The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL

Guard Blue to Be a Redbirdmove to Isu Will Bring Former Thornwood Star Closer to Home

NORMAL - A personal tragedy made Trey Blue realize he wanted to be close to home. He found a basketball program that made him feel comfortable, too. Blue, a 6-foot-3 guard from Fordham, announced Thursday he will transfer to Illinois State. Blue will not be able to play games in the 2009-10 season per NCAA rules (although he can practice) before having three years of eligibility with the Redbirds.

Call It a Splittitans Advance: Engel's No-Hitter Fuels Win

BLOOMINGTON - Scratch out a run and pitch a no-hitter. That may not have been Illinois Wesleyan's game plan going into Thursday's opening round of the NCAA Division III Softball Regional, but who's complaining? "We talked about the fact that we'll win a lot of these games if we just keep getting no-hitters," joked IWU coach Steve King.

Sports Briefs

MOTOR SPORTS Ex-NASCAR driver Grubb found dead: Virginia police say former NASCAR driver Kevin Grubb died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Redbirds Fall: Isu Shut Out Against Sycamores

EAST PEORIA - While trying to "stay in my own head," Indiana State pitcher Darcy Wood occasionally felt an intruder occupy her right arm Thursday at the Missouri Valley Conference Softball Tournament. The mystery guest apparently knows how to pitch as well as Wood herself.

Road-Weary Extreme Faces Quick Turnaround

BLOOMINGTON - Are four days between games enough rest for an Indoor Football League team? That is the question of the week for the Bloomington Extreme, who notched a 72-31 victory in Anchorage, Alaska, on Monday night and flew home Tuesday.

Big 12 Girls Track Meet Primer

Where: Bloomington's Fred Carlton Field. When: Field events begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday; prelims at 5:15 p.m.; finals at approximately 6 p.m.

Goshorn, Ladd Lift Titan Baseball Team to Cciw Win Over Wheaton

Kevin Goshorn and Kraig Ladd punctuated a four-run seventh inning that broke a tie game and put the Titans baseball team ahead definitively in a 10-6 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament victory over Wheaton on Thursday at Kenosha, Wis. Goshorn (2-4, five RBI) hit a three-run homer and Ladd (2-4, three RBI) had an RBI single in the Titans' half of the seventh. In the top half of the seventh, Wheaton (21-18) tied the game with five runs of their own.

Central Baseball Rallies to Win at Tournament

Top-seeded Central Catholic and No. 2 seed Olympia posted first- round victories in the Corn Belt Conference Baseball Tournament on Thursday before rain washed out the other two contests. The Saints defeated Rantoul, 6-5, at Horenberger Field while Olympia downed Eureka, 11-1, in five innings at O'Neil Park.

Please No. 4, Let's Make This the Final Word

Say it is so, Brett. This time, mean it. Tell us the reports are true, that in fact you plan to stay retired. Let this be the end of the annual Brett Favre retirement rollercoaster. Call it a career and forget about an audible.

From Pages Past

5 years ago (2004): Normal Community won the Raider Relays for the second straight year. Matt Lynch of NCHS joined Tyson Pittman and Scott Charlton on the winning shot put team and helped James McCauley and Christian Beck with the discus victory. 15 years ago (1994): Illinois Wesleyan junior Steve Barger shot a 4-over-par 76 and finished tied for second in the CCIW golf championships at Pontiac Elks Country Club. Barger finished with a two-round total of 154, five strokes behind Louie Maioran...

Nonnemacher, Nchs Beat Eisenhower for 20th Consecutive Win

NORMAL -- Meghan Nonnemacher (12-0) allowed three hits and no runs in five innings to stay unbeaten as the Normal Community High School softball team defeated Eisenhower 10-0 in six innings on Thursday at Normal. | Photo gallery | Scores and schedules It was the 20th straight win for the Ironmen (21-1 overall, 7-0 in the Big 12).