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Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Promise to mom can wait
Where in the world is Matt Miller? Good question. For the time being, he's back home in Aurora, doing work as an athletic trainer and organizing a summer basketball camp at the Fox Valley Park District's Eola Center. Usually, though, it's wise to have an atlas and a globe handy to find him. In the nine years since he earned Beacon-News All-Area Basketball honors as a senior point guard for coach David Saurbaugh at Waubonsie Valley High School, Miller has been here, there and, well, darn near everywhere. England, Spain, Germany, Bosnia, Romania, Ethiopia and Rwanda are just some of the stamps on the well-worn passports of this professional player.
Regionals tough act to follow
Thursday night's Glenbard West Sectional will be packed with Naperville-area teams.
That's because Naperville North and Neuqua Valley advanced and Waubonsie-Metea Co-op automatically qualified three girls to compete as individuals.
Night Ice Fishing set for Shabbona Lake
Dr. Robert Weil: The week before an intrepid band of enthusiastic Shabbona Lake supporters descended on the 318-acre reservoir, Shabbona Lake Sportsmens' Club president Rich McElligott predicted another successful lake improvement project.
Martz's offense must keep Bears' defense off field
Neil Hayes: Forgive Lovie Smith for allowing the search for Ron Turner's
replacement to drag on, but this was a critical hire not only because
the new offensive coordinator will be in charge of Jay Cutler's
development. With all due respect to Rod Marinelli, who was promoted to defensive
coordinator Friday, the new offensive coordinator could be the person
who makes the biggest impact on the defense next season.
Peyton's place takes hit
Rick Morrissey: -Peyton Manning got set up. Almost immediately after the Colts won the
AFC Championship Game, the discussion in the media turned to his
legacy. If he won a second Super Bowl, the thinking went, he would be
considered among the best quarterbacks ever. But damn if the fluff wasn't used to hang him after the Saints upset the Colts on Sunday night.
Thomas' Bulls time likely about finished
John Jackson: Forget his profanity-laced tirade at Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro after
the game on Friday in Atlanta for a moment. The biggest sign that Tyrus
Thomas is utterly clueless was that he chose that game -- one of his
worst with the team -- to explode and whine about playing time.
Cubs and Sox pack their bags for spring training
The Cubs and the White Sox packed up for spring training in Arizona on Monday. The Cubs will travel to Mesa and the Sox will make the trip to Glendale. Here's a list of what the Cubs will be trucking out to their training facility, what's already on site and the workout schedules for both teams.
Goal tenders' assembly line
Cristobal Huet still might be the Blackhawks' No. 1 goalie, but coach Joel Quenneville seems to be giving Antti Niemi every opportunity to win the job.
SPORTS WIRE: Vizquel gets Aparicio's No. 11
The White Sox are taking Hall of Fame shortstop Luis Aparicio's No. 11 out of retirement for newly acquired 11-time Gold Glove winner Omar Vizquel. Vizquel said he will wear the number as a tribute to his Venezuelan countryman.
Well worth the risk for Hawks Olympians
The concerns are obvious for those NHL teams with players participating in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver later this month. There are the additional risks of injury and fears that players might tire down the stretch.
Monday, February 8, 2010
A memory that will last a lifetime
The first Under Armour Future Bowl on Saturday may very well go down in history as the best. And for the Naperville Patriots Junior Midget Red team, it also will be remembered for the final score: Naperville 46, Deion Sander's Select Truth squad, 42.
New Orleans' Super Bowl win is big.. easy? No way
Sean Jensen: He strode to the makeshift news-conference table, the sly smile on his
face, the Lombardi Trophy in his arms, and New Orleans Saints coach
Sean Payton passed on the vacant chair. The coach with deep Illinois roots had just elevated himself among the elite NFL coaches of all time
Payton's pals watch hometown hero
The sporting world knows Sean Payton as an offensive genius of a football coach who guided his New Orleans Saints to their first Super Bowl victory Sunday. The general public probably knows he's a master motivator. Some may even know he's something of a celebrity who hangs out with Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney. But it's highly unlikely many people know Payton drove a brown Subaru while at Naperville Central.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Payton's reach extends to Redhawks
Sean Payton has earned a reputation for the motivational tactics and
speeches he uses to inspire his New Orleans Saints players. Sometimes
the words are so perfectly crafted it's almost as if Payton can see the
future.
Payton among top Naperville sports elite
In the last three months, athletes from Naperville have won a World Series, an MLS Cup and advanced to the Super Bowl.
If Sean Payton's New Orleans Saints make good against the Indianapolis Colts on the NFL's biggest stage tonight in Florida, it will solidify him as the most famous Naperville sportsman of them all. That's saying something. There are as many qualified candidates as previous names for Sun Life Stadium.
Team finish clouds an overall good day
Only Chris Spangler had ever won four regional wrestling championships at Neuqua Valley.
On Saturday senior Nick Proctor became the second in school history to turn the trick when he earned a 5-2 win over Plainfield Central's Josh Ellingwood at 160 pounds during the Class 3A West Aurora Regional.
What happened? Examining the 3-year fall at Halas Hall
After the Bears lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI in
February 2007, they vowed to return. And while not many were betting on
it, they had the right to dream big. They were good, young and signed. What happened to the Bears?
Cardinals split doubleheader with Millikin
With time running out for the North Central College men's basketball team to salvage its season, Saturday represented the start of one final push. Leave it to freshman star Derek Raridon to take care of business. Raridon scored a game-high 33 points as North Central squeaked out a 71-69 victory over Millikin in Naperville.
Neuqua handles Elgin with ease
Sometimes in life people just need to have a little fun.
Neuqua Valley did at Elgin's expense on Saturday night.
The Wildcats flexed their muscles as they raced past the Maroons 91-42 in Upstate Eight Conference action.
Saints looking to deliver Manning some knockout hits
Sean Jensen: New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been trying
to make people forget about his controversial comments since telling
104.5 ''The Zone'' in Nashville that the Saints needed to deliver some
''remember me'' shots on Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.
Bulls play strong to the finish
The losing streak ended as the Bulls found a way to win the fourth quarter despite being outshot and outrebounded. Luol Deng scored 25 points, Derrick Rose scored 24, and the Bulls found
a groove in the fourth quarter in a 95-91 victory over the Miami Heat
before a sellout 22,352 on Saturday night at the United Center.
Antti to the rescue
Antti Niemi was supposed to return to the Blackhawks' net when the St. Louis Blues visited the United Center last week. He couldn't do it then, and the Hawks lost. Niemi got to face the Blues on Saturday at Scottrade Center, however, and showed from the outset that he has recovered from the stomach flu.
SPORTS WIRE: Danica finds joy in sixth
Bobby Gerhart's record-setting sixth victory at Daytona International Speedway was overshadowed by the successful stock car debut of IndyCar star Danica Patrick, who finished sixth Saturday in a crash-filled ARCA race.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Huskies win see-saw battle with Wheaton South
Trailing by 12 points with 1 minute, 56 seconds left in regulation, Naperville North engineered a 15-0 run to conclude matters in Naperville and grab an unexpected 47-44 victory over Wheaton-Warrenville South.
Benet nips St. Patrick
Benet made its freebies when it counted the most against St. Patrick on Friday night. The Redwings received crucial free throws from Frank Kaminsky and David Sobolewski in the final minute to help pull out a 49-47 win against St. Patrick.
Central puts scare into ranked Glenbard E.
When the game is on the line, Jon Hill seems to be at his best.
Hill scored 12 of his game-high 26 points in the third quarter as the sixth-ranked Glenbard East Rams survived a scare from Naperville. Central 69-56 Friday in Naperville.
Free throws, defense carry Warriors
Earlier in the year, Waubonsie Valley girls basketball coach Kim Connell said of her team's free throw shooting, "I send up a prayer and hope they make 50 percent."
Friday, February 5, 2010
Redhawks come alive in the second half
Persistence paid off Thursday for the Naperville Central girls' basketball team.
Unable to buy a basket through the middle two quarters, the Redhawks found themselves down nine points (29-20) early in the second half.
But hot shooting by Emma Ondik and some tight defense brought Central back and it improved to 22-5 overall and 10-2 in the DuPage Valley Conference with a hard-fought 46-42 win.
