By Jeff Vorva
Correspondent
Let the guessing games begin.
The Chicago Fire released its MLS schedule for 2024, and there is a chance the team will have to move some of its games from Soldier Field to SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. The Fire called SeatGeek its home stadium from 2006 to 2019.
From August through October, the Fire will be at the mercy of the 2024 NFL schedule, which hasn’t come out yet. The Bears have priority for the stadium for five days before their scheduled games.
The Fire has will face Miami and international superstar Lionel Messi in their lone August home game. That game should be safe to stay in Chicago, as it is slated for Aug. 31. The NFL preseason schedule ends Aug. 27 and the regular season opens Sept. 7.
The Fire has home games scheduled for Sept. 7 against DC, Sept. 14 against New York, Sept. 28 against Toronto and Oct. 19 against Nashville in the last game of the regular season.
All-Staters
The Champaign News-Gazette released its girls volleyball all-state team, and several players from the area picked up honors, with four making the first team.
Junior outside hitter Bella Bullington of Marist had 480 kills, 281 digs, 75 blocks and 46 aces.
Reilly Chausse, a senior libero from Sandburg, collected 508 digs, 90 assists and 30 aces.
Sam Falk, a senior libero for Class 4A state champion Mother McAuley, had 603 digs 81 assist and 34 aces.
Ellie White, a Mother McAuley senior outside hitter, closed her high school career with 484 kills, 313 digs, 54 blocks and 37 aces.
Earning a spot on the second team was Lyons senior Abby Markworth, who finished the season with 715 assists, 219 digs 83 kills, 44 blocks and 40 aces.
Making the special mention list were Marist junior setter Maddie Berry, St. Laurence junior outside hitter Kayla Birmingham, Reavis senior outside hitter Evelyn Blacha, Sandburg senior middle hitter Elise Sterling and Lyons senior middle hitter Grace Turner.
Making the honorable mention list were Chicago Christian freshman outside hitter Quinn Grevengoed, Mother McAuley freshman setter Peyton Heatherly, Marist senior middle hitter Jessica Kurpeikis, Mother McAuley senior middle hitter Ellery Rees and Chicago Christian senior outside hitter Nikki Swiney.
Irish Hound
The Chicago Hounds rugby team, which makes its home at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, has made a flurry of moves this offseason, including signing Caolan Dooley, a utility back who was named an All-Ireland player in 2023 after helping Terenure College win a Division I title in the spring.