business),” Pana senior defensive lineman Kamden Brown said A Pana win would send the Panthers to the semifinals for the first time in school history who reminds me of (former Pana QB) Max Lynch," Pana coach Trevor Higgins said (Kohnor) Depew is one of the best receivers in the conference so we knew (Vandalia) was going to put up points and our defense did exactly that: they stayed in the fight and made that last interception It was a sigh of relief when Sam Sims comes down with that." Pana senior Tyler Rench batted down a fourth-and-eight pass with 86 seconds left in the game to not only get the Panthers the ball back but preserve a six-point lead 210-pound junior defensive end read Vandalia quarterback Qwentyn Stombaugh’s pass and knocked it down to hand the Panthers the ball with 1 minute throw your hands up and maybe you’ll swat that thing down,” Rench said All Pana needed was a first down to end the game but Vandalia kept things interesting when its own defense forced Pana to punt More: Illinois high school football: IHSA state football playoffs Round 2 scores Depew’s punt return brought out six yellow flags While Vandalia and Pana were both whistled for offsetting blindside blocks Pana also was penalized for a personal foul The officials determined Pana would replay its fourth down When Vandalia was able to finally run its first offensive play on its last chance Vandalia’s final play — a Hail Mary throw by backup quarterback Andrew Casey — was hauled in by Sims and he celebrated by running out the remaining seconds of the clock before sliding to the grass in his own impromptu victory celebration but the defenses settled in in the second half and made some plays," Vandalia coach Jason Clay said "The biggest thing for us was just the turnovers It's something we've cut down on really well but we've struggled (against Pana) for whatever reason." Game-changing playWhen Sims ran back the kickoff it immediately wrestled back momentum after Vandalia's Stombaugh put the Vandals up 14-7 with a six-yard scramble into the end zone just eight seconds into the second quarter "That was a big momentum swing," Higgins said "Momentum in high school football games is a lot But that was a huge swing for us for him to be able to run that back and let us settle back in a little bit." Sims finished with three touchdowns — including a 55-yard pass from quarterback Wyatt Kile in the first quarter and a 22-yard run that included several cuts zig-zag style to elude his pursuers led by Harbert’s ground game of 51 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries came three plays after the lost fumble by Stombaugh Vandalia lost three fumbles in the second quarter alone The Vandals lost another fumble in the third before Casey was intercepted for Vandalia’s fifth giveaway on the final play More: Ike Young, Monticello pass game carves up Williamsville in second round 3A playoff game Vandalia finished with 354 yards of offense: 230 on the ground and 124 in the air Depew finished with 73 yards and a touchdown on four carries Stombaugh had 17 carries for 68 yards and a six-yard touchdown run but seven run plays went for negative yardage or resulted in a lost fumble Jay Keck also had 51 yards and a TD on 12 carries for the No Pana beat Vandalia 21-14 in a Week 1 SCC matchup Rench tore a tendon in his left arm during a Week 8 win over Litchfield he's been playing both ways with a cast-like protection covering on it He's still producing for the Panthers despite being limited in his mobility "It’s challenging because it limits your movements but it’s all forward and you can’t go backwards." Pana football coach Trevor Higgins announced his resignation on Friday so that he can spend more time with his family The school board accepted his resignation on Monday “Coaching in a town that is 30 minutes away from my family and my full time job has made it more difficult for me to give this program what it needs to get it to the next level,” Higgins said in the statement “My only regret in my 18 year tunure here is that I wasn’t able to get this program to a semifinal/state championship game There isn’t a fanbase in central Illinois more worthy of it than Pana.”  Signings and commits: A complete list from the Springfield area Higgins certainly upheld a winning tradition The 2003 Moweaqua Central A&M graduate went 78-18 over nine seasons as head coach and reached the postseason each year except the shortened COVID-19 season that canceled the playoffs He won four South Central Conference titles over the last five seasons and has five all together “We’ll definitely miss Trevor at Pana High School,” Pana athletic director Stile Smith said “He was a fabulous coach but even more than that he was a great role model and mentor for the kids “We want to keep the momentum going,” Smith said “We've got a great group of kids coming up We definitely want to make sure we find the right person for the job.”  