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Friday, November 17, 2006 | Pats trying to avoid another loss: GREEN BAY, Wis. - The New England Patriots are facing the stunning possibility of a three-game losing streak. The Green Bay Packers are trying to calm an unexpected burst of chatter about the playoffs.
But the contrast of gloom in New England and optimism in Green Bay doesn't jibe with the reality of records and standings. The Patriots are 6-3 and leading the AFC East, a fact Tom Brady brought up twice in an interview session this week. MORE... |
| Final race for Chase As Johnson eyes Nextel Cup, contenders try to keep it close: MIAMI - The way this Chase for the championship has gone, no one should be conceding the Nextel Cup title to Jimmie Johnson just yet.
Granted, his 63-point lead over Matt Kenseth means Johnson will need a total collapse in Sunday's season finale to give his first title away. But this third year of the Chase has been a wild one, in which no driver has been immune from issues. MORE... |
| Top-ranked Gators chalk up easy win: GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Al Horford and Joakim Noah dominated again inside, combining for 34 points and 17 rebounds in leading top-ranked Florida to a 90-61 victory over Jacksonville on Thursday night.
The defending national champions extended their winning streak to 14 games and won their 23rd consecutive game against non-conference opponents. MORE... |
| Baseball owners approve new TV contracts: CHICAGO - Major League Baseball owners on Thursday unanimously approved television contracts with Fox and TBS that run through 2013 and are worth more than $3 billion.
Under the deals, which begin next season, the World Series, All-Star games and Saturday afternoon regular-season telecasts remain on Fox. Turner Broadcasting System will show all first-round playoff games, and the two networks will share the NL and AL championship series, alternating leagues each year. MORE... |
| Santana wins second AL Cy Young: NEW YORK - Johan Santana swept the Cy Young ballot the same way he buzzed through batters all season.
Santana won the AL Cy Young Award on Thursday for the second time in three years, and the Minnesota Twins' ace was a unanimous choice once again. MORE... |
| Tigers, Sean Casey agree to $4 million, 1-year deal : DETROIT - First baseman Sean Casey is staying with the AL champion Detroit Tigers, agreeing to a $4 million, one-year contract Thursday.
Acquired from Pittsburgh last season, Casey was a hitting star in the World Series. He batted .529 with two home runs and five RBIs against the St. Louis Cardinals, but Detroit lost in five games. MORE... |
| Cardinals set record with $362,173 World Series share: NAPLES, Fla. - The St. Louis Cardinals cashed in at the World Series, earning more money than any other team in history.
St. Louis split $20.02 million for beating the Detroit Tigers. A full share of that was worth $362,173, the commissioner's office said Thursday. That was nearly $40,000 more than what White Sox players received last year. MORE... |
| Prep Notes: If you didn't know the whole story, you'd never have guessed by the way Becka Gonyo played basketball in Grant High's season opener that the 6-foot-4 senior center hadn't played in a game in two seasons. MORE... |
| Let's go get 'em both: You can listen to Scott Slocum and his WJOL Radio crew. Or, you can watch the live telecast on WPWR-TV Channel 50, with our own Dave Bernhard on the play-by-play.
Or, if you can handle the chill, you can get in the on the excitement firsthand when Providence Catholic High School entertains St. Rita at 7 tonight in the semifinals of the Class 7A state football playoffs. MORE... |
| CURTAIN CALL? : DEKALB - Last chance.
That should be the theme tonight when the Northern Illinois football team plays host to Mid-American Conference West Division champion Central Michigan (7-3 overall, 6-0) at 7 p.m. at Huskie Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPNU. MORE... |
| Chicago teams agree on swap of pitchers: NAPLES, Fla. - It took a trip to Florida for Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams and Cubs GM Jim Hendry to make a trade with each other.
The White Sox dealt left-hander Neal Cotts to the Cubs on Thursday for right-hander David Aardsma and minor league left-hander Carlos Vasquez. MORE... |
| Gordon heroics fall short: McGrady, Ming help Rockets stave off Bulls' closing rushHOUSTON - Tracy McGrady had 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Yao Ming had 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Houston Rockets nearly blew a 21-point lead but hung on to beat the Bulls 101-100 Thursday night. MORE... |
| Ridgewood boys post easy road victory: DUNBAR, Wis. - The Ridgewood Baptist Academy boys basketball team had little difficulty in its opener on Thursday.
