Gigi Navarrete, a Mother McAuley volleyball standout heading to Northwestern, was named the nation's best player in a vote administered by Scorebook.com. Mother McAuley photo
Area Sports Roundup: Mother McAuley’s Gigi Navarette voted best player in the U.S.
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
It was Navar in doubt.
Mother McAuley senior Gigi Navarrete easily won a public vote conducted by Scorebook Live for best high school girls volleyball player in the country. Of 30,761 votes cast, 16,197 (53%) were for the Mighty Macs libero.
Coming in a distant second was Ava Safara of Marian (Michigan), who picked up 9,606 votes (31%).
The McAuley community voted early and often, and while some may write the poll off as an unscientific popularity contest, Navarrete had some great numbers to back up the honor. The Northwestern recruit racked up 613 digs, 396 successful serve receptions and 42 aces during the 2022 season, while helping the Macs to their 16th state championship
She also compiled a laundry list of accomplishments.
Nazarrete, of Palos Heights, was a 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association First Team All-American and was ranked as the Prep Dig Illinois No. 2 overall player. During club season, she was named to the Junior Volleyball Association All-National Team twice. She was also named the Girls Catholic Athletic Red Conference Player of the Year.
Northwestern is coached by Shane Davis, a former Loyola University men’s volleyball coach. The Wildcats finished 18-14 this season, Davis’ first winning season in his seven-year tenure.
Junior Leilani Dodson, a Nazareth graduate, played for the Wildcats this season.
Richards assistant dies
Longtime assistant Richards football coach John Rutkowski, a former teacher at Argo and a University of Illinois-Chicago football Hall of Famer, died Dec. 15. He was 80 years old.
Rutkowski was an assistant for the Bulldogs during the 1980s when the team won back-to-back state Class 4A state championships. His son, also named John, was the quarterback for the 1989 state championship team.
“Coach was a great man,” Richards coach Tony Sheehan tweeted. “He did more for Richards football than anyone will ever know. I am very lucky to have had him as a mentor and more so as a friend. I miss and love you Coach!”
It’s been a rough December in the area. Nazareth sophomore baseball coach Mario Ortiz died on Dec. 7 and Marist boys track and cross country coach Jon Gordon died on Dec. 9.
SXU men’s volleyball ranked
Saint Xavier entered the season ranked 12th in the NAIA Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Top 15 poll.
The Cougars were 26-11 last season. Zach Carroll (St. Rita), Andrew Kopinski (Marist) and Jake McClain (Marist) are area players on the roster. They also have two freshmen from Poland and one from Puerto Rico who are hoping to make an impact.
SXU is the lone team in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference to break the top 15. Olivet Nazarene and Calumet College of St. Joseph picked up votes.
Defending national champion Grand View (Iowa) is ranked first.
The Cougars opens the season Jan. 27 at No. 6 Georgetown College (Kentucky).
Perfecto for Ramiro
Oak Lawn senior Ramiro Garcia rolled the first 300 game of his high school career in a 2,094-1,975 South Suburban Conference win over Oak Forest Thursday night at Oak Forest Bowl.
“It was electric at the bowling alley and nerve-racking to watch him pull it off,” Spartans coach Kevin Walery said.
Oak Lawn finished the conference season 12-1 and will compete in the conference tournament Jan. 7.
