Oak Lawn’s Christine Leverenz won two gold medals in swimming to lead a successful contingent of area athletes at the Special Olympics USA Games in late June in Minnesota.
Leverenz won gold in the 50-yard backstroke and 50 breaststroke while adding a silver medal in the 4×50 medley relay.
Team Illinois Aces took a silver medal in the Unified Sports Volleyball tournament.
Oak Lawn’s Mia DiGiacomo, Orland Park’s Todd Mallo, Palos Hills’ Becca Gehle and Oak Lawn’s Marium Wahid were on that squad.
“It was an incredible experience competing on a national stage,” Mallo said. “Having the opportunity to meet and play alongside athletes from across the country was truly unforgettable.”
Kathy Sievers, who trains out of the Oak Lawn Park District Racquet Center, coached the Illinois gymnastics team which won seven gold medals.
Coyotes back to state
The Palos Coyotes Post 1993 are back in the American Legion baseball state tourney for the third straight year after winning the 2nd Division title July 18 and 19 in Carol Stream.
Two teams from each division qualify for the eight-team finals and third-seeded Palos clinched the district’s top seed June 18 with an 8-0 win over the top-seeded Wheaton/Carol Stream Post 76 Thunder. Thomas Sosinski struck out nine in the complete-game victory. Peyton Panozzo homered and drove in three runs, and Brett Tucker added three hits.
The Thunder came out of the losers bracket July 19 and beat the Coyotes 8-7 on a walkoff home run. But Palos (15-11) roared back with an 18-6 win over the Thunder to claim the disrict title.
Grady Garofalo had four hits, including two triples, and drove in four runs in the win. Brody Jeffers had a bases-loaded triple in the seventh.
Palos was scheduled to open state-tournament play on July 22. The double-elimination tournament is scheduled to finish up July 26 in Aviston, which is east of St. Louis.
The Coyotes have taken third in the state two straight years.
O’Connor hangs it up
St. Rita grad Pat O’Connor wrapped up a nine-year NFL career when he announced his retirement on July 16.
The 32-year-old defensive lineman was drafted in the seventh round by Detroit in 2017. After he was released, he spent seven years with Tampa Bay and two years with Detroit.
He won a Super Bowl with the Bucs. O’Connor, 32, played in 88 NFL games and had 52 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Fire report
Home fans are going to have to wait to see new Chicago Fire signee Robert Lewandowski.
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires overtook Soldier Field on July 16 and the Fire’s game with Vancouver was postponed to Oct. 6.
The Fire’s next scheduled home game is Aug. 1 against Charlotte.
The Fire II had a five-game unbeaten streak stopped with a 3-2 loss to Legacy FC on July 18 in an MLS NEXT Pro match in North Carolina.
Jason Shokalook and Robert Turdean scored for the Fire (9-3-6), who visit Caroline Core FC 6:30 p.m. on July 25.
Sky facility delayed
The Chicago Sky will not be able to move into their new practice facility in Bedford Park this season as officials said it would not be ready until November.
There have been weather and construction problems for the 80,000-square-foot, $60-million project, which broke ground in October 2024.