Naperville North honors its elite again
Walking the halls of Naperville North, one can quickly get a sense of the school's athletic tradition by looking at plaques honoring those enshrined in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Huskies win gymnastics regional
Naperville North clinched an automatic berth in the Feb. 11 Glenbard West sectional by winning its home regional Friday night. The Huskies defended their home turf in besting St. Charles Co-op 139.375 to 138.6 for the title.
McKeon to be honored by his football peers
Four months after coaching his last football game at Naperville North, the accolades keep coming for Larry McKeon.
McKeon, who's retiring at the conclusion of the current school year, compiled a 231-71 record in 27 years at the school, which came after five years at then Plainfield High School.
Benet's defense making them force in ESCC
Take one look at the Benet boys basketball defense and even the casual observer can see why the Redwings are in contention for their first East Suburban Catholic Conference championship since the 1994-95 season.
Patriots on national stage again
While much of the nation eagerly awaits Sunday's Super Bowl, one Naperville team is champing at the bit for another championship a day earlier.
Boys basketball notebook
When Neuqua Valley returns to the court against Elgin at 6 p.m. on Saturday it will be the Wildcats' first game since their victory against South Elgin on Jan. 29.
Neuqua (20-1, 5-0) played 10 games during a very busy January.
Big third quarter keeps North win streak going
Trailing at halftime after 16 sloppy minutes of play Thursday night, Naperville North turned up its defense against Glenbard East. North outscored the Rams 12-2 in the third quarter to reclaim the lead for the first time since early in the first quarter on its way to a 52-38 victory.
Wrestling notebook
Naperville North wrestling coach Tom Champion used to sweat the team standings and the amount of points his team was racking up at a given tournament.
The 50 best Bears of all time
No longer the scourge of the National Football League, the Bears still maintain an unmatched legacy of players who have made a profound and unique impact on the league. George Halas was a founding father whose innovations pointed the rest of the league in the right direction. Red Grange legitimized and popularized the NFL with a 1925 barnstorming tour. Sid Luckman ushered in the modern passing era.
Much more than a game
Rick Morrissey: I confess to some Katrina fatigue. I'm not proud of it, but there it is, naked and unflattering. You've probably been hearing and reading the words of the New Orleans Saints, who have carried a 2005 hurricane and a still-recovering city with them all the way to the Super Bowl.
Prescription for Noah: Take a break
John Jackson: During the tip-off to begin the game Wednesday night in Philadelphia, Bulls center Joakim Noah never jumped. Maybe he was caught off guard by the referee's toss, or maybe the thought of the pain he would experience by jumping distracted him for a split second and he reacted too slowly.
Hawks' plan: Get back to the basics
Sometimes the simple play is the best play. That's what the Blackhawks are focusing on getting back to after back-to-back losses against the Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues. ''The bottom line is we have to get results,'' Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said after practice Thursday at the United Center.
Here's all you need for a Super day
Best I can tell, one Manning or the other will be taking his team to the Super Bowl for the rest of our natural lives. Meanwhile, it appears that the Saints will get to the Super Bowl once every 42 years or so; the next time they make it there, Brett Favre might be their quarterback.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
3 Wildcats decide on home of the Braves
Shortly before the end of the high school soccer season last fall, Neuqua Valley senior Keegan Balle joked with teammates Zach Kovacevic and Scott Davis about how it would be something if the three ended up continuing their soccer careers at the same college.
At the time, Balle had already signed with Bradley University. On Wednesday, Davis and Kovacevic joined Balle when they signed letters of intent to play for the Braves.
Newest college recruits sign letters of intent
The regular signing period for football and several other sports began Wednesday and will continue through April 1 for football and Aug. 1 for all other sports. These local athletes have signed -- or are expected to sign -- a National Letter of Intent.
Warriors 'D' clamps down
Joliet's Steelwomen (6-16) were a hard-luck squad coming into Waubonsie Valley on Wednesday, having already lost to nine ranked teams this season.
The hard luck continued as they ran into another of the area's excellent teams, and left with a sound 59-27 beating at the hands of the Warriors, now 20-2.
Warriors have right balance
It's hard for opponents to get a handle on the Waubonsie Valley girls basketball team because so many people do so many things well.
Becky Williford is the team's "pass-first" point guard and yet she's only second in assists, three behind forward Keiera Ray.
It's still the big dance
Sean Jensen: Former Bears Mike Singletary and Jim McMahon have an impressive collection of titles, awards and records between them. But much to their chagrin, neither can escape the inevitable and invariable inquiries about ''The Super Bowl Shuffle.''
Hawks cool off at home
The Blackhawks followed the Bulls' bad example Wednesday. They also found the first game back after a successful road trip frustrating. Both teams left the United Center when an ice show took over the building for two weeks.
Noah quick recovery
Before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night at the Wachovia Center, Derrick Rose said he was happy the Bulls were playing so quickly after squandering their recent momentum with a flat home performance. ''I'm glad we have a back-to-back, so we can get right back out there,'' Rose said.
Wildcats take a Chance among their 17 signees
According to coach Pat Fitzgerald, the class of 17 football recruits announced by Northwestern on Wednesday ''adds speed and toughness and fills needs.'' The signees, who have a combined grade-point average of 3.5, feature players from 10 states and include Loyola Academy defensive lineman Chance Carter, who lives in Evanston.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Inconsistency hurts Redhawks
This had the potential to be a big week for Naperville Central.
The Redhawks entered Tuesday night's game at Wheaton Warrenville South tied with the Tigers for second place in the DuPage Valley Conference standings. If Central could pull out a win, it would be alone in second place with conference leader Glenbard East looming this weekend.
Big men come up big
Truth can be stranger than fiction.
How else do you explain Naperville North's 34-31 DuPage Valley Conference victory Tuesday at West Aurora?
Neither team had a scorer reach double figures. The home team didn't shoot a free throw in the game and didn't score the final five minutes and 24 seconds.
And still, Huskies' coach Jeff Powers couldn't breathe easy until his team made one last defensive stand in the final 15 seconds, when the Blackhawks had the ball and two shots at a possible game winner.
Warner offers advice to Cutler
Sean Jensen: Kurt Warner knows about riding the Mike Martz roller coaster better than anybody else. Warner warned Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to buckle up but added that—with faith—the ride can be positive and enlightening.
Lovie's new Bears staff: Three men and a maybe
Mike Mulligan: The joke about Lovie Smith's first Bears staff in 2004 was that it was the team's least-experienced group of NFL coaches since George Halas assembled his first staff during the formation of professional football. Virtually everyone involved was either newly promoted or new to the NFL.
There's no 'I' in Peyton
Rick Telander: How do you stop this guy? Well, pretty much you don't. Peyton Manning is a boulder rolling down a hill, slowed by a twig here or there, but basically relentless in his path to greatness. Some, though not Manning himself, would say he's already there. ''Your question had a lot of 'I's' phrased in it,'' Manning replied to an early questioner on Media Day.
Hawks coach works his magic again
It's a simple game played as practice comes to an end. But it shows a playful side of Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville that many don't get to see. Quenneville, 51, will line up one-on-one against his players, usually one of his defensemen, and then battle for control of the puck. It's usually a physical showdown accompanied by smiles and laughter.
Bulls 5-game win streak halted
On second thought, maybe the Bulls' road trip wasn't long enough. After building momentum and confidence by winning the final five games of a tough seven-game road trip (all against above-.500 teams), the Bulls laid an egg in their homecoming Tuesday by dropping a 90-82 decision to the Los Angeles Clippers at the United Center.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Athletes ready for National Letter of Intent day
The regular signing period for football and several other sports begins Wednesday and will continue through April 1 for football and Aug. 1 for all other sports. These local athletes have signed - or are expected to sign - a National Letter of Intent.
Will Warriors' potential break free?
Beginning with Monday's Geneva Regional, local high school gymnasts flipped, somersaulted and leaped through the air while trying to charm their way into the hearts of the IHSA judges and earn a trip to sectionals. Neuqua Valley, Naperville Central, Geneva, Glenbard South and West Aurora round out the regional field. Led by Emily Ott, the host Bulldogs won the Independent Conference all-around and floor exercise titles Saturday at Oswego.
Neuqua peaks at right time
Neuqua Valley put the finishing touches on a remarkable conference season by winning the championship meet Friday at Lake Park East.
The Wildcats scored a season-high 144.725 to top St. Charles Co-op (142.9) for the Upstate Eight Conference title. Neuqua also took home the overall league championship.
