Morton College's women's basketball team is playing in the NJCAA national tournament this week after celebrating its regional championship. Photo courtesy of Morton College

Morton College's women's basketball team is playing in the NJCAA national tournament this week after celebrating its regional championship. Photo courtesy of Morton College

Area Sports Roundup | Nazareth grads Martinucci, Evans have unfinished business at NJCAA National Tourney

By Jeff Vorva
Staff writer

The Martinucci family carries a lot of weight in the Berwyn-Cicero area.

Tony Martinucci has coached boys basketball at Morton High School for 24 years, racking up five regional titles and a trio of conference crowns during his tenure.

His daughter, Jovanna, is hoping to do something even more spectacular: Win a national championship.

Jovann Martinucci played on Nazareth’s Class 3A girls basketball state runner-up team in 2018 and Morton College’s National Junior College Athletic Association Division II runner-up team in 2021-22. She is aiming to break through and help the Panthers win it all this year.

Morton (31-0) drew the top seed at the 16-team NJCAA National Tournament that begins Tuesday, March 21 and is scheduled to run through Saturday, March 25 in Port Huron, Michigan. The Panthers first-round opponent will be United Tribes.

Martinucci, who played at Queen of Peace before transferring to Nazareth, is a lifelong Berwyn resident.

“It’s been fun knowing this is the community I grew up in,” Martinucci stated in a news release. “We’ve never really been known for women’s basketball. Now that it’s happening, it’s really exciting.”

Heading into the national tournament, the Panthers were No. 1 in the nation in 3-pointers made with 420; second in both defensive scoring average at 43.9 points per game; and assists with 22.7 per game; No. 3 in scoring average at 90.9 points per game and eighth in steals with 16.2 per game.

Morton’s Mia Simpson was ranked first in the nation with a 73.9 field goal percentage and Claire Hyde was first in 3-pointers made with 126. Simpson was second in the nation with 128 steals.

Martinucci was fourth in the country with a 4.6 assist-to-turnover ratio, while Jalyssa Carrasco and Kaylen Evans, the latter who is a Nazareth graduate, were tied for fourth in the nation in 3-pointers made with 98.

National Tournament director Tony Tompkins said during the NJCAA’s Selection Show that Morton earned the top spot for their overall body of work.

“They’re very, very talented,” Tompkins said.

 

Trolls shock Cougars
A streak that started before the pandemic finally came to an end.

Saint Xavier’s men’s volleyball team had its 34-match winning streak in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference broken by neighboring Trinity Christian, which pulled off a 17-25, 25-18, 15-25, 26-24, 15-13 upset over the Cougars in Palos Heights.

Trinity, which improved to 15-7 overall and 6-4 in the league with the win, was led by former Richards’ star Alex Costa’s 18 kills and six aces. Chris Dargan added 12 kills and five blocks for the trolls.

Saint Xavier, ranked 11th in the nation in the most recent NAIA coach’s poll, fell to 15-4 overall and 8-1 in the CCAC. The Cougars’ last conference loss had been on Feb. 18, 2020, to Cardinal Stritch.

Oskar Krzyzak led the Cougars with 25 kills, the fourth most kills in a match in Cougars’ history.

 

Halim competes in West Asia Baseball Cup

Oak Lawn and Moraine Valley Community College alum Yunis Halim competed for Team Palestine at the West Asia Baseball Cup in January.

Halim was named as the best pitcher in the tournament and went 9-for-9 at the place.

Halim played with the Cyclones from 2015-2017 and went on to pitch for Chicago State.

 

Hall of famer
Evergreen Park softball coach Michelle Vucsko was inducted to the Lewis University Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Marist graduate hit .356 in four seasons with the Flyers, with 22 homers and 157 RBI in 209 games.

