Nazareth's quest for a state championship starts on Tuesday. Nazareth photo
Area Sports Roundup | Nazareth girls clinch conference crown with win over Carmel
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
Nazareth’s girls basketball team is eyeing a Class 3A state championship after finishing second to Carmel a season ago.
The Roadrunners whipped the Corsairs, 48-24, Feb. 4 to win the East Suburban Catholic Conference for the second straight year. It marked coach Ed Stritzel’s 400th career victory.
Nazareth also beat Carmel, 35-16, on Dec. 7.
Last March, Carmel won the IHSA Class 3A title with a 43-39 victory in Normal.
On Feb. 5, one of the key players who helped the Roadrunners win 25 of their first 26 games, junior Amalia Dray, announced her verbal commitment to play soccer at Boston College.
Before the weekend excitement, the junior-heavy Roadrunners picked up the top seed in the 18-team Class 3A Goode STEM Academy Sectional. De La Salle is seeded fourth, St. Laurence fifth, Kennedy 10th, Goode STEM 11th, Bogan 12th and Solorio 18th.
The road to the state championship for Nazareth starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday when it faces either 17th-seeded Noble/Manseuto or 16th-seeded Noble/Comer at the St Laurence regional. If the Roadrunners win that, they face either fifth-seeded St. Laurence or ninth-seeded Noble/Bulls at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16.
Other seeds planted
In Class 3A girls basketball at the 17-team Hillcrest Sectional, Evergreen Park is seeded fifth and Richards sixth. Marian Catholic drew the top seed.
In Class 4A at the 17-team Proviso East Sectional, Lyons picked up the second seed behind Kenwood while Mother McAuley is fourth, Oak Lawn fifth, Argo sixth, Morton eighth, Reavis 10th, Riverside-Brookfield 11th, Curie 12th and Kelly 16th.
In Class 4A, Marist picked up the eighth seed in the 17-team Romeoville Sectional with Sandburg ninth, Stagg 12th and Shepard 15th. Bolingbrook picked up the No. 1 seed.
In Class 2A, Chicago Christian is the sixth-seed in Sub-Sectional B of the Timothy Christian Sectional. Catalyst/Maria is eighth.
In Class 1A, Universal out of Bridgeview is seeded sixth in Sub-Sectional A of the Fenger Sectional.
Big week for Stagg
Stagg’s boys basketball team had a wild week in the SouthWest Suburban Conference Red division, pulling off a triple-overtime win and a huge upset.
On Jan. 31, the Chargers beat Lincoln-Way West 65-59 in three overtimes in a home game despite trailing by 11 points after three quarters. Connor Williams scored 14 points, Yousef Jarad 13 and Labarion Gilmore 12.
On Friday, Stagg went south to Bradley Bourbonnais, which was unbeaten in conference play, and knocked off the Boilermakers, 51-47. Williams led the way with 18 points and Gilmore had 11. Stagg coach Marty Strus lauded Alex Czaja for his defensive prowess.
The stunner moved the Chargers’ record to 12-13, 3-3.
Sexton second to none
When Evergreen Park junior Nolan Sexton scored his 1,000th point in a 66-63 loss to Perspectives IIT on Jan. 28, he became the first Mustang to score 1,000 thus it makes him the all-time leading scorer in program history.
He had 25 points in the setback and has a lot of time to collect a lot more points as he has this season to play out and next season as well.
Red Stars ready for World Cup
Five Chicago Red Stars will join their respective national teams to participate in the annual SheBelieves Cup as a precursor to the World Cup this summer.
Recently acquired Julia Bianchi (Brazil), Tierna Davidson (U.S.), Alyssa Naeher (U.S.), Bianca St-Georges (Canada) and Mallory Swanson (U.S.) will face off against each other in the competition.
The 2023 SheBelieves Cup kicks off Thursday, Feb. 16, at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, as Japan takes on Brazil at 3 p.m. and the U.S. faces Canada at 6 p.m.
Red Stars season starts…when?
The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was still not out as of Sunday night and some are speculating that it is coming in mid-February.
The late announcement of a schedule handcuffs teams such as the Chicago Red Stars who wanted to get a jump on season-ticket sales and other packages.
OL Reign star Megan Rapinoe took a funny shot at the league posting a milk carton with the NWSL logo saying “MISSING…NWSL SCHEDULE…PLEASE CALL THE PLAYERS IF FOUND.”