The Rams began their season with an 87-43 win over Fellowship Christian from Carson City, Mich. MORE... |
| Harris looking to end sack slump: LAKE FOREST - With each word, the frustration Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris feels over his sack drought became more and more apparent.
"I don't want to be selfish," Harris said Thursday. "I could see if we were losing because I didn't get sacks, but we're winning right now and I'm not getting sacks. MORE... |
| FOX announces BCS broadcast teams: Fox has formally announced the complete on-air lineup it has cobbled together to cover the biggest games in a sport the network otherwise doesn't cover.
Fox this season inherits four of college football's Bowl Championship Series games - ABC retains the Rose Bowl - including the Jan. 8 national title game. MORE... |
| A dozen area entries in state meet: The Lincoln-Way East High School will send the largest area contingent to the Girls State Swimming and Diving Meet today and Saturday at Evanston.
The preliminaries are on tap today, with the consolation finals and finals scheduled Saturday. MORE... |
| Indian Creek makes 50-9 run, wins big: Indian Creek got off to a slow start against Alden-Hebron Thursday night, but went on a 50-9 first-half run to move to 2-0 with a 64-32 win. Lindsay Richardson had a nice all-around game with a game-high 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and six steals. Stephanie Arends scored 19 points to surpass Kara Boston (2004) as the school's all-time scoring leader.
MORE... |
| Central Michigan coach on MSU hot list? : DEKALB - Brian Kelly is the man of the hour in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
The third-year coach has turned around a Central Michigan program that hadn't had a winning record since 1998. The Chippewas (7-3 overall, 6-0) enter tonight's game at Northern Illinois having already wrapped up the Mid-American Conference West title. MORE... |
| ALL EYES ON WELTON: It's safe to say a lot of people are going to be watching Aurora University's Larry Welton this year.
The junior forward averaged 22.8 points per game in AU's 16-11 2005-06 campaign, earning him All-American honors, and D3hoops.com has predicted a repeat performance from him this year. MORE... |
| Lineman unable to match quick start : LAKE FOREST - With each word, the frustration Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris feels over his sack drought became more and more apparent.
"I don't want to be selfish," Harris said Thursday. "I could see if we were losing because I didn't get sacks, but we're winning right now and I'm not getting sacks. MORE... |
| No. 1 Florida dominates inside: GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Al Horford and Joakim Noah dominated again inside, combining for 34 points and 17 rebounds in leading top-ranked Florida to a 90-61 victory over Jacksonville on Thursday night.
The defending national champions extended their winning streak to 14 games and won their 23rd consecutive game against non-conference opponents. MORE... |
| Spartans focus on defense with greater depth: AURORA - The Aurora University women's basketball team is bringing a new lineup to the 2006-07 season as it looks to improve on last year's 14-13 record with continued emphasis on quick scoring and a new focus on stopping the ball cold outside when it comes to opponents looking to do the same.
The centerpieces of the potent Spartan offense remains senior guards Naomi Guise and Beth Plucinski, but important roles have been tweaked. MORE... |
| Brown's absence hurting: LAKE FOREST - Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye put blame for Bears struggles against opposing runners out into the open for everyone to hear - especially the team's safeties.
"I'm a little concerned about it," Ogunleye said. "The last three weeks in a row we've given up 100 yards to some backs. Tiki (Barber) is a really good back, but some of the other backs we should have held under 100 yards. MORE... |
| Philly's Kearse now a spectator: Injured defensive end Jevon Kearse plans to be a spectator at Philadelphia's game against his old team, the Tennessee Titans, on Sunday.
Kearse had watched the Eagles on television since he went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. But he's back in town after surgery and is rehabbing at the team's practice facility. MORE... |
| Jokinen's hat trick sparks Panthers: SUNRISE, Fla. - Olli Jokinen scored three goals for his second career hat trick and the Florida Panthers broke a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.
The Panthers hadn't won since a 2-1 victory over Toronto on Nov. 2. They dropped 11 of 14 overall. MORE... |
| Third-period lead slips away: GLENDALE, Ariz. - Yanic Perrault and Ladislav Nagy scored in the shootout and Curtis Joseph stopped two of three shots in the tiebreaker in the Phoenix Coyotes' 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.
