Local Sports News
Sandburg’s touchdown pass in final minute sinks Lincoln-Way Central
By Mike Walsh Sandburg coach Troy McAllister faced a decision in a Week 6 Southwest Suburban crossover game at Lincoln-Way Central. In reality, it wasn’t much of a choice: Let your best athletes make a play. And they did. In the Eagles’ 28-27 victory over Lincoln-Way Central, Charlie Snoreck caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from…
Myles and Myles to go: Mitchell, Richards race past Shepard
By Mike Walsh Have a senior season, Myles Mitchell. The versatile running back delivered another dominant performance in Week 6 as Richards shut out Shepard 21-0 in a South Suburban Red game in Palos Heights. Mitchell ran 25 times for 233 yards, including touchdowns of 91 and 9 yards. The North Dakota State recruit also…
Football notebook: New Solorio coach eyes turnaround
By Mike Clark After eight years away from football, Jonathan Jauregui was ready to get back in the game. Already working at Solorio, he joined the Sun Warriors’ coaching staff as defensive coordinator last year. This season, he’s the head coach and Solorio is off to a 4-2 start after getting past host Back of…
Kamarion and Kavarion McCarter power Kennedy past Ag. Science
By Mike Clark Things are changing for Kennedy football, and the McCarter brothers are among those making it happen. In one of the biggest games in program history, the Crusaders knocked off Ag. Science 17-8 in Week 6 at Gately Stadium. That all but clinched the Public League White Southwest title for Kennedy (5-1, 3-0),…
Area sports roundup: Cougars fall to national power; area golfers swing to sectionals
By Jeff Vorva St. Xavier has proven to be a solid top-15 football team in the country in NAIA play, but the Cougars need a little more work when playing with top-5 opponents. Cougars coach Mike Feminis didn’t sugarcoat things when he said his team took “a good old-fashioned butt whipping from an outstanding team,”…
Nazareth’s ground game dominates vs. St. Rita
By Mike Walsh Quarterback Logan Malachuk and the other skill players at Nazareth draw most of the attention and deservedly so. After all, the Roadrunners have piled up 206 points through the first six games of the season, a 34.3 average. But after Nazareth’s 45-21 CCL/ESCC Green victory at St. Rita in Week 6, it…
Late field goal lifts Brother Rice past Mount Carmel
By Mike Walsh All Brother Rice kicker Brady Gomez wanted was a chance at redemption. He got it. Gomez kicked a 19-yard field goal on the final play of the game to lift the Crusaders past visiting Mount Carmel 16-13 in a Week 6 CCL/ESCC Blue showdown. Gomez had missed a 28-yard field goal in…
Mike Walsh’s Football Top 10, Week 7
1. MARIST (5-1) Last week: Beat Providence 28-7 This week: at St. Ignatius Comment: Running back John McAuliffe and quarterback Jacob Ritter accounted for two TDs each in a strong victory over Providence. 2. LYONS (6-0) Last week: Beat Oak Park-River Forest 49-14 This week: at Downers Grove North Comment: West Suburban Silver supremacy on…
Girls volleyball roundup: Mother McAuley beats Marist to take third in ASICS
By Jeff Vorva Mother McAuley’s chance for a three-peat of winning the ASICS Challenge was halted in the semifinals. But the third-place match was no disappointment. The host Mighty Macs took third in the tournament by beating rival Marist for the second time in 10 days, 25-20, 25-19 on Oct. 5. The two teams met…
Cross country: Solorio’s unique venue a hit with runners
By Mike Walsh Come over the bridge spanning the west branch of the lagoon at the Marquette Park Golf Course on the way from the ninth green and make a left. While making the final kick down the left side of the No. 1 hole, there are trees on the left that have leaves beginning…
K.J. Morris kick-starts Brother Rice in romp past St. Patrick
As beginnings go, it’s tough to top the one that K.J. Morris provided his Brother Rice teammates. On the opening kickoff of the Crusaders’ 48-0 CCL/ESCC crossover victory over St. Patrick at Triton College in Week 5, Morris sprinted 95 yards for a touchdown. For an encore, Morris returned a punt 45 yards for a…
North Dakota State commit Myles Mitchell, Richards race past Argo
Fans at Friday night’s South Suburban Red matchup between Richards and Argo hoping to see running back Myles Mitchell at his best were not disappointed. Mitchell powered the Bulldogs to an impressive 41-0 victory in Summit, carrying 29 times for 191 yards and five touchdowns. The North Dakota State commit found the end zone on…
