Tri-Valley upends Fieldcrest for last regular season home game.

  Tri-Valley hosted Fieldcrest in the last home regular season varsity boys basketball last night. The Vikings were victorious over the Knights by 10 points. It's off to the state Regionals for both teams

Check out the photos at Alan Look Photography

12-13-2024 Normal Community West High School Wildcats Basketball defeated by Richwood Knights

  From my chair, the West v Richwoods varsity boys basketball game looked closer than it ended up. West fell short on a 50-36 game. West has what seems to be an unusually young bunch of ballers with just 3 seniors on the team. Two or three of the starters for this game were sophomores and very hard working young men!

Be sure to check out all this games and this seasons photos at https://alanlookphotography.zenfoliosite.com

Redbird Classic - a real winner!

Illinois State University Redbird Women's Volleyball hosted a 4 team volleyball this past weekend.  Participating visiting teams were #7 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles, #7 ranked University or Illinois Fighting Illini and the Knights from the University of Central Florida.  Events kicked off on Friday evening with the Knights and Golden Eagles followed by ISU v the Illini.  Both those matches went 4 sets with Golden Eagles defeating the Knights and ISU upsetting the Illini!

On Saturday UCF took on the Illini in a morning match.  The Illini fell once again moving their record in the tournament to 0-2 and setting UCF's record to 1-1.  The evening matchups included a 5:30 match between UCF and Illinois State and the nightcap was Marquette and the Illini.  Both matches went 5 sets, both thrillers with ISU taking the win over UCF and the Illini besting Marquette.

Sunday afternoon, the final match between Marquette and Illinois State was nothing short of epic.  Marquette opened by taking the first set.  ISU returned to the floor for the second set with an improved look, taking it to tie the match and then coming in the 3rd set to take 2 straight both at a score of 25-18.  Marquette struggled back in the 4th set to tie the match and forcing the 5th.  The score in the 5th seesawed back and forth past the normal 2 ahead at 15 to win and eventually ending at a score of 21-19 with Marquette on top.

Final results for the tournament by team were:
ISU - 2-1
Marquette - 3-1
UCF - 1-2

Illini - 1-2

There was some really great volleyball played this weekend.  We encourage everyone to get out and see these teams.

Photo coverage can be found here:  https://alanlook.photoshelter.com/gallery/2019-Illinois-State-Redbirds-Volleyball-photos/G0000M5uXz0kVczI/C0000jPKkS1Kv84g

Football season gets started with ISU Redbird Red-White Scrimmage

The local football season kicked off today with the Illinois State Redbird Red-White scrimmage.  A healthy combination of fans and students attended the event and the preliminary activities which included the annual student promo photo on the field in Hancock Stadium with the Big Red Marching Machine, cheerleaders, flag corp, and Redline Dancers forming ISU all wearing red shirts.

High School football will follow in 13 days with the first Friday Lights games.

Get out this fall, support your local teams and see some of the great talent that passes through our communities!

Red-White game gallery

Make Music Normal Festival review

To many of the festivals hosted in Normal, the Make Music Normal festival is pretty young.  That doesn't keep it from being a great event.  The festival set in the more mature business district of the town provides an inviting rustic, quaint and appealing venue.  The festival seems to be growing every year.  This year it sported 6 stages in about a 3 block area of North, Broadway and Beaufort streets, including the round a bout area.  Providing the entertainment for the festival are a large number of bands from both the twin cities, central Illinois area and the nation at large.  The festival gives music lovers a place to see the local entertainment outside the usual bar and restaurants and without a cover charge.  Along with the entertainment are a number of vendors selling assorted eats and drinks, including wine and beer.  The music genres are varied and include something for just about everyone.  Folk to pop to rap to indie rock and country music and more are present.  If you don't like what's on one stage, just walk down the street to another stage!

A few local favorites we experienced were: 
Old Smoke refers to themselves as an American Blues Rock Band.  Members of the band are: Jessica Wheet, Adam Humphreys, Heath Brandon, Chris Lackey and Travis Wheet.

Wildermore, playing funky jazzy rock is made up of Dave Gueldenhaar with guitar and vocals, Matthew Gueldenhaar playing keyboard and vocals, Zak Hoffman on drums and vocals and Aaron Wissmiller on bass and also contributing vocals.

A big fan favorite and one of ours is a storytelling Chicago Farmer, a singer songwriter raised in Delevan now from Bloomington Normal.  Chicago Farmer will bring memories and correlations of Bob Dylan and Neil Young.  Cody Diekhoff is the Chicago Farmer.

The Neals - a wife and husband team from Hudson.  The Neals perform a lot of original material in two part harmonies and would be considered in the indie-folk genre.  Tommy and Breann Neal are The Neals.