Cardinals ready to shock their system
As if there was any great time for the North Central College women's basketball team to face Illinois Wesleyan, tonight's visit to Bloomington is at the very least ill-timed.
Brees heeded call of storm-ravaged New Orleans
Rick Telander: Saints quarterback Drew Brees is familiar with storms. So the near-torrential rain Monday in South Florida didn't much faze him. ''Hey, it is what it is,'' he said philosophically after his team had
been bused 30 miles north from its outdoor practice field at the
University of Miami in Coral Gables to the Dolphins' indoor facility in
this suburb southwest of Fort Lauderdale. ''Weather the storm.''
Glenbard W. students in hospital after crash
It has been a tough week in Glen Ellyn and especially at Glenbard West High School, as the community waits anxiously for news on the condition of two members of the school involved in a serious car accident Jan. 29.
Martz promises Bears will have revamped offense
If history and the testimony of a Super Bowl-winning coach is any
indication, the Bears' offense improved dramatically when Mike Martz
was named offensive coordinator Monday. ''I would stake my entire reputation on their offense improving when he
takes over,'' former Eagles and Rams coach Dick Vermeil said.
More points = more wins for Bulls
If you search long enough, chances are you can find a statistic to support almost any position on any subject. Still, there's no disputing this simple statistical fact: The Bulls are winning more games because they are scoring more points. It's almost as if coach Vinny Del Negro received a Christmas gift of a better offense.
For Hawks, it's about finding silver lining
For Blackhawks fans who enjoy playing around with different line
combinations, the imminent return of center Dave Bolland should keep
them quite busy. Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said over the weekend that Bolland could
return ''maybe Wednesday'' against the St. Louis Blues, the game the
center was targeting.
SPORTS WIRE: Ex-Sox SS Cabrera signs with Reds
The Cincinnati Reds made a couple of roster moves Monday, signing former White Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera to a one-year, $3.02 million contract with an option for 2011 and trading outfielder Willy Taveras to the Oakland Athletics as part of a four-player deal.
Monday, February 1, 2010
He's always on the rebound
Rebounding is not for the faint of heart.
It takes a certain want-to type of attitude to be successful and Neuqua Valley's Dwayne Evans has the desire to own the glass.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tradition continues during Drendel era
Two days after Naperville's Sean Payton ended the season for Aurora's Brad Childress, Naperville North athletic director Doug Smith made the biggest hire of his seven-year tenure at North by planting North graduate Sean Drendel as the replacement of legendary varsity football coach Larry McKeon.
Neuqua wins conference gymnastics title
Friday's Upstate Eight Conference meet turned out to be a culmination of this season's highlights for Neuqua Valley.
The Wildcats again received strong performances from multiple competitors in their 144.725-point, first-place finish at the six-team UEC championship. Neuqua also won the conference title outright by virtue of its 4-1 record in UEC meets.
Central woke up on wrong side of bed
Naperville North 145-pound wrestler Adam Hankin earned the title at 145 with a 14-5 major decision over Glenbard North's Jon Salazar in Saturday's DuPage Valley Conference meet at Wheaton North.
Peters leads Wildcats to where they haven't been
Hans Peters can feel the pressure but he's turning it into a positive for Neuqua Valley.
Peters is working to continuing the tradition of graduated state champions Kevin Overholt (Class of 2009) and Brian Alden (2008), who have led the Wildcats to state trophies the past three years, including the 2008 state title.
NCC splits doubleheader vs. Wheaton
After receiving 20 minutes of fantastic play Saturday night at home against Wheaton College, North Central College men's basketball coach Todd Raridon had to watch his team gut out a 60-58 victory, avenging their Jan. 9 loss to the Thunder.
Bears' Devin Aromashodu ready to lend a helping hand
Bears receiver Devin Aromashodu ''arrived'' in the colloquial sense when he caught seven
passes for 150 yards, including the 39-yard game-winner, on ''Monday
Night Football'' against the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings. But at least in his mind, Aromashodu arrived in the formal sense
Saturday, when he hosted his first football camp at Miami Springs High,
where he starred for longtime coach Buddy Goins.
Hawks end 8-game road trip on losing note
The game Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes would be ''a
different challenge mentally'' and ''a good test'' for the Blackhawks. Those were the prophetic words of Hawks coach Joel Quenneville hours before the teams played at the RBC Center. The Hurricanes scored twice in the third period and got a stellar
39-save effort by Cam Ward to post a 4-2 victory against the Hawks.
Streaking Bulls find right formula
After 13 days, eight flights, seven games, three time zones and a host
of bus rides, the Bulls finally arrived home early Saturday. Forward
Luol Deng no doubt summed up the feelings of everyone in the team's
traveling party. ''I haven't missed home as much as I have this trip,'' Deng said. ''I
don't know why, but I'm just looking forward to going home.''
McCamey's runner at buzzer saves Illini
The original plan called for a backdoor play. But option B didn't turn out to be all that bad. Demetri McCamey made a floater at the buzzer Saturday to lift Illinois to a 72-70 victory against Indiana. Weber said he generally doesn't approve of McCamey attempting a floater, but he'll make an exception for this game-winner.
SPORTS WIRE: Serena ties King with 12th Slam win
Serena Williams won her second consecutive Australian Open championship, ending Justine Henin's hopes of a Grand Slam title in her return from retirement with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory Saturday in Melbourne.
Detroit, Simon nudge UIC
Chase Simon picked up his second double-double of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to lead host Detroit to a 76-73 victory Saturday against UIC.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Three-point play sinks West
Patience is a virtue. And, in Naperville Central's Friday night victory over visiting West Aurora, the creed was as true as ever.
Matt Neufeld had a three-point play on a tip-in with nine seconds left to lift the host Redhawks.
Ex-Warrior Edmondson enjoys homecoming
Sean Marcus Edmondson had a memorable homecoming at Waubonsie Valley in more ways than one. Not
only did the former Warriors standout (class of 1989) get a chance to
coach his current team, Huron out of Ann Arbor, Mich., Edmondson got to
see his two Waubonsie nephews Alex and Tyler play.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Family reunion
What's in a name? You can call him Sean or you can call him Marcus. No matter which, this Edmondson, who will always be remembered at Waubonsie Valley High School as a very good basketball player, will answer. Sean Marcus Edmondson (class of 1989) went by his first name in high school and at Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan before going on to play professionally in South and Central America for two seasons. There, they called him by his middle name, Marcus, which he still uses.
Redhawks learn about life after Drew
Drew Crawford has made the transition to college basketball look easy. Naperville Central, however, has found it a bit more difficult to adjust.
The entire Redhawks' team, from coach Pete Kramer down the line, has had to learn how to work without Crawford, who is enjoying an extremely successful freshman season at Northwestern.
Leading through the good, bad
The Naperville North girls basketball team came away from Wheaton Warrenville South with a sweet 47-43 victory on Wednesday, and, no one enjoyed the upset win more than the Huskies' senior co-captains Colleen Warren and Ashley Weizeorick.
A textbook example of the Eagles
The Benedictine University men's basketball team's Jan. 21 home win
against Aurora University typified the Eagles' 2009-10 season. The Eagles (11-6, 5-4 Northern Athletics Conference) jumped out to a big lead (24-10), got contributions from numerous players, weathered a shaky stretch and recovered to walk away with the win.
North Central men aim to build on momentum
Exactly halfway through the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin season, North Central College will look to build off its win Wednesday at Elmhurst as Wheaton College comes to town Saturday night for a 7:30 game.
Tip-ins
Benet coach Gene Heidkamp, whose squad is tied atop the East
Suburban Catholic Conference with St. Joseph's, will find out a lot
about his squad over the next two weeks.
Tip-ins
Jill D'Amico has added a new dimension to the Naperville Central starting lineup -- a second point guard.
Pro Bowl takes Bears rookie Knox beyond his goal
Like any receiver, Bears rookie Johnny Knox established 1,000 yards as a preseason goal. But the fifth-round pick didn't imagine the Pro Bowl was a possibility. ''I had a lot of goals set before the season,'' Knox said, ''but, honestly, this was not one that I set. Not for my rookie year. But I'm glad it worked out for me.''
'Selfish' Rose all about the team
Carol Slezak: The light has turned on for Derrick Rose. He has developed a selfish streak. And, no coincidence, the Bulls are in the midst of their best stretch in what feels like forever. This is the Rose we have been waiting for -- perhaps too impatiently. He is, after all, still a 21-year-old kid, in just his second pro season.
