Panthers shake off cobwebs, corral Warriors with pressure
The opening night of competition following a trip to the state finals couldn't have gone any better for Oswego, as the Panthers used their experience and a bit of patience to overcome an early 10-point deficit and turn it into a 20-point romp over Waubonsie Valley in the Hoops For Healing Tournament on Monday night in Oswego.

Eagles top Titans in quick turnaround
It had been only two days since the Aurora Christian and IMSA girls basketball teams played each other, but the Eagles came out on top both times. On Monday, the host Eagles beat the Titans 40-25 in a nonconference contest fueled by Aurora Christian's lone senior, Naomi Haas, who led all scorers with 12 points.

Huskies keep shorthanded Cadets at arm's length
Naperville North kept experimenting on opening night, whether it was sitting all five starters at one point in the second quarter or mixing its defensive looks to keep Marmion off-balance. That's the whole point of these holiday-week tournaments, and it worked in Monday's 72-52 victory in Naperville, the official beginning of the Hoops for Healing event and Jeff Powers' run as Naperville North head coach.

A powerhouse foundation
When Marmion senior Pat Greco set foot in the Cadets' wrestling room four years ago, it was evident that they were still a new program.

Hester sets the pace for Foxes
Yorkville’s girls cross country team strode into school history earlier this month, and Ali Hester was a big reason why. Led by the sophomore’s fifth-place finish at the Class 2A state meet, the Foxes took second as a team — capturing the program’s first cross country trophy.

A no-win situation
The Bears were going to let their play speak for themselves after turning down NBC for pregame interviews last week.

Spotlight on full blast
Big games and big stages beckon. Area hoops fans will be treated to plenty of high-profile games featuring local teams this winter, with East and West Aurora leading the way.

Hail to four-time champs
For a few moments on Sunday afternoon, the color scheme at Ace Hardware on West Galena Boulevard in Aurora changed from red to blue. The change came in celebration of Rosary High School's fourth consecutive state swimming championship, won the day before.

ND misses golden chance to get out of purgatory

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis held his usual news conference Sunday alone and with no news about his future employment status. Weis said he and Swarbrick have not had any such meeting. They saw each other only briefly in the locker room Saturday, after Notre Dame dropped to 6-5 with a 33-30 home loss in overtime to Connecticut (5-5).

A physical education
Few teams can match the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets when it comes to having multiple long, athletic big men, but you can bet other teams will try to copy the game plan the Lakers and Nuggets successfully used to produce blowout wins against the Bulls in the last two games.

Four-peat complete for Rosary swimmers
Senior Mackenzie Powers believes that in addition to talent and hard work, attitude is a big reason why Rosary has made it a habit of winning the IHSA girls state swimming championship. The Beads took their fourth straight title Saturday, easily outdistancing the competition with 177 points to 129 for second-place host New Trier. Fenwick won third place.

Batavia presses its way to title
In a Hoop Happenings tournament semifinal win over Elmwood Park, Batavia senior Sara Fruendt was off her game, hobbled from a quadricep injury. It was Batavia's fullcourt press that was the difference in the win.

Looking better than ever
Here's a scary thought for rival Upstate Eight Conference basketball coaches: He's back and he's better. Much better. Beacon-News Player of the Year Ryan Boatright returns for his junior year at point guard for East Aurora after averaging 17.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for last year's 20-8 team.

Area roundup: Oswego girls defeat Elgin
Brittany Collier poured in 22 points and teammate Samiya Wright added 15 as the Panthers won at the Geneva Thanksgiving Tournament.

Bears' defense needs to make a stand
Jay Cutler seems to have found a way to keep his bad games from following one another, and while he has struggled in prime time, none of his stinkers have come at Soldier Field.

Streaky Bulls fade away
Basketball is a game of runs and momentum swings, but the Bulls and Denver Nuggets took it to ridiculous extremes Saturday night in the Pepsi Center. After controlling much of the first half and leading by 14 points, the Bulls fell apart in the fourth quarter in suffering a 112-93 loss.

No Khabibulin helps
That first matchup between Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet -- the Blackhawks' well-paid goaltending tandem of last season -- still hasn't materialized. Only Huet played Saturday as the Hawks took a 5-2 win over Khabibulin's Edmonton Oilers in the second game of their six-game road trip. The Hawks are 2-0 on their journey, which resumes tonight at Vancouver.

Weber to McCamey: Box out or you'll sit

CHAMPAIGN -- Now the season officially has started at Illinois: Bruce Weber brought out his first message hook for enigmatic playmaker Demetri McCamey in No. 23 Illinois' 94-48 rout of Presbyterian on Saturday.

OHIO 38, NIU 31: Huskies rally twice but still fall short

ATHENS, Ohio -- It looked like all Northern Illinois' potent offense needed was one final at-bat to pull off a come-from-behind victory in a wild-and-wooly affair with Ohio on Saturday. But the Huskies failed twice in the final five minutes to seal their fate in a 38-31 loss in a Mid-American Conference crossover.

Notre Dame, Weis suffer devastating blow
Arms locked with his players, emotions anything but in check, Charlie Weis walked onto the field at Notre Dame Stadium for what certainly will be the last time as Irish coach. ''Just us being behind coach Weis 110 percent,'' quarterback and captain Jimmy Clausen said of the idea he and other team leaders devised.

Bulldogs press on to tourney final
Elmwood Park had no answer for the Bulldogs' 3-1-1 pressure or its own shooting woes as Batavia picked up a 57-23 victory Friday at the Hoop Happenings tournament at IMSA.

Blackhawks' post formidable front line
Talk about West Aurora basketball this season has to start -- but won't end -- with sophomore Juwan Starks. "He's only the second freshman ever to make the (DuPage Valley) all-conference team," veteran coach Gordie Kerkman said.

Salmons' shooting hand heating up
DENVER -- After busting out for 41 points on 16-for-31 shooting in the first two games of the road trip, John Salmons has raised his average to 14 points and his shooting percentage to .357.

NIU's mission: Deny Ohio's freedom of choice
Jerry Kill's Northern Illinois defense will do its best to disarm Ohio University and its "pistol" offense in today's matchup between the Mid-American Conference's two second-place teams.

Title in sight for Rosary
At the start of the girls swimming and diving season, Rosary coach Bill Schalz simply said of his Beads, "This is a good group." That may have been an understatement, considering Rosary is again the favorite at this year's state meet, which takes place today and Saturday at New Trier High School in Winnetka.

Warriors hope arrow is pointing up
The 2008-09 Waubonsie Valley Warriors finished with a loss to Plainfield North in a regional semifinal, which dropped their overall record to 14-14. That was after wrapping up the Upstate Eight Conference season with a 5-5 mark.

Tomcats fastbreak past Knights
East Aurora coach Bill Anderson is trying to work his offense. That offense was out of sync, at times operating at far too fast a pace, as the Tomcats hosted Kaneland on Thursday night.

Focus on defense pays off for Panthers
The Oswego girls basketball team would like to think defense is its No. 1 priority. However, if a lot of offense happens, that's OK too. For the second time this week, the Panthers scored 60 or more points, this time against Plainfield South.

Area roundup
A roundup of area high school results.