Mike Zigomanis tied it midway through the third period and Yanic Perrault added his third goal in two games for the Coyotes, who won consecutive games for the first time this season. MORE... |
| Not just one big game: The biggest game in the history of college football - at least that's what some fans of Ohio State and Michigan think it is - isn't the only important game being played Saturday.
California and USC meet with the Pac-10's automatic berth in the Bowl Championship Series on the line. In the Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic division co-leaders Wake Forest and Maryland face ranked opponents the week before they play each other. The Demon Deacons host Virginia Tech. The Terrapins are at Boston College. MORE... |
| Harris looking to end sack slump: LAKE FOREST - With each word, the frustration Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris feels over his sack drought became more and more apparent.
"I don't want to be selfish," Harris said Thursday. "I could see if we were losing because I didn't get sacks, but we're winning right now and I'm not getting sacks. MORE... |
| Bears Notes Ogunleye: Brown's absence hurts run defense: LAKE FOREST - Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye put blame for Bears struggles against opposing runners out into the open for everyone to hear - especially the team's safeties.
"I'm a little concerned about it," Ogunleye said. "The last three weeks in a row we've given up 100 yards to some backs. Tiki (Barber) is a really good back, but some of the other backs we should have held under 100 yards. MORE... |
| NIU's Wolfe a semifinalist in race for top running back: DEKALB - Northern Illinois tailback Garrett Wolfe is one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's top running back. Wolfe leads the nation in rushing (153.3 yards per game) and all-purpose yards (176.3 per game) and owns the top two individual rushing performances this season with a school-record 353 yards at Ball State on Sept. 30 and 263 against Buffalo on Sept. 16. MORE... |
| Wolverines need Hart to mount a running attack: COLUMBUS, Ohio - The only time little big-man Michael Hart has come up small during his three years at Michigan has been against Ohio State.
The 5-foot-9 Hart is the nation's sixth-leading rusher, and his return to good health is a huge reason No. 2 Michigan is unbeaten and playing for a spot in the national title game Saturday against top-ranked Ohio State. MORE... |
| Elgin appears primed for turnaround: The Elgin High boys basketball team hopes a season of maturation blooms into a more successful 2006-07 campaign.
Five players return who provided most of the contributions during a 13-16 season. Leading the way are 6-foot-1 senior guard Brandon Grissette and 6-0 junior guard Armani Williams. Grissette averaged 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season, while Williams netted a team-best 15.2 points and made 101 3-pointers. Williams, entering his third varsity season, holds five school records for 3-point shooting and scoring by a freshman and was an All-Upstate Eight Conference honoree as a sophomore. MORE... |
| Plenty of holes to fill for Royals: Approaching last season's achievements might be asking too much of a Larkin program that lost two-time Courier News Player of the Year Dayvon Ellis to graduation.
Gone, too, are nine other Royals graduates including All-Area honoree Carliss Henderson. With nearly all of the team's production no longer around, coach Joe Kain has a tough task ahead. MORE... |
| South Elgin ready for new challenge: As a first-year varsity team made up of only juniors and sophomores, South Elgin inherently faces a number of challenges.
However, Storm coach Chaz Taft doesn't plan on using that as a crutch this season. MORE... |
| Experience a key for talented BC: A young Burlington Central squad managed to find its footing last season after a slow start, winning seven of its final 11 games to finish with an 11-15 overall record.
With the nucleus of that team back this year, fourth-year coach Chris Payne's Rockets could emerge as a force in the Big Northern Conference East Division. MORE... |
| Whip-Purs ready to push the pace: Bob Barnett promises a new offensive style when it comes to Hampshire basketball this season.
"We're not going to be making seven, eight passes before we take a shot," said the fifth-year Whip-Purs coach. "It's going to be different basketball than Hampshire fans have seen the last few seasons." MORE... |
| Experience, talent make EHS optimistic : The hype, according to Elgin High boys basketball coach Rob Brault, may be justified.
But the Maroons bench boss cautions that predicting success is worthless. For the first time in what most EHS hoops supporters likely feel is a long time, an optimistic outlook is realistic. MORE... |
| Jacobs both young and experienced: Jacobs coach Jim Hinkle has an interesting outlook this year.
On one hand, his Golden Eagles will be one of the youngest teams in the area with two sophomores and a junior filling key roles. However, those three underclassmen all started as freshmen and will bring plenty of continuity to Jacobs' starting lineup. MORE... |
| Dundee-Crown's seniors up to task: With a pair of All-Area players gone to graduation, Dundee-Crown is looking to replace some of the best individual talent the program has seen in recent years.
