Postseason Roundup: Lincoln-Way East tops Marist in battle of volleyball powers
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer For the first time since 2014, no area boys volleyball advanced to the Elite Eight. In the past seven postseasons, either Marist, Sandburg, Brother Rice or St. Rita made it to the quarterfinals. This year, Marist was the last team standing, but dropped a wild 23-25, 25-22, 25-21 decision to…
Pro Soccer Report: Pugh continues hot run, helps Red Stars top OL Reign
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Despite missing the first two games of the season, Chicago Red Stars standout Mallory Pugh entered this week’s action in a three-way tie for second in goals scored in the NWSL. Pugh scored her fourth goal of the season to help the Red Stars (3-1-2) beat OL Reign, 1-0, in…
Baseball: Nazareth conquers Vikings for sectional crown
By Steve Millar Correspondent With many players back from a team that finished third in the state in Class 3A last season, senior outfielder Angelo Luna knew the Vikings were ready to win many games this year. The recipe for success, according to Luna, was simple. “We just practice a lot, trust in that and…
Baseball: Marist rolls to regional title, will face St. Laurence in sectional semifinals
By Steve Millar Correspondent Marist’s players are not happy with how the regular season went, but the playoffs present an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to make it a special year. “We know we’re good enough to make a run,” junior shortstop/pitcher Cal Sefcik said. “We definitely had our ups and downs…
‘The right gig’: Marist alum Renee Chimino to succeed Mary Pat Connolly
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Renee Chimino was like many people who thought Mary Pat Connolly was going to coach at Marist forever. But Connolly recently announced her retirement, and Chimino was hired to take her place last week. Chimino is a Marist graduate who played on Connolly’s best squad, the 2007-08 team that finished…
Postseason Roundup: Chicago Christian’s Jelderks is state high jump champ; Sandburg 3200 relay takes title
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer It was as easy as 1-2-3. Actually, it was more like it was easy as 1A-2A-3A. Two area individuals and a relay team emerged from the IHSA state boys track meet over the weekend as champions — one in each classification. Luke Jelderks of Chicago Christian won the Class 1A…
Pro Soccer Report: Pugh scores again in Red Stars draw; Fire II offense gets hot
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Chicago Red Stars coach Chris Petrucelli doesn’t mince words when it comes to describing star player Mallory Pugh. “Quite frankly, I think she’s the best player in the league,” the first-year coach said. “There’s nobody I would rather have, honestly. I’m lucky I get a chance to work with her…
Boys Volleyball Sectionals: Marist tops Br. Rice, will face LW East in sectional finals
By Randy Whalen Correspondent Michael Bos had just put down what was probably the biggest block of his high school career. It sent Brother Rice team into a frenzied celebration. The Crusaders hadn’t won the match, but they had moved to a third set against the top-ranked team in the state. Rice eventually fell short,…
Girls Soccer: De La Salle tops Bremen for program’s first regional title
By Steve Millar Correspondent De La Salle coach Carlos Nunez has seen his teams come up a bit short in the postseason repeatedly over the years. The Meteors had never won a regional championship in girls soccer. Until this year, that is. “I’ve been in every single one that we’ve lost in,” Nunez said. “We’ve…
Pro soccer report: Pugh tallies twice return in Red Stars’ win over Orlando
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Mallory Pugh gave a sample of what could be a big 2022 season when she scored four goals in the exhibition Challenge Cup series. But the Red Stars scoring threat missed the first two games of the NWSL season with an injury, and the team split decisions against Louisville and…
Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg takes 2nd at Bajenski tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer The Sandburg baseball team has had more downs than ups this season. But the Eagles finished the regular season on a strong note with a run to second place at the Steven M. Bajenski Memorial Tournament, which wrapped up May 21 at Ozinga Field in Crestwood. To get to the…
Track Postseason Report: Sandburg boys 3200 relay records nation’s third-best time in 2022
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer How good was the competition in the boys track Class 3A Lockport Sectional in the 3200 meter relay? Sandburg’s relay team of Brock Rice, Declan Tunney, Trent Anderson and Sean Marquardt ran a time of 7:42.42, which tied for the third-best time in the nation in 2022. And that was…
Oak Lawn community honors late beloved coach