Waubonsie-Metea places 4th at UEC meet
The Waubonsie Valley-Metea Valley Co-op endured a rough start to its Upstate Eight Conference girls gymnastics meet Friday at Lake Park and finished fourth among the six teams with 141.15 points.
Brouwer the savior in OT
The Blackhawks assured themselves of a winning record on their eight-game road trip thanks to a dramatic victory Thursday night on the rink of their biggest enemy. In a meeting of the two best teams in the NHL, the Hawks squeezed out a 4-3 victory against the San Jose Sharks on Troy Brouwer's goal, his second of the game, 1:23 into overtime.
Tim Tebow: A case of ad nauseam
Rick Telander: You gotta say this about Tim Tebow: The dude doesn't mind being scrutinized. You'd think that if there were more to learn about the former star Florida quarterback -- from his NFL-suspect arm to his proselytizing charm -- than what we have learned in the last four years, it would need to come from the CIA.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Balance key to Huskies' upset win
The excitement in Naperville North coach Jacquie Discipio's voice was in evidence of how big a win her team had just earned. The young Huskies, starting a junior, sophomore, and freshman, stunned Wheaton Warrenville South 47-43 on the Tigers' home court. The disparity in records between the two teams shows how big an upset it was. North improved to 5-17 overall and 4-6 in the DuPage Valley Conference with the win.
Redwings skid ends at three
Despite their difficulties scoring for much of the second half, the Redwings emerged with a 42-27 win Wednesday night at Nazareth Academy to snap a three-game losing streak.
Briefs: IHSA bass fishing goes national
The final episode of Babe Winkelman's chronicles of the first IHSA high school state bass fishing championship in the nation is scheduled to air for the first time Feb. 6 and again April 24.
Cardinals get ready for rematch with Bluejays
Sitting midway through the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin portion of its schedule, North Central College will look to build off lessons learned after its first seven conference tilts.
Hawks' problem: Where's tough-guy image?
Rick Morrissey: Most of us can tell the  difference between a professional hockey player and a choirboy. I don't actually know any choirboys, but I'm guessing the vast majority of them are in possession of all of their teeth and many of their brain cells.
Bulls reach .500 mark
The Oklahoma City Thunder slowed the Bulls' momentum once this season; the Bulls weren't about to let it happen again. They reached the .500 mark for the first time since Nov. 22 with a 96-86 victory Wednesday over the Thunder at the Ford Center.
Cubs in Dawson's heart, Expos on his cap
Andre Dawson wanted to have a Cubs logo on his Hall of Fame baseball cap. Instead, he will be enshrined July 25 as the second -- and likely last -- Montreal Expo. The newest Cooperstown member learned of the Hall of Fame's decision Tuesday, arguing to the end for his preference to be immortalized as a Cub.
Illini in balancing act
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Illinois coach Bruce Weber still hasn't found a go-to guy. But in a 77-67 win over Penn State before 8,085 fans Wednesday night at the Bryce Jordan Center, he didn't need one.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Drendel to head Huskies football
Naperville North athletic director Doug Smith's search for a new varsity football coach didn't have to go off school grounds. The Huskies announced Tuesday that Sean Drendel was succeeding Larry McKeon.
IHSA: No positive tests for steroids
Apparently where there's smoke, there isn't always fire. The
Illinois High School Association announced Tuesday that its
Performance-Enhancing Drug Testing Program had produced no positive
test results among the 141 athletes it tested this fall in three sports
(girls swimming and diving, boys soccer and football).
Drug testing in regular season remains on hold
They're waiting.
Mike Gaspari, athletic director and varsity football coach at Batavia High School, said he had read with interest the IHSA announcement that it had zero positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs Tuesday, but that he "had not heard anything" officially about the expanded testing as yet.
Crawford blips national radar
Having dropped its first two games in the Big Ten after recording nine
straight nonconference wins, Northwestern came to Ann Arbor, Mich., on
Jan. 10 looking to affirm its legitimacy.
Perimeter play powers Huskies
Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith expected his team might have its hands full against Naperville North's big front line on Tuesday.
Redhawks slip down the stretch
Puzzling. Baffling. Mind-boggling.
Pick any of the above and it would best describe how Pete Kramer and the Naperville Central boys basketball team feels this morning, after the Redhawks stumbled for a second straight game.
Losing out to Cable guy
Rick Morrissey: The Raiders. The Oakland  Raiders. The Raiders who finished 5-11 last season and had one of the worst offenses in the NFL. The Raiders who still haven't announced whether their coach will be back in 2010 for the last year of his contract.
Easy in Edmonton
Just four seasons ago, the Edmonton Oilers were in the Stanley Cup finals. When they hosted the Blackhawks on Tuesday, though, they were the worst team in the NHL with 38 points.
Nady a physical away from spot in Cubs OF
The Cubs have agreed to terms with free agent Xavier Nady on a one-year contract to be their fourth outfielder, baseball sources say, with the $3.3 million deal expected to be finalized this week once Nady passes a physical.
Bulls' Rose budding right before our eyes
John Jackson: Earlier this season, close games were the bane of the Bulls' existence. They simply didn't make enough plays down the stretch to win tight games. But that has changed recently, and there was no better example of that than the Bulls' 98-93 victory Monday against the San Antonio Spurs.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
House Resolution honors cross-country team
Thirteen days after the U.S. House of Representatives officially paid tribute to North Central College's renowned cross country program, U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale, made it official Monday afternoon in a ceremony held at the college's plush, new Residence Hall/Recreation Center.
Cardinals hoping for two in a row
After breaking its five-game losing streak Saturday against Augustana, North Central College travels to Elmhurst tonight -- another tall task for a team that has had a season full of them. Junior guard Jackie Errico scored a game-high 20 points Saturday as the Cardinals notched their first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin victory, 62-58, over Augustana College.
Sometimes a tie's a win
After the final Metro West Conference game was completed Sunday night at Seven Bridges Ice Arena, the Naperville North hockey team stormed the ice and celebrated its contest against Naperville Central on both teams' Senior Night.
The Huskies didn't exactly beat their biggest rivals though. They ended up tying the Redhawks, a 3-3 result that prevented Central from winning the conference title.
IHSA drug tests find no violations
The Illinois High School Association has compiled the results of its
Performance-Enhancing Drug Testing Program for the fall of 2009. There were zero positive test results among the 141 tests conducted
by the IHSA during the fall sports seasons, which included girls
swimming and diving, boys soccer, and football.
Waubonsie posting all-time best scores
In its first year operating as a co-op program with Metea Valley, Waubonsie has taken its team to new heights.
The squad is achieving the kind of steady growth that would make most single-school programs envious.
Depth, talent and willingness to learn each week have defined this group.
Central girls blitz North
The Naperville Central girls basketball team came out as if it had no margin for error in the DuPage Valley Conference race.
The Redhawks (19-4, 8-2) jumped to a 10-0 lead at archrival Naperville North (4-17, 3-6) and went on to a 64-51 win to keep them within one loss of the lead in the DVC.
Calendar
A roundup of upcoming contests.
Martz solid O-coordinator, but Bears aren't calling
Neil Hayes: The buzz surrounding the Bears at the Senior Bowl relates to Mike Martz
and his candidacy for the vacant offensive coordinator position, if
he's a candidate at all. Martz, who
has said he's interested in coaching Jay Cutler in Chicago, and the Bears
seem like such a great fit for so many reasons, yet his dusty phone
never rings.
Thome doesn't get call to return to Sox
Ozzie Guillen had to make the final decision on veteran slugger Jim
Thome, and on Monday he finally did. The Thome chapter is over on the
South Side.
“It came down to getting enough at-bats,’’ Guillen explained. ''I don't want a season where Jim sits three or four days in a row and
the media comes up to him and asks, 'You're not playing?' This thing
will become a soap opera. It's about at-bats.
Flip side to Hawks' success
Carol Slezak: You can't see it, but you know it's there. The Blackhawks are wearing a
big target on their backs. They've become the hunted. Every other NHL
squad wants to prove itself against them now -- on the scoreboard and
otherwise. This is what it's like to be on top.
'The heart monitor just stopped'
The injuries suffered in a national-championship collegiate basketball career and three years in the NBA left Bo Ellis' fingers gnarled, twisted and in need of surgery.