"Obviously, with seven seniors, we have guys who have been around and know what it takes," Chargers coach Lance Huber said. "We have some intelligent kids who play together really well and they can rely on each other." MORE... |
| Quickness, depth big keys for Cogs: After capturing its first regional title in a dozen years last season, Genoa-Kingston is hoping to reload for another playoff run.
The Cogs graduated all five starters, but hope a new wave a talent will keep them afloat. MORE... |
| Big men will lead charge for Hawks: What Bartlett lacks in quickness the Hawks will make up for with size.
A talented front line led by juniors Cory Hrynyk (6-6, F/G) and Kamil Janton (6-9, C) and senior Dan Maradei (6-4, F) will lead the charge as coach Tom Lamberti's squad looks to improve on last season's 14-15 overall record and 3-7 mark in the Upstate Eight Conference. MORE... |
| Streamwood must overcome adversity: Times will be tough for Streamwood, especially in the early going.
That's because injuries and academic ineligibility issues leave the Sabres without some of their biggest weapons. MORE... |
| Saints deal with series of setbacks: St. Charles East's opening tipoff is still a few days away, but the Saints have already dealt with plenty of adversity.
Senior guard Mike Bertrand, East's second-leading scorer last year, is out for the season after violating the school's code of conduct on two separate occasions. Seniors Jake Smiley (6-1, G) and Grayson Kimmel (6-3, G) - who are both expected to start - also violated the code of conduct and will miss the first five games. MORE... |
| North ready for a change of pace: Tom Poulin is ready to inject some life into St. Charles North's offense.
In his first year as head coach, Poulin is implementing a wide-open scheme that puts a premium on perimeter play in an effort to bolster an attack that averaged only 47.9 points per game last season. MORE... |
| Warriors hoping experience pays off: Westminster Christian will try to make up for a lack of size with strong team chemistry this season.
The Warriors return a young core that's already been playing together for most of the past two years. Now they hope that experience can be translated into winning. MORE... |
| Hilltoppers seek new contributors: After losing a pair of mainstays to graduation, Elgin Academy is looking to fill some voids this season.
Gone are Justin Anthony and Jordan Jackson from a team that went 16-9 and 8-4 in the Independent School League. MORE... |
| Johnson eyeing Cup title: MIAMI - The way this Chase for the championship has gone, no one should be conceding the Nextel Cup title to Jimmie Johnson just yet.
Granted, his 63-point lead over Matt Kenseth means Johnson will need a total collapse in Sunday's season finale to give his first title away. But this third year of the Chase has been a wild one, in which no driver has been immune from issues. MORE... |
| Martin ready to run final lap: The date was Feb. 14, 1988, when Mark Martin first raced Jack Roush's No. 6 Ford. In the intervening years, Martin and that Roush Racing No. 6 have been a fixture in NASCAR's top stock-car series.
On Sunday, in the Nextel Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martin will drive that car for the final time. Next year, the four-time series runner-up - arguably the best driver never to have won a Cup championship - will race a part-time schedule for MB2 Motorsports. MORE... |
| White Sox, Cubs swap relievers: CHICAGO - For the past six years, the Cubs' Jim Hendry and his White Sox counterpart, Ken Williams, have sat next to each other at the general managers' meetings, passing notes and scribbling doodling out trade possibilities. This year, those talks finally yielded a result. MORE... |
| Seniors guide Whips to victory: HAMPSHIRE - Sometimes in athletics, comparing a senior to an underclassmen is like comparing a grown-up to a child.
While that may be extreme in some cases, there's just something special about having senior leadership on a team. If it's not the production, it's often the calming influence offered in the tensest of moments. MORE... |
| Balanced attack lifts Red Raiders; Steib leads ECC: HARVARD - The Huntley girls basketball team used a balanced offensive attack to win its season-opener on Thursday, 46-34 against Round Lake at the Harvard tournament.
Daisy Jara led the way for the Red Raiders with 14 points, but Dani Burry and Katie Bergquist each scored eight. Coryn Marzejon also poured in seven points while hauling in a team-high seven rebounds. MORE... |
Thursday, November 16, 2006 | Balanced Eagles hoping teamwork trumps talent: AURORA - Senior Zach Johnson knows his Aurora Christian team has the talent. Now it's just a matter of putting it all together.
