Mixed martial arts fans went wild as Herrin fighter Justin Fortner made fast work of his opponent Jimmy Garner in the contest for the bantam weight title in last Saturday's Battle at the Blast IV.
Fortner and Greg Wilson, both trained out of Dojo USA, won their title matches in short time, with excellent displays of both striking and ground games.

The Murphysboro Middle School baseball team picked up three wins last week to improve to 12-2 on the season.
The Blue Devils latest victory was a 21-4 decision over Chester last Thursday.

You can say one thing with certainty when it comes to the Murphysboro High School freshman football team. It won’t ever give up.

Not playing at your best and still winning says something about a team. Take the Murphysboro High School varsity volleyball team as an example.

Will the real Murphysboro Red Devils please stand up?
A week after an inspired victory over Carbondale, the Red Devils were thrashed at Anna-Jonesboro last Friday night, 46-7.
And the Red Devils did a complete 180 in the way they played.

Playing football against Anna-Jonesboro at any level is a tall order. But it's even taller when you are doing so with a makeshift team.
That's the scenario that the Murphysboro High School sophomore football team faced on Monday evening at Doc Bencini Field during a 24-0 loss to the Wildcats.

Kage One Mixed Martial Arts and owner Tim Fickes are headed for the big show... Harrahs in Metropolis.
Fickes is the MMA promoter that has brought The Battle at the Blast one through three to the Sports Blast in Carbondale for the last year.
In the last four months Fickes has been working with Harrahs representatives on a deal to start featuring mixed martial arts events at their Metropolis Casino as well as a few of the other casino locations around Illinois.

Jami-Di Gearhart wasn’t going to let a little thing like a few knee surgeries keep her from returning to the volleyball court.
Gearhart, a senior at Murphysboro High School, missed her junior season with knee problems, and was determined to return to the court for the 2008 season.
“It just takes determination and passion,’’ Gearhart said. “I love being in athletics. I got pulled out of track, softball and basketball. Volleyball is about all I have left, so I’m going to go hard in it.”
Gearhart struggled through her sophomore season and eventually had surgery that cost her the season during her junior year.

The Murphysboro Chamber of Commerce needs all fishing enthusiasts to grab their lucky rod and get signed up for the Annual Buddy Bass Tournament to take place at Kinkaid Lake on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008.

Five different fundraisers have been scheduled to help raise money for Keenan Miner.
Miner was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident in mid-July while visiting friends in Harrisburg. The ATV he was riding rolled over and Miner sustained serious injuries.
Since that time the incoming sophomore at Murphysboro High School has underwent several major surgeries, and is currently in rehab at St. Mary's Hospital in Evansville, Ind.

Murphysboro girls from eighth grade through high school senior gathered last week to work on their volleyball basics.