Northbrook club sending 3 skaters to Olympics
When Brian Hansen, Lana Gehring and Mitch Whitmore take the ice next month, area sports fans will reminded that the trio got their start in Northbrook. They will make their Winter Olympics debuts in Vancouver as members of the United States speedskating team. But before competing for Team USA, the trio represented the Northbrook Speedskating Club.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Saints down Vikings in OT for first Super Bowl trip
Sean Jensen: Who dat in the Super Bowl? That would be the New Orleans Saints. With a remarkable 31-28 overtime victory against the Minnesota Vikings,
the Saints figuratively removed the paper bag many fans sported during
the franchise's dark days.
Season will put Williams-Guillen relationship to the test
They’ve described their relationship as “two brothers.’’ Not the norm as far as major-league general manager and manager are concerned. Especially a GM and manager whose big personalities are only overshadowed by their even bigger egos.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Neuqua stops West Aurora in overtime
It is a shame there were only a handful of fans left in the Sears
Centre to see the conclusion to the West Aurora-Neuqua Valley contest
-- because it needed an extra four minutes to be settled.
Huskies put in the 'zone'
Good defense always makes a coach smile, so it was no surprise that
West Aurora girls basketball coach Connie Siljendahl was beaming
Saturday after the effort her Blackhawks gave in the second half
against Naperville North.
Neuqua takes 2nd, Waubonsie 5th at UEC meet
When they day began, Lake Park wrestling coach Todd Raymond had a good feeling heading into the Upstate Eight Conference wrestling championships.
His feelings turned in to utter happiness as his Lancers came out victorious for the first time in 25 years of the competition.
Women's pro soccer likes home cooking
Earlier this month the Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) drafted Neuqua Valley's Michele Weissenhofer out of Notre Dame and Geneva High School's Jackie Santacaterina out of Illinois, it harkened to a trend of professional sports franchises working the coming-home story.
Defense continues to haunt men's team
Near the midway point of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin season, its defense continued to rear its ugly head for North Central College Saturday night. NCC fell 81-71 to Augustana.
Quentin's happy, healthy and ready for right field
It was a new-look Carlos Quentin on Saturday at SoxFest: He was smiling. Now, the White Sox are hoping their talented, oft-injured outfielder
can return to his 2008 form and finally step back and enjoy the game
rather than be the tightly wired overthinker once described by former
teammate Jermaine Dye as "weird.''
Big finish = big Northwestern victory over Illinois
Northwestern stormed back from an eight-point deficit in the second
half and knocked off Illinois 73-68 on Saturday night before a sellout
crowd of 8,117 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
It was the Wildcats' first win against their in-state Big Ten rival
since Jan. 14, 2004, in Illinois coach Bruce Weber's first game in the
series.
Vikings big on local product Childress
Brothers Mark and Zygi Wilf, the owners of the Minnesota Vikings,
squashed one of the persistent questions looming over their club when
they signed coach Brad Childress to an extension Nov. 19. ''As an organization, you have to stand up for what you believe in, and
we believe in coach Childress,'' Mark Wilf said last Sunday.
Bulls finally come up big with back-to-back wins
Back-to-back games, especially the second night, haven't been kind to
the Bulls, but they scored their most impressive set of wins on
consecutive nights in perhaps the most challenging back-to-back on the
schedule. A day after a solid win in Phoenix, the Bulls fought off fatigue for a
104-97 victory Saturday night over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota
Center.
Winning Wildcats better late than ever
During timeouts Saturday night, Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips paced the concourse at Welsh-Ryan Arena, his head down, a pained look on his face. It looked as if he were trying to decide how to tell his wife he had just bought the sports car they had decided they couldn't afford.
SPORTS WIRE: MVP Kafka leads East victory
Andrew Quarless caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka with six seconds remaining, lifting the East to a 13-10 win over the West on Saturday in the annual showcase for college football all-stars looking to make an impression on NFL scouts.
Kobe better than MJ? Just hear me out
Let's cut to the chase (because I know a lot of you have the attention span of a tsetse fly and the rest of you already have wandered out of this sentence to go do a Sudoku puzzle):
Friday, January 22, 2010
Benet's Goforth retires from coaching
For the first time next fall, Gary Goforth will be able to attend a Benet football game and sit in the stands. After 30 years being involved in Redwings football, Goforth officially retired as head coach Jan. 13 and made it public Jan. 15.
Size advantage? Neuqua, and it pays off
When Neuqua Valley is introduced during the starting lineups, Dwayne Evans is sometimes announced as a guard.
But Evans, who stands 6 feet, 5 inches, doesn't play like one.
Neuqua's band of brothers
Something happens to basketball teams in mid- to late-January.
The holiday tournaments are over. The postseason is still a good six weeks away. It's cold and dreary outside.
Waubonsie left searching for answers
After seeing his team's performance in Thursday's 46-35 Upstate Eight Conference loss to Lake Park, Waubonsie Valley boys basketball coach Steve Weemer was nearly at a loss for words.
Cardinals still looking for first league win
The North Central College women's basketball team will be looking to snap its five-game conference losing streak when Augustana College comes calling tomorrow afternoon.
Albeit on a four-game losing streak, the Vikings visit while currently a game ahead of the Cardinals in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin standings.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Waubonsie Valley grabs a win
Wins have been difficult to come by this season for Neuqua Valley, so coach Mike Williams will take them any way he can. The Wildcats made just enough plays when they needed them to knock off East Aurora by a 50-41 decision on Wednesday night in Naperville. Neuqua (6-12, 2-4 Upstate Eight Conference) scored the first 11 points and held East Aurora (14-11, 3-3) without a point for the first six minutes, but the Tomcats rallied and eventually took a 29-22 lead midway through the third quarter.
New system, new philosophy
There's a new basketball team in town and one day it may turn out to be very special.
Metea Valley, a first-year program under the guidance of head coach Kris Kalivas is making an impact already on the court, even if its only at the junior varsity level.
Carthage wins the battle of top conference scorers
The pre-game buzz around Carthage's trip to Naperville surrounded the fact the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin's top two scorers would take the same floor for the first time this season.
By the end of the night, Carthage's Steve Djurickovic, the conference's leading scorer, would win the box score battle with North Central's Derek Raridon, in addition to the final score as Carthage easily dispatched of North Central, 85-71, Wednesday night.
Bad Rex: Grossman sells condo for $700K loss
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman has never had this costly of a turnover: He just sold a condo in Chicago's Trump International Hotel & Tower for a nearly $700,000 loss.
Extra points
Get ready for the upcoming baseball season with hitting and pitching clinics led by Glenbard West High School baseball coach Jim Fornaciari.
New position becoming second nature for Beckham
Beckham had been out and about one afternoon when he noticed a text message from White Sox teammate and good friend Chris Getz: ''There are rumors that I'm getting traded.'' ''I read it, and I was like, 'What? C'mon,''' Beckham recalled this week. ''I was thinking it was just another one of those wild baseball rumors, so I sent a text back to Chris and told him, 'Don't worry. No way that's happening. You're too valuable.''' Getz was traded to the Kansas City Royals on Nov. 6.
What Super Bowl matchup does America want?
Jim O'Donnell: Who does America love? In a season of restoked TV ratings for the NFL, which of the four possible pairings for Super Bowl XLIV will most gas the meters for CBS on Feb. 7? Does it include the team from the north country, led by its nature-defying new Norse god?
Late rally not enough for Bulls
This time, the Bulls brought their focus and intensity, but apparently forgot their shooting touch for a good portion of the game Wednesday night. The result was another road loss as a spirited late rally fell short in a 104-97 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. ''Our guys fought,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said.
Quenneville gives nod to Niemi
For those in favor of promoting backup goaltender Antti Niemi, the Blackhawks' 4-1 loss Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators only fueled their fire. Starter Cristobal Huet allowed four goals on 18 shots against the Senators, and coach Joel Quenneville characterized the outing as ''OK'' after the game.
Benedictine shoots down Aurora U.
Benedictine University shot 55.6 percent from the field, including a blistering 15 of 27 on 3-point shots, and rolled to a key 96-83 victory over AU Thursday Night at the Rice Center.
FCC ends loophole favoring cable companies
Cable TV companies will no longer be able to use a federal loophole to withhold sports networks and other popular programming that they own from satellite providers and other rivals. The Federal Communications Commission voted 4-to-1 on Wednesday to close the so-called "terrestrial loophole" in a 1992 federal cable law.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Naperville Central routes Plainfield East
Naperville Central's 16-point win screams blowout, but that could not be further from the truth.
