George Heller's two-run home run in the third inning effectively opened the floodgates for Burlington Central on Thursday. Trailing Hampshire by a run, Heller stepped to the plate with one out and a runner on first base and smacked an opposite-field drive over the right-field fence to give the Rockets their first runs of the game.



Pitching, hitting and defense all deserved equal credit for visiting Burlington Central on Thursday after the Rockets dropped Hampshire 11-0 in five innings for the second time this season in Big Northern Conference East Division action.



ST. CHARLES -- South Elgin's Kyle Fitzpatrick put on an unbelievable power display and highlighted the Storm's 17-7 five-inning Upstate Eight Conference win over St. Charles East on Thursday.

Girls Soccer

Baseball

Boston 89, Cleveland 73

Today's Entries Post Time: 2:30 p.m.

Detroit 4, Dallas 1

Garcia tops leaderboard at Players

BURLINGTON -- Burlington Central made history Thursday at the Big Northern Conference Track Meet by finishing in first place for the fourth consecutive year.

ST. CHARLES óó As expected, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley dominated the Upstate Eight Conference Boys Track Meet at St. Charles North on Thursday.

ST. CHARLES -- Zach Hirsch was nearly unhittable for the St. Charles North baseball team on Thursday as the North Stars claimed an 8-0 Upstate Eight Conference win against Elgin.

How good are the Cubs? How bad is the baseball they're playing right now?

MLB Roundup

WASHINGTON -- Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored a goal worthy of his stellar reputation, a 30-yard blast in the second half Thursday night as the Fire beat slumping D.C. United 2-0 to move into first place in the Eastern Conference.

ELGIN -- After a six-game road trip to open the season, the Elgin Racers are primed for their home opener.

It's a good thing the Phoenix Suns did not give Mike D'Antoni a deadline of today to find another job, as initially was believed, because the future of the Suns' soon-to-be-former coach did not become any clearer Thursday.