Veteran players set to lead Spartans
Last year, Aurora University men's basketball coach James Lancaster spent less time thinking about win totals and more about improving as the season went on. It was kind of a necessity as two frontcourt stars had graduated and Lancaster unveiled a more guard-oriented offense.

Youth roundup
A roundup of youth sports activities and results.

Briefs: Fox and Turkey races
The Fox River Trail Runners and Batavia Accelerators are hosting the 13th annual Fox and Turkey 4 Mile and Youth Mile Race on Nov. 26.

Five-goal second period fuels Hawks' rout of Flames
The Blackhawks got their six-game road trip off to a rousing start Thursday night, crushing the Calgary Flames 7-1 in a game that was all but decided after the second period.

Silent Bears ready to put up
It's time to put up, so the Bears are going to shut up when it comes to the NBC pregame show Sunday night. That's the message coach Lovie Smith delivered.

Vikings' dominance started with Wicinski on the outside
The kid may have been a thorn in her side the last four years, but Lori Trippi-Payne appreciates talent, even if it's on the other side of the net. "Good choice," was the first reaction of the veteran Batavia volleyball coach upon learning that Geneva standout Lauren Wicinski was named The Beacon-News' Player of the Year.

Cadets count on their depth
Rashon Burno likes to keep things in perspective, and he doesn't like to look too far ahead. So the first thing on the Marmion basketball coach's mind is the upcoming holiday tournament at Naperville North.

Beacon-News 2009 All-Area Volleyball Team
The Beacon-News 2009 All-Area Volleyball Team:

Spartans enter season as favorites
The Aurora University women's basketball program has shown steady improvement over the first four years of coach Michelle Roof's tenure, and it looks like people are beginning to notice.

Area roundup
A roundup of local results.

SUN-TIMES EXCLUSIVE Bears put NBC on mute

In a sign of how difficult things have become in the Bears' world, the beleaguered team stunned a network giant Wednesday by rejecting NBC's request for prime-time access to coach Lovie Smith, quarterback Jay Cutler and general manager Jerry Angelo.

Passive Rose has to get aggressive
Point guard Derrick Rose is so disgusted with his play, he could pull his hair out. Check that. He apparently will take the opposite approach. ''I probably won't get a haircut,'' he said Wednesday after practice at USC's Galen Center.

And away they go: Trip presents stiff test

The big contract extensions apparently coming soon to Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith could be a distraction to the Blackhawks as they begin a six-game trip tonight against the Calgary Flames. None of the players want that.

Homecoming for Wisconsin QB

Prophetically -- as seam-gazing seers from Amos Alonzo Stagg to Kirk Herbstreit have understood the game's mystic -- the parents met at a sign-up desk for a touch-football league.

Daley reappoints nephew to sports agency

Mayor Daley on Wednesday re-appointed his nephew and former campaign finance chief to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority mapping plans for a retail development near U.S. Cellular Field.

Growth potential
They might be giants. It's an easy pun to make regarding the 2009-10 Batavia Bulldogs, as 10 players on the 15-man roster stand at least 6 feet 3 inches tall, while only two (Sam Shump and Braden Hrack) check in under 6 feet. But it has more to do with the team's potential. The Bulldogs finished 19-8 last year and lost in a regional final to Neuqua Valley, a team that seems to grow 6-4 swingmen on trees. This year the Bulldogs return just two starters in Ricky Clopton and Adam LeTourneau but could wind up one of the top teams in a competitive Western Sun Conference.

Veterans lead the way for Royals
Rosary senior basketball players Katie Petrando, Jordan Rettig and Lane Richmond are entering their fourth varsity season together, and after Tuesday's 50-32 non-conference win over Kaneland, they have led the Royals to a quick 2-0 start before beginning play Saturday at the Geneva Tournament against Antioch.

Area roundup: Grayslake North edges Oswego East
Jourdan Jackson scored 28 points and added 10 rebounds as the Wolves lost their opening game Monday at the Mundelein tournament.

Hey, Bears, running is passé
Mike Mulligan: Leave the power running game on the bus and hand the ball to Jay Cutler. That's the best solution for the Bears with seven games left in a fast-fading season. Wide-open passing games are flourishing around the league, and the Bears need to get on board. Their insistence on fitting Cutler into an offensive philosophy, instead of just letting him take over, is preventing them from joining the fun. Doubt it?

Illini's Paul keeps up good work
It might be true, as coach Bruce Weber says, that Illinois' starting five isn't set. But the way things are going, his two precocious freshmen, Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson, are looking rock-solid.

Only one direction for Weis: 'Full speed ahead'
By the time Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis held his weekly news conference Tuesday, he had lost neither his job, nor his sense of humor. Weis was asked if he believed a decision had been made by the ND powers that be about his future.

SPORTS WIRE: Kansas City's Greinke captures AL Cy Young

Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke was named the American League Cy Young Award winner on Tuesday.

Steelers fan: Bears fan poisoned me

A Pittsburgh man said he's gone blind and lost some of his memory since he accepted a drink from a Chicago Bears fan in a Michigan Avenue bar following the team's victory over the Steelers.

Why no miniature golf on Golf Channel?

These are 23 (more) facts, tried and true, about the widening world of sports TV:

Scroggins to set Champs target

Mike Scroggins played ''follow the leader'' when he succeeded Norm Duke as U.S. Open champion in April.

Faith in the script
A talented and hard-working senior class provided first-year Geneva coach Phil Ralston with a heck of an opening act last year: a share of the Western Sun Conference championship, two holiday tournament titles and more than 20 victories before a loss to Batavia in a regional semifinal.

Harris: Bears have no room for error
So it has come to this: We're in mid-November, and the Bears are talking about running the table. Sitting at 4-5 after losing four of their last five games, the Bears probably would have a good shot at the postseason if they went 6-1 down the stretch. But the odds of that happening in a season that seems to be spinning out of control are not good.

Asian carp pose serious threat to food chain
Just think of the alien species which we now consider a natural part of our landscape, never giving them another thought, as if they were always there. Accepting them along with our native species.

Area roundup
A roundup of area results.

A lot not right with writers' vote
Years from now, no one will care that Gordon Beckham was fifth in the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year voting. He deserved to be runner-up, though in the scheme of things, you can ask teammate Alexei Ramirez how much that honor is treasured two years into your big-league career.

Frosh stars Paul, Richardson take charge
Illinois will only be playing its second game when it takes on Northern Illinois tonight. But a pattern already is emerging with Bruce Weber's best recruiting class: When it comes to taking charge, you can't tell the freshmen from the juniors without a scorecard.

How ya like Wie now?
Michelle Wie's critics said she didn't know how to win. They said she might never win. They said she didn't deserve the acclaim, fame or endorsements. What are they going to say now?

Road trip challenge to Hawks

About all the Blackhawks did Monday was send Bryan Bickell back to Rockford again and savor their seven-game winning streak at the United Center. After a day off the ice, they return to practice today at Johnny's Ice House.

SPORTS WIRE: Warriors deal Jackson to Bobcats

The Golden State Warriors found a home for disgruntled swingman Stephen Jackson on Monday, trading him to the Charlotte Bobcats in a four-player deal. The Bobcats sent shooting guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic to the Warriors for Jackson and guard Acie Law.

