In the summer before the basketball season, Community head coach Mr. David Witzig faced a flood of questions—not about his current team, but last year’s 4A state runners-up. The same questions kept repeating: What’s next for Jaheem Webber? Where’s Braylon Roman playing in college? What’s...

The surgeon’s steady hand marks the incision. The scalpel glides across the skin, parting flesh to reveal the damaged ligament beneath. A tendon—healthy, unscarred—harvested from the wrist, severed from its home. The drill whirs to life, its bit biting deep into the ulna, then the humerus,...

Community (28-6) will face Quincy (30-3) Friday at 7 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s IHSA 4A Sectional Championship at Collinsville High School. Though the teams' postseason history only dates back to 2022, the rivarly has offered plenty of excitement. That year, the Blue Devils ended the Ironmen’s...

Community, for the first time in program history, secured a fifth consecutive regional championship, defeating Minooka 51-38 on Friday night. The Ironmen (27-6) advance to the IHSA 4A Collinsville Sectional Semifinal, where they will face Rock Island (28-5) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Pekin High School. The...

Community clinched its second consecutive Big 12 Conference title Friday, Feb. 21, marking just the third time in program history the Ironmen have won back-to-back championships. The title is Community’s eighth since joining the Big 12 in 1983—all earned since 2011. But this championship stands...

Community secured a heart-stopping 63-61 victory over Peoria Manual in a Big 12 battle of the undefeated. The final three minutes of relentless basketball culminated in a game-winning shot and a defensive masterpiece, giving the Ironmen fans a game to remember. When people recount the barn burner...

Two can’t miss dates for NBA fanatics–Dec. 25 and the third Monday in January. Since 1986, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been a cornerstone of the NBA calendar, showcasing must-see matchups while honoring the civil rights leader’s legacy. Launched the same year the holiday was first observed,...

Whether it’s another blowout victory under the Friday night lights or a tense, final-possession battle on the basketball hardwood, whether the roar of the crowd erupts in triumph or falls to an anxious hush, one constant cuts through the noise at Normal Community High School–the familiar, booming...

The Ironmen boys basketball team captured their second straight Intercity championship on Dec. 2, opening the season 4-0 with dominant wins over their Bloomington-Normal rivals. The Inkspot takes a by the numbers look at Community in the State Farm Bloomington-Normal Intercity Boys Basketball Tournament.   Check...

"The big, bad Ironmen are back." Those were the words Ironmen basketball head coach Mr. Dave Witzig heard as his team took the court at the Shirk Center for the 2024 State Farm Bloomington-Normal Intercity Tournament. And when the final buzzer sounded on Dec. 2, the remark rang true. The Iron...

The second state championship appearance in program history, a buzzer-beating dunk to win the sectional final, Ironmen head coach Mr. David Witzig’s 500th career win—The 2023-24 Ironmen had a storied season, to say the least. With a lineup packed with size and experience—including five seniors,...

Ironmen football standouts Calen Taylor and AJ Montoya were named members of the 2024 Class 7A All-State team by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association on Thursday, Nov. 14, an honor bestowed on just 36 athletes across the state. Taylor, a First-Team All-State selection, capped off...

The 10-1 Ironmen will travel to Chicago on Saturday to face the Mt. Carmel Caravan, kicking off Round Three of the IHSA Class 7A Football State Series at 5 p.m. Mt. Carmel’s 8-3 record is deceiving, Community head coach Mr. Jason Drengwitz said, “You have to take into consideration the Caravan’s...

Community (9-1) faces a high-stakes test at Dick Tharp Field this Friday as they host the Prospect Knights (8-2) in the Round Two of the IHSA Class 7A Football State Series. For nearly 15 seasons, the second round of the postseason seemed like the ceiling for the Ironmen football program. Despite...

Community (8-1) is set to host the West Chicago Wildcats (6-3) tonight in the first round of the IHSA Class 7A playoffs, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. After four consecutive first-round playoff victories, the 6-seed Ironmen have their sights set on a fifth. But the 27-seed Wildcats battled through a challenging...