Higgins previously considered resigning after the 2022 season to spend more time with his family in addition to being a minister at First Christian Church in Moweaqua JOHNSTON CITY — The toughest loss of any high school coach is the playoff elimination defeat coaches spend minutes consoling each player and thanking seniors for their career-long efforts to the program Following Pana’s 28-13 loss to Johnston City in the Class 2A quarterfinals the scene played out the same as countless other emotional final postgame meetings It was he who was trying to emotionally comfort the Panthers’ coach it was Higgins who was on the receiving end of Harbert’s heartfelt gratitude and words reassuring Higgins the loss wasn’t his fault That came on the heels of Harbert’s attempts to do whatever he could on both sides of the ball to overcome Johnston City’s ability to win the battle at the line of scrimmage Harbert finished with 74 yards and both of Pana’s touchdowns on 16 carries He was also credited with 20 tackles from the middle linebacker position More: Pawnee's Carson Wort wins the SJ-R's athlete of the week poll Pana finished the season 10-2 missing out on its first trip to the state semifinals “That’s an offense you don’t see a lot in our conference; actually we don’t see at all,” Higgins said of JCHS “I thought our scout team did a real good job this week trying to mimic it our scout team doesn’t have the dudes they do.”  No. 1 Johnston City (11-1) will host No 2 Maroa-Forsyth (11-1) for a trip to its first state finals It is the second time in three seasons that coach Todd Thomas has guided his team into the semifinal round Maroa-Forsyth shocked Central State Eight Conference west division champion Quincy Notre Dame with a 22-21 win Harbert wasn’t alone in giving Pana everything he had Sam Sims caught seven passes for 95 yards — more than 70% of quarterback Wyatt Kile’s passing yards While the final stats indeed credit Kile with throwing a pair of interceptions the first ended up more of a glorified punt when his fourth-and-four pass from the Johnston City 28 was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback giving the home team the ball at its own 20 Johnston City’s beefy offensive line protected the bevy of its running backs for an 11-play 80-yard scoring drive to give the red and black an 8-0 lead with 7 minutes More: Pawnee football falls to defending champ Amboy in first 8-Man semifinal appearance Kile’s second interception came three plays later when Johnston City’s Hayden Burton was there to clean up after Kile was faced with intense oncoming pressure “I thought we made defensive plays when we had to and we kept (Pana) from getting in a groove,” Thomas said Pana cut the takeaway disparity in half when junior Carter Barber picked up a Johnston City fumble and powered his way from near the 50-yard line to the JCHS 17 in the final seconds Pana had enough time for two plays before the 9.7 seconds left in the half ran out leaving the Panthers 11 yards shy of scoring Evan Sanders scored a 7-yard touchdown for a 16-0 lead Then Pana found its momentum with a pair of scores: a 1-yard TD run by Harbert with 2:23 left in the third but a failed two-point conversion left the Panthers still trailing by two scores and Pana’s Carder Burris kicked the extra point to pull the Panthers within 16-13 but that (defensive line) was just so dominant,” Sims said “We didn’t give our QB enough time to make the reads The Pana rally temporarily silenced the home crowd before Jace Weaver broke the game open again with a 32-yard touchdown run After Kile lost control of the ball as he was hit on his pass attempt Johnston City recovered and put the finishing touches on the victory with a 2-yard touchdown run by Sanders Johnston City won the game despite committing 14 penalties for 114 yards JCHS also won on the back of its stout run game with 344 yards rushing on 58 carries Quarterback Kaden Koenig completed just two of four passes for 43 yards A Stewardson man was arrested Tuesday in connection with a methamphetamine trafficking investigation involving the U.S on April 8 at the Pana Post Office after law enforcement intercepted multiple suspected drug packages Authorities say the arrest followed an investigation launched in March by the U.S Postal Inspection Service and the Central Illinois Enforcement Group (CIEG) Logsdon is facing charges of Methamphetamine Trafficking and Possession of Methamphetamine over 100 grams Investigators say they recovered more than 234 grams of