Posts by Jeff Vorva
Nazareth tops Joliet Catholic for historic title win
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth football coach Tim Racki was bummed out. The Roadrunners had completed an historic season by defeating Joliet Catholic for the IHSA Class 5A championship, becoming the first team in IHSA history to enter the playoffs 4-5 and win a state title. They are also the first team to win…
Read MoreOrland Park uses home-rule to avoid state law on paid leave
By Jeff Vorva The Village of Orland Park has decided not to follow a state mandate requiring paid leave for most workers in Illinois. The village board on Nov. 20 approved a lengthy ordinance that basically says it will opt out of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act that takes effect on January 1.…
Read MoreArea Sports Roundup | Sandburg grad, former Bears OL Schofield signs with Lions
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Michael Schofield got the best of both worlds. On one hand, the former Sandburg and Michigan star offensive lineman wanted to squeeze out one more NFL season – his 10th – in 2023. When he hadn’t signed with team by August, he worked at Sandburg as a volunteer football coach…
Read MoreCollege Roundup | Richards grad opens and closes for Moraine Valley
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Former Richards standout Deniza Fuentes has proven she can open and close games. The 5-foot-5 freshman guard not only opened things up on Nov. 16 in a nonconference game against the College of DuPage, she added a steal at the end of the game to seal a thrilling 63-61 road…
Read MoreGirls Basketball | Big day for Reavis, Lopez
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer It was a big day for the Reavis girls basketball team. It was an even bigger day for Isabel Lopez. The Rams crushed Bremen, 51-29, on Nov. 18 to claim the title of the inaugural Chicago Christian Thanksgiving Tournament in Palos Heights. Lopez, Lilly Hernandez and Ella Frixen were named…
Read MoreOrland Park police station named in McCarthy’s honor
By Jeff Vorva Tim McCarthy will always be a part of American history for taking a bullet for President Ronald Reagan in 1981 as a member of the Secret Service. Less known to the rest of the nation was his service to Orland Park as police chief for 26 years. On Oct. 23, he was…
Read MoreLiving Palos Park mayors honor 100-year-old Lager
By Jeff Vorva History was made at the Palos Park Village Council meeting when six of the living mayors in town gathered at the Kaptur Center. This moment may not happen again. It was the first time all six where together and they were at the Oct. 23 meeting to honor former mayor Willard Lager,…
Read MoreRed Stars Review | Swanson injury hurt season
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Was the Chicago Red Stars season doomed on April 8 in Austin, Texas? In a game they didn’t even play in? That’s when and where super-scorer Mallory Swanson, playing for the U.S. national team in a friendly against Ireland, was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after suffering a…
Read MoreArea Sports Roundup | Sandburg’s running Giblins nearly produce twin titles
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer There were almost twin champions at the two Class 3A Marist Regional cross country meets. Literally. Sandburg senior Grant Giblin won the boys race on Oct. 21 in 15:16.53 on the 2.98-mile course at Midlothian Meadows, finishing more than eight seconds ahead of the next competitor. Giblin’s championship effort helped…
Read MoreGirls State Tennis | Sisters from Sandburg take 2nd in doubles; Marist’s Klooster finishes 6th
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Orland Park is not known as a hotbed of tennis. But at the 2023 IHSA girls tennis state tournament, three players from the village made a lot of noise. The sister doubles team of Maia and Estela Loureiro finished second in the Class 2A state finals, held Oct. 19-21 at…
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