Local News
Rush rips USDA over plight of black farmers
Spread the love‘House is on fire,’ congressman says From staff reports U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st) recently questioned U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about what Rush called “the dire prognosis of black farmers in the U.S. and the steps USDA is taking to help minority farmers.” “As you well know, our nation’s…
Charge man with Archer Heights carjacking
Spread the loveBy Tim Hadac Police say they’ve solved a carjacking that occurred in Archer Heights earlier this month. An 18-year-old Southeast Side man was charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking in connection with the crime. Monte Handley, of the 9000 block of South Muskegon, was apprehended by police in the 7500 block of South Ellis…
Charge man in shooting of 2
Spread the loveBy Tim Hadac A 22-year-old West Lawn man was charged with two counts of aggravated battery, as well as aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, after he was arrested in the 3700 block of West Marquette Road at 4:06 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17. Isaiah Barco allegedly shot two men in a crime that…
Many crimes down in Orland, but weapons arrests concerning
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Orland Park Police Chief Joseph Mitchell had mostly good news when revealing the village’s 2021 crime statistics. But one glaring area that has him bothered is the number of unlawful use of a weapon arrests that have been shooting up. Mitchell and Mayor Keith Pekau attribute it to felons from…
Former GOP allies to battle for county board race
Spread the loveGorman wants to reclaim seat from Morrison By Bob Bong A battle royale is brewing in the race for the Republican nomination for Cook County Board’s 17th District. The 17th District is one of only two county board seats held by Republicans and it has only ever had a Republican commissioner dating back…
Palos Park inches closer to gaming solution
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Signs are pointing to the fact there probably will be limited video gaming in Palos Park. Mayor John Mahoney and the village council rejiggered a few things with an ordinance and some of the village codes and the end result is that Monday they asked village attorneys to look into…
Police reports
Spread the loveShot in the head, killed on Archer A 33-year-old man was shot in the head and killed as he drove a vehicle in the 4200 block of South Archer at 5:13 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 22. The victim was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:47 a.m. Police said…
GOP hopeful hitting hard on crime
Spread the loveBy Ray Hanania Finally, someone is making fighting crime the foundation of a congressional candidacy, and he is doing it with a strong plan. Scott Kaspar recently launched his campaign for the 6th Congressional District, calling crime the number one threat facing the region. While everyone is talking about what to do, Kaspar…
Time for Ken Griffin to answer a few questions
Spread the loveBy Rich Miller Richard Irvin is a Republican. Period. Irvin might not be enough of a Republican for the purists. Democrats might want to weaken Irvin in the Republican primary for governor by pointing to some of the nice things he’s said about Democrats (including the governor) over the years. But Richard Irvin…
Neighbors
Potawatomi land transfer advances in Illinois House
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would help the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation expand their newly established reservation in DeKalb County advanced out of a state House committee Tuesday, despite concerns about the tribe’s long-term plans for the property. House Bill 4718 would authorize the state to hand over…
Would-be union of legislative staffers accuse Welch of undermining organizing effort
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Seven months after Democratic Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch advanced a measure that would allow legislative staff to unionize, members of his own staff on Tuesday blasted the speaker for allowing the bill to languish. The legislation has not seen any action since its passage…
As legislative session adjournment looms, a rush to regulate carbon capture industry
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A technology that some say is a key tool to address climate change and others say is a cash grab for heavy industry could face new regulations – if lawmakers can find the time before their scheduled adjournment this week. Carbon capture and sequestration technology is…
Nursing home industry unlikely to see much help from Springfield in tough budget year
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com It’s been four years since some of the worst scenes of COVID-19 played out in locked-down nursing homes during the early months of the pandemic. But while most of the world has moved on, the nursing home industry is still reeling from COVID, which exacerbated pre-existing challenges in…
Lawmakers consider tax break for news publishers, state-sponsored journalism scholarships
By ALEX ABBEDUTO & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A new measure being debated in the Illinois General Assembly would create a tax credit for certain news publishers based on the number of reporters they employ. The proposal from Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, is part of a package of policies that he…
House GOP advances 2 human trafficking victim protection bills as others remain in limbo
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com After Illinois received another failing grade from a national advocacy group, state House Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at further protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators of human trafficking. Shared Hope International, an advocacy organization that works to prevent sex trafficking, said in its 2023 Illinois report card that…
Hundreds of bills pass, including changes to state’s biometric data privacy law
By HANNAH MEISEL COLE LONGCOR & ALEX ABEDDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers passed more than 200 bills this week ahead of their scheduled May 24 adjournment. Many of the measures will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, including a bill that changes how damages accrue under Illinois’ first-in-the-nation biometric data privacy law.…
Pritzker pledges to expand access to mental health care in Illinois
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In the middle of Mental Health Awareness Month, Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton hosted a panel in Springfield this week at which he pledged to expand the state’s behavioral health services. With several dozen services providers from around the state in attendance, Pritzker…
With 1 week left in session, Pritzker admin says all revenue options remain on the table
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com While the governor’s office instructed its agency directors to prepare for $800 million in potential budget cuts last week, all facets of his plan to raise $1.1 billion in revenue to avoid those cuts remain under consideration. Read more: ANALYSIS: ‘Significant enough’ opposition to Pritzker’s revenue plan leads to…
Illinois launches summer food assistance program
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state is launching a new program to provide food assistance during the summer for families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school. Gov. JB Pritzker joined other state officials and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thursday to announce that Illinois will…