Varsity baseball park renamed Skip Sullivan Field By Joe Boyle Friends and associates of Skip Sullivan said that he was always a ray of sunshine even on the dreariest of days. The sky was actually overcast over the Oak Lawn Community High School varsity baseball field on Tuesday afternoon. But those who knew Sullivan said…
‘Pope’ proves there is always hope: Donn Pall, who pitched six seasons for the White Sox, has high school number retired
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Donn Pall admits things were low-key when he played baseball at Evergreen Park High School. Expectations were not high. Having fun was more important. “There were no big games and we didn’t have a special team,” Pall said. “It was just fun to play with a bunch of my friends…
Pro Soccer Report: Fire II get first win; Red Stars fall to San Diego
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer When the soccer world woke up on May 15, the Chicago Fire II had not won an MLS NEXT Pro game and the Chicago Red Stars had not lost a regular-season game this season. That all changed late that afternoon. The Fire II won the first game in their short…
Baseball: Oak Lawn seeks to right ship as playoffs loom
By Steve Millar Correspondent Oak Lawn junior Jack McGlynn has been unable to do much of what he loves the most this season. A partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm has prevented him from pitching, but for seven innings early in the year. McGlynn was coming off an impressive sophomore season during…
Area Sports Roundup: Marist knocks off Glenbard West in battle of nationally ranked volleyball teams
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Power on power didn’t work the first time around. Power here and there, mixed in with some savvy soft shots, did the trick the second time. In a battle of two of the top 11 teams in the nation, according to the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association May 11 rankings,…
Postseason Roundup: Lyons water polo teams vault to state via sensational sectionals
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Anyone looking for thrills and close matches at the two Lyons water polo sectionals were out of luck. Anyone rooting for the hosts, however, had a ball during that 24-hour stretch May 13 and 14. The Lions boys crushed Riverside-Brookfield, 17-5, in the semifinals and St. Rita, 12-3, in the…
Road rage shooting upsets Oak Lawn officials
Village proclaims Skip Sullivan Day By Joe Boyle Rising crime has Oak Lawn officials concerned, especially after reports of a road rage shooting that took place in the village Tuesday night just before the village board meeting. According to Oak Lawn Police Chief Dan Vittorio, two men began shouting at each other from their vehicles while driving…
Pro Soccer Report: Cup runneth over — Red Stars v. Washington postponed because of exhibition tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer SeatGeek Stadium was empty the night of May 7. The NWSL game between Washington and the Chicago Red Stars that had been scheduled was postponed, and will be played at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 8. The reason? It wasn’t weather related. It was a cool but dry night. A decent…
College Report: Illini football names scholarship after former Orland top cop Tim McCarthy
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Many area residents know Tim McCarthy as the former longtime police chief of Orland Park. Those who know history know McCarthy was a U.S. Secret Service agent who took a bullet for President Ronald Reagan during John Hinckley Jr.’s assassination attempt in 1981. Not as well known is that McCarthy…
Area Sports Roundup: Lyons eyes back-to-back state gymnastics titles
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Time will tell if the Lyons boys gymnastics team can win its second straight IHSA state championship. But the Lions have taken a good first step in achieving that goal. Lyons won its own sectional May 5 with 149.3, nearly 10 points better than runner-up Naperville North. Senior Randy Yonan…
Girls Soccer: O’Conner, Alsheikh lead Sandburg in conference-clinching win over Lockport
By Steve Millar Correspondent As a four-year starter at defender, Erin O’Connor has been a rock on the back line for Sandburg her entire high school career. “She’s just so reliable,” Sandburg coach Tom Kubowicz said. “She’s a great leader back there, she’s dependable and she’s just so solid. We know what we’re going to…
Baseball: Brother Rice closing in on Catholic League Blue crown
By Steve Millar Correspondent Hitting in the seventh spot in the Brother Rice lineup, senior outfielder Nick Daugherty knows he will usually have a shot to drive in a run or two when he steps to the plate. “It’s great,” Daugherty said “I think every time I come up to bat there’s a runner at…
Argo girls track team wins Morton Invite