suspected methamphetamine during the arrest He was transported to the Christian County Correctional Center The Christian County State’s Attorney’s Office and Pana Police Department are assisting in the ongoing investigation Lost your password? Chart Library • Dispatch • Glossary • Commentary AudioInsight Exchange 'A Few Minutes With' 2022-2024 & 2018-19 2020-2021 Teleconference 2016-2019 Teleconference 2015-2016 Podcast © 2025 B2B Reporter dba The Company Dime Pana’s Isaiah Harbert ran 20 times for 142 yards and four touchdowns as the Panthers erased a nine-point halftime deficit to beat North Mac 51-24 in a South Central Conference battle of unbeatens on Friday at Brummett Field we knew we had to come out firing in the second half,” Harbert said We kept (North Mac) scoreless in the second half Our offense started clicking too and it was insane We were feeding off the crowd; it was awesome.”  Pana outscored North Mac 36-0 in the second half Pana coach Trevor Higgins became the all-time wins leader for the Panthers’ football program with 72 wins “It can’t be easy,” Higgins said of setting the record with the whirlwind game “A lot of teams would’ve just quit at halftime realized it was tougher than what we wanted These guys came out and actually played harder.”  North Mac (3-1 overall, 3-1 SCC) set its tone for the first half on the opening play when Roark Lewis took the kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown James Graves ran in the two-point conversion to give the blue Panthers an 8-0 just 17 seconds into the game “I think that very first runback not only deflated our team but the atmosphere (and) it took us a while to get that back,” Higgins said Lewis had a 65-yard TD run before quarterback Payne McLean ran in the conversion as North Mac re-took a 16-15 lead More: T for turnaround: How the North Mac football team flipped the script from 1-8 to 3-0 McLean scored a touchdown and threw a conversion pass to Nick Lancaster “We haven’t gone into halftime behind before and we didn’t know what was going to happen.”  Pana’s offense hadn’t done much outside of two drives 77-yard drive that culminated with a 3-yard touchdown from Harbert The drive was helped when a North Mac defender was flagged for a 15-yard pass interference call on a third-and-21 from the Pana 29 Wyatt Kile found Lynch for a 12-yard pass and a drive-extending first down More: Springfield-area Week 4 high school football live updates and results Pana then had two turnovers on downs before Harbert scored on a 13-yard run as the first quarter horn sounded Sam Sims booted the point-after try for a 15-8 lead Lewis’ second TD put North Mac right back in front and Pana’s offense sputtered with two more turnovers on downs “This team is not an easy team at all — easily the best team we’ve played,” Lynch said but Higgins and his staff had a longer halftime — 20 minutes — to come up with adjustments Whatever was drawn up or said in the locker room seemed to resonate with the players North Mac was once again whistled for a pass interference that put Pana into North Mac territory The load was on Harbert’s shoulders as he carried six consecutive times before finishing with a 1-yard touchdown run If the Pana (4-0, 4-0) offense needed another boost of adrenaline Lynch delivered the jab by intercepting McLean at the 2-yard line on second-and-goal All Pana needed was 10 plays to march 98 yards into the end zone on the back of — who else Kile found Tyler Rench for the two-point conversion pass to give Pana a 30-24 lead and all the momentum “Felt good at halftime,” North Mac coach Robbi Howard said that big pass interference call was kind of a momentum-changer; they went and scored there but had an execution problem gave them the ball on the interception deep here and we kind of fell apart from there All the credit to Pana: they whipped our tail in the second half Kile said when he opened the possession with his feet in the end zone A rain shower hit Pana for about an hour before the game and there were several fumbles and bad snaps for much of the first half “I’m thinking I’ve got to get out of this spot,” Kile said “I’m not going to lie: I wasn’t comfortable (being in the end zone) “I ended up breaking a big run (34 yards) that helped us a lot this kid’s got something in his brain wired “They took that momentum and that’s what good football teams good,” Howard said Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.  © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. Pana grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning but Vandalia quickly countered as the Vandals leadoff hitter Kohnor Depew hit a home run to left field to tie the game up at 1-1 Chase Cearlock reached base on an error to lead off the bottom half of the inning and Owen Halford reached base when he was hit by a pitch... We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy PANA — Each team had plenty on the line for Friday’s South Central Conference football finale Pana was looking for an 8-1 finish to the regular season and a share of the SCC title; Staunton needed a win to advance to the postseason for the first time since 2018 but its defense was lccked in from the start in a 42-0 victory over the Bulldogs at Brummett Field More: Rochester football coach Derek Leonard suspended one game after hazing investigation The Panthers (8-1) finish atop the conference with Greenville and Vandalia “I appreciate these seniors coming out,” Pana coach Trevor Higgins said “Their leadership has been what's turned around this program back to this year I really appreciate them and the way that they've handled practices and some issues that we had to deal with last year we don't have to deal with this year because of their leadership “I just love these guys and I'm glad that they could get a good win tonight on senior night.”  Pana’s Cash Lynch had two touchdown catches and one touchdown run His 65-yard reception from quarterback Wyatt Kile gave Pana a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter on a second-and-22 play “It felt great knowing that we're going to go in the playoffs with an 8-1 record Sam Sims scored a pair of touchdowns for the Panthers Sims caught a pass from Kile and sprinted downfield before a sharp cutback to his right and was not touched until the end zone for a 66-yard reception Lynch then caught a 19-yard touchdown to get Pana’s lead to 20-0 Isaiah Harbert had a 1-yard touchdown carry to put the Panthers on top 28-0 heading into halftime Kile finished with 168 yards passing on a 9-for-16 night with one interception He also rushed for 70 yards on eight carries “Staunton did a very good job mixing up coverages I went through my reads and just found the open man and that just opened up a bunch of opportunities for our run game and our pass game.”  Staunton coach Austin Sherfy also praised his team’s defense “We gave up a couple plays off of not understanding down and distance and I feel like they've been like that for as long as I've been alive The Bulldogs end the season 4-5 Sims’ second score came when teammate Kamden Brown got his hand on a 26-yard field goal attempt by Staunton kicker Carter Legendre “Our corner kicked it a little bit forward and my boy Hayden Blackwell picked it up,” a smiling Sims said Lynch was ready to celebrate with Sims as soon as his teammate glided downfield “I knew he was gone as soon as he got the ball I was going to go celebrate with him in the end zone.”  Lynch had one interception and nearly had a second but was flagged for a defensive pass interference penalty Pana’s defense and special teams kept coming up with big plays Staunton blocked a Sims punt attempt from the Pana 24 to give the Bulldogs first-and-goal from the 10 Pana stopped Khiry Taylor for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line to force the turnover on downs On Staunton’s second trip inside the red zone Staunton had just two first downs in the first half “(Pana defensive coordinator Cody McLaughlin) “This is year two for him in calling the defense and you can see a lot of growth in him and his coaching and the ability to get our guys in different positions so offenses can't feel comfortable in what they run and you can tell that by the records: Tyler Rench tied the school record for sacks Cash Lynch was robbed of one that would have tied the school record for interceptions he's got to be probably 10 tackles away from total tackles in his career.”  More: Springfield-area high school football: Live updates, results from Week 9 who was saddened to see the final game for his seniors the first group he’s seen through in his four years as the Staunton coach The team lost 29-28 in overtime to North Mac in Week 8 and Sherfy said he tried to make sure it didn’t demoralize his group “I'm relieved as a coach to see we came out and fought a little bit; we just got to play a better game,” Sherfy said “I’m going to tip my hat to Pana: they had a great defensive game plan to take away what we felt we did well as the result of an automobile accident near Pana A visitation for family and friends will be held from 11:00 a.m A flag presentation will take place at 1:00 p.m the son of John Wesley and Barbara Lucille (Ward) Hicks Joe served in the Oregon Army National Guard He worked for many years as a self-employed boat mechanic IL; one brother; one sister; and two grandchildren He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers.  Add to Calendar