The NSWL regular season is scheduled to open March 25, a month earlier than last year’s opening date of April 29. The championship match is slated for Nov. 11 — two weeks later than it was played in 2022.
Local News
Fake Christians close eyes to Gaza carnage
Spread the love. By Ray Hanania . Many of you know I am Palestinian Christian. I’ve written about it a lot because I believe American Christians need to be reminded that their faith comes through my family origins in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I’m Orthodox Christian and will celebrate Easter this Sunday, which always comes after…
Brother Rice names Al Perez next soccer coach
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent A few new coaches are dotting the area high school athletic scene. One of the more notable hires was Brother Rice bringing Al Perez aboard as the soccer coach. Perez led Chicago Public League power Washington to a Class 2A state championship in 2013, a fourth-place finish in 2015…
Police Council rallies to save ShotSpotter
Spread the love. By Alexis Bocanegra Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (773) 949-1509 • grcl.alex23@gmail.com . Chicago Lawn (8th) District Police Council members Mark Hamberlin, Al Cacciottolo and Jason Huff have created an online petition to save ShotSpotter. As you may have read in the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound back in March, Mayor…
Chicago sports stadium drama heats up
Spread the love. By Rich Miller . More sports team stadium drama could be on the horizon as the Chicago White Sox are said, as of this writing, to be preparing to announce a significant private investment in a new South Loop ballpark. The ballclub has already demanded a share of the Illinois Sports Facilities…
Capacity crowd speaks out against Evergreen Park dispensary
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Additional chairs had to be brought out to seat an overflow crowd of Evergreen Park residents who attended a meeting April 15 regarding a proposed cannabis dispensary for the village. And many who were in attendance voiced their opposition to having a dispensary in Evergreen Park. Most of the people cited…
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…
Bridgeview approves auto repair shop
Spread the loveMoves up time for May 1 village board meeting By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is getting a new automotive repair shop. The village board at its April 17 matinee meeting approved a special use permit that will allow a repair shop at 9010 S. Beloit Ave. There was no discussion among trustees. The board…
Summit Fire Department blood drive draws a crowd
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Summit Fire Department, along with the Village of Summit, and the Argo Summit Lions Club held a blood drive this past Saturday, and it drew a crowd that even impressed the American Red Cross. It took place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with non-stop donors walking through the…
Hodgkins toasts village businesses
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work…
Pickleball courts coming to Palos Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There will finally be outdoor pickleball in Palos Park. In a process that went longer than anticipated, the Palos Park Village Council was able give the green light to get a pickleball project started on the Village Green. The council voted April 8 to award the contract to U.S. Tennis…
Neighbors
State officials offer last goodbye to former Thompson Center as renovations begin
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State officials kicked off the private renovation of the building which once served as the state government’s Chicago headquarters. The James R. Thompson Center, as it was known under state ownership, was sold in 2022 to a development firm that is renovating the building for its…
Public officials seek greater oversight of prescription drug middlemen
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com As state lawmakers hold hearings targeting the role of pharmacy benefit managers – an influential arm in how the health insurance industry prices prescription drugs – multiple state agencies are considering how to better regulate the industry. Often referred to as pharmaceutical “middlemen,” PBMs act as third-party intermediaries…
Thousands of youths at risk of losing access to after-school programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for community-based after-school programs say as many as 40,000 youths statewide could lose access to tutoring services, recreation and other extracurricular activities this summer unless Illinois lawmakers approve an infusion of funds to keep them going. “The time is now for legislators to act to…
Lawsuit alleges sexual abuse was rampant in state-run juvenile detention centers
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Rampant sexual abuse occurred unchecked for decades at Illinois’ juvenile detention centers, a new lawsuit filed on behalf of 95 former detainees alleges, citing hundreds of incidents over more than two decades. The plaintiffs were boys between 12 and 17 years old when the alleged abuse occurred and…
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…
Remembering Lee Milner
NEWS TEAM Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com On Wednesday, April 17, the Springfield, Illinois Capitol and journalism communities lost a devoted friend and advocate when Lee Milner passed away. As Dean Olsen wrote in his piece in the Illinois Times earlier this month, “Readers of Illinois Times often have seen Milner’s work as a freelance photojournalist. But…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of lawmakers and influential environmental advocates are calling for broad changes to the state’s energy industry and a massive increase in state oversight of Chicagoland’s transit system – which faces a projected $730 million budget shortfall. Advocates for the policy platform, which is broken up into…
Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track. April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income…