The Redhawks scored the first 11 points and looked to be on their way to an easy win, but visiting Plainfield East gave the hosts fits before succumbing to a 67-51 decision in a nonconference game Tuesday night.
City's three schools could trophy at state
Neuqua Valley's Hans Peters took another step forward last week toward becoming a freestyle scoring threat at state. At the New Trier Invitation on Saturday, Peters won both the 200 and the 100 freestyle and now looks like a candidate to finish top six in his individual races at the state meet next month.
Prep Rewind
The Wildcats defeated Bartlett 136-44 Tuesday.
One half won't cut it against Carthage
Losers of two of its last three games, Carthage came to Naperville looking to unleash some frustration on a North Central College team still fighting for its first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin victory.
The fifth ranked team to play the Cardinals this season, the Lady Reds used a 20-9 run to begin the second half and break the game open en route to a 72-49 victory Tuesday night.
Cardinals welcome league's leading scorer
North Central College recorded its first College Conference of Illinois
and Wisconsin victory of the season Saturday at Millikin and are hoping
to build on it with two home games this week.
'Sleepy' Hawks fall
By being one of the best, the Blackhawks can expect the best from their opponents. It just comes with the territory. The Hawks would be the first to tell you that they weren't at their best Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators.
Flu bug putting Bulls to the test
John Jackson: To put it mildly, the start of the Bulls' two-week road trip hasn't gone as well as anyone hoped. There was the 17-point loss to the undermanned Golden State Warriors in the opener on Monday, plus steady downpours and periods of heavy rain in both the Bay Area and here, with more rain scheduled for the next stop in Phoenix.
Little-known freshmen fuel Boilers
Something had to give when Illinois tried to run its record at Assembly Hall to 11-0 on Tuesday against No. 13 Purdue. The Boilermakers were determined to end a surprising three-game Big Ten losing streak that had left coach Matt Painter questioning his team's toughness. Purdue won this battle of wills 84-78.
Cubs face big gap in arbitration road
The Cubs remained as much as $800,000 away from a contract agreement with shortstop Ryan Theriot and nearly that much with closer Carlos Marmol as the deadline for filing salary-arbitration figures passed Tuesday without deals for the team's top two eligible players.
Dempster pitches for foundation
It was a reunion in the off-season for the Cubs players, management, friends and family when about 500 came out to support Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster and his wife, Jenny, at the Dempster Family Foundation Official Launch Party Sunday night at River North hotspot Hub 51. The Foundation benefits a cause dear to the Dempsters' hearts as their daughter Riley -- who was born last April -- is affected with DiGeorge syndrome.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Neuqua forges Classic comeback
It had been quite a while since Neuqua Valley had been involved in a tight contest, but the Wildcats received and passed two stiff tests.
Neuqua won a pair of tough games against quality teams Monday to close out the Rockton-Hononegah Martin Luther King Classic a perfect 4-0 and claim the championship for a second straight season.
The Wildcats opened with an 88-75 win against Zion-Benton and finished the day with a 63-52 win against host Hononegah to improve to 17-1.
Redhawks turn up 'D' to beat rival Huskies
The Huskies gave the Redhawks all they could handle for more than three quarters before Naperville Central took the lead in the fourth quarter and went on to win the DuPage Valley Conference contest 57-47.
Practice pays off for more focused North
What a difference five days can make.
Naperville North finished fifth (133.575 points) among the 12 teams at its Naperville North Invite on Jan. 9.
The Huskies responded to that performance -- one they considered mixed, in terms of results -- by practicing hard each day and last Thursday, it paid huge dividends.
Calendar
Here's who's playing this week in local sports.
Sox counting on Rios to rebound after rough 2009
Five swings. That's all it took for Greg Walker to take a deep sigh of relief and realize that the enigma looked to be back to an All-Star. No holes. No mechanical flaws. No signs of a player who was carrying the weight of the South Side on his shoulders. And now the White Sox hitting coach is only looking ahead. 'This was the first I had seen him,'' Walker described of the three-day hitting session last week with Alex Rios in Miami. 'But to be honest, it took the first five swings in the cage to show me that he had passed the eye test."
Athletes' heart problems can be tricky to diagnose
Two renowned heart specialists warned about jumping to conclusions
after the death of Bears defensive end Gaines Adams and lamented the
cruel statistics surrounding sudden cardiac death. ''It's tragic. But shocking? It's not infrequent that the first
manifestation is sudden death, and that's the tragedy -- that at times
we never had a chance to diagnose it,'' said Dr. John Beshai.
Goalie rotation shouldn't deter Hawks fans' joyride
Carol Slezak: The Blackhawks are playing so well, it's tough to find any weaknesses
in this team. But this is Chicago, where fans have learned never to
take anything for granted. There must be something to worry
about, right? The Hawks are leading the league in wins, but the prevailing fear is
that they can't win the Stanley Cup with Cristobal Huet in goal.
Flat Bulls miss prime opportunity against Warriors
The Bulls are on the road the next two weeks because ''Disney on Ice''
has taken over the United Center, but the opener of the seven-game road
swing had a circus-trip feel. The Bulls certainly were clownish Monday in dropping a 114-97 decision
to a Golden State Warriors team playing with only eight players.
Carmody looking for mo' of same
Coming off an upset of then-No. 6 Purdue on Saturday, Northwestern coach Bill Carmody is hoping the Wildcats can use the momentum tonight (6, BTN, 92.5-FM, 92.7-FM, 99.9-FM) when they visit No. 21 Ohio State.
Weber knows it'll be hard to lick wounded
Some truths are self-evident. Never be the coach who follows a legend. Road teams always get the short end of the whistle. And never play a team with its back to the wall if you can avoid it.
Orange brushes aside Irish
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Wesley Johnson scored 22 points and Andy Rautins 21, including five three-pointers, to lead No. 5 Syracuse to an 84-71 victory Monday against Notre Dame. It was the Orange's third Big East victory on the road in the last six days.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Waubonsie's Christy knows what it takes
To excel in the sport of gymnastics, an athlete must be agile, display nerves of steel and learn how to pick themselves up off the ground, if needed, and get back up on the apparatus to complete the performance.
Heart attack claims Bears DE Gaines Adams, 26
Shock and disbelief met news that Bears defensive end Gaines Adams died
Sunday morning after going into cardiac arrest because of an enlarged
heart, according to the Greenwood (S.C.) County deputy coroner Marcia
Kelley-Clark. Adams, 26, went into cardiac arrest at his family's Greenwood home. He died at 7:21 Chicago time.
Niemi outstanding in goal as Hawks edge Detroit
Goalie Antti Niemi made another case for more ice time Sunday, winning
a heart-stopping duel with fellow rookie Jimmy Howard as the Blackhawks
took a 4-3 shootout win over the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. Niemi stopped 35 shots to Howard's 26 as the Hawks improved to 2-0 on their eight-game road trip.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Bears defensive end Gaines Adams dead at 26
Bears’ defensive end Gaines Adams, 26, died this morning of an enlarged heart, a Greenwood County deputy coroner said. He’d been taken to the emergency room at Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood, S.C., and died at 7:20 a.m. Chicago time. An autopsy showed he died of cardiac arrest caused by an enlarged heart, and the death was ruled natural, Deputy Coroner Marcia Kelley-Hays said.
Benet goes old school in old gym
On a night when Benet was remembering the past, the Redwings gave the 1,200 fans packed into old Alumni Gym something to cheer even louder about, rallying from a second-half deficit to score a 40-34 victory over the Panthers on Saturday.
Red Stars draft Neuqua grad Weissenhofer
The Chicago Red Stars selected Notre Dame senior forward Michele
Weissenhofer of Neuqua Valley High School in the fourth round of the
Women's Professional Soccer Draft on Friday in Philadelphia. The 33rd overall pick, Weissenhofer's new home will be Toyota Park in Bridgeview.
Blackhawks beat Red Winds 4-3 in shootout
Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp scored in the shootout to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Troy Brouwer had a goal and an assist and Patrick Kane and Sharp also had goals for Chicago. Antti Niemi stopped 35 shots.
North withstands pressure
Normally, points aren't hard to come by for the Naperville North boys basketball team.
But against Rich East on Saturday in North's first annual Shootout, the Huskies found themselves up against a team every bit as long as athletic as they are.
North managed to scrape out a 62-49 victory.
