Today's Sports

Up 11-5 in the opening game of its semifinal match against Lincolnwood Tuesday at the Dieterich Sectional, the St. Elmo volleyball team seemed to have enough momentum to extend its unlikely postseason run to Thursday's championship and beyond.

"We came out (early) and played good volleyball," Lady Eagles coach Elise Asher said. "We were making good passes and getting the ball to our setters."

For 11 long years, the Vandalia football program had a monkey on its back.

But it took just 77 seconds for the Vandals to shake that stubborn primate loose Friday night.

Coach John Stout's team then sacked the past into oblivion, rolling to a 34-12 win over Flora at Mark Greer Field for its first postseason victory since 1997.

Jake Etcheson scored from 89 yards out on the opening kickoff and added an 11-yard TD run a little more than a minute later, after VCHS recovered a Flora fumble.

The present couldn't be much brighter for the Vandalia varsity volleyball team.

The Lady Vandals recently set a program-record with their 23rd win - taking their first-ever outright SCC-East title in the process - and they will be favored to win their first regional title since 1985 this week at Olney.

But despite facing the loss of five senior starters next year, the varsity team's future seems bright as well, as the Vandalia junior varsity and freshman teams recently wrapped up highly-successful seasons, combining for a 30-5-3 record.

When the postseason - and all the pressure that comes along with it - is just around the corner, even 7-1 teams can use a little boost of confidence.

And fortunately, the Vandalia football team got a much-needed shot of self-esteem Friday at Mark Greer Field with a 33-18 "Senior Night" win over Carlinville.

Much like it did last year, the Vandals entered Week 9 in great shape record-wise, but struggling offensively.

Unlike last year, coach John Stout's team emerged from its offensive funk just in time to enter postseason play with a much better mindset.