The 6-6 center, in his third year on the varsity squad, is one of coach Don Davidson's three co-captains on a much more balanced Eagles team. Along with senior guard Jonathon Boyd and junior point guard Joe Redmond, Johnson is part of a core of three returning starters from last year's 11-16 squad. MORE... |
| Titans will use speed to surprise opponents: AURORA - No one has ever mistaken the Illinois Math and Science Academy for a basketball powerhouse.
But any team that marks the IMSA game as the easy one on its schedule might want to take a closer look at the Titans. They could surprise some people this season. MORE... |
| Trio of seniors expected to lead Tomcats resurgence: AURORA - Coach Wendell Jeffries is relying on a trio of experienced seniors to lead an East Aurora resurgence on the basketball court this season.
Guards Shaun Collins and Justin Tiner are back for their third season on the varsity and undersized post player Rodrick Finley returns from a team that finished 16-14 a year ago. It was disappointing because the season started with such promise. MORE... |
| Chargers won't use youth as an excuse: AURORA - There's no denying that this year's Aurora Central Catholic team will be young.
Just don't use that as an excuse if the Chargers start losing - at least not around coach Nathan Drye. MORE... |
| Remembering Dad, his love of sports: And then there were 32. Most importantly, we still have two out of the 32.
Thirty-two, as in the state playoff field being cut in half from 64 teams to 32 teams this past weekend after some amazing quarterfinal round action. MORE... |
| Cadets set to return to coach's preferred style: AURORA - After two years of staying away from his bread and butter, Marmion coach Pat McNamara can once again return to his roots.
Because of more depth and speed on his roster this season, the fifth-year Cadets coach plans to bring back his favored full-court press and run the ball more. He expects to press with man-to-man defense 90 percent of the time and utilize the fast break whenever possible. MORE... |
| Balance will be critical for Foxes: YORKVILLE - For the players on the Yorkville boys basketball team, it wasn't so much the one-point regional semifinal loss last season that made such a lasting impression, but rather who that loss came against.
After edging the Foxes 71-70, Neuqua Valley went on a run all the way to the sectional championship game. MORE... |
| Being good to Gromos Former all-state quarterback enjoyed his run from Joliet Catholic to Vanderbilt: The southern life of Nashville appeals to Joliet's John Gromos. The former standout quarterback for Gordie Gillespie at Joliet Catholic High School has called the famous Tennessee city home for the last 21 years.
Gromos, who turns 40 next month, and his family reside in the state capital that helped put country-and-western music on the map. John and Betsy Gromos have been married for 15 years. They have two daughters: Katie, 13, and Sarah, 10. MORE... |
| Interest in Fruendt adds to Bulldogs' buzz: BATAVIA - Just how good is Batavia standout junior Nick Fruendt?
You'll find him listed on virtually all the Chicagoland and Illinois lists of top prospects for the junior class. He's drawing big-time recruiting interest and reportedly has already received scholarship offers from the likes of DePaul, Bradley, SIU, Dayton and Illinois State. MORE... |
| New coach inherits experienced squad: MAPLE PARK - The good news for first-year Kaneland coach Dennis Hansen is that he'll inherit a team that returns seven seniors from a squad that showed tremendous improvement in the second half of last season.
The bad news is that three of his potential starters haven't been practicing because they're still playing football, so he likely won't have a full team for opening weekend. MORE... |
| More mature Wolves ready for second year: OSWEGO - Not too many coaches would look back on a previous season and say their team's 11-16 record was a "tremendous success." Oswego East coach Jason Buckley has no problem doing so.
Considering that two years ago an Oswego East varsity basketball team didn't exist, Buckley feels that 11-16 isn't indicative of the growth in leadership and experience his team gained over that initial season. It doesn't hurt that Buckley can also say that he didn't lose a senior - because he didn't have one. MORE... |
| Four returning starters bolster Red Ramblers: MOOSHEART - Coach Jeff Perales lost leading scorer Paul Rendell to graduation but returns four starters this season from a Mooseheart basketball team that posted a 14-6 record a year ago.
The Red Ramblers' schedule will be much the same, starting with the Somonauk Tournament, but they will be competing as an independent because the four-team Illinois Tollway Athletic Conference has disbanded. MORE... |
| New-look Panthers ready for fresh start: OSWEGO - A year ago, Oswego High School dealt with something new: another competitive varsity basketball program in its own town.