The Ironmen (7-1, 7-0) will look to secure a second straight outright Big-Twelve conference championship when they host the Peoria Lions (7-1, 6-1) Friday. The Big Twelve title, Ironmen head coach Mr. Jason Drengwitz said, has been the team’s “first and foremost goal throughout the year.” Last...

The Ironmen defeated the Champaign Centennial Chargers 49-6 on the road last Friday. The win earned Community its 700th program victory, with the Ironmen becoming the 10th team in IHSA history to reach the milestone. Community took charge early, leading 28-0 at the end of the first quarter, and never...

The Ironmen football team will aim to make history Friday night as they head to Champaign to take on the Centennial Chargers. A victory would mark the 700th win in program history, making Community only the 10th Illinois high school football team to reach such a milestone. For head coach Mr. Jason...

Pajama night was a fitting theme for the Dick Tharp Field student section on Friday, with the Ironmen putting the game against the Danville Vikings to bed early with a decisive 71-12 victory.  With the win, the Iron improved to 6-1 and clinched a spot in the 7A IHSA playoffs This year's playoff...

Ahead of the Ironmen’s Week 7 clash against the Danville Vikings, the Inkspot looks at how the teams stack up by the numbers. From season stats to the teams’ past 10 meetings, this breakdown gives you the full stastical story ahead of Friday night’s meeting. See what Ironmen head coach Mr. Jason...

The Ironmen stormed their way atop the Big 12 Conference standings with a commanding Week 6 win over the Bloomington Raiders 44-14 on Oct. 4. With the win, Community improved to 5-1 on the season and 5-0 in league play, while the Raiders stand at 5-1 on the season and 4-1 in the Big 12. Dive into a...

Friday night’s high school football matchup between the Normal Community Ironmen (4-1, 4-0) and Bloomington Raiders (5-0, 5-0) is more than just a crosstown rivalry—it’s a battle for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference. Both teams are undefeated in conference play, and the winner will control...

The Kankakee Kays defeated Community 26-13 last Friday, snapping the Ironmen's 17-game regular-season win streak. Despite being “disappointed in the loss,” Head Coach Jason Drengwitz said, the team aims to use it as a “springboard for improvement.” Prior to facing the Kays, the Ironmen's...

The Ironmen, under Head Coach Jason Drengwitz, have tallied just six regular season losses in his five full seasons helming the team.  Half of those defeats have come in non-conference play.   While the Ironmen are an imposing 39-3 in conference games under Drengwitz, Community has struggled...

The Ironmen host the Big 12 Conference foes, the Urbana Tigers, in this week’s Homecoming contest, a matchup that looks to feature Community’s deep roster and showcase some young Iron talent.  The Tigers (0-2, 0-1), under second-year head coach Curtis Blanden, are searching for the program’s...

Friday night’s matchup against the Normal West Wildcats is a game Ironmen football fans have had circled on their calendars all offseason. Whenever the crosstown rivals meet, Community head coach Mr. Jason Drengwitz said, it always feels like a playoff atmosphere. “Both sides show out really,...

Community’s 2024 football season kicks off on Friday against the Peoria Richwoods Knights, with the Ironmen aiming to build on last season’s 12-1 record and best postseason finish since 2007. Despite graduating most of last season’s defensive starters, head coach Mr. Jason Drengwitz said, the...

After their first winning season in Bloomington-Normal Boys Lacrosse program history last year, BN Lacrosse opened the 2024 campaign without a win, losing all three opening matches. BN started the season with a 14-4 defeat to Lemont, followed by a 13-4 loss to Lockport. In their most recent game against...

Iron soccer are off to a 3-0 start, winning each match by shutout. Junior goalkeeper Erica Elofson has yet to conceed a goal, recording 11 saves on the season. In March 21's, 1-0 victory over Chatham Glenwood, Elofson recorded a season-high seven saves. Freshman Campbell Damery recorded the...

Jackson Soney and Carter Mayes earned first and second place at the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Freshman and Sophomore State Series in Springfield on Sunday, March 10. The 101-pound Soney clinched his second State title in as many years after taking first in IWCOA Regionals...

