Century's Zedan Said (No. 52) starts to get mobbed by his teammates after he hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with four seconds left in the SWIC eighth-grade championship. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Area grade school teams win SWIC championships
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
Century Junior High School’s eighth grade boys basketball team had a target on its back all season.
After enjoying an unbeaten campaign as seventh-graders, the Wildcats were the team everyone wanted to beat this season.
Not one of them one did.
Zedan Said made sure of it.
The 5-foot, 90-pound guard drained a 3-pointer with four seconds left to help the Wildcats sweat out a 55-52 victory over Palos South on March 11 to win the Southwest Interscholastic Conference tournament at Prairie View in Tinley Park.
“I just let it fly,” Said said. “Shooters shoot. I knew it was good when I shot it. That’s probably the biggest shot I’ve made.”
The team finished 38-0 in two seasons, both under coach Kevin Pajeau.
“Zedan has been clutch, and he’s been hot,” Pajeau said. “When we get him going, we’re tough to beat.”
Tournament MVP Quinn Durkin led the Wildcats with 25 points. Jake Tomczak added 13 and Said had 11.
Other members on the Wildcats are Nate Anton, Jake Drew, Zadok Judd, Abed Hmeidan, Matt Durkin, Karim Diab, Tommy Moore, Ryan Jabawi, Gian Picot, Solomen Mitchell and Hayden Toenjes.
Kevin Salkauskas had 23 points for Palos while Daniel Salkauskas popped in 18.
All-conference players from area schools were Diab, Quinn Durkin and Tomczak from Century; Carter Gillen and Logan Sales from Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School; Michael Kos from Conrady; Kendall McDowell and Daniel Morakinyo of Orland Junior High; Tyler Phelps and Logan Wessel of Evergreen Park; and Daniel and Kevin Salkauskas of Palos South.
In the seventh-grade title game, Oak Lawn trailed 16-10 to Evergreen Park at halftime, but stormed out in the second half and won 41-35. Shay Landers had 11 points, all in the second half, to lead the Mustangs. Danny Strelow added 10.
Other members of coach Dave Dare’s team are Charlie Williams, Conor Hynes, Guillermo Aguinaga, Ryan Westin, Cayden Balog, Daniel Garcia-Ansurez, Landon Fullerton, Nathan Brennan, Will Claussen, Lucas Olofson, Malcolm Lash, Sam Lyons, Angel Chiquito, Kamari Polk and Isaiah Delgado.
Area members of the all-conference team were Vinny Annel of Jerling; Jayshan Atkins and Kevin Hunter of Simmons; Brady Bruen, Bobby Brusek and Amari Dillard of Evergreen Park; Finn Crotty of Palos South; Taylor McDoniel of Orland; and Polk and Strelow of Oak Lawn.
SWIC volleyball
Palos South’s eight-grader shocked previously unbeaten Century, 25-21, 25-15, at Grissom Middle School on March 11. It’s the fourth straight championship for the Cardinals eighth grader team.
Members of the Cardinals are Julia Koeppen, Hope Kohler, Emily Tylka, Leyalli Mansour, Nicole Stec, Kacey Fitzpatrick, Mya Slowikowski, Amelia Kadamus, Audra Zukowski, Lexi Mackey, Greta Rimkevicius and Nora Metznik. Marty Duggan is the coach.
Athletes from area schools on the all-conference team are Mia Hilburger and Heidi Wagner of Jerling; Kailey McCormick, Marilena Karbo and Christina Lavery of Century; Isabella Van Last and Jane Chan of Orland; Arianna Janowiak of Oak Lawn; Christina Morales of Conrady; Fitzpatrick and Kohler of Palos South; Quetzalli Pichardo-Aich of Liberty; and Hannah Pikus of Evergreen Park.
Palos South’s seventh graders were down most of the first set but came back and won, 25-23, 25-12, over Grissom to claim the title.
Members of the team are Ava Mackey, Jade Ervin, Teagen Jeffers, Sofia Wilson, Brooklyn Parr, Katy Zumerchik, Michelle Rozanski, Dorian Urquizo, Maggie Purtill, Makaleigh Terry, Maya Surdel, Molly Hackett and Sarah Cairo. Scott Adams is the coach.
Area all-conference players are Alexandra Kardo and Addyson Chausse of Century; Molly Goyke of Evergreen Park; Abigail Witt of Oak Lawn; Aubery Deverick of Jerling; Wilson, Parr and Zumerchik of Palos South; Peyton Pawlicki and Aliya Sulemani of Orland; Daphne Fortner of Simmons; Holly Jirka and Beason Jamhour of Conrady; and Cailey Mills of Liberty.
1 Comment
Local News
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…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Obituaries April 25, 2024
Spread the loveJOSEPH C. BURDA Joseph C. Burda, age 81, passed away March 28. Loving father of Amy Burda and Joseph Burda; dearest grandfather of Ryan Wenk and Lillianah Burda; cherished son of the late Mary (nee Breyer) and the late Joseph M. Burda; dear brother of Joan (Dan) Gale and Anna Hovey. Also survived…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Neighbors
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
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…
[…] Source […]