9/11 Memorial Challenge to honor fallen first responders
F3 Ironplains and Optimized Supplements & Nutrition are teaming up to host a 25th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Challenge to honor those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
The challenge will be this Friday, Sept. 11, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Carlyle Lake Dam West parking lot.
There are two challenges which are open to all. You can do the stair challenge, the "343 + 60 + 8 Heroes workout" challenge, or both.
For the stair challenge, participants will complete a total of 23 rounds of stair climb at the Carlyle Lake Dam, where they will climb up and down the stairs for 23 rounds to honor the firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
"Every step we take, we take in remembrance," organizers said.
In addition, participants can also be part of the “343 + 60 + 8 Heroes Workout" challenge, which is designed to recognize the sacrifices of 343 firefighters, 60 law enforcement officers and eight EMS workers and paramedics who died on Sept. 11, 2001.
The 343 workout honors the 343 firefighters. The challenge is 100 air squats, 100 sit-ups, 100 push-ups, and 43 burpees.
In addition, the workout honors the 60 police officers with 60 walking lunges as well as the eight EMS/paramedics with eight (25-foot) bear crawls.
Each portion of the workout carries a symbolic meaning.
The air squats symbolize strength and endurance under load. Sit-ups symbolize resilience and determination. Push-ups symbolize courage and sacrifice, and burpees represent the "final push and climb."
The 60 walking lunges represent and honor the 60 law enforcement officers who answered the call and never returned home, while the eight bear crawls represent the eight EMS personnel and paramedics who lost their lives while working to save others.
Centralia teen dies in boating accident at Carlyle Lake
- Details
- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Hunter Nichols A Centralia teen was pronounced dead following a boating accident on the east side of Carlyle Lake in the Coles Creek area.
Hunter Nichols, an 18-year-old Centralia High School senior, was ejected from a jon boat on Saturday, Sept. 5. Clinton County Coroner Phillip Moss pronounced Nichols dead at 8:37 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 6.
According to Moss, Nichols was a passenger on the jon boat when it struck a wake and he was ejected.
A wake is a region of disturbed flow that occurs downstream from an object moving through water. When a boat moves through the water, it displaces the fluid, creating waves that spread outward from the source.
The boat's propeller made contact with Nichols before he disappeared in the water. He was not wearing a life jacket.
Multiple law enforcement agencies searched Carlyle Lake for Nichols on Saturday. The search was suspended due to darkness at 7:30 p.m. The search resumed at 7 a.m. Sunday and Nichols was found about 45 minutes into the search.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources police led the search. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Clinton County Sheriff's Department and the Keyesport Fire Department dive team all assisted in the search.
Nichols was born July 9, 2008, in Clayton, Missouri. He is the son of Jesse Nichols and Amy (Backs) Nichols.
Nichols played football his freshman and sophomore years at Centralia and was a member of the wrestling team his freshman through junior seasons. He loved being outdoors, and hunting and fishing were his favorite ways to spend his time. He loved being around his family and friends.
A visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home in Centralia.
Knights go to the air to beat Hearts 45-7 to move to 2-1
- Details
- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Five touchdowns - Junior quarterback Hunter Hochbaum threw for 430 yards and five touchdowns in the Mater Dei football team's 45-7 win over Effingham. PHOTO BY MATT WILSON When the ground game wasn't working, the Mater Dei football team went to the air in a 45-7 home win over Effingham on Friday, Sept. 4.
Junior quarterback Hunter Hochbaum finished 13-for-27 for 430 yards and five touchdowns in the victory. That helped offset the Mater Dei rushing attack that finished with minus 4 yards in the contest.
"We knew at the beginning of the season with Hunter at quarterback and the weapons we had on the edge that our passing game was going to be a strength for us," Mater Dei coach Conner McLaughlin said. "We have run the ball well in spurts this season, we just need to be more consistent with that."
Mater Dei has started the season at 2-1 for the first time since the 2023 season. Effingham dropped to 0-3.
After completing his first pass of the game, nine of Hochbaum's next 10 passes were incomplete. Starting with a 74-yard touchdown pass to junior Bentley Nicklin, Hochbaum completed 11 of his final 16 passes. Five of Hochbaum's completions went for 30 yards or more.
Hochbaum spread the ball out to six different players who had at least one catch in the contest. Nicklin had five catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Bodie Brockmeier had two catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Cameron Von Bokel had a 27-yard touchdown catch and a 2-yard touchdown run.
Two touchdowns - Junior Bodie Brockmeier had two touchdown catches in the Mater Dei football team's win over Effingham. PHOTO BY MATT WILSON Sophomore Landon Litteken had two catches for 37 yards. Senior Evan Kreke had two catches for 26 yards. Junior Collin Flowers had a 36-yard catch.
Mater Dei wasted no time taking early control of the contest. The Knights recovered a Heart fumble on the second play of the game, giving the Knights the ball on the Effingham 33-yard line. Hochbaum completed a 31-yard pass to Nicklin to bring Mater Dei to the 2-yard line. Von Bokel had a 2-yard touchdown run on the next play.
The score remained 7-0 until late in the first quarter when Mater Dei had a 4th-and-10 play from its own 15-yard line and was in punt formation. Effingham was flagged for roughing the kicker, giving Mater Dei a first down. Three plays later, the Knights were faced with a 3rd-and-10 from their own 26-yard line and Hochbaum threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to Nicklin to put Mater Dei up 14-0 with 18.2 seconds left in the first quarter.
"It is special to watch Bentley Nicklin with the football in his hands," McLaughlin said. "He just has great natural instinct. He is a special player. But we had good efforts from a lot of different guys. We have got a lot of options and we have a good quarterback that can put the ball in the right spot."
Five catches - Junior Bentley Nicklin had five catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the Mater Dei football team's win over Effingham. PHOTO BY MATT WILSON Effingham's ensuing possession resulted in a Kreke interception and the Knights took over on the Heart 27-yard line. On the first play of Mater Dei's drive, Hochbaum threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Von Bokel and a junior Jacob Robert extra point put the Knights up 21-0 two minutes into the second quarter.
Effingham went on a 12-play, 80-yard drive capped by a junior Lexton Roberts 3-yard touchdown run. Sophomore Brayden Kate had 30 rushing yards during the drive.
Three plays into their offensive drive, the Knights were faced with a 3rd-and-5 from their own 29-yard line. Hochbaum threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Brockmeier to increase the Mater Dei lead to 28-7 with 3:29 left in the first half.
Mater Dei put the game away by outscroing Effingham 17-0 in the second half.
Hochbaum completed a 17-yard pass to Nicklin on the first play of the second half. After a 2-yard rushing loss by the Knights, Hochbaum threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Nicklin to give Mater Dei a 35-7 lead two minutes into the second half.
Page 1 of 2