The introduction of Oswego East to the scene ultimately proved to be Oswego's undoing, as the younger Wolves pulled off a regional upset of the veteran-laden Panthers. MORE... |
| Gridiron success brings winning attitude: PLANO - Good luck getting anyone here to talk about the basketball season right now.
Even Eric Bryant, the head basketball coach at Plano, is also an assistant on the Reapers' undefeated Class 3A football team that is set to play in the state semifinals Saturday against Bureau Valley. MORE... |
| Royals focusing on 'D': HINCKLEY - While it will be important for his team to get some easy transition baskets, Hinckley-Big Rock coach Bill Sambrookes doesn't want the Royals to be known as a fast-break team.
Instead, he wants his players to earn their reputation at the other end of the floor. MORE... |
| Cougars pitcher excited to take Timberwolves' reigns: SHABBONA - Joe Piekarz' coaching career at Indian Creek has taken an interesting progression.
Two years ago, he started with the freshman team and last year coached the sophomores to a 13-10 record. This year, he gets the promotion to the varsity as the replacement for the departed Steve Joslyn. MORE... |
| Bobcats hoping soccer success will carry over: SOMONAUK - Success breeds success - or at least the Somonauk basketball team hopes it does.
The Bobcats head into the 2006-07 season hoping that the school's success in finishing second in the boys Class A state soccer tournament, as well as a recent winning records at the freshman and sophomore levels, will improve the fortunes of a team that went 8-18 last year. MORE... |
| New coach will have Norsemen running: NEWARK - You'll have to excuse the members of the Newark boys basketball team if they are walking a little gingerly in the school hallways these days. Their sore bodies are still adjusting to the up-and-down style preached by new coach Rick Tollefson.
Tollefson, a former Aurora Christian assistant who comes to Newark after coaching the Lisbon junior high boys and girls teams a year ago, likes to play up tempo. It's a style he says his new team is enjoying. MORE... |
| Lincoln-Way East's Lynch defies stereotype: "Tom has been one of our unsung heroes all year," Zvonar said. "He has 17 field goals this year, which I believe is only three off the state record. It would be nice if circumstances work out so we could get him that record because he deserves it. No one works harder at their craft than he does. He's out there all the time working, he's a great athlete and one of the strongest kids in the weight room. He needed that strength to bring that guy down on that play."
It might seem that Lynch is a long way from the freshman who played linebacker and right guard, but inside that kicker, there's a football player waiting to get out. MORE... |
| Many happy returns Rookie Devin Hester seeks to settle roller coaster year: LAKE FOREST - Since making his 108-yard touchdown return with a missed field goal, Bears rookie Devin Hester has been fielding more phone calls than practice punts.
Old coaches have called with congratulations. Deion Sanders - his mentor -and family members have called warning him to maintain focus amid all the accolades. And then there are the other calls. MORE... |
| Bears armed with shotgun a shock: LAKE FOREST - Bears quarterback Rex Grossman and coaches are having a hard time believing how much commotion their use of the shotgun formation in Sunday's 38-20 win over the New York Giants has caused among the team's fans.
"You know, the shotgun is really no big deal for me either way," Grossman said. "It's just a way to get the ball in my hands. MORE... |
| Annual event at Belvidere Park a success: More than 250 runners of all ages, shapes and sizes participated last weekend in the Waukegan Park District-sponsored Turkey Trot that was held at Belvidere Park.
The event was held as a fund-raiser for the local food pantry, and runners donated hundres of canned goods to the cause. MORE... |
| Ex-Bear helps coach Mundelein peewees to title: The Mundelein Stallions' Sunday peewee team finished an undefeated (10-0) season with a decisive 12-0 victory over the Waukegan Chiefs at Carmel High in Mundleein last weekend in the finals of the Junior Football League of Northern Illinois playoffs.
The Stallions' defense dominated the game, forcing two fumbles and posting their third straight shutout in the playoffs. MORE... |
| Coat 'n' Cleat program sponsored by Mundelein club: The Mundelein Soccer Club is partnering with several schools in the Mundelein area to sponsor the inaugural Mundelein Soccer Club Coat 'n' Cleat Drive this month.