Local News

Father Bill Killeen

Retired St. Patricia pastor cleared of sexual abuse allegation

The Archdiocese of Chicago has cleared retired Father William Killeen of allegations of sexual abuse following an investigation. Father Killeen, who served as an associate pastor at St. Patricia Parish in Hickory Hills from 1982 to 1989, had been accused of abusing a minor over 40 years ago during his time at the parish. The…

dvn 11-8-24 la grange park district

LaGrange park district improvements advance with voter support

Voters approved a $13.86 million referendum for the Park District of La Grange on Tuesday, with 74 percent voting in favor. With 10 of 12 precincts reporting, 5,340 yes votes were recorded, compared to 1,898 no votes, according to the Cook County Clerk’s website. “We’re very excited,” said Jenny Bechtold, executive director of the Park…

A blue ribbon flutters lightly on a tree outside West Lawn’s Hubbard HS in honor of slain police officer Enrique Martinez, a neighborhood graduate. The ribbon, a symbol of fallen police officers who died serving their community can sometimes be seen with a black background representing mourning. The color blue represents the “thin blue line” officers are sworn to defend, according to memorialribbon.org.

Slain West Lawn CPD Officer Martinez shooting suspect charged

A 23-year-old man has been charged with the shooting death of Officer Enrique Martinez, a Hubbard High School graduate and West Lawn resident, who was killed in the line of duty on Chicago’s South Side. The fatal encounter has reignited citywide concerns over rising gun violence and its toll on both residents and law enforcement.…

Oak Lawn Park District hosted its annual Howl-O-Ween on Oct. 19 at the Wolfe Wildlife Refuge, located at 109th Street and Laramie Avenue in Oak Lawn. (Supplied photos)

Oak Lawn’s Howl-O-Ween Brings Thrills, Chills, and Family Fun

On a crisp October evening, the Wolfe Wildlife Refuge transformed into a magical, spooky wonderland as families gathered for Oak Lawn’s annual Howl-O-Ween celebration. Laughter mingled with the rustle of leaves, while costumed children raced from one activity station to the next, collecting treats and creating memories under the twilight sky. The Oak Lawn Park…

Jill Stein’s suburban campaign stop in Orland Park. (Photos by Julius Allen)

Presidential candidate Jill Stein advocates for People Power at Green Party Forum in Orland Park

Nonprofit organizations Al Hub and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) co-hosted a Q&A forum on Wednesday, Oct. 16, featuring Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein. Held at an office building in Orland Park, located at 16101 S. 108th Avenue, the event showcased the Green Party’s focus on community-driven activism, branding itself as a…

The Oak Lawn girls volleyball team won the SSC Red title for the second year in a row. (Photo courtesy of Oak Lawn Community High School)

Oak Lawn girls volleyball repeats at SSC Red champs

The Oak Lawn Community High School girls volleyball team opened the season steamrolling the competition. In fact, they repeated as champions at the Fenton Bison Blast-off Tournament, and didn’t even lose a single set before heading into their own Spartan Classic in late September. They finished fourth there, but they learned how to react when…

Wolniak Funeral Home has erected a huge Day of the Dead altar. (Photo by Kathy Headley)

Wolniak Funeral Home celebrates Day of the Dead

The 102-year-old Wolniak Funeral Home has served generations of families throughout the years. Sitting on the southwest corner of 57th and Pulaski, the Polish Funeral Home is reaching out with what they are calling a “legacy of love to the community.” Respecting the traditions and heritage of the Hispanic members of the community, the folks…

Burbank Police Chief Jack Garcia discusses most recent arrest and ticket numbers and the support for the 12-hour schedule change at the Oct. 23 meeting. (Photo by Sean Kirchman)

Burbank police adopt a 12-hour work schedule

Burbank police will make permanent a trial program that moved them from working eight-hour tours to now working 12-hour shifts. The city approved the work schedule at its Oct. 23 city council meeting. The city confirmed the 12-hour work schedule memorandum of understanding with the Illinois Council of Police. This means that Burbank police officers,…

Karen Wasko

Drunken driver sentenced to 11 years in Summit trustee’s fatal crash

The driver responsible for the St. Patrick’s Day 2023 crash that killed former Summit village trustee Karen Wasko has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Judge John “Terry” Gallagher handed down the sentence to Joel Velazco Jr., 23, during a hearing Thursday in Room 110 of the Bridgeview Courthouse. Wasko’s daughters, Nicole and Kelly,…