Family withdraws plans for softball complex
The concept of a local "Field of Dreams" has struck out in Somonauk.
The Haas family had approached Adams Township in LaSalle County, along with county officials, with the idea of grouping together several softball fields on their property southwest of Somonauk. They also suggested creating a softball hall of fame.

Starting five return for Rosary
When the buzzer sounded on Rosary’s 2008-09 season, the Royals were far from where they expected to be. Despite the early postseason exit a year ago, expectations are higher this year — mainly because of returning senior starters.

Hawks' comeback win makes it 7 straight at home
The Blackhawks have had some big wins in the first six weeks, but the 4-3 overtime victory Sunday over the San Jose Sharks was a real eye-opener. The Hawks overcame a two-goal deficit against the best team in the Western Conference in the last game of a four-game homestand.

Waubonsie girls optimistic about season
Waubonsie Valley sophomore Keiera Ray and her new coach Kim Connell agree that Ray is at about “75 percent back” from the torn ACL that sidelined Ray late last season. Both Ray and Connell are optimistic about this year’s Warriors team, which is young, but experienced, athletic and skilled.

New Kaneland coach builds around centerpiece
Now it begins for new Kaneland coach Brian Johnson. "This is something I've looked forward to and thought about doing since I was in college," the 30-year-old Elgin native and Judson College product said as he wound up his first week of practice.

'A nice nucleus'

Beads capture 10 of 12 sectional events
If its performance at the Neuqua Valley Sectional was any indication, Rosary's girls swimming and diving team goes in to next week's state meet as a favorite to win its fourth straight state championship.

Stalk reality
How do they top it? Simple, Kevin Schnable says: do it again. The Oswego coach isn't kidding when he says, "We know and the kids know, there's a target the size of the state on our backs. We're not gonna put any more pressure on ourselves. Our approach is, it's a challenge and we're gonna meet it head on. It's important we handle the so-called hype."

You can bank on Harris
Even though an opposing Southwest Prairie Conference coach calls him "the best player" in the league, senior Jay Harris won't be a one-man band for Oswego East.

Six turnovers doom SC North in lopsided loss
Disaster struck early and often Saturday for St. Charles North. Making the school's first-ever appearance in the state football quarterfinals, the North Stars fell behind by two touchdowns before running their first offensive play. The rocky start was a sign of things to come as North committed a season-high six turnovers and suffered a humbling 45-12 defeat against Glenbard West.

North Stars can learn some lessons from loss
St. Charles North got an up-close look Saturday at what it takes to be a state championship contender. Simply put, the North Stars hadn't seen a team of Glenbard West's caliber this season prior to their Class 7A state quarterfinal contest against the Hilltoppers.

Smith spurs SC East to sectional crown
Emma Smith captured two individual events, leading St. Charles East to the title of its own swimming sectional on Saturday.

Lovie needs to lose patience with offense

Bears coach Lovie Smith learned a lot from his mentor, Tony Dungy, but he has been remarkably more patient than Dungy with his offense.

On balance, a good win for Bulls
The Bulls have had better defensive efforts, and this might have been their sloppiest game of the season (season-high-tying 21 turnovers). But, for a change, they made a few shots -- enough at least to overcome another slow start and pull away (sort of) for a 94-88 victory Saturday night over the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center.

Just 1 more pitt fall for Irish
As much as Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis wanted to make this game about his team, the 27-22 loss to No. 8 Pittsburgh will serve as more evidence for those who want Weis' tenure as Irish coach to end.

Grabavoy PKs Fire out of playoffs
A Chicago-area kid broke the hearts of his hometown club Saturday night, then celebrated not far from where he first made his mark as a high school star. Lincoln-Way Central alum Ned Grabavoy converted the seventh shot of a lengthy penalty shootout that decided the Eastern Conference final at Toyota Park, pushing Real Salt Lake past the Fire and into next Sunday's MLS Cup in Seattle.

Neuqua Sectional swimmers braving the rapids
Right on down the line, area girls swimming and diving coaches agree that today's Neuqua Valley Sectional is a gauntlet. Might as well call it a mini-version of the state meet. "Every year it's tough," Oswego co-op coach Deryl Leubner said. "(The) Naperville (schools are) a hotbed for swimming, plus throw in Neuqua Valley and Rosary."

Kafka leads Wildcats over Illinois 21-16
Mike Kafka threw for 305 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score and Sherrick McManis made a last-minute interception to preserve Northwestern's 21-16 win Saturday over Illinois.

Blackhawks take advantage of home ice while they can
Home-ice advantage won't belong to the Blackhawks much longer, but they're certainly enjoying it for the time being. The Toronto Maple Leafs became the Hawks' sixth straight victim at the United Center on Friday night, falling 3-2 before 21,036 -- the largest crowd of the season.

Irish have plenty to fix, starting with red-zone woes
Notre Dame's trip to No. 8 Pittsburgh lost significant luster when the Irish dropped out of the Associated Press Top 25 after being upset by Navy at home last Saturday. Still, ABC will beam this prime-time game to most of the nation.

Bears can't figure out what's going wrong
The Bears talked a lot about finding out what kind of team they are in November, when the NFL season takes a turn toward the serious, and what they've discovered is pretty grisly.

Illini's Brandon Paul breaks record with 22 points
CHAMPAIGN -- The first shots were fired in the battle for Illinois' fifth starting job Friday night. And Brandon Paul virtually made them all. Draining the first four shots of his college career -- three three-pointers and a transition basket -- the 6-4 freshman from Warren sparked the No. 23 Illini to an early lead and an easy 96-69 victory over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in their season opener.

Bears' season sets in West
Lovie Smith's team has played a brand of undisciplined and sloppy football that has been the undoing of a campaign that began with such great expectations.

Close call
True to form, Ball State kept it close. Northern Illinois, veering from its recent winning script, still managed to hold on Thursday for a 26-20 Mid-American Conference victory. It keeps the Huskies (7-3, 5-1) one game behind West Division leader Central Michigan.

Making a big impact

Every good football team needs a rock up front, and for St. Charles North senior left tackle Matt Mautone provides the steady presence on the offensive line. The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Mautone is in his third season as a varsity starter for the North Stars.

Wannstedt knows what Weis is going through
Dave Wannstedt was brought home with open arms as Pittsburgh's coach in 2004. But some of those same arms were ready to yank the welcome mat out from under him three years later.

Kane, Byfuglien going for some rings tonight
Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien insist that the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at the United Center is just another regular-season game. For them, though, it might be a bit more than that.

Bulls veterans Salmons, Hinrich struggling

Through eight games, the Bulls are a respectable 4-4. That's not great, not bad and about where they were expected to be considering the issues they had heading into the regular season.

SPORTS WIRE: Scott fired, GM to coach Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets fired Byron Scott only nine games into the season Thursday and replaced him with general manager Jeff Bower, hoping the man who put the current roster together can get more out of it.

Regret turns into heart-felt relief
About 20 months ago, I wrote here expressing great regret that, despite severe heart troubles, I couldn't be placed on the national heart transplant list. Other health problems -- prostate cancer and a brain tumor -- had disqualified me. But now -- thousands of pills and months of tests, treatment and interviews by dozens of doctors at three hospitals later -- my prayers and those of the many who have been praying for me finally have been answered.

