By Woodrow Carroll Bret Bielema’s second season as the University of Illinois head football coach will kick off at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. The Fighting Illini will be host to the University of Wyoming Cowboys. This season will present more than a few challenges for Bielema and the Illini.
By Al Benson Christian Rago, first-year head football coach and assistant dean/instructor at Aurora Central Catholic High School, is ready to begin his first journey as a head coach. Rago, of Sugar Grove, led the football Chargers in preseason drills that started August 8. In addition to coaching, the Woodstock
Sports competition offers something nearly for everyone. Fans seek the thrill of competition, dramatic finishes, and sterling champions. Participants’ mode is wide ranging, depending on the level of skill and accomplishment. Glory, gold, and gratitude may be equal of thrill competition, perfection, and advancement. We enter into a phase as
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council honored the Metea Valley High School girls soccer team Tuesday, Aug. 9 at the Aurora City Council meeting. Metea Valley won the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 3A State championship in June. According to Max Preps, the team was number one in
Daniel Coxworth of St. Charles throws the discus Saturday, Aug. 6, at Hammerman USA’s championships for shot put, discus, javelin, and hammer throw at Hammerman Field in Aurora.
By Woodrow Carroll The Joliet Slammers defeated the visiting Florence Y’Alls, 4-3, in a Frontier League minor league baseball game Sunday, Aug. 7 in a game delayed two hours by bad weather. In many instances the game would have been postponed to the following day and made up as part
By Bobby Narang The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) boys and girls golf is nearly set to get under way for the 2022 season. On the girls side, Barrington, Stevenson, Loyola Academy, and Hinsdale Central are all looking to equal or surpass last season’s exact order in Class 2A. Barrington
Tournament time continues for the Dolan and Murphy fastpitch softball team, based in Aurora. The team collected 1-3 records in July at tournaments in Prairie duChein, Wis. and in St. Paul, Minn.. Dolan and Murphy’s record was 3-2 in Amateur Softball Association (ASA) national tournament in South Bend, Ind. which
A sense of gratitude is in order in sports world, from junior high levels, through the professional ranks. Order has returned in the main for schedules, fans, and games. If we reflect on 2020 we should understand that games were played under duress of no fans in attendance, limitations because
High school football Fall practices started earlier this week.
By Bobby Narang The high school football season will start to move into full swing next week with the first official day of practice Monday, Aug. 8, Many teams are looking forward to another full season of normal schedules, including Downers Grove South. The Mustangs are aiming to make some
By John Schutt NASCAR Cup Series, Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Indianapolis, Ind., Sunday, July 31. The race was held at the Indy 500 track, however, used the road course which was part infield and part of the large track to create some exciting racing.
Every month in the sports world has its distinctive design. In August we understand the football season is on the horizon with preparations, the baseball season offers approaching pennant races, and Summer activities such as golf and tennis offer timely tournaments. Hopes for Big Ten Conference football success revolve around
By Woodrow Carroll In the 1947 Rose Bowl, the University of Illinois surprised favored UCLA, 45-14, to start a 13-year run, 1947-1959, of Big Ten Conference team victories in the Rose Bowl 12 times. The outlier was Wisconsin’s 7-0 defeat at the hands of Southern California in the 1953 Rose
Major League Baseball (MLB) continues to prove that teams are tied closer to .500 than in other sports and that teams go from losing streaks to winning streaks rather easily. The Chicago Cubs defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-2, Tuesday afternoon this week to jump ahead of the Bucs in the
By Bobby Narang The Oswego High School boys basketball team endured a rocky offseason full of changes. But the return of senior guard Max Niesman, a three-year starter, provided some stability. The six-footer is slated to be the most experienced player on the team after Deakon Tonielli, a University of
By Woodrow Carroll Former University of Illinois head football coach Gary Moeller died last week at the age of 81. Described as the former Illinois coach is not how Moeller would like to be remembered. Moeller was the Illinois head coach for three seasons, 1977-1979. Those three seasons in Champaign
Naperville Park Board vice president, Leslie Ruffing, presented a certificate of honor to Alex Barger, right, recently named Gatorade Illinois Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Sports out of season can build tradition and become part of the mainstream. Examples include the abbreviated National Basketball Association Summer League recently concluded, and the high school lineman competition and training, the Battle of the Big Butts. Just the name of the latter is telling for 25 high schools
Look out below: The Chicago Cubs have played competitive baseball in the last five weeks, however, Cincinnati has been playing better baseball recently. Through Monday this week the Cubs were only two game ahead of Cincy’s Reds. The Cubs were 18 games under .500 and Cincinnati was 22 games under