Damian Macias

Bridgeview man faces felony charges in carjacking, armed robbery spree

Two men were charged Thursday with multiple felonies after a series of armed robberies and a carjacking in Chicago, authorities said. James Robinson, 21, of the 100 block of East 119th Street in Chicago, and Damian Macias, 21, of the 8800 block of South Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, were arrested by the Citywide Vehicular Hijacking…

Neighbors

Federal judge strikes down Illinois assault weapons ban, setting up likely appeal

Federal judge strikes down Illinois assault weapons ban, setting up likely appeal

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – A federal judge in East St. Louis on Friday struck down Illinois’ assault weapons ban on the grounds that it violates the Second and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution and issued an order barring the state from enforcing it. That order, however, was stayed for 30 days, giving the…

Illinois school Superintendent Tony Sanders discusses strategy to boost math scores

Illinois school Superintendent Tony Sanders discusses strategy to boost math scores

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education recently released the 2024 School Report Card, showing a record-high proficiency rate for students in grades 3-8 in English language arts while math scores still have not fully recovered from the low point they hit during the pandemic. In response, ISBE has announced plans…

Jury sees relentless ComEd job placement requests from Madigan co-defendant

Jury sees relentless ComEd job placement requests from Madigan co-defendant

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – Had they been any other job applicants, electric utility Commonwealth Edison likely wouldn’t have given a second look to candidates who made “politically inappropriate” comments during an interview, failed basic screening tests or didn’t even show up to take those tests – twice. Some of the company’s top executives wouldn’t…

Wiretaps show McClain arranging checks for Madigan loyalist fired after #MeToo allegations

Wiretaps show McClain arranging checks for Madigan loyalist fired after #MeToo allegations

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – It had been a tumultuous winter and spring for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as he was forced to fire or distance himself from several top allies, three of whom were accused of sexual harassment at the height of the #MeToo movement. But after the seismic events of June 6,…

Utility assistance applications open for low-income Illinoisans

Utility assistance applications open for low-income Illinoisans

Capitol News Illinois The state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is accepting applications for all households beginning Friday, Nov. 1. The program offers financial assistance for utility bills to low-income families. Other discounts are also available, even if someone is not enrolled in LIHEAP. Applications opened on Oct. 1 for adults age 60 and…

Statewide effort planned to boost student math scores

Statewide effort planned to boost student math scores

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois education officials plan to launch a statewide initiative over the next several months aimed at boosting student performance in math. State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders made that announcement during a recent media briefing to unveil the most recent school report card. That annual report shows how individual schools,…

Pritzker’s budget office projects $3.2B deficit in early look at upcoming fiscal year

Pritzker’s budget office projects $3.2B deficit in early look at upcoming fiscal year

Capitol News Illinois The first extensive public look at next year’s state finances contains a warning to lawmakers from the governor’s office: “The ability to fund new programs will be severely limited” next fiscal year. That comes from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, which projected a potential budget shortfall of $3.2 billion for…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Jury sees more evidence surrounding payments to Madigan campaign worker ousted for sexual harassment

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – On the eve of his retirement announcement in late 2016, longtime Statehouse lobbyist Mike McClain wrote letters to longtime colleagues, expressing his appreciation for them. In one letter – shown to four federal juries in the last two years – McClain effusively praised his close friend, then-Illinois House Speaker Michael…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

It’s Election Day. Officials ask for patience in waiting on the results.

Capitol News Illinois By Matt Vasilogambros,Stateline It’s Election Day in America. Voters are heading to the polls in one of the most consequential elections in American history. In a politically polarized country, potential delays in reporting results might further fuel conspiracy theories that have spread widely. Across the country, more than 77 million voters already…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

‘They were being paid as a favor to Mike Madigan’: Feds’ star witness takes stand

Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – As chief lobbyist for electric utility Commonwealth Edison, Fidel Marquez had an expansive role that put him in charge of “approximately 130, 135 people.” But in June 2013, more than a year into that job, Marquez received an email about someone he was ostensibly supposed to be overseeing – but…