April is a collection of variable weather events. Intrepid souls plan for good weather courageously in April. Such is the case for the weekend of April 27-28 for baseball reunions.
Aurora Central Catholic Chargers will focus on 50 years of baseball with an alumni salute at the school Saturday, April 27 between games of a doubleheader against Walther Christian which will start at 10 a.m.. Between games the alumni will be introduced and after game two alumni will play a softball game at the school. This week Aurora Central will play Thursday, April 18 at Joliet Slammers Stadium against IC College Prep.
Spahn and Sain and pray for no rain.
Waubonsee Community College will have an alumni baseball attraction the following day, Sunday, April 28 with players and coaches invited to attend. The risk of rain, strong winds, or, gulp, snow, is stronger than pitched shutouts in high school baseball.
• West Aurora High School basketball player Marquise Walker was subject of a feature in the Chicago Sun-Times that was more his life than about basketball. He has been at three schools in four years, will graduate this Spring and will seek to play next school year in a junior college program. He played for St. Joseph High School in his freshman and sophomore years and was offered a scholarship by Division I schools, including the University of Illinois. Scholarships were withdrawn and there were family problems with his father, who was demanding for success that was unreasonable. Walker wound up at West Aurora because a former lady friend of his father’s became his guardian. Walker seeks to work his way up to a quality college basketball program.
“Marquise has adapted well to his current situation,” said West Aurora head basketball coach Brian Johnson. “The move to Aurora has definitely helped him with stability. He has been dealing with a lot things kids his age should not have to deal with, but he has handled it with a maturity far past his age.” He played his junior season at Curie High School in Chicago, a State power.
“Marquise has had interest from a handful of JUCOs” according to Johnson. “The schools that have reached out give Marquise some great options to continue his education and basketball career.”
Marquise played guard in high school with good shooting touches and good ballhandling skills.
• Track and field meets on the horizon the rest of the month will include the Peterson Prep at Kaneland High School and the Red Grange Meet at Wheaton Warrenville High School Saturday. The Roger Wilcox Memorial meet at Oswego High School will be Friday, April 26. The Jim Arnold meet will be Saturday, April 27 at Glenbard West.
• There will be many last events the two months ahead for the schools which move their conference affiliations and in the case of the Northern Illinois Big 12, with 10 teams, which will disband the conference.
Change can be good and offer fresh perspectives. Growth in schools and new identities and new rivalries will be formed.
Giving the changes opportunities for expanded competition will be important.