The goal is to get members of the soccer club working with and helping other local families. This drive will empower youngsters with the ability to make a positive difference in the community. MORE... |
| Near-miss for new coach in debut at Stevenson: DEERFIELD - This was not the way new Stevenson High girls basketball head coach Trish Betthauser wanted to begin following a legend.
Leading for practically the entire contest, the Patriots frittered away a seven-point fourth-quarter lead to a Deerfield Warrior club that would not go away, with Deerfield finally taking the lead with 2:49 to play and hanging on for a 57-54 win. MORE... |
| It's not easy keeping an eye on the bouncing ball: Sorry, but you're not going to get off easy today. This is a tough one ... and, no, death is not an option. If you were trapped in an elevator, would you rather be stuck with a know-it-all or with a know-nothing? That thought occupied the vast empty space between these ears this week as we transitioned from the high school football season to the high school basketball season. MORE... |
| Hester's popularity on rise after record return: LAKE FOREST - Since making his 108-yard touchdown return with a missed field goal, Bears rookie Devin Hester has been fielding more phone calls than practice punts.
Old coaches have called with congratulations. Deion Sanders - his mentor - and family members have called warning him to maintain focus amid all the accolades. And then there are the other calls. MORE... |
| Chargers knock off Sabres: CARPENTERSVILLE - After a hard fought first half, Dundee-Crown used a strong second half to pull away from Streamwood and post a 47-38 win in opening round action of the Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving Tournament on Wednesday.
The third quarter proved to be the difference as the Chargers outscored the Sabres 17-9 for the quarter. Dundee-Crown shot 7-20 for the quarter with six different players putting up points. Streamwood didn't help its cause, turning the ball over 11 times in the quarter. MORE... |
| Michigan hopes to slow Smith for once: ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Bo Schembechler knows more about the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry than anybody, following college football's marquee series up close for more than a half-century.
Schembechler was a graduate assistant for the Buckeyes under Woody Hayes in the early 1950s, returned later to be a Hayes assistant for five seasons before becoming a famed coach for the Wolverines from 1969-1989. MORE... |
| Oral Roberts shocks No. 3 Kansas: LAWRENCE, Kan. - Marchello Vealy made his first seven 3-pointers and Oral Roberts stunned No. 3 Kansas 78-71 Wednesday night.
Vealy, only 1-for-13 on 3-pointers last year as a freshman, was 7-for-8 from behind the arc and finished with 22 points. MORE... |
| Judson bows out in first round: DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Judson men's soccer team's season came to an end Wednesday in a 3-1 loss to Lindsey Wilson in the first round of the NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship at Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium.
Lindsey Wilson, the defending national champion, scored two goals in the second half to put the game out of reach. MORE... |
| Shotgun makes a loud commotion: LAKE FOREST - Bears quarterback Rex Grossman and coaches are having a hard time believing how much commotion their use of the shotgun formation in Sunday's 38-20 win over the New York Giants has caused among the team's fans.
"You know, the shotgun is really no big deal for me either way," Grossman said. "It's just a way to get the ball in my hands. MORE... |
| Girardi earns NL Manager of Year award: NEW YORK - Sometime soon, Joe Girardi will go looking for another job in a major league dugout. And when he does, he'll have a Manager of the Year award at the top of his resume. Six weeks after he was fired by Florida, Girardi won the NL honor Wednesday for keeping the rookie-laden Marlins in contention nearly all season. Jim Leyland took the AL award after a quick turnaround with the Detroit Tigers. MORE... |
| Blanco back in fold for Cubs at catcher: With a minor league system still thin on catchers who are ready for the majors, the Cubs made re-signing veteran backup catcher Henry Blanco a priority and they got the job done on Wednesday, inking the free agent to a two-year deal with a mutual option for 2009.
Blanco is not known for his hitting, but the 35-year-old had a career-high .266 average in 2006 with six homers and 37 RBIs for the North Siders. He had just two hits in his first 39 at-bats (.051) but hit .373 (25-for-67) in June and July. He hit .325 against left-handed pitching and .342 with runners in scoring position and two outs. MORE... |
| Haven't we seen this act?: If my mother-in-law could get a glimpse of me right now, she would know something was up.
The way she put it to my wife was: "You know that look Dick gets when he doesn't understand something ..." MORE... |
| Pestering Hester : LAKE FOREST - Since making his 108-yard touchdown return with a missed field goal, Bears rookie Devin Hester has been fielding more phone calls than practice punts.