Area athletes make their college choices official
Yorkville senior Jed Lightfoot saw his dream fulfilled Wednesday when he signed a national letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Illinois. "It's where I've always wanted to go," said Lightfoot, a Class 2A state runner-up at 125 pounds last season. Lightfoot will likely move up to 130 or 135 pounds this season.

Playing against the boys pays off for H-BR's Thorp
The girl could play. That's what David Dudzinski Sr. remembers of Hinckley eighth-grader Jenna Thorp, who tried out in 2006 and made the Kaneland Cagers travel basketball team he coached with Bill Mangers that included his son, David Jr.

Forcing the action
Division I recruiters weren't wearing out a path to his home in Indianapolis, so Chad Spann knocked on their doors.

Stakes climb for Smith
Lovie Smith likes to say November goes a long way toward defining a football season, and fewer regular-season games in his tenure have more significance than tonight's meeting with the 49ers at Candlestick Park. The Bears have had bigger games in November under Smith.

Bulls' end game is plain offensive
This time, there was no need for a video review at the end of the game to determine a winner. In fact, the Bulls probably would prefer if the final six minutes of the 99-89 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre were never viewed again.

Extra time, as usual

Long, nail-biting games have become commonplace when the Blackhawks face the Colorado Avalanche, and Wednesday's meeting at the United Center was typical of that.

Illini like Richardson's intensity

It's risky to put too much on the shoulders of a freshman. But D.J. Richardson, Illinois' 6-3 guard from Peoria Central by way of a Nevada prep school, keeps tempting us to do that.

Pack mentality suits Waubonsee
The Waubonsee Community College cross country program didn't have to look far and wide when assembling one of the strongest team's in the nation. It just had to look in its own backyard.

Where are they now?
High school football stadiums around the area will lay quiet this weekend, marking the first time in many years that no Beacon-News coverage area program is participating in the quarterfinals of the IHSA playoffs.

Dye has been cast
Jermaine Dye isn't ruling anything out. After all, at 35 years old and with 14 major-league seasons under his belt, the free-agent outfielder has seen crazier things happen. ''First of all, I could come back to the Sox,'' Dye said in a phone interview Tuesday.

'We can destroy their guys up front'—49ers' Davis
So much for the fear factor with the Bears' defense. Not only have members of the unit had their helmets handed to them two of the last three weeks, but now an offensive star for a team coming off four straight losses is talking smack.

If the truth hurts, Irish prefer silence
Neil Hayes: Evidently, being honest and forthright while answering questions is not something Notre Dame captains should do. If they puppet whatever coach Charlie Weis says, even if it's less than the full truth, they are leaders.

Bulls go from ecstasy to agony
For a moment Tuesday night, the United Center erupted in euphoria as it appeared the Bulls extended their comeback and winning streaks with a miracle finish on a Brad Miller prayer at the buzzer.

Bolland shelved by back surgery shelves Bolland

The Blackhawks lost Marian Hossa and Adam Burish to surgery before their first regular-season game. Now they've got their first surgery patient of the regular season.

SPORTS WIRE: Wade's 41 help Heat soar to 6-1

Dwyane Wade scored 41 points and the Miami Heat remained in first place in the Southeast Division by holding off the Washington Wizards 90-76 on Tuesday night.

Rosary's Reuland is Beacon-News Player of the Year
The story of Tiger Woods hitting quality golf shots at the age of 2 years old is the stuff of legend. Emily Reuland may not have started playing tennis that early, but she has essentially been hitting ground strokes, serves, and volleys her whole life.

Four Saints earn all-conference status
The St. Charles East volleyball team had four players earn All-Upstate Eight Conference status to lead the area contingency.Seniors Caroline Niski (OH) and Jacqui Seidel (RH/S) were both unanimous picks.

As winter draws closer, the migration begins
The wind had shifted a few days ago and, while it was still a soft, summer-like afternoon, there was a chill in the air, a harbinger of the winter that will surely come.

Contrite Harris vows to atone for ejection
Tommie Harris nearly got it right with a perfunctory apology Monday, the day after he was kicked out of a game for punching Cardinals lineman Deuce Lutui four plays into a blowout loss.

Common place shin pain is treatable
The fall high school sports season is winding down and winter sports is gearing up and with it is the prevalence of shin pain in athletes' lower legs.

Hoops preview: Can Big Ten make Final Four?
The Big Ten is up, or so we think, with two Final Four contenders among six ranked teams. The Final Four is just down the road, in Indianapolis. But it will be a long and winding road. Because in a sport where one or two players who step up and make things happen can make such a huge difference, you never know where the road will lead.

A triumphant return
Apparently all it took to get the Blackhawks' power play working was the return of Jonathan Toews. The team captain returned from a six-game layoff to recover from a concussion and was on the ice for two third-period goals with the man advantage. Toews scored the second of the two, and they led to a solid 4-1 victory Monday over the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center.

Del Negro praises Luol Deng's three 'D'
Small forward might be the most challenging defensive position in the NBA. Night in and night out, you face a talented, versatile player capable of putting up big numbers.

Figgins out of Sox' range

Shortly after saying he's in the hunt for ''that ideal leadoff guy,'' general manager Ken Williams shot down speculation that speedy free agent Chone Figgins is on the White Sox' radar.

SPORTS WIRE: Iverson reportedly mulling retirement

Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said he's not sure what guard Allen Iverson's future plans are, but he hopes Iverson returns to the team soon.

Bears are who they are—a mediocre team
Two-and-a-half seasons removed from their Super Bowl appearance, the Bears are who they never imagined they would be—just another mediocre football team.

Local Briefs: A hole in one
Scott Mickelson used a 5-iron to ace the par-3, 147-yard 10th hole at Phillips Park on Oct. 18. Witnesses were Tim Carlson and Matt Bartlett.

Hard work gives Noah a real shot
Of everything Joakim Noah did on the court Saturday night in the best performance of his career, one move excited everyone connected with the Bulls, from the players to the coaches to the front office personnel.

Foxes surprise with 2nd in 2A
The Yorkville girls' cross country meet headed to the IHSA state Class 2A meet at Detweiller Park Saturday hoping for a top-5 finish. The Foxes got it, and then some. Led by All-State performances from Ali Hester and Esther Bell, Yorkville scored 124 points to pick up a team trophy with a second-place performance. The Foxes, who placed 12th a year ago, finished just six points behind team champion Springfield.

Three run to All-State honors
The state cross country meet is all about survival of the fittest. The first mile is typically run at a breakneck pace. For example, in Saturday's Class 3A meet, eventual winner Lukas Verzbicas of Sandburg, who was attempting to break Craig Virgin's 37-year-old course record of 13:50, took the field out in a blistering 4:28 before tiring and finishing in 14:07.

Lanark Eastland flexs muscles, ends Newark's year
Who'll stop the reign? That's the toughest question to answer after watching defending Class 1A state volleyball champ Lanark Eastland live up to its billing by dispatching Newark Saturday night 25-9, 25-11. Winning the South Beloit Super-Sectional sends the Cougars back to the Final Four at Illinois State University next weekend.

