Sports is a wide-ranging world!
From the spectacle events in every sport, Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby, Final Four, Wimbledon, World Series, Olympic Games, and many more supreme and attention-magnetic attractions, we can revel in the mundane, every-day, events both as participant and spectator.
It is the upset, unusual, excellence, and exception, which make sports a specific slice of American culture. It propels in stature each year.
Fitting example on the national scene was the three-day Ryder Cup golf at the stunning Whistling Straits on the edge of Lake Michigan in Kohler, Wis., eight miles south of Sheboygan, Wis. which concluded Sunday. The Ryder Cup, once dominated by the U.S., nine of the previous 12 years was won by the European team of excellent players. A young group of U.S. player, perhaps the dazzling dozen, changed the course with a convincing 19-9 victory this year. Their caring, quality of play, and dedication were obvious. They were the youngest U.S. team in Ryder Cup history. Will it last?
• Perhaps mundane but magnificent, high school sports rolls on in the Autumn. The boys and girls golf State tournaments will be played Friday, Oct. 8 and Saturday, Oct. 9.
Meanwhile, high school football moves to week six on the nine-week regular-season set with games Friday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 2. Eight teams in The Voice coverage area continued undefeated through week five. Batavia defeated Glenbard North, 21-20 in a game of undefeated teams in the DuKane, South Elgin defeated Glenbard East, 41-7, in an Upstate Eight Conference first-place showdown of undefeated teams, and Lincoln-Way East brought down Bolingbrook, 21-13, in the Southwest Suburban Blue. The eight honor roll of 5-0 and undefeated teams prior to Friday Oct. 1: Batavia, Glenbard West, Joliet Catholic, Lockport, Neuqua Valley, Oswego East, South Elgin, York.
• East Aurora moved to 3-2 with a victory over Streamwood, 24-17, and will play host to Glenbard South Friday. “We established the run early in the game,” East Aurora head coach Nick Kukuc said. “Sterling Williams had 24 carries for 176 yards and ore rushing touchdown. The offensive line and receiving group did a nice job creating running lanes allowing our skill guys to move in space.” East Aurora trailed 17-16, Williams stripped the ball and East drove down the field to score on fourth an goal on a pass from Williams to Jabian Acosta.
• Batavia’s defense was stellar in its victory against visiting Glenbard North. Junior linebacker Tyler Jansey made 14 tackles and five tackles for loss. “(Defensively) We had very yards (allowed) after contact (YAC) with only three missed tackles,” said defensive coordinator Matt Holm. Batavia’s defense allowed 31 yards rushing on 26 attempts.
• Rivals Naperville North and Naperville Central will play at North Central College Friday. “Our defense has been so consistent in effort and execution,” said Central first-year head coach Mike Ulreich. “North is very skilled offensively with a QB who can beat you many different ways.”