Long time staple Mark Boon.  Mark does a variety of different tunes.  He performs solo and also with various groups and is widely known for his association with the Unknown Legends.

Geoff Beran and the Mystery Van are an indie-pop band that put on an exciting up tempo show.  The group consists of Geoff Beran, Jeff Walker, Ken Thornton and Ryan Howes.

108th McLean County Tournament gets underway at EP-G Monday 1-21-2019

The 108th McLean County Tournament kicked off a couple days late this year due to the weather.  The original brackets and places of play are fairly skewed.  The actual brackets being used are located at www.hoiconference.com if you need to find them.

Alan Look Photography is again covering as much of this historic basketball tournament as possible.  Their work can be found at McLean County Tournament photos and galleries. There should be plenty of images to view and purchase.

Coach Norm Eash winningest CCIW coach in History

Wheaton Thunder rumbled into Bloomington Illinois on Saturday September 12th ranked at #12 in D3 football schools.  They never rumbled much the first half of the game, but came out in the 2nd half with a long kickoff return that left them just short of the goal and scored on the next play.  Illinois Wesleyan Titans got the ball back only to give it up on a fumble due to a pretty hard hit and the Thunder rumbled back into the end zone.  That was the last of the rumbles from the Thunder as the Titans muscled their way back up to their feet to push them out of Tucci Stadium.  Final score put the Titans on top.  The win was a good one for IWU and an even better one for Coach Norm Eash.  The win made Coach Eash the winningest football coach in the history of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW).

Congrats to the Titans and Coach Eash.

Game Photos by Alan Look Photography and Best Look Magazine!

Redbirds tackle Panthers at 107th Mid-America Classic football game

The Illinois State Redbirds defeated the Eastern Illinois Panthers on September 8, 2018 at the 107th playing of the Mid-America Classic held at Hancock Stadium in Normal Illinois.  The combination of Brady Davis at quarterback coupled with runners and receivers Spencer Schnell, Markel Smith and James Robinson provided many of the highlights.  The Panthers used 3 or more players at the quarterback position and couldn't seem to get started against the Redbird defense.

Click for Photo Gallery

Images are available for licensing from the Best Look in Sports Action Photography in Bloomington-Normal, Alan Look Photography.

Ironmen topple undefeated Richwoods Knights

In a game riddled with technical fouls against the Knights, the Ironmen topple the Knights undefeated season by a score of 68-51.  In the first half, a technical foul was levelled against the Knights bench that effectively took the bench out of the rest of the game fearing that 2nd foul that would have prevented someone on that bench from participating in the next game.  To more technicals came in the 4th quarter.  The second on in the 4th quarter was called while the shots were being taken for the first!

Lady Redbirds tackle the Eastern Michigan Eagles

The 3-4 Lady Redbirds moved to 4 and 4 on the season today after hosting and defeating the 2-6 (now 2-7) Lady Eagles of Eastern Michigan.  The game started out with the Redbirds taking the lead, a lead they never relinquished.  Quarterly scores were: 13-3, 26-12, 44-28, and the final 65-56.  Officiating crew for todays game was LaSha Hopson, Andrew Bills and Todd Moistner.

Birds make comeback run, but fall short against Racers

A fairly uneventful first half led to a 2nd half full of excitement as the Racers of Murray State visited Redbird Arena to play basketball against the Illinois State Redbirds.  Refs whistles came alive in the 2nd have creating some tension and escalating the level of play.  The Racers at one point mounted a double digit lead of 13.  The lead only changed one time, with the Redbirds giving it up to the Racers.  Late in the game, the Redbirds had trimmed the lead to one possession, but a couple of miscues evaporated the chance of taking the lead back to win the game.  Final score on the board was 78-72.

Jacksonville Crimson battles back but can't undo UHigh Pioneers lead

Normal University High Pioneers hosted the Crimson of Jacksonville on Friday night winning both the junior varsity and varsity boys basketball games.  Joe Brown, a sophomore had a personal game high best in scoring by putting in 11 points in the second quarter and ending out the game with 15 total.  The Pioneers enjoyed a lead of 15 points in the 3rd quarter, but the Crimson wasn't ready to shutdown yet, pulling back to within 6 points.  Four free throws sealed the game late for the Pioneers with a pair being hit by both Doug Holmes and Joe Brown.  Pioneers at the buzzer by 8, 59-51.

Lady Titans defeat Thunder in CCIW play

The Illinois Wesleyan Lady Titans started 4 local ladies against the Titans.  On the floor at the tip off were Seniors Rebekah Ehresman (EP-G), Molly McGraw (CCHS), Junior Maddie Merritt (TVHS), Sophomore Sydney Shanks (CCHS) with the 5th starter a Junior from Nokomis, Ashley Schneider.