Spartans see winning streak snapped
Concordia-Chicago rode the legs of Khyree Copeland and a 28-point first quarter to a 44-27 victory over the Spartans on Saturday at Vago Field, dropping Aurora University back below .500 and keeping the Cougars locked in a three-way tie for first-place in the Northern Athletics Conference.

Brunt work: O-line blamed
The Bears' offensive line has been under siege of late, but it's only one part of a unit that has been dysfunctional as a whole. The offense is running the ball like it did last season -- not well enough -- and quarterback Jay Cutler has been smacked around some behind a line that has gone from using three new starters this season to two after the Josh Beekman switcheroo last week.

Defense-led Wildcats hand Hawkeyes first loss
Corn-shucking cynics have insisted all season that the passwords at Kinnick Stadium have been ''lucky'' and ''charmed.'' But no one knew those words would pass from No. 8 Iowa to Northwestern in the blink of a Hawkeye on Saturday.

Bulls don rally caps again
They're not the Cardiac Kids just yet, but the Bulls are making a habit of comeback victories at home. Four days after overcoming an 18-point deficit in the second half en route to defeating the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bulls erased a nine-point deficit and survived some shaky free-throw shooting down the stretch to earn a 93-90 victory Saturday against the Charlotte Bobcats at the United Center.

Bowman, Hawks should be united in seeking center

Stan Bowman will attend his first NHL general managers meeting this week in Toronto as the Blackhawks' GM. The groundwork for trades often is created at the meeting, but after the Hawks went 8-4-1 in October, it didn't seem Bowman would be very interested in tweaking his roster.

Golden against Gophers

MINNEAPOLIS -- As defensive end Clay Nurse rumbled off the field, he shouted it out loud. Almost snarled it.

More Navy blues

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame's Fiesta Bowl bid and Jimmy Clausen's Heisman Trophy hopes were sunk with a 23-21 loss Saturday to Navy.

Panthers' upset bid turned away
For four quarters, the Oswego defense dictated the tone of Friday night's game against Providence Catholic in a second round Class 6A playoff game. Unfortunately, overtime between the Panthers and Celtics gave Providence the opportunity to run tailback Timothy Hanrahan from the 10-yard line.

Marmion out-executed by Prairie Ridge
Now you see it, now you don't. And therein lies the problem with stopping a well-run option attack in high school football. That's what Marmion Academy's defense found itself up against Friday in its 31-7 loss to Prairie Ridge in a second-round IHSA Class 6A playoff game.

Geneva gels too late against WW South
Jim Owczarski: As Wheaton Warrenville South was forced into yet another second-half punt, the Geneva defensive coaches couldn't contain themselves any longer. While the hard reality is that the Vikings are going home, 30-16 losers to the Tigers Friday night in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs, the statement wasn't wishful hyperbole.

North Stars hang on, advance to quarters
With one spectacular defensive play, senior linebacker Dominic Imbordino lifted St. Charles North into the state quarterfinals for the first time in school history. Imbordino came up with a season-saving interception with 43 seconds left in the game to lift the North Starts to a thrilling 20-14 victory Friday night over Elk Grove in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs.

Blackhawks come up short in a Colorado shootout
DENVER -- The Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche appear destined to play long games. They went nine rounds into a shootout in the Hawks' first game at the United Center this season before the Hawks pulled out a victory, and Friday the shootout went eight tension-packed rounds. The Avalanche took this one 4-3, with Chris Stewart making the decisive conversion before Dustin Byfuglien shot wide on his attempt to send the shootout to a ninth round.

Perfect situation for Wildcats
Sometimes in Iowa, merely believing is enough. A part-time play-by-play man for a Davenport radio station went on to Des Moines, and later Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the United States.

Williams' Sox remake begins with Teahen
Chris Getz and Josh Fields are Royals, Mark Teahen is the White Sox starting third baseman, Jermaine Dye is all but gone, talks with free agent-to-be Scott Podsednik have disintegrated, and Gordon Beckham is the new starting second baseman.

Briefs: Au women in NAC tourney
The Aurora University women's soccer team defeated Dominican 1-0 in double overtime Friday to capture the 2009 Northern Athletic Conference tournament championship.

Youth sports roundup
Faith Christian Academy of Geneva advanced to the finals of the 2 Rivers Conference eighth-grade B volleyball tournament for the second straight year.

Where is the buzz for the second round?
Jim Owczarski: Here we are in the second round of the IHSA playoffs, and it feels like something's missing. A little buzz, perhaps. A little excitement. Not that having a resurgent Marmion Academy program, a scrappy Oswego squad and a frighteningly consistent Geneva team isn't any fun — any football at this time of year is.

Newark claims title with win over H-BR
Perhaps Katie Larson's new nickname should be "the monster." The junior on Newark's girls volleyball team had a monster game, as she posted nine kills in the 26-24, 25-17 win against Little Ten Conference rival Hinckley-Big Rock in the Class 1A sectional final at Serena Thursday.

Local teams clash in Class 2A race
The IHSA Class 2A boys state cross country meet is shaping up to be a local trophy quest between evenly-matched Kaneland and Marmion.

Yorkville in hunt for team trophy
Led by sophomores Ali Hester and Esther Bell, Yorkville could bring home a team trophy and several individual medals at Saturday's state cross country meet if last week's Class 2A East Peoria Sectional title is any kind of gauge of the young squad's talent.

Huskies trample Eagles from the opening kick
In basketball, it's called run 'n' gun. The Northern Illinois football team unveiled run 'n' stun Thursday in its 50-6 rout of Eastern Michigan on national television at Huskie Stadium. For the second straight game, tailback Chad Spann (11 rushes for a career-high 174 yards) and quarterback DeMarcus Grady (10-104) topped the 100-yard rushing mark.

NIU's Grady more than just a running quarterback
He may be considered a "running quarterback," but Northern Illinois sophomore DeMarcus Grady is showing he could be much more. His coach, Jerry Kill, has said he could throw. He's beginning to prove it.

St. Charles East hangs on to beat York
After dropping the second set 18-25 to York in the title match of the Geneva Class 4A Sectional, the St. Charles Saints stayed composed, changed the lineup a bit and took control for a 25-22, 18-25, 25-19 win and their third consecutive sectional title.

Riddle me this: Who is Cutler?
Rick Telander: Who is Jay Cutler? Do you know? Do you have any real sense of the most-spotlighted athlete in our city at this time? I don't. And if you're honest, I think you'll admit you don't, either.

With Teahen aboard, will Beckham move to 2nd?

The trade that dragged on yesterday, finally got done today. The White Sox acquired Mark Teahen and cash from the Royals in exhange for Chris Getz and Josh Fields.

Hawks flunk history
Even in these difficult economic times, attendance hasn't been much of a problem for the NHL as a whole. But it has been an issue for the Blackhawks' first two November opponents.

Marmion's Johnson tops in Aurora area
To say Tim Johnson was a model of consistency this season would be understatement. He was a coach's dream. Every time coach Jen Konen's Marmion golf team teed off in an 18-hole event, she could have simply written "70-something" next to the 2009 Beacon-News Boys Golf Player of the Year's name on the lineup card.

Huskies ready to work on short rest
If red isn't one of Jerry Kill's favorite colors, it probably should be. Not because of the red jerseys his Northern Illinois University players wear, but how the 5-3 Huskies are performing in the red zones -- those areas between the goal and 20-yard lines on each end of the field.