By Carol McGowan Argo High School’s girls varsity track team recently came in first place at the Girls Morton High School Varsity Indoor Track and Field Invite 2022. Argo head coach Eva Manzke said, “It was our last indoor meet and we won at the varsity level. We competed against some higher-level teams such as…
Rashid calls college demonstrators ‘student heroes’
. Rips Israel over “apartheid’ and ‘genocide’ . From staff reports The crisis in Palestine is taking a terrifying turn as the Israeli military is preparing to invade Rafah where more than one million Palestinians have been forced to after their homes in northern Gaza were destroyed, State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-21st) said in an…
Titanic memories haunt Worth Library
By Kelly White This year marks the 112th anniversary of the Titanic’s fateful ship crossing. Bringing the ship back to life was the Worth Public Library on April 15 with a program called, The Haunted Titanic, with local historian Bob Trzeciak, who walked patrons through the history, the lasting impact, and why it has remained…
Spring cleanup day in Bridgeview set for Saturday
By Steve Metsch Any Bridgeview resident with clutter to clear will be busy Friday night, May 10. That’s when they will be putting all kinds of things on the parkway as the village prepares for its annual spring cleanup day set for Saturday, May 11. All items must be at the curb by 6 a.m.…
Family of man killed in McCook struggling with his absence
By Steve Metsch On what would have been his 37th birthday, the family of Morales Ricardo Lopez gathered at his grave in Evergreen Park Cemetery. Lopez, of Blue Island, was gunned down in McCook early Feb. 17, leaving behind a widow and three children. His family, other relatives and friends gathered at his grave on…
Southwest Symphony presents ‘American Song Book’
From staff reports Southwest Symphony Orchestra will perform “The American Song Book” this weekend at Trinity College in Palos Heights. The performance will feature Grammy nominated Helen Welch under the direction of David Crane at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Trinity Christian College’s Ozinga Auditorium. Welch will perform some of America’s best loved classics. The evening…
Shoppers welcome back Evergreen Park Farmers Market
By Joe Boyle Rain was forecast for the morning of May 2, but nothing could dampen the spirits of customers who dropped by the Evergreen Park Farmers Market. The large crowd that attended were instead greeted with mostly sunny skies. Beth Novotney, director of the Evergreen Park Office of Citizen Services that oversees the market,…
Evergreen Park recognizes police for valor
By Joe Boyle The Evergreen Park police have been cited for valor after several key arrests that occurred the past couple of months. Police Chief Michael Saunders requested commendations for the officers during the Evergreen Park Village Board meeting Monday night. Mayor Kelly Burke and the board applauded the efforts of the force. Police were…
Hickory Hills police bid adieu and say welcome
By Nuha Abdessalam The Hickory Hills Police Department bid a fond farewell to Lieutenant Glenn Tienstra and welcomed new Officer Daniel Balzhiser. On a memorable Thursday evening, April 25, city hall was filled with the warmth of community family, friends, officers, and council members, all gathered to joyfully celebrate Officer Balzhiser and respectfully commemorate Lieutenant…
Mother Mac unveils new lights and scoreboard
By Kelly White Across the nation, women’s sports are on the rise in terms of viewership, enthusiasm, sponsorship and excitement. Mother McAuley is no stranger to the impact that women’s athletics has on the development of an individual, strengthening of a team and key skills and attributes developed along the way. South Side community partners…
Cicadas in the park in Palos Park
By Kelly White Cicadas are coming and the Village of Palos Park is ready. The village hosted its 31st annual Arbor Day Celebration on Sunday, May 5, themed, “The Wonder of Trees” at The Center in the Lodge, 12700 Southwest Highway, with featured speaker, Tricia Bethke of The Morton Arboretum who presented, “Cicadas in the…
Palos Heights SD 128 sees enrollment boom
By Kelly White Over the past few years, Palos Heights School District 128 has experienced an explosive growth among incoming students. There has been a significant increase particularly at Indian Hill Early Learning Center, 12800 S. Austin Ave. Chippewa Elementary School, 12425 S. Austin Ave; Navajo Elementary School, 12401 S. Oak Park Ave; and Independence…
Comings & Goings: Orange’s Pancake House now open in Palos Heights
By Kelly White Palos Heights is the home of a popular new breakfast café. Orange’s Pancake House, 11845 Southwest Highway, held a ribbon-cutting event on April 18. Owners, Elvia Briones, of Virgina, and Fernando Cruz, of Evergreen Park, said they were very excited to be in the heart of the Palos Heights community. “I dreamed…