Neuqua's Wagner dives to sixth-place finish
Neuqua Valley diver Ted Wagner is an old hand at competing against the best divers in the state but for two other Napervillians, Josh Gitzlaff of Naperville North and Kyle Machalinski of Waubonsie Valley, it's a relatively new experience.
Miller paces Wildcats to 2nd
At Saturday's Neuqua Valley Invite, the Wildcats (142.2 points) nipped Upstate Eight rival Waubonsie Valley Co-op (142.15) to finish second behind only Prairie Ridge (142.825).
Neuqua's strategy needs work
Mick Ruettiger put forth an ambitious schedule for his Neuqua Valley wrestlers and it may have caught up with the Wildcats.
The team finished 1-2 at the Neuqua Mega Duals on Saturday, which capped an action-packed 10 days for a Wildcats squad that has faced some of the best teams not only in Illinois, but also in the country.
Waubonsie falls despite Lippman's big game
Ryan Lippman provided the much-needed spark the Waubonsie Valley boys basketball team needed off the bench. The 6-foot-3 senior led all scorers with 20 points — including five 3-pointers — but it was not enough as Proviso East beat the Warriors 55-51 at Downers Grove North's M&M Winter Classic Saturday.
Cubs fans might be delusional, faith undeniable
Rick Morrissey: After 101 years without a World Series title, nobody loses like Cubs fans do. They lose in bulk. They lose in hi-def. They lose in a million jagged ways. There is nobility in that, in them. I have made fun of Cubs fans and,
trust me, will again. But they continue to be the undisputed stars of
the Cubs Convention.
Vikes D-coordinator Frazier a hot coaching candidate
Low-key by nature, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie
Frazier doesn't show off his Super Bowl ring from the 1985 Bears or
boast about his role on one of the most memorable teams in NFL history
to his players. But Frazier, who led the Bears with six interceptions that season, can't escape his past.
Streaking Bulls focus on road grip
Derrick Rose made the big shot Friday night, and the Bulls guard hopes
it can inject a shot of confidence in the team at the start of a
seven-game road trip Monday afternoon at Golden State. The Bulls will not return home until Feb. 2, when they host the Los
Angeles Clippers. In the meantime, ''Disney on Ice'' will take over the
United Center.
It's money ball at DePaul
Does competing in the Big East mean committing to a money race? That is
among the questions dogging DePaul in its struggles to compete in men's
basketball since joining the conference in 2005. Of the five schools from Conference USA that joined the Big East, the
Blue Demons' 20-48 regular-season record through last season is better
than only South Florida's 11-57 mark.
Beat the champions: Top scores
The following bowlers recorded the best series with handicap in their league play during the 49th annual Chicago Sun-Times/BPA Beat The Champions contest held Dec. 6-12. A list of qualifiers is being compiled for the sectionals, which will be Feb. 13, 14, 20 and 21. Bowlers listed here do not necessarily advance. Advancing bowlers will be notified.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Warriors can't keep pace with Wildcats
Turnover, loose ball out of bounds, blocked shot. Throw in a couple of missed shots, and it was easy to see why Waubonsie Valley fell behind 10-2 to Neuqua Valley on Friday night in Aurora. The end result, a 68-35 Wildcats victory.
Fans show '84 Cubs love after 25 years
If the members of the 1984 Chicago Cubs had hit as many out of the park as they did during their banter Thursday night, they'd certainly have made it to that long-elusive World Series. The line of fans stretching out the door of The Baseball Card King showed Jody Davis, Bob Dernier, Jay Johnstone, Keith Moreland and Steve Trout that they're still loved 26 years later.
Blackhawks rally past Columbus in 6-5 win
Jonathan Toews scored twice in the third period and added an assist as the Chicago Blackhawks rallied to sweep a home-and-home series against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a 6-5 victory on Saturday.
Andrew Ladd, Marian Hossa and Troy Brower each had a goal and an assist, and Ben Eager also scored for Chicago, which blew a 3-1 lead and trailed 4-3 heading into the third period.
Bulls guard finally stabs in winner in 2nd overtime
Showing that there's no place like home, Derrick Rose poured in a
career-high 37 points in the Bulls' final home game of January, and
they needed every one of them. Rose, who had nine rebounds and six assists, hit the game-winner with
5.4 seconds to play in the second overtime as the Bulls edged the
Washington Wizards 121-119 before 20,304 on Friday night at the United
Center.
Michigan State breezes past Illinois
Kalin Lucas shook off a slow start and scored 20 points, leading No. 7 Michigan State to a 73-63 victory over Illinois on Saturday.
The Spartans (15-3, 5-0 Big Ten) broke a first-place tie in the conference.
Demetri McCamey scored 15 points for the Fighting Illini (12-6, 4-1) and didn't get much help.
Cubs Convention shows the weight's off for 2010
Chris De Luca: The Cubs didn't just shed the dead weight known as Milton Bradley this
offseason -- they also peeled off all those unwanted pounds that helped
kill their promising 2009 season. Turns out a look in the mirror after
an 83-78 disappointment led to some drastic measures.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Bolingbrook has Benet's number
Early in his coaching career, Bolingbrook coach Tony Smith couldn't find a way to beat Benet and they were knocked out of the playoffs in consecutive years by the Redwings.
Now six years, later those struggles seem to be a distant memory.
Chicago landlord suing former Cub Milton Bradley
Add his landlord to the list of people who don’t like former Cubs rightfielder Milton Bradley, dumped by the team last month. Bradley signed a lease for a luxury Magnificent Mile condo just as the
baseball season was starting, but his landlord says he walked out on
the $15,000-a-month lease in the fall.
The clock turns back for the night for Benet
Benet's cozy "Old Gym" will come back to life for one night this weekend.
When the Redwings host defending Class 3A runner-up Oswego in a nonconference game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., it will mark the first time in two full seasons that Benet has played a game in what is known today as Alumni Gym.
Basketball In Focus: Tip-ins
Todd Sutton expects to receive nothing but Waubonsie Valley's best effort when he leads his Neuqua Valley squad to Aurora to face the Warriors at 7:30 tonight.
It's Naperville North's night in crosstown battle
Thursday night at Naperville North, both the North and Naperville Central girls gymnastics teams walked away pleased with their improvements.
North scored 138.6 team points and Central checked in with 123. Each squad capitalized on besting their respective performances at last Saturday's Naperville North Invite when the teams last met.
NCC takes scoring show on the road
When the North Central College men's basketball team travels to Decatur Saturday to tangle with Millkin, the irresistible force will meet the immovable object.
Peavy gives Sox an ace lift
Sun-Times exclusive: There was a time when Jake Peavy thought he wanted to be a Cub. More than a few witnesses saw him singing ''Go, Cubs, Go'' during the 2008 winter meetings in Las Vegas. There was a time when Peavy felt like he wanted to stay a Padre. After all, he exercised his no-trade clause in rejecting a deal last May that would've sent him from San Diego to the South Side. But Peavy acknowledged that the Cubs and Padres were more like temporary urges.
Gold Rush: Ditka worth his weight
Carol Slezak: Mike Ditka is 70 years old now, but he can still command an audience. His piercing eyes, fiery personality and passion were all on display Thursday when he was introduced as a member of the Chicago Rush ownership group.
Bears hire Mike Tice as offensive line coach
The Bears apparently are stockpiling former NFC North head coaches. Mike Tice was hired Friday, giving the Bears’ beleaguered offensive and
defensive lines the distinction of being coached by former head coaches
in the division. The former Minnesota Vikings head coach will oversee the offensive line
while former Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli, the assistant head
coach, is slated to coach the defensive line.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Cardinals fall deeper into hole
Despite another career night from a senior leader, an off night for its leading scorer was too much for North Central College to overcome in a game some considered a must-win. With forward Derek Raridon in the midst of putting up his lowest point total since his college debut, guard David Twyman picked up the scoring slack. But it wasn't enough as the Cardinals fell to North Park 75-70 Wednesday night in Naperville.
Myrna clinches win for Warriors
Waubonsie Valley junior wrestler Andy Myrna, presented with an opportunity to wrestle with the varsity at 119 pounds in Wednesday's non-conference dual meet at Oswego, made the most of his chance. Myrna's 9-4 decision over Gino Muzzalupo with a match to go clinched the Warriors' 33-28 win.