The game progressed with both teams taking scoring runs and exchanging the lead.  Close to midway through the 3rd quarter, the score was tied at 61.  The Titans made the adjustments and ended the competition on top 88 to 81.

The Titans had 4 players in double figures.  Rebekah Ehresman dropped in 16 to lead the Titans with Maddie Merritt and Kendall Sosa both adding 15. Raven Hughes rounded out those in double digits with 12.  Hannah Frazier led the Thunder with 25 points and Maggie Dansdill with 19.  The only other Thunder player in double digits was Jennifer Berg with 13.

Heyworth Hornets girls host travelling trophy for very first time!

The Heyworth girl's basketball team on paper is short on experience, especially in the depth of the bench.  The roster shows 4 seniors and the rest are all sophomores.  The lack of juniors would normally signal an alarm, and it probably does in this situation as well. The 4 seniors take the center, forward and one guard positions, whilst the starting sophomore handles the point guard duties.  It served them well in the defeat of the Eureka Hornets.  When I first looked up at the scoreboard it read 21-7, Heyworth in charge.  Eureka managed to bring it back to within 5 a couple of times, but Heyworth ended the comp at the buzzer with a 67-56 victory.  The sophomores that came in from the bench showed great poise and potential.  The Hornets outlook is good.

Eureka had hosted the travelling trophy since the end of last year, their first year of eligibility after joining the HOIC.  Us old timers know that those golden globed trophies started their existence in the McLean County Tournament.  It always warms our hearts to see them inside our county lines.  Thank you to the Heyworth Hornets for bringing it back home.  It's tradition!

I must also mention that (and most that know me at least subconsciously know this) I have a specially good time photographing refs and coaches.  Coach Tony Griffin is becoming one of my favorites.  Lots of emotion, lots of animation and all exactly in the right place!

Go Hornets!

Be sure to check the Alan Look Photography facebook page for discount codes on prints and files!

Ridgeview Girls defeat the armor of Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Lady Knights and the Ridgeview Mustangs tipped off Heart of (HOIC) play on the 27th of November on Kellars Court in Colfax.  The Mustangs moved out to a 12-2 start and held the lead throughout the competition soundly defeating the Knights at the final buzzer by 36 points.

Ridgeview Girls defeat the armor of Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Lady Knights and the Ridgeview Mustangs tipped off Heart of (HOIC) play on the 27th of November on Kellars Court in Colfax.  The Mustangs moved out to a 12-2 start and held the lead throughout the competition soundly defeating the Knights at the final buzzer by 36 points.

MVC Volleyball Tournament served up at Redbird Arena

For the first time since 2006, the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Volleyball Tournament is being held at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal Illinois.  Participating teams are the Drake Bulldogs, Indiana State Sycamores, Valparaiso Crusaders, Illinois State Redbirds, Missouri State Bears and Northern Iowa Panthers.  The Bears pulled in the #1 ranking followed by the Panthers as #2.  Both teams had the first round off.  The Redbirds ranked 3rd.  Surviving the 1st round were the Sycamores and the Redbirds.  Round two will pit the Sycamores against the Bears and the Redbirds against the Panthers. 

Girls Intercity 2nd night posts wins by West and Community!

Normal West was impressive last night with a 57-18 win over the University Pioneers.  They pulled out to an early 10 or 12 point lead and never relinquished it.  The Wildcats played what has probably been the quickest up and down game of the 4 games we've seen in the early season.  Speed is certainly one of the weapons they have in their arsenal.

The Central Catholic v Normal Community game was all the Ironmen for the first quarter.  The Saints never felt out of it and pushed forward cutting the lead by halftime.  The final score at the buzzer was just a 2 point win 42-40 for the Iron.  Top scorers for each team were Saints Coffman and Iron Wong both with 12 each.

Here is the November issue of Best Look Magazine!

The November Issue of Best Look Magazine has arrived. - a product by Alan Look Photography.  View for free by clicking the cover below!  Printed copies are still just $9.95 each plus shipping and are printed on slick paper and an indigo press.  They make wonderful keepsakes and gifts.  Get one today for yourself and grab another for a friend or loved one!

Best Look Magazine: Best Look Magazine, Volume 5 Issue 4, November 2016

Best Look Magazine, November 2016 Volume 5 Issue 4

What's in the August 2016 issue of Best Look Magazine?

Best Look Magazine Volume 5 Issue 3 August 2016

By Alan Look in Best Look Magazine

32 pages, published 8/11/2016

Best Look Magazine, Volume 5 Issue 3, August 2016 - a sports and leisure publication featuring McLean County Illinois and beyond