Madeline Kohlbrecher wins Aviston SAL Black Tie and Talent show
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Madeline Kohlbrecher sings and plays "Fancy" by Reba McEntire during the Aviston Sons of American Legion 19th annual Black Tie and Talent Show at Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston on Saturday, Jan. 11. Kohlbrecher won the top $3,000 scholarship. Photo by Matt Wilson The third time turned out to be the charm for Madeline Kohlbrecher.
Kohlbrecher was competing in the 19th annual Aviston Sons of the American Legion Black Tie and Talent Show on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston.
Kohlbrecher was competing in the event for the third straight year. She placed second in both 2023 and 2024. Kohlbrecher was able to win the top scholarship on Saturday.
Kohlbrecher won the first place $3,000 Deacon Gerald Stockmann Memorial and TechKnow Solutions scholarship.
Kohlbrecher is a Trenton resident and 2023 Wesclin High School graduate. She is a junior at the University of Missouri studying nursing.
“I’m extremely honored and blessed to have won,” Kohlbrecher said. “All of the scholarship money will go straight to my tuition this semester, which helps my parents and I a lot, and we greatly appreciate it.”
There were around 325 people at the event. Chairman Jim Kues and Craig Timmermann thanked everyone for attending. The program has given away more than $210,000 is scholarships to Clinton County youth since its inception. The program’s main funding is from Clinton County businesses. Kues thanked Hidden Lake Winery owner Steve Gorazd for his donations to the program.
Naomi Knapp from Breese won the second place $2,500 Maren Poettker Memorial - Midwest National Bank Scholarship. She also won the $600 Aviston Sons of American Legion Memorial scholarship.
The 10 finalists for the Aviston Sons of American Legion 19th annual Black Tie and Talent Show at Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston on Saturday, Jan. 11, pose for a picture — FROM LEFT, Naomi Knapp, Ella Paterson-Heier, Jillian Krack, Madeline Kohlbrecher, Candace Schomaker, Mason Hilmes, Lexi Hooks, Lauren Wuebbels, Rainer Bretz and Samanta Elling. Photo by Matt Wilson Rainer Bretz from Albers won the third place $1,500 Randy Peek Memorial Scholarship donated by Peek Bros. He also won the 12 credit hour Kaskaskia College scholarship.
Mason Hilmes from Aviston won the fourth place 1NB Bank of Carlyle scholarship. He also won the $600 Marvin Riechman Memorial scholarship for community service.
Candace Schomaker from Aviston won the fifth place $1,200 Bill and Dorothy Gooch Memorial scholarship.
Lexi Hooks from Trenton won the sixth place $1,000 Art and Teesa Stephen Memorial scholarship.
Ella Paterson-Heier from Trenton won the seventh place $1,000 CTR Concrete and Builders scholarship.
County fair queens to compete in state pageant
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Clinton County Fair queen Shelby Peters receives a gift during a send-off at the Avon Theater in Breese on Sunday, Jan. 12. Peters will compete in the Illinois State Fair Queen pageant this week in Springfield. Photo by Matt Wilson Shelby Peters and Annalyse Richter, two Clinton County high school graduates, will be competing this week at the Illinois State Fair Queen pageant in Springfield.
Peters, a 2023 graduate of Central Community High School, Breese, said she has a sense of nervous excitement as she competes in the state fair queen pageant.
Peters was crowned Clinton County Fair queen in July 2024 and will be competing against all the other state fair queen winners this week.
"I'm a little nervous, but I'm really excited to see all of the other queens and get on the stage and do our thing," Peters said. "I'm really looking forward to meeting all of the other queens from all the other surrounding counties and meet other people who are doing the same thing I am under the same circumstances I am and get to know everyone."
Madison County Fair Queen Annalyse Richter, RIGHT, poses for a photo with Little Miss Madison County Lyric Daniels during a send-off at Turf Bar in Breese. Richter will compete in the Illinois State Fair Queen pageant this week in Springfield. Photo by Matt Wilson Friends and family attended a send-off reception for Peters on Sunday, Jan. 12, at Avon Theater in Breese.
The 68th annual queen pageant will be Jan. 17-19 at Crown Plaza Convention Center in Springfield. Peters will be among 73 county fair queens from various counties across the state competing for the title.
"I just want to do the best that I can, have fun, not stress about it too much and not over think all of it," Peters said.
