After finishing his third season on the Oak Lawn Community High School’s varsity boys soccer team this year, Dylan Walsh can admire some impressive numbers for himself. He scored 13 goals and five assists this season. He’s amassed 35 career goals. He’s contributed nine career assists. And now, he can reflect on earning his second…
Read MoreBy Jeff Vorva The new Professional Women’s Hockey League is forming, and Palos Heights native and Sandburg graduate Kendall Coyne Schofield will be a part of its historic first season. Schofield was one of the first three players to sign for the Minnesota franchise, a trio that also features fellow U.S. Olympians Kelly Pannek and…
Read MoreBy Jeff Vorva After a long absence, the Chicago Red Stars will finally be playing a game at SeatGeek Stadium again. The Red Stars host Angel City at 5 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Bridgeview facility for the first time since Aug. 5. International breaks and other scheduling quirks have kept the team away from…
Read MoreBy Jeff Vorva The Marist Athletics Hall of Fame is pretty crowded, with 111 individuals or teams recognized. But there is always room for more. Five more individuals and one team were honored Sept. 1 at halftime of the Brother Rice-Marist football game, won by the RedHawks in thrilling fashion, 30-24. Peter Bilecki, who graduated…
Read MoreA look at how the area South Suburban Conference teams look heading into the 2023 football season. ARGO HEAD COACH: Phillip Rossberg 2022 RECORD: 5-5 2023 OUTLOOK: A mixture of eight returning starters and some young players will try to keep the momentum going at the Summit school. Back for the Argonauts are seniors…
Read MoreFrom staff reports The enchanting scent of glowing charcoal filled the air at Richards High School as fans, friends, alumni, and students gathered to celebrate the start of a new football season at the traditional Black and Gold Game on August 18. The marching band and cheerleaders performed, volunteers grilled and packaged hamburgers and hot…
Read MoreBy Isabella Schreck Chicago Rogue Football Club’s U14 soccer team has the chance to play in the national championships at Disney World – if the boys can win at the regionals Friday in St. Louis. The team does hate to lose, said head coach Benjamin Vega, whose team hit the road for St. Louis on…
Read MoreBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The best high school gamers from all over the state will battle is out for various state championships in Evergreen Park this weekend. The Illinois High School Association’s second eSports state championships will be held on Saturday, April 29, at Evergreen Park Community High School after it was held at…
Read MoreLeo Cassidy, a senior at Evergreen Park Community High School, has been named a Chick Evans scholar. Cassidy is the second EPCHS Mustang to win the prestigious scholarship award for golf caddies this year and the fourth in the last three school years. “I’m so grateful,” said Cassidy, who will be headed to the University…
Read MoreBy Steve Metsch Correspondent After being blown out by 28 points on their home field, one might think the Nazareth coach Tim Racki would be frustrated. Not exactly. Racki was pleased by the Roadrunners’ refusal to back down despite trailing Marist 24-3 at halftime in their Week 3 game Sept. 9. Nazareth held the RedHawks…
Read MorePrep News

Mount Carmel beats Downers Grove North for 15th state title
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Mount Carmel’s plan was to open and close the season in Normal. They wanted to open the 2023 campaign by beating then-nationally ranked East St. Louis in a neutral-site game at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University, then return 13 weeks later and a win a state championship. Mission accomplished…

Cold Turkey Trotting | Young runners heat up Orland Park race held in freezing temps
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The temperature may have been freezing, but the winners were not complaining. The 35th Orland Park Turkey Trot, held per tradition on Thanksgiving, started in 30-degree weather. And the young champs embraced it. Jack Krusinski, 16, of Palos Heights, won the 2.5 mile event with a time of 14:01.04. The…

Area Sports Roundup | Cougars get revenge on Marian, earn date with top seed
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The Saint Xavier defense made sure to get some revenge for a couple of losses in recent years to Marian University. The Cougars racked up 10 sacks, 15 tackles for losses, three forced fumbles and two interceptions in a 31-21 victory over Marian in the second round of the NAIA…

Girls Hoops | St. Laurence stages huge comeback to win Beecher Tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer This is not the way to start a championship game. But it’s a pretty good way to finish it. St. Laurence fell behind Rich Township, 19-0, in the Beecher Fall Classic final on Nov. 22. While it could have been easy for rookie coach Claire Austin and her troops to…