Defense cannot rest in Aurora area
In a game decided along the line of scrimmage, it is the skill positions that reap the rewards of fame in victory. Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers dominate headlines and storylines.

Area runners look for strong finish
Three local cross country teams return to Detweiller Park in Peoria for the Class 3A State Finals this weekend, all looking to improve on last year's finishes.

Turner sticks to the plan; won't scale back offense

With some distance from the victory Sunday over the Cleveland Browns, offensive coordinator Ron Turner finally was able to specify his frustration.

A title for Joe G.
Chris De Luca: Sure, the New York Yankees' 27th World Series championship will go down as one more trip down memory lane for Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera. It means a long-awaited ring for baseball's all-time highest- paid player, Alex Rodriguez.

Clausen toughs it out after toe injury setback
Quarterback Jimmy Clausen suffered a bit of a setback with the turf toe he has played through the last five games. He aggravated his injured right foot in the third quarter of the victory over Washington State.

Healthy start, happy Deng
John Jackson: After fighting for an offensive rebound, scoring inside and drawing a foul against a bigger player in the fourth quarter of the Bulls' dramatic comeback victory Tuesday night, Luol Deng took a couple of steps and let out a scream that would have registered high marks on the noise meters shown on the United Center scoreboard.

SPORTS WIRE: Dodgers pitcher accidentally shot

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla is recovering from a bullet wound in his leg after a target shooting instructor accidentally shot him.

Air Jordan shoe flap costs UCF Adidas deal

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A fight over the shoes Michael Jordan's son will wear at Central Florida has cost the school any future sponsorship with Adidas.

Cadets control action but fall short in double OT
Anybody that watched Marmion's soccer team take on Freeport in the Class 2A Barrington Super-Sectional would get the impression the Cadets dominated the pace of play all night. But in soccer, that is not always what determines the winner. Unfortunately for Marmion, that was the case Tuesday.

Kaneland's Dudzinski commits to Holy Cross
Kaneland High School senior David Dudzinski said Tuesday he has chosen Holy Cross over Loyola of Chicago in announcing his verbal commitment to the Patriot League school.

Rosary's run ends with loss to Joliet Catholic
Sectional semifinal matches are supposed to be thrilling and nail-biting. Tuesday's faceoff between No. 4 seed Rosary and No. 1 Joliet Catholic was neither. Both sides showed a lack of excitement, yet the Angels managed to come out ahead with their 25-15, 25-16 win over the Royals at St. Francis.

York comeback shocks Vikings
After the first game of the Class 4A Geneva Sectional matchup between the host Vikings and York, it appeared Geneva and star outside hitter Lauren Wicinski were headed for a tussle with defending state champion St. Charles East in the sectional final.

Lyons finally solves Wildcats
Neuqua Valley's quest for a perfect season and a state championship has come to an end. Lyons Township ruined everything with a 1-0 victory against Neuqua in a Class 3A supersectional match played Tuesday night at Benedictine University.

Little Ten rivals set for showdown
Little Ten Conference volleyball stepped up big Tuesday night with league champ Hinckley-Big Rock and runner-up Newark advancing to Thursday's title match of the Class 1A Serena Sectional.

Saints overwhelm Stars, head to sectional final
On a big stage against its biggest rival, St. Charles East again demonstrated the intensity and skill that made it state champion a year ago. The Saints were simply too much for St. Charles North on Tuesday, winning 25-16, 25-17, and putting themselves on the doorstep of winning the Geneva Class 4A Sectional.

Will the real 'D' stand up?
Mike Mulligan: The progress of the Bears' defense has been treacherously betrayed by the man running it. The supposed improvement in the NFL rankings this year -- they jumped from 16th to 11th after beating woeful Cleveland on Sunday -- is nothing but a mirage. Sure, you take progress where you find it, even in a hollow run up the table to the defense's highest ranking since the Super Bowl year.

Bulls gut out a win

It was a strange day all around for the Bulls, from the sudden flu that benched Tyrus Thomas to their stunningly bad start in the game with the Milwaukee Bucks to the remarkable finish that staved off an embarrassing loss.

Clausen's choice clouds ND future
Neil Hayes: The decision that will most impact the future of Notre Dame football will not be made by President John I. Jenkins, athletics director Jack Swarbrick, coach Charlie Weis or the small group of influential alumni who have served as behind-the-scenes power brokers in the not-so-distant past.

Guyton, Schultz are Beacon-News co-Players of Year
It doesn't get much better than this -- just one place, in fact. Kaneland junior Hayley Guyton and Somonauk freshman Jessica Schultz each finished second at the recent state meets -- Guyton in Class 2A, Schultz in Class 1A -- and have earned Beacon-News co-Players of the Year honors in girls golf. "I've never met her," Guyton said of Schultz, "but that's awesome for a freshman."

Cadets' success known world-wide
The success Marmion's football program is experiencing saw its beginning five years ago. The Cadets welcomed a new home as their stadium was dedicated, though the lights would be installed years later. And new coach Dan Thorpe came on board.

Shabbona Lake fulfills fishing needs
The Shabbona Sportsman's Club has devoted thirty years to perfecting one of Illinois' finest fishing lakes. Best of all? They like to talk about it.

Briefs: Sandwich boy advances in Punt & Kick
Sean Smith, 9, of Sandwich was a champion in his age group at the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick sectional round held in Woodridge on Oct. 18.

Pairings for Class 6A and 7A
This weekend's Class 6A and 7A pairings.

Bears dread the red zone
When Bob Babich was the Bears' defensive coordinator, it was always difficult to figure out where he started and Lovie Smith ended. The two were in lockstep. The perception is that since Smith replaced Babich as the play-caller, Ron Turner's role as co-head coach/offense has been reinforced.

Back off the Cliff
Chris De Luca: Even the Serbian cab driver who swears he has been following baseball for only one week had an opinion on Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel's World Series rotation.

Rusty Rose trying to get groove back
Bulls point guard Derrick Rose wants his groove back, and fast. Rose was the last player to leave the floor after practice Monday at the Berto Center in Deerfield.

Hawks optimistic Toews' injury still day-to-day
The Blackhawks always have maintained that Jonathan Toews is ''day-to-day'' with concussion-like symptoms, but he still hasn't returned to the ice.

SPORTS WIRE: Harangody tops preseason list

Notre Dame senior forward Luke Harangody should get used to being on top of lists.

Quiet leader: Former Oswego standout Teah Gant
In a large ballroom at a Chicago airport hotel, there are faces in the crowd most basketball fans would recognize. Tom Izzo. Bruce Weber. Gene Keady. Coaching stars, present and past. Sitting at one large round table in the middle of the room is the face of an athlete not nearly as famous as those coaches mentioned above. Yet her impact on the program she represents is just as irreplaceable.

Rosary takes another title
As spectators' shrill whistles and coaches' silent hand gestures encouraged swimmers forward in the Metro Catholic Conference swim meet, a familiar champion emerged from the frothy water Saturday morning at Vaughan Athletic Center.

Fire gives Revs a head start

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - On an afternoon filled with chances, the Fire let the biggest one slip through its grasp.