Vanderbilt commit Jack Elliott, Mount Carmel cruise by Benet
Through the first five games of the season, Mount Carmel has piled up 215 points for an average of 43 points per game. One of the primary reasons why the Caravan have been so successful thus far is the play of senior quarterback Jack Elliott. In guiding Mount Carmel to a 48-13 Week 5 CCL/ESCC…
Cornell commit John McAuliffe, Marist get past IC Catholic
Scoring points hasn’t been a problem this season for Marist. That trend continued in Week 5 as the Redhawks traveled to Elmhurst and defeated IC Catholic 34-26 in a CCL/ESCC crossover. Through the first five games of the season, Marist, which improved to 4-1 overall, tallied 148 points, good enough for an average of 29.6…
‘Pinky’ power: Jonathan Castro leads Kennedy past Carver
When Jonathan Castro first went out for football at Kennedy, no one knew who he was. So his new teammates gave him a nickname. “Honestly, I just love the color pink,” the Crusaders senior said. “So I came in sophomore year and no one really knew my name. They saw I had a pink mouthguard, pink…
Mike Walsh’s Football Top 10, Week 6
1. MOUNT CARMEL (4-1) Last week: Beat Benet 48-13 This week: at Brother Rice Comment: QB Jack Elliott continues to excel with four total TDs vs. Redwings. 2. MARIST (4-1) Last week: Beat IC Catholic 34-26 This week: vs. Providence Comment: John McAuliffe rushes for 211 yards and four TDs in impressive road win. 3.…
Led by Justin Buckner and James Kingsbury, St. Rita defense stingy again vs. Notre Dame
If St. Rita is to achieve its goals this season of winning the CCL/ESCC Green and making a deep run into the state playoffs, its defense will need to play well. In a Week 5 42-0 CCL/ESCC crossover victory over visiting Notre Dame, the Mustangs did just that, limiting the Dons to just 53 yards…
Cam Tryon, Noah Vaughn and Anthony Loughran each score 2 TDs as Shepard tops Evergreen Park for fourth straight win
Whether playing on offense or defense, Shepard senior Cam Tryon’s objective is to make game-changing plays. Tryon made the most of his opportunities and did exactly that in the Astros’ battle against Evergreen Park in Week 5, parlaying three touches into two touchdowns in a 40-0 win over the host Mustangs in South Suburban Red…
Twin Bond Never Dies: Darius Townsel Plays Every Down for His Slain Brother
Darius Townsel, a junior at Curie High School, grew up playing football in the backyard with his twin brother, Demetrius Jr. Those carefree days, filled with laughter and competition, remain some of Darius’s fondest memories. “I remember this one time, he made me cry,” Darius said with a grin after the Condors’ 52-8 win against…
Joliet Catholic forces tie on final play of regulation, beats Marist in 2 OT
There were a lot of bowed heads in Marist’s post-game huddle after its Week 4 loss to Joliet Catholic. A few of them were shaking, trying to comprehend a stunning reversal of fortune. A few of them, unbowed, were looking skyward — perhaps for the answer to how the RedHawks could surrender a 10-point fourth-quarter…
Sandburg scores early, ‘D’ hangs tough to top Lincoln-Way West for third straight victory
Sandburg junior running back Luke Basiorka took the handoff off the right side and saw a lot of green in front of him. He burst through the hole and past a confused defensive back, and 89 yards later he was in the end zone celebrating with his teammates as the Eagles stretched their lead over…
Nazareth bounces back from first loss of season with shutout of IC Catholic
Nazareth has gotten off to slow starts each of the past two seasons, but in both years went on to win IHSA Class 5A state championships. Roadrunners coach Tim Racki challenged his Roadrunners to start the year strong by winning games earlier in the year. “Making history for being one of the worst teams in…
College Football | Saint Xavier triumphs after traumatic week
The Saint Xavier football team capped off a horrific week with a huge victory. Mason Santiago, a Cougars sophomore linebacker, was one of two men who died Sept. 15 in an early-morning crash on Interstate 80 in Tinley Park. Dealing with the grief of the loss of Santiago, a New Lenox resident and Providence graduate,…
St. Laurence makes history with title at Spartan Classic
Maeve McNamara was so excited. She couldn’t wait to shout it out to the world. “We made history!” she yelled. The St. Laurence senior opposite hitters and her teammates were pumped up after winning the Spartan Classic on Sept. 21 by beating Lincoln-Way West 25-23, 25-14 in Oak Lawn. The Vikings have won regional and…