Community advances to the 4A IHSA State Finals for the second time in school history after defeating the Palatine Pirates 58-38 at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center Friday afternoon. Two Ironmen finished the night with double-digit scoring performances. Jaheem Webber posted a double-double...

Inside the Paint is a roundtable discussion where the Inkspot’s basketball beat reporters dive deep into the Ironmen boys and girls basketball seasons. Zachary Knox-Doyle, B.J. Dumas, Bella Green and Ben Kerber offer a courtside pass to all things Ironmen basketball. Join us as we break down...

Welcome to "The Up-Beat," where each week a group of Inkspot reporters take a break from breaking news to share what's been making them smile this week. Pranathi Ganti, Malachi McCool, Zachary Knox-Doyle and Brody Roberts share what is making them happy this week.  

Community is headed back to the 4A State Tournament for the first time since 2015 after a 53-29 win over the Downers Grove North Trojans at Illinois State’s CEFCU arena on Monday night. Downers Grove struggled to get anything to fall all night, shooting 21% from the field and going two for 35 from...

In NCAA March Madness history, there have been just two buzzer-beating dunks. The feat was last performed over 40 years ago, not repeated in nearly 2,500 matchups. By any measure, at any level, the buzzer-beating dunk is a rare conclusion to any basketball contest. Come March, against the toughest...

A nine-point scoring differential–in football, that’s a two-score game; in baseball, it’s a team hitting the cover of the ball; and in hockey and soccer, a rather rare feat.   In the realm of high school basketball, where every possession counts and every point can tilt the scale, a box score...

When Normal High laced up their cleats, preparing to take to the gridiron against Bloomington, the nineteen-man football roster had no idea they’d become a part of local lore, that the annual Intercity contest would one day be the stuff of legend.  On that fall Saturday, October 27, 1934, only...

TikTok.  Instagram. Snapchat. YouTube.  Despite growing concerns over social media’s effect on teen mental health, a new Pew Research Center survey reveals adolescents won’t be deleting their accounts anytime soon.   17% of teens surveyed described their social media use as “almost...

Inside the Paint is a roundtable discussion where the Inkspot’s basketball beat reporters dive deep into the Ironmen boys and girls basketball seasons. Zachary Knox-Doyle, B.J. Dumas, Lucas Drengwitz, Bella Green and Ben Kerber offer a courtside pass to all things Ironmen basketball, breaking down...

The Iron boys basketball team sit atop the Big 12 Conference standings after defeating the Peoria Richwoods Knights 57-49 Friday night.  The highly anticipated “unofficial Big 12 Championship,” with Community and Richwoods each entering the contest 5-0 in conference play, lived up to fan expectations...

Inside the Paint is a roundtable discussion where the Inkspot's basketball beat reporters dive deep into the Ironmen boys and girls basketball seasons. Zachary Knox-Doyle, B.J. Dumas, Bella Green and Ben Kerber offer a courtside pass to all things Ironmen basketball, breaking down the season so far...

The Ironmen boys basketball team fell 44-37 to the Thornton Wildcats in the Southern Illinois Classic on Saturday in Springfield. Ahead of the game, head coach Mr. Dave Witzig said the game was a “measuring stick,” offering the Ironmen a chance to gauge their performance against the state's more...

The Ironmen boys basketball team hoisted the Intercity trophy Monday night, finishing the annual tournament 4-0 after holding off the West Wildcats 57-54. The Intercity championship, head coach Mr. Dave Witzig said, is a rare accomplishment for the Ironmen. “I’ve been here 25 years,”...

The Ironmen threw down a 68-43 win over the Bloomington Raiders in the 2023-24 season opener at the Shirk Center Nov. 20. Community dominated the opening minutes of the Intercity tournament, slamming down four dunks in the contest’s opening three minutes of play and jumped out to a 14-0 lead over...

The Ironmen (12-0) return to the IHSA Football Semifinals for the first time since 2007, traveling to take on the Downers Grove North Trojans (10-2) on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Last week, the Iron (1) battled back from a two-touchdown deficit to secure their spot in this week’s contest, while...