Cutler takes hits - on field and verbally; Payton honored

Bears coach Lovie Smith likes to talk about how losses don't leave a good taste in his mouth, but Sunday's 30-6 win over the Cleveland Browns probably didn't taste too good to Jay Cutler, who was swallowing blood after a blow to the chin from the helmet of Cleveland linebacker Kamerion Wimbley in the second quarter.

Eager-ly awaited news: 'Close to 100 percent'
Concussion is a word rarely uttered in the hockey world, but Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville used it without reservation in describing the problems that kept Ben Eager on the sideline the last four weeks.

More like a Brownout
There will come a point in this season when offensive coordinator Ron Turner no longer will be able to preach patience and say the offense needs to execute better.

Aurora Christian girls head to state
The Winnebago cross country team won Saturday's Class 1A Aurora Christian Sectional with 88 points, followed by Oregon (117), Aurora Christian (157), Rockford Lutheran 9177) and Byron (189). All five teams advance to the finals Saturday at Peoria's Detweiller Park.

Narrow miss for Waubonsie in loss to DGS
Downers Grove South found a way to grind out 10 needed points in the second half and stood breathless as it saw a 40-yard field goal by Waubonsie Valley with 28 seconds remaining sail wide left. That allowed the Mustangs to squeak out a 22-21 win in a Class 8A first-round playoff game at Benedictine University.

Marmion soccer wins first sectional title
For the first time in the history of the Marmion soccer program, the Cadets earned a sectional title. They topped conference rival Wheaton Academy 2-1 to win the Class 2A Hampshire Sectional.

North Stars exact revenge against Storm
St. Charles North made the most of a rare second chance Saturday. Two weeks after losing to South Elgin in overtime, the North Stars returned to the scene of that defeat and ended the Storm's season with a 28-16 win at Millennium Field in the first round of the Class 7A state playoffs.

St. Charles East bows out in opener
Five turnovers and second-half offensive woes doomed the St. Charles East on Saturday, as they fell to Rockton Hononegah 26-7 in round one of the Class 7A state playoffs.

Spartans overpower Knights with ground game
The battle between a pair of 6-3 Western Sun Conference rivals never really materialized Saturday night as Sycamore ran roughshod over Kaneland 40-13.

Stiff defense pushes Vikings to Round 2
On the scoreboard, Geneva's 36-8 win over Shepard on Saturday in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs would look like the Vikings had an offensive explosion.

Aurora Christian falls to Winnebago
Aurora Christian's season may not have ended on a deflected pass that wound up in the hands of Winnebago linebacker Michael Sojka, but the turnover late in the first half of the Indians' 28-14 Class 3A first-round victory over the Eagles proved the catalyst for that end.

Vikings pull hat trick on Bulldogs
Give the Batavia volleyball team credit for reaching Saturday's regional final at Addison Trail after having to fight back to defeat Wheaton-Warrenville South on Thursday. But given a third chance to knock off Western Sun Conference champion and No. 2 seed Geneva, the Bulldogs were out of mojo as the Vikings (35-2) took the regional title 25-19, 25-11.

Bears look lackluster in 30-6 win over Browns
Don’t mistake a 30-6 victory over the down-and-out Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Soldier Field for progress because, if anything, it was a step backward offensively a week after the Bears were beaten into humiliation in Cincinnati.

Sweet beginning turns to sour finish for Plano
Big plays and untimely turnovers proved too much for Plano to overcome Friday night in Geneseo. The Maple Leafs scored on three runs of 60 yards or more, erasing an early 16-point Reapers lead with five touchdowns of their own to advance to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs with a 33-16 win.

Panthers stand their ground in the mud
It almost slipped away in the mud at Fred Carlton Field, but the Oswego defense wouldn't let it go. They held off Bloomington 28-26 on Friday in a first-round Class 6A playoff game and move on to next week's second-round matchup with Providence.

Marmion runs past Huntley in first round
The Marmion ground attack, benefiting from the synthetic turf field at Aurora Christian, pounded out 375 yards on 39 carries Friday and scored five touchdowns to lead the Cadets to a 42-20 victory over Huntley in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs.

Ricketts outline game plan for owning Cubs

Thomas Ricketts spent $845 million for, among other assets, a baseball team that in a good year will record a profit of around $30 million.

Saturday football playoff capsules
A look at today's upcoming playoff games.

'We'll win World Series'
Three years ago this month, in a prelude to a sale as it turned out, John McDonough took over as Cubs president and declared, ''It's time to win a World Series.'' Since then, time, a half-billion dollars in payroll commitments and McDonough have passed through an organization still waiting on a World Series with the urgency of a five-beer buildup at the back of the line for a Wrigley Field trough. Next!

From rousing to routed
It would have been unrealistic to expect Friday night's matchup between the Bulls and Boston Celtics to duplicate the excitement of last season's epic first-round playoff series. But no one -- especially the Bulls coming off a rousing win the previous night -- expected an epic blowout instead.

Bowl fates on line for Wildcats, Lions
Legends will haunt and hover about both sidelines at Ryan Field today. For Penn State, it will be Joe Paterno -- hallowed, iconic, long ago canonized by the most ardent spirits of Happy Valley -- in search of a sustained surge into November and a few breaks to get his No. 12 Nittany Lions on the marquee of a BCS game.

Sharp's dagger gets it done

The Blackhawks washed away the bad taste of a shutout loss at Nashville in a hurry. They concluded the first month of the season with a rousing 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in one of those rare matchups of NHL Original Six franchises Friday night at the United Center.

A-Rod whiff total mounts; no boos yet

PHILADELPHIA -- After breaking out of his postseason slump by driving in 12 runs during the first two rounds of the playoffs, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has been silent in the first two games of the World Series, going 0-for-8 with six strikeouts.

Plano, Geneseo football ties span decades
Two hours and 100 miles may separate Geneseo and Plano, but the towns have been interconnected on the football field since the 1960s -- even though this is the first time the Reapers and the Maple Leafs will play each other.

Jittery Blackhawks out of sync
Host Neuqua Valley came into regional volleyball play Thursday with a chip on its shoulder, senior outside hitter Nikki Federico said. Upset-minded West Aurora had early jitters, coach Kari Nicholson said, and the Blackhawks never did get their passing in rhythm in a 25-18, 25-11 setback.

Aces help hand Rosary easy victory
Coming off two regular-season matches during which it made numerous unforced errors, the Rosary volleyball team made a concerted effort in practice not to hurt itself from here on in. It showed in the Royals' first-round playoff matchup Thursday night against Kankakee in the Class 3A Aurora Central Catholic Regional.

Late charge ignites Bulldogs
Down a set, with its season in the balance, Batavia's girls volleyball team had to find a way to fight back in its Class 4A Addison Trail Regional semifinal against Wheaton Warrenville South on Thursday.

Panthers stumble against Raiders
The Oswego girls volleyball team simply couldn't get anything going against Glenbard South on Thursday. Every time the Panthers seemed to get an opportunity, the Raiders gained momentum or went on a run to push ahead.

Marmion carries 14-match streak into sectional final
After losing to Wheaton Academy 14 matches ago, Marmion's soccer team wanted nothing more than to see the Warriors again in a sectional championship match. The Cadets got their wish, as the two top seeds meet at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Class 2A Hampshire Sectional final.