Brighter days ahead for Huskies
The Naperville North girls basketball team hasn't been winning in recent years. But thanks in part to the arrival of a talented pair of freshman guards, Bria Walker and Zoe Swift, there promises to be brighter days ahead.
Girls' knee problems are often foot-related
Hey wait a minute, not only girls, but everyone! Persistent knee pain, especially when it's not related to trauma or specific injury, is often aggravated by foot mechanics. Whether it's the youth athlete, baby boomers, or senior citizens, foot type (flat feet, high arches, etc.) affect the knees. By the way, since most foot types are inherited, it's not unusual to see generations with the same mechanical foot-related problems -- back problems included!
Piniella's winning formula: Addition by subtraction
No Roy Halladay? No Chone Figgins? No fill-in-the-blank-check slugger for the middle of the order? No problem, Cubs fans. The Cubs might not have added much to their second-place team this winter, but manager Lou Piniella and the boys bring a new math to the 2010 equation, heavy on subtraction and with an emphasis on chemistry.
Bears still seeking but not yet finding
Mike Tice will begin his two-day interview with Lovie Smith today, the day after Ken Zampese ended his, as the revolving door at Halas Hall continued to spin on the ninth day of the Bears' search for assistant coaches.
Against ailing Celtics, Bulls hope for road health
The Bulls don't leave for their longest road trip of the season -- a seven-game trek through three time zones -- until Sunday, but the game tonight in Boston begins a brutal stretch of 10 of 12 games on the road. Normally, beginning such a stretch at TD Garden would virtually ensure a rough start, but the Bulls might be facing the Celtics at just the right time.
Brouwer prospers on high-profile line
Imagine you are Blackhawks winger Troy Brouwer. The player who centers your line is one of the youngest captains in the NHL. The winger opposite you leads your team in points and is considered the face of USA Hockey. That's life -- at least on the ice -- for Brouwer, the third part of a very productive first line.
The bottom line
Sophomore Kalea Parks, who was promoted to the varsity several games into the season, leads Neuqua Valley in scoring average with 9.0 points per game. Taylor Francesconi is next with 7.0 a game, while Bria Williams and Megan Doody average more than 6.0.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Season-long woes hinder Cardinals
Sitting at 0-2 in the Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, North Central College viewed 3-10 North Park's visit as a golden opportunity to pick up its first conference win.
However, cold shooting and turnovers, which have been a season-long problem for the Cardinals, undermined any chance for the Cardinals to gain any traction in a 61-49 defeat to the Vikings.
Eventful day ends well for Central's Lehane
Last Saturday was quite an eventful day for Naperville Central sophomore swimmer Sean Lehane.
The original schedule called for him to swim in the 1,000 freestyle, the first race of the day at the Hinsdale South College Events meet.
Wildcats get the best of their district rivals
The Neuqua Valley boys swimming team showed Tuesday why they have won three consecutive state trophies. The Wildcats once again proved to be the supreme team in District 204 as they topped both Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley in an Upstate Eight Conference meet.
Martz could be Bears' fall-back guy
Mike Mulligan: To hear some tell it, the Bears need to unfurl an ''Abandon All Hope'' banner in front of Halas Hall these days as welcome/caution for visiting coaching candidates. Media-driven skepticism seems to have everyone in the NFL closing ranks around one predestined fact: whoever the Bears hire as their offensive coordinator will be a fallback failure, while the new defensive coordinator will be an ineffectual puppet.
102 seasons and counting for Cubs fans
Carol Slezak: It's Cubs Caravan time, which means the fan convention is just a few days away, which means hopes for the upcoming season soon will reach a fever pitch. Ah, tradition. Cubs ownership finally might have changed hands, but the Ricketts family seems to be in no hurry to break with the past.
McCamey's there from start to finish
After coming off the bench for just two games, Demetri McCamey is scrapping his plan to be Sixth Man of the Year. ''That sixth man is probably over with,'' Illinois' star-crossed star said Tuesday after leading the Illini past Penn State in a 54-53 nail-biter.
Things are shaping up for Bolland, Hawks
Dave Bolland taking the ice Tuesday for the first time since undergoing back surgery in November underscored the fact the Blackhawks are as healthy now as they've been all season. Cam Barker, who missed the last four games with an upper-body injury, and Marian Hossa, who sat out a 3-1 loss Sunday with a lower-body injury, also skated at the United Center.
Noah's point- production on the rise
For much of the season, whether Joakim Noah could register another double-double was usually determined by whether the Bulls center could get his point total into double figures.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
History in the making
In what may be the understatement of the early season for the North Central College men's basketball program, it's safe to say freshman forward Derek Raridon has hit the ground running. Raridon, 10 months removed from playing a major role in Neuqua Valley reaching the Class 4A NIU Super-Sectional and producing a school-record 31 victories last year, is playing a major role less than two full months into his college career.
North Central could capture first conference win
North Central College and North Park enter Tuesday's matchup in
Naperville with identical 3-10 records and one of the two struggling
programs will be able to stake claim to its first CCIW win.
Opportunity Through Baseball Dinner is Jan. 31
John Kerr: When the caller mentioned that he felt "bad" about calling, I had to suppress a laugh. Robin Renner should never, ever, feel anything but good vibes about asking for a little help in promoting his Opportunity Through Baseball Dinner and Auction (4-8:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Payton's Roundhouse).
Wind steps down as Benet's boys coach
Henry Wind has decided that coaching one soccer program is more than enough.
Wind announced on Monday that he has resigned his duties as boys coach after 20 seasons of coaching both the boys and girls soccer programs at Benet Academy. He will remain on as the girls coach for now.
Girls' knee problems are often foot-related
Hey wait a minute, not only girls, but everyone! Persistent knee pain, especially when it's not related to trauma or specific injury, is often aggravated by foot mechanics. Whether it's the youth athlete, baby boomers, or senior citizens, foot type (flat feet, high arches, etc.) affect the knees. By the way, since most foot types are inherited, it's not unusual to see generations with the same mechanical foot-related problems -- back problems included!
McGwire admitted steroid use, now it's Sosa's turn
Chris De Luca: If Mark McGwire can come clean about steroid use -- even if he's doing it just so he can be Tony La
Russa's new hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals -- it's time for Sammy
Sosa to stop pretending his outrageous home-run numbers could be tied
to nothing 1more powerful than Flintstones vitamins.
DePaul needs to get out of Allstate Arena
Rick Morrissey: The biggest problem at DePaul isn't coaching, talent or a wickedly competitive conference. The biggest problem is a building. Allstate Arena, besides having the ambience of a self-storage facility
off the interstate, sits 15 miles from DePaul's Lincoln Park campus.
That means school spirit has to hitch a ride to Rosemont. If that's not
a killer for a college basketball program, it's at least debilitating.
Bears search hits snag or 2
While they hosted their top defensive coordinator candidate on Monday,
the Bears suffered two setbacks in their search for an offensive
coordinator. The Bears, who formally interviewed former defensive backs Perry Fewell
on Monday, were also informed that USC offensive coordinator Jeremy
Bates canceled his scheduled interview for today and that the Green Bay
Packers rebuffed their request to speak to quarterbacks coach Tom
Clements.
Bulls get that groovy feeling in win over Pistons
Some folks at the United Center headed for the exits midway through
the fourth quarter -- but this time it wasn't disgust that prompted
them to try to beat the postgame traffic. The Bulls experienced their first bona fide blowout victory of the
season Monday night with a 120-87 win over the
reeling Detroit Pistons.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Cubs must fill in the blank now that Lilly is out
Marlon Byrd isn't going to make or break the Cubs' season. But Carlos Zambrano might. That was the way it was set up when the big right-hander's $91.5
million contract was drawn up in 2007, and it never has been more true
than now, with the Cubs looking at starting a potential crossroads
season with one All-Star lefty tied behind their backs.
Hockey team earns a big prize
The Sabre PeeWee AA hockey team won the 2009 Illinois Regional Silver Sticks Championship on Dec. 30. That
victory puts them in the International Silver Stick Finals which run
Jan. 21 to 24 in Port Huron, Mich. The competition will include teams
from both the United States and Canada.
Lovie's buddies a sure ticket to one-and-done in 2010
Rick Morrissey: We can waste a lot of time envying the swiftness with which the Seattle
Seahawks dispatched Jim Mora and ate the $12 million left on his
contract. Or we can save ourselves a lot of frustration and instead focus on the
wonderful possibility of Smith hiring his pals for the Bears' vacant
coordinator jobs.
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