The county queens will begin orientation and rehearsals for the competition on Friday.
The preliminary competition will consist of interview and speech skills, evening gown and swimwear competitions.
"I have been practicing my speech a lot," Peters said. "I have been practicing walking. I have been doing some practice interview questions and quiz myself sometimes with some practice questions as well."
Natalie Evans from Morgan County is the reigning Illinois county fair queen. She will crown the new queen at the end of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention on Sunday.
Shelby is from Breese and is the daughter of James Peters and Tara Peters. She is attending Western Illinois University pursuing a bachelor in fine arts and musical theatre. Her future hopes are to perform on Broadway or with touring musicals.
"The time being queen so far has been really fun," Peters said. "I have got to meet a lot of people. The people are probably my favorite part. Getting to be in the parades and see everyone is just a lot of fun."
Lady Knights cruise to a pair of routs over Freeburg and Taylorville
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- Written by: Jeremy Chawgo - Breese Journal Sports Editor
Looking at the defense — Mater Dei freshman Helena Timmermann looks for an open teammate in the second quarter of the Lady Knights’ 53-32 win over Taylorville on Saturday at the PAWS Shootout. PHOTO BY JEREMY CHAWGO The Mater Dei Lady Knights picked up a win at the annual Central PAWS Shootout on Saturday with a rout over Taylorville at Stan Eagleson Gymnasium.
They also had no trouble when they returned home on Monday with a rout over visiting Freeburg.
Mater Dei is now 15-5 on the season and they host Granite City on Wednesday before playing national power Incarnate Word on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Mater Dei 60, Freeburg 32: The Lady Knights had no trouble with their visitors on Monday at the Dennis V. Trame Center.
Mater Dei had three players in double figure scoring and they never left any doubt by outscoring the Midgets 13-5 over the first eight minutes.
Dixie Ottenschnieder had two buckets in the frame while Marlee Loepker did the same. Senior Maris Zurliene hit three-of-four from the line.
Ottenschnieder and Myah Pollmann each hit three-pointers in the second quarter while senior Alyssa Koerkenmeier hit for six points as they led 29-13 at halftime.
Mater Dei put up a game-high 19 points in the third quarter on a three-ball and two deuces from Loepker and three buckets from Zurliene as the game was out of hand at 48-19 entering the fourth quarter.
Contested J — Mater Dei senior Maris Zurliene eyes up a mid-range jumper in the first half of the Lady Knights’ blowout over Taylorville in the PAWS Shootout on Saturday. Zurliene had nine points and five boards in the win. PHOTO BY JEREMY CHAWGO Zurliene had two more buckets in the fourth quarter while Pollmann hit another three to end the win.
Zurliene had 15 points for MD while Loepker scored 13 points and Ottenschnieder had 11 points. Koerkenmeier ended with eight points.
Mater Dei 53, Taylorville 32: The Lady Knights trailed for a mere 55 seconds on the day and were led by a balanced scoring attack and a dual attack from senior Alyssa Koerkenmeier on Saturday.
Taylorville got a bucket from Kyleigh Heimsness 90 seconds into the game before MD took the lead away with two driving buckets from senior Dixie Ottenschnieder.
Heimsness followed with a long three-pointer for the Tornadoes final lead of the game at the midway mark of the opening quarter.
Mater Dei got a floater from Addison Ringwald who was starting for Amelia Beer who was in Florida on a soccer showcase.
Koerkenmeier followed with a turnaround jumper before a drive from Ottenschnieder gave MD a 10-5 lead with 85 seconds left in a game where they never trailed from there.
Ottenschnieder and Grace Rogers exchanged three-pointers down the stretch as MD led the Tornadoes 13-10 entering the second quarter.
Mater Dei left no doubt as their defense sheltered the Tornadoes for the first five minutes of the quarter.
Meanwhile, MD got buckets from three players with Ringwald dialing long range before two buckets from both Marlee Loepker and Maris Zurliene, as the lead was double digits at 24-10 with three left in the half.
Heimsness hit two-of-four from the line to end the drought while Addison Tarr scored her first bucket for THS as they trailed 24-14.
Zurliene hit a jumper before Heimsness hit a three-pointer at the buzzer as the Tornadoes trailed 26-17 at the break. Ottenschnieder had nine points at the break while Heimsness had eight points for THS.
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