Area roundup
A roundup of local results.

Youth roundup: Faith Christian advances
A roundup of area youth sports.

Zips a shot in arm for Huskies

They may be a bit banged up seven games into the season, but the Northern Illinois football team starts a three-game home stand Saturday that should be just what the doctor ordered. In visiting Akron, the Huskies face a team that's hurting even more.

Football capsules
Capsules of tonight's games.

Rugged road ahead
There was a slight twinge of bewilderment in Dave Keely's voice Saturday night shortly after the Class 6A playoff bracket was released. In the moment, something looked a little off. The upper bracket in which the 7-2 Oswego Panthers were placed featured an astounding nine teams with eight wins or more. Only one (Oak Lawn) was 5-4.

Positive vibes flowing through Big Ten hoops country
Tom Crean was so excited for this season to start that his wife had to remind him to put on a show for the fans at Hoosier Hysteria, not run conditioning drills. And that's the coach of the last-place team. It was that kind of a year in the Big Ten in 2008-09.

Waubonsie Valley seeks consistency
The brackets are driven by numbers -- enrollments, wins and playoff points -- and how those totals interact. This year 22 5-4 teams did not qualify, the IHSA essentially telling them to turn in the uniforms and begin end-of-season meetings -- perhaps wondering how to schedule stronger out-of-conference opponents.

Cadets earn much-awaited rematch
Ever since losing a heartbreaker to Wheaton Academy earlier this season, Marmion knew the only way to earn a rematch was for both teams to reach the Class 2A Hampshire Sectional finals. With the Cadets' 4-3 comeback win over Lakes in the semifinals Wednesday, that rematch is now a reality. Wheaton Academy easily handled Antioch 6-0 Tuesday to set up a matchup of the top two seeds.

5 keys to Bulls' success
Usually there's somewhat of a consensus among the newspapers, magazines and Web sites that produce NBA previews. The projected conference standings are remarkably similar, and a team's ranking generally doesn't vary more than two or three spots. That's not the case with the Bulls. Depending on the preview, they're ranked anywhere from fourth to 10th in the Eastern Conference.

Lovie on guard over lineup

With the Bears facing the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, coach Lovie Smith paid tribute to Browns coach Eric Mangini with a vow of silence about a rumored change at left guard.

Reversal of fortune
Last season, Geneva's boys soccer team met Schaumburg in the sectional semifinals and beat them to advance. The two teams met again Tuesday in the Class 3A Hoffman Estates Sectional and the result was the complete opposite. The second-seeded Vikings, the only top-eight seed still alive in the sectional, were handed a 2-0 defeat by the Saxons to end their season at 18-5-2. Schaumburg, the No. 12 seed (lowest at the sectional), remained red hot with its ninth straight win.

Short, strange trip over for Indians
First they were out, then they might have been in, but now it's official: the Sandwich Indians' football season is over.

Area roundup
IMSA placed second behind tournament champion Rockford Christian.

Bahena gives LWC boot
Lincoln-Way Central coach Dan Radz could only shake his head after watching his team fall 4-0 to Eisenhower in Tuesday night's Class 3A Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional semifinal, but it wasn't because the Knights had lost.

Four ways to fix the season: Salvage job starts here, now
Mike Mulligan: The Bears are finished in everyone's mind but their own. A dreadful defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals is sure to awaken self-doubt and invite a collapse of confidence, but the perfect elixir comes in the form of the Cleveland Browns, who turn up Sunday at Soldier Field.

World Series champion is ...
This is the blueprint the White Sox hoped -- and needed -- to follow: Win a World Series one year to end a frustrating dry spell, then return to the same stage the next October. It's easier said than done, but here are the Philadelphia Phillies facing the last team to pull off the feat, the New York Yankees.

Alamodome away from home for ND
Notre Dame will try to make the Alamodome feel like home Saturday, when the Irish ''host'' Washington State (1-6) in San Antonio: The band will make the trip. Mike Collins, who is the public-address announcer at Notre Dame Stadium, will work the game.

Agassi admits using crystal meth in 1997

NEW YORK -- Andre Agassi's upcoming autobiography contains an admission that he used crystal meth in 1997, the year he dropped to No. 141 in the rankings.

Bringing the Negro Leagues to life
Dave Hoekstra: Baseball historians often read between the lines to grasp the essence of the Negro Leagues. They were formed out of necessity in 1920 in Chicago when black players were excluded from the Major Leagues because of racial discrimination. After Jackie Robinson broke the color line in 1947, the leagues continued until 1955.

Six-rotation
K.C. Johnsen's only regret is that he didn't make the move sooner. "She's just a very good, athletic kid," the Geneva volleyball coach said of senior middle blocker Kelsey Augustine. "She's very quick, very fast, moves so well and has long arms so she covers a lot of ground on defense."

Cadets, Vikings ready for matches
Marmion's soccer team is preparing for Wednesday's Class 2A Hampshire Sectional semifinal match against Lakes, and is relieved it advanced to this point.

Conservation congress back on the beat
People with a passion for the outdoors reconvened last weekend in Springfield as the latest version of Illinois' Conservation Congress.

Talking about practice
Tommie Harris was right. It wasn't his chronic left knee woes that prevented him from playing in the 45-10 massacre Sunday at Cincinnati. Instead, it was a more restrictive authority, coach Lovie Smith, who ruled he would sit out practice last week and the game.

Huet getting on a roll
It's much too early to tell if the Blackhawks made the right decision last summer in signing Marian Hossa to a long-term contract and allowing Martin Havlat to move on to the Minnesota Wild.

Captain Kirk again
Although the roster has undergone many changes, the one constant in the Bulls' locker room the last few years is Kirk Hinrich being named a team captain after the annual players' vote.

Notebook: Illinois, NU, ND, nation
Mikel Leshoure will be the first option at running back when Illinois returns home against Michigan on Saturday (2:30 p.m., Ch. 7), coach Ron Zook said.

Cubs look safe at home

Don't start pricing timeshares in Southwest Florida for Cubs spring training trips yet.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | EAGLES 27, REDSKINS 17: Play-calling shuffle doesn't help Redskins

LANDOVER, Md. -- Sherm Lewis might want to go back to bingo. Better yet, he might want to apply for a job as the Philadelphia Eagles' play-caller. It's a much easier job with someone such as DeSean Jackson on your side.

SPORTS WIRE: Barkley wants to become GM, but on his terms

Charles Barkley thinks he can do better than some of the general managers he criticizes on TV.

East Aurora Old Timers welcome 1984 squad
The East Aurora Old Timers' organization has a simple motto and a sole membership requirement. Men who played varsity football at East High 25 years ago or longer are eligible as members, and all definitely will tell you that "if you are once a Tomcat, you are always a Tomcat."

Bears humiliated by Benson, Bengals
Cedric Benson said last week that ''my dreams are coming true'' with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he didn't mention anything about nightmares beginning for the Bears.

Deng ready for next step
The primary goal for Luol Deng in the preseason was proving he was healthy after missing essentially six months with a stress fracture of the lower right leg. Mission accomplished on that front. The 6-9 forward played in all eight preseason games and participated in every practice, including the two-a-day sessions the first week of training camp.