Six Ironmen are headed to college to continue their athletic careers, signing National Letters Of Intent on Thursday, Nov 8. Recognized at the after-school event were four future Division I athletes: Oregon commit Ali Ince (womens track & field), future Louisville Cardinal Ethan Eberle (baseball),...

The Ironmen punched their ticket to the IHSA 7A Football Quarterfinals for the first time since 2015 with a 31-30 overtime victory over the Bradley-Bourbonnais Boilermakers Saturday at Dick Tharpe Field. For the second time in two years, one point would decide the Ironmen and head coach Mr. Jason...

The Ironmen head to the IHSA 7A Football Quarterfinals for the first time since 2015 with a 31-30 overtime victory over the Bradley-Bourbonnais Boilermakers Saturday at Dick Tharpe Field. Watch the highlights and the video recap of the second round playoff win.

Seniors Anna Mayes and Kruthi Sudhir made history when the tennis doubles team earned fourth in the IHSA 2A State Tennis Tournament Saturday, Oct. 23. Mayes and Sudhir are the first female team to advance past the quarterfinal round in the State Doubles contest in nearly 50 seasons of Community girls...

A carriage-ride conversation and a demolished snowman.  A restored pale-blue 1961 Dodge Lancer. Typing 90 words per minute, saving the Daily News on a frantic night.    Each a grand declaration of love, a gesture of affection with one aim–winning Rory Gilmore’s heart. As we...

The Ironmen (5-0, 4-0) sit atop the Big 12 Conference standings in sole possession of first place after last week’s 34-0 shutout win over the Raiders of Bloomington. The Champaign Centennial Chargers fell to 4-1 in conference play, losing to the Danville Vikings last Friday 25-12. With a road...

Five Ironmen found the end zone in Friday’s 54-14 rout of defending 4A State Champions Sacred Heart-Griffin. Tailbacks Tommy Davis and Calen Taylor and wideout Mar’Quan Gary were key offensive contributors in the statement victory over the Cyclones, scoring two touchdowns apiece in the season...

Illinois became the first state in the nation to prohibit book bans on June 12 when Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed House Bill 2789 into law.  Illinois public libraries that restrict or ban materials based on “partisan or doctrinal” disapproval will lose their eligibility for state funding...

Girls soccer earned its third consecutive Regional Title with a 2-1 win over the East Moline United Township Panthers on Friday, May 19. The Iron (13-8-4) open Sectional play Tuesday, May 22, facing the Minooka Central Community Indians (13-2-4) at Bloomington High School at 5 p.m. Minooka enters...

The College and Career Center hosted over 30 potential employers during May 3’s half-day. The event, organized by CCC counselor Mrs. Karrin Hawkins, showcased a variety of career paths available to students. Representatives from 35 organizations–local businesses, trades, military branches and...

Community’s boys and girls track and field teams can both boast the title “Intercity champs” after winning the annual crosstown competition at Bloomington High School on April 25.   Girls Track & Field The girls team, led by Ali Ince, defended their title for the third consecutive...

The McLean County Unit 5 School Board unanimously reversed the majority of cuts set to take effect in the 2023-24 school year at a special board meeting April 11.  The district will continue implementing several budget measures approved at the Jan. 31 board meeting, including limiting the number...

To reduce the district’s multi-million-dollar budget deficit, the School Board voted to eliminate junior high and freshman athletics and reduce the number of competitors attending out-of-town contests. Those cuts, several veteran Community coaches believe, are detrimental. While the cuts will...

After back-to-back trips to the IHSA State Tennis Tournament, juniors Anna Mayes and Kruthi Sudhir are already looking forward to next season. The doubles team finished the 2022 2A State Finals as one of the top 12 teams in Illinois. Last season at State, Mayes said, the team’s goal was to...

For the second straight year, Community’s boys and girls varsity cross country teams finished 2nd at the Intercity meet at Maxwell Park, Thursday, Sep. 22.   Girls Varsity  Normal West won the girl’s race, with the Wildcats finishing 7 points ahead of Community. Four Community runners...