• Prep Baseball: Jacobs batters D-C before rain strikes
• Prep Softball: Royals can't get to Hawks hurler
• Prep Tennis: This spring perfect for Williamson
• Area Roundup: Burke pitches Whips to win
• Cubs pitching hits a low point
• Paxson to speak with former Dallas coach
• Local Scoreboard
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Judson's postseason run comes to an end
• Floyd finds favor with fans
• Owens not part of outfield conversation
• Hitters don't find stride on Cubs road trip
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Midfielder surprises for the Fire
• Prep Soccer: Central still dominant
• Prep Baseball: Sabres lever Storm miscues
• Prep Baseball: St. Charles E. tops Elgin again
• Zambrano's the cure for Cubs
• Miscues land DeRosa on Cubs' bench
• One hit, thunder
• MLB talks to White Sox about playing with dolls
• Prep Boys Softball: Storm uses power surge to win
• Prep Baseball: Warriors dealt 1st PSL loss of year
• Area Roundup: Central's Maisto sets school wins mark
• Local Scoreboard
• In Brief
• Bryant tabbed MVP for first time in career
• Local College Baseball: Surging Judson eyes more success
• Prep Softball: Jacobs defeats rival D-C
• Prep Baseball Roundup: Streamwood upsets North
• Prep Softball Roundup: Central tops Richmond
• Monday's Area Highlights
• Local Scoreboard
• Local Notes: Storm soccer camps in Elgin, Sleepy Hollow
• Struggling Sox limp home
• Costly mistakes add up to road defeat for Cubs
• Clemens makes vague apology
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief: Mendenhall robbed in Chicago
• Big Brown scares 'em off
• Eight Belles' trainer defends jockey's handling of horse
• Earnhardt Jr. holding no grudge
• Rookie driver Camara hospitalized after crash
• D'Antoni headed to Bulls?
• When to bluff with big draws
• Cubs can't contain Pujols
• Quick impact from Forte at minicamp
• Benson arrested in boating incident
• Baseball Notebook: Success continues for D-C
• Prep Softball Notebook: Jacobs eyes FVC Valley title
• Local Scoreboard
• Streamwood High sports camps
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Swisher searching for swing
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Tragedy overshadows Big Brown's win
• Creamer finishes strong in Tulsa
• Westminster's Mueller a true Warrior
• Prep Baseball: Storm sweeps away Sabres
• Prep Baseball: SC East batters Elgin in UEC play
• Big Brown wins in big way
• Bats, Lilly produce in Cubs triumph
• Prep Softball: Central's Maisto equals school win mark
• Offense still a liability for Sox
• Judson wins CCAC tourney
• Prep Roundup
• Local Scoreboard
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Cubs demote Hill to AAA Iowa
• Guillen has no place for Owens
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Baldwin hoping to catch on as pass rusher
• Boys Track: Hagberg's hurdles lift Central to 4th
• Cubs yank Hill out early
• Buehrle's effort nets nothing
• Owner finally in Derby with Tale of Ekati
• Wydra undecided on college
• Area Roundup: Central's Maisto closer to record
• Local Scoreboard
• Arlington Results
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Bears rookie's road has lots of speed bumps
• Herron, Conde must work way into Fire lineup
• Prep Softball: Elgin gets much-needed relief
• Prep Baseball: Chargers hang on for FVC win
• Prep Baseball: Quagliano homers Bartlett past Larkin
• Girls Track: St. Charles North finishes with a rush
• Prep Baseball: Maroons avoid sweep by Sabres
• Prep Softball: G-K earns key BNC win over Byron
• Piniella snaps after tough Cubs loss
• Today's Highlights
• Local Scoreboard
• Arlington Entries
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Unbeaten Big Brown wears favorite tag for a reason
• Sox relievers getting job done
• Cubs Notebook: Soriano draws boos
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• QB Hanie hoping to stick with Bears
• Prep Baseball: Shore anchors Larkin win
• Prep Baseball: Sabres wallop scuffling Elgin
• Prep Softball: North Stars rally to cool off Storm
• Prep Baseball: North Stars bounce back, even series
• Prep Baseball Roundup: Burke, Bolanos lead Whips
• Prep Softball Roundup: Bartlett still unbeaten in UEC
• Prep Soccer Notebook: Burlington Central shaking off slow start
• No time for Sox to panic
• Today's Highlights
• Local Scoreboard
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Cubs, Soto club Brewers
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Prep Baseball: Sabres defeat Maroons
• Prep Basketball: Sitter named EHS hoops coach
• Prep Baseball: Hawks take down Royals
• Prep Softball: North's Roggemann shuts down Elgin
• Prep Baseball: Hampshire falls in BNCE
• Prep Baseball Roundup: Saints beat rival Stars
• Prep Softball Roundup: Larkin's McCleary no-hits E. Aurora
• Today's Highlights
• Local Scoreboard
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Brewers tee off on Cubs, win opener
• Sox bats remain quiet
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Playoff not likely coming for BCS
• The switch from cash to tourney
• Prep Soccer: Larkin fails to slow Neuqua
• College Roundup: Nosbisch restocks ECC hoops
• Area Roundup: Sabres top Green Wave in volleyball
• Williams here to help
• Sox's Guillen takes offense to struggling offense
• Lee's contributions to Cubs hard to ignore
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Local Scoreboard
• Summer sports camps
• Central showdowns on deck this week
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Cubs offense sputters at bad time
• Konerko shakes slow start with 2 HRs
• NFL Draft: Bears fill holes filled, but not at QB
• NASCAR: Busch beats his old Talladega demons
• Prep Baseball Notes: Green Wave making strides
• Prep Softball Notes: Maroons looking for positives
• Local Scoreboard
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• NFL Draft: Talent trumps character in Bears first-round pick
• Cubs Notebook: Offense is starting to cool off
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Bears bag big draft class
• Prep Softball: Mistakes cost hapless Royals
• Prep Baseball: Storm knocks out Maroons' power
• Prep Baseball: Warriors roll, Sabres split with Stars
• Huntley sweeps doubleheader from St. Edward
• Bears go on the offensive
• Zambrano keys first Cubs shutout of year
• In Brief
• Anderson's RBI single helps Sox split
• Today's Highlights
• NBA Roundup
• Teams trade up and down to keep first day interesting
• Prep Baseball: Storm sparks South Elgin
• NFL Draft Day: Williams ready to get nasty for Bears
• Kim primed for new Grayslake Central task
• Prep Softball: Suburban elites headline pairings
• Prep Baseball: Possible D-C win placed on hold
• Area Roundup: Kane County girls meet postponed
• Prep Baseball: SC North-Neuqua contest suspended
• In Brief
• Prep Softball: Streamwood downs Larkin for UEC triumph
• Local Scoreboard
• What Bears plan to do with 14th pick remains a mystery
• NBA Roundup
• McFadden tops talented RB crop
• Crede's clutch hits provide dramatics
• Late-game woes do in Cubs again
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Girls Soccer: Hampshire gets past St. Edward
• Kim leaving Elgin High School football post
• Former ECC players finding more success
• Larkin's Kinley, Kane to Harper College
• Briggs drops ball on legal issues
• Cubs' winning streak ends at six
• Local Scoreboard
• Larkin sets dates for sports camps this summer
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• 2008 NFL Draft opening round
• Anxious moments for college stars
• Top defensive players in NFL draft
• Guillen sticking with Uribe
• Thomas makes impact with A's
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Hill doesn't mind missing another turn
• Prep Softball: Saints shut down Royals
• Prep Baseball: Comeback falls short for Wave
• Prep Baseball: Warriors win on Ward's dramatic HR
• Prep Baseball Roundup: Red Raiders stay unbeaten
• Prep Softball Roundup: North Stars top Sabres
• Uncertain future for Bears in draft
• Carlisle on Paxson's radar; Izzo could be too
• Today's Highlights
• Local Scoreboard
• Local Notes
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief
• Bears sign Davis to three-year deal
• Sox's Vazquez falters against Yanks
• Cubs to skip Hill in rotation
• Major League Baseball Roundup
• Prep Baseball: SCN throttles Larkin
• Wolfsmith named Bartlett hoops coach
• Prep Baseball: Westminster Christian remains hot
• Prep Softball: North's 8th-inning rally shocks Saints
• Prep Baseball: Bartlett tops Streamwood
• Prep Softball Roundup: Green Wave secures SCC triumph
• Buettner claims 178-pound title
• Cedeno's slam backs Lilly's win
• Sox get Bobby-slammed
• Local Highlights
• Local Scoreboard
• NBA Roundup
• In Brief