St. Laurence falls to Rochester, takes second in Class 4A
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer As a four-year varsity player at St. Laurence, Corey Taubr experienced three losing seasons before the Vikings made a stunning postseason run this year. They made it to the IHSA Class 4A final, where they lost 59-38 to Rochester on Nov. 24 at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois…

Nazareth tops Joliet Catholic for historic title win
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth football coach Tim Racki was bummed out. The Roadrunners had completed an historic season by defeating Joliet Catholic for the IHSA Class 5A championship, becoming the first team in IHSA history to enter the playoffs 4-5 and win a state title. They are also the first team to win…

St. Rita bests Kenwood for Prep Bowl title
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Nine is just fine as far as St. Rita is concerned. On Nov. 24 at Lane Stadium, the Mustangs defeated Kenwood 21-7 to win the 93rd Prep Bowl, the annual matchup between the Chicago Catholic League and Chicago Public League champions. The win gave St. Rita (8-5) its ninth Prep Bowl…

Catholic schools dilemma
. After loss in Springfield, advocates search for a Plan B . By Tim Hadac After a clear defeat in Springfield earlier this month, supporters of the state’s Invest in Kids scholarship program—which includes a number of Catholic school parents on the Southwest Side—are searching for a Plan B. “What we do at this point…

Tommy Fitz, truly a good man
. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound . The obituary said Thomas M. Fitzgerald. But to me, it was almost like it was referring to someone else, if only because I—like so many others in Clearing and Garfield Ridge–knew him as Tommy Fitz. He died suddenly, unexpectedly, on Nov. 15 at age 65.…

Mount Carmel beats Downers Grove North for 15th state title
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Mount Carmel’s plan was to open and close the season in Normal. They wanted to open the 2023 campaign by beating then-nationally ranked East St. Louis in a neutral-site game at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University, then return 13 weeks later and a win a state championship. Mission accomplished…

Cold Turkey Trotting | Young runners heat up Orland Park race held in freezing temps
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The temperature may have been freezing, but the winners were not complaining. The 35th Orland Park Turkey Trot, held per tradition on Thanksgiving, started in 30-degree weather. And the young champs embraced it. Jack Krusinski, 16, of Palos Heights, won the 2.5 mile event with a time of 14:01.04. The…

Area Sports Roundup | Cougars get revenge on Marian, earn date with top seed
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The Saint Xavier defense made sure to get some revenge for a couple of losses in recent years to Marian University. The Cougars racked up 10 sacks, 15 tackles for losses, three forced fumbles and two interceptions in a 31-21 victory over Marian in the second round of the NAIA…

Girls Hoops | St. Laurence stages huge comeback to win Beecher Tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer This is not the way to start a championship game. But it’s a pretty good way to finish it. St. Laurence fell behind Rich Township, 19-0, in the Beecher Fall Classic final on Nov. 22. While it could have been easy for rookie coach Claire Austin and her troops to…

Two of the best in Illinois
Cristin Moreno, a senior at Hancock College Prep, and Nadia Cabral, a junior at Kennedy High School, proved themselves to be two of the best cross-country runners in the state. Both girls qualified for the IHSA Class 2A Cross-Country Championship, held earlier this month at Detweiller Park in Peoria. In the 5K race, Moreno ran…

St. Laurence falls to Rochester, takes second in Class 4A
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer As a four-year varsity player at St. Laurence, Corey Taubr experienced three losing seasons before the Vikings made a stunning postseason run this year. They made it to the IHSA Class 4A final, where they lost 59-38 to Rochester on Nov. 24 at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois…

Nazareth tops Joliet Catholic for historic title win
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth football coach Tim Racki was bummed out. The Roadrunners had completed an historic season by defeating Joliet Catholic for the IHSA Class 5A championship, becoming the first team in IHSA history to enter the playoffs 4-5 and win a state title. They are also the first team to win…

St. Rita bests Kenwood for Prep Bowl title
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Nine is just fine as far as St. Rita is concerned. On Nov. 24 at Lane Stadium, the Mustangs defeated Kenwood 21-7 to win the 93rd Prep Bowl, the annual matchup between the Chicago Catholic League and Chicago Public League champions. The win gave St. Rita (8-5) its ninth Prep Bowl…