A whole new ballgame | Area well-represented in inaugural girls flag football season
The inaugural Illinois High School Association girls flag football season is in full swing and is providing a new avenue for female athletes across the state. With flag football becoming an Olympic sport in 2028, there is speculation its popularity will soar over the next several years. Girls flag football has drawn enough interest from…
Local News
Lake Katherine pays tribute to endangered Monarchs
The ever-popular Monarch made its appearance once again at Lake Katherine Nature Center & Botanical Gardens during a weekend long, Monarch Celebration. The 31st annual Monarch Celebration honored the exquisite Monarch, right at the nature center, 7402 Lake Katherine Drive, Palos Heights, and was held on September 21 and September 22. Judy Splayt, of Tinley…
‘Selma’s Sweets Run 4 Peace’ 5K at Moraine Valley Community College
Selma’s Sweets Run 4 Peace 5k at Moraine Valley Community College gathered over 1,000 attendees for Palestine Child Relief Fund. “When I think about PCRF’s first inauguration nearly 11 years ago, we had a great group by far, but this is the largest group I’ve seen attend this event. Congratulations,” said Mayor Gerald Bennett. Runners…
Pets rule at Orland Township’s Palooza
In 2010, Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady, with the help of his own family, expanded the Orland Township Food Pantry and created the Orland Township Pet Pantry. He called it, “Crashy’s Closet,” which was named after O’Grady’s beloved rescue cat. Today, “Crashy’s Closet” has helped many residents ease the burden of owning a pet, maintaining…
Starbucks opens on former vacant lot in West Lawn
A new Starbucks opened last week in Chicago’s West Lawn community on a lot that had been vacant for 40 years. Groundbreaking for the newest Starbucks took place in March at 6413 S. Cicero Ave. and was led by Mayor Brandon Johnson and 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn. The lot was a former gas station…
Comings & Goings: Fogo de Chao coming to Orland Park
Fogo de Chao, the Brazilian steak house known for servers carrying slabs of meat on long skewers from table to table, announced last week that it had signed a lease to open a new restaurant in Orland Park. The new location at 15407 S. LaGrange Road would be the chain’s fifth Chicagoland restaurant. The 6,791-square-foot…
Women’s social group launches voting initiative in Summit
A group of women from Summit called Nubian 9, better known as N9, are stepping up to ensure their community’s voice is heard at the ballot box. The social group of nine long-time childhood friends from the Summit-Argo community is committed to fostering sisterhood, social impact and sensational living (living life to the fullest). In…
Lyons Township Assessor outreach event in Summit recovers $36,000 for taxpayers
An outreach event sponsored by the Lyons Township Assessor’s office at the Summit Park District recovered more than $36,000 for taxpayers. Nearly 200 Summit residents concerned about the recent jump in Cook County assessments attended the August 29 outreach. Assessor Patrick Hynes gave a brief presentation about the local property tax landscape, the recent reassessment, and tips…
Local physician surpasses 500th robotic surgery at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital
Northwestern Medicine Palos Heights Hospital is celebrating an exciting milestone for one of its surgeons. Dr. Samer Rajjoub, a surgeon at Palos Hospital, recently celebrated his 500th robotic surgery with state-of-the-art da Vinci robots that allow surgeons to perform complex minimally invasive procedures with more precision, often leading to less pain for the patient post-surgery…
Lyons High School junior shines in pageantry, animal advocacy
Sophia Aviles, a junior at Lyons Township High School, earned a national honor that propels her closer to realizing her dreams in pageantry, fashion modeling and animal welfare advocacy. The 16-year-old from La Grange Park enjoys photography, reading in the park, and volunteering at a local veterinary clinic. Recently, she placed as the second runner-up…
A Symphony of Dreams: Sisters open music school in Palos Hills
Two sisters are aiming to bring the power of music to the southwest suburbs. Kasia Szczech-Dlugosz and her younger sister, Karolina Szczech, opened the Magical Keys Institute of Music at 7840 W. 103rd St., Palos Hills, about three weeks ago. They celebrated with a grand opening on Thursday, Sept. 26, to greet the community and…