Old coaches have called with congratulations. Deion Sanders - his mentor - and family members have called warning him to maintain focus amid all the accolades. And then there are the other calls. MORE... |
| SICA suit settled: Hickey: Who loses? The taxpayer doesCHICAGO - A federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that the breakup of a suburban Chicago high school athletic league resulted in racial segregation has been settled, an attorney said Wednesday. The agreement averts a trial that would have pitted predominantly black schools in the former South Inter-Conference Association against schools with mostly white students. MORE... |
| Huskies capture season opener against Division III club : DEKALB - Thanks to the great equalizer, the 3-point shot, Northern Illinois got a little more than it bargained for Wednesday night in its home opener against St. Mary's of Winona, Minn.
Schedule a NCAA Division III opponent, and one that hasn't won more than nine games in the past six seasons, and there's reasonable expectation to have your starters work up a sweat against somebody different after several weeks of preseason practice then win by a blowout. MORE... |
| Carter picks up slack for Illini: From staff reportsCHAMPAIGN - With just two regular starters eligible to play, Illinois had to reach deep on its bench and ask for big minutes from inexperienced players in a 76-55 win over visiting Jackson State on Wednesday night. Warren Carter led the Illini (2-0) with a career-high 16 points. Carter also had 15 rebounds and two blocked shots, playing 37 minutes. MORE... |
| USF women drop 2nd straight: KENOSHA, Wis. - NCAA Division II Wisconsin-Parkside used runs of 11-0 and 18-2 in the first half to open up a double-digit lead and University of St. Francis never recovered in dropping an 80-65 decision on Wednesday night.
The loss for the Saints (3-2) was their second straight. MORE... |
| 2006-2007 Girls Basketball Preview Capsules: Nickname: Panthers Head coach: Mike Schnable 2005-06 record: 19-8 Conference: Southwest Prairie Top returning players: Kelsey Hoinkes (2.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg); Katlyn Fisher (3.8 ppg); Kaylee Seibert; Britt Galow. Top newcomers: Samiya Wright, freshman; Amanda Washington, sophomore; Kate Zimmick, sophomore. MORE... |
| A few more options : LAKE FOREST - Bears safety Chris Harris and wide receiver Mark Bradley both rebounded successfully from injuries to make contributions Sunday against the New York Giants.
So now coach Lovie Smith has a problem. Who plays at safety and wide receiver? MORE... |
| Shotgun makes a loud commotion : LAKE FOREST - Bears quarterback Rex Grossman and coaches are having a hard time believing how much commotion their use of the shotgun formation in Sunday's 38-20 win over the New York Giants has caused among the team's fans.
"You know, the shotgun is really no big deal for me either way," Grossman said. "It's just a way to get the ball in my hands. MORE... |
| Girardi, Leland managers of year: THE ASSOCIATED PRESSNEW YORK - Sometime soon, Joe Girardi will go looking for another job in a major league dugout. And when he does, he'll have a Manager of the Year award at the top of his resume. Six weeks after he was fired by Florida, Girardi won the NL honor Wednesday for keeping the rookie-laden Marlins in contention nearly all season. MORE... |
| Marlins' Girardi, Tigers' Leyland earn top manager awards: NEW YORK - Sometime soon, Joe Girardi will go looking for another job in a major league dugout. And when he does, he'll have a Manager of the Year award at the top of his resume.
Six weeks after he was fired by Florida, Girardi won the NL honor Wednesday for keeping the rookie-laden Marlins in contention nearly all season. Jim Leyland took the AL award after a quick turnaround with the Detroit Tigers. MORE... |
| No slacker : EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Jason Kidd scored a season-high 25 points to pick up the slack for an ailing Vince Carter on Wednesday night, leading the New Jersey Nets to a 100-87 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kidd added 11 assists and eight rebounds and scored 11 straight points for the Nets in a 21-3 first-quarter spurt that gave the Nets the lead for good. MORE... |
| Blanco signs two-year contract with Cubs: CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs and backup catcher Henry Blanco agreed to a $5.25 million, two-year contract Wednesday with an option for 2009. Blanco batted .266 in 74 games last season. He served as a backup to Michael Barrett and filled in when Barrett missed most of the last month after being hit in the groin with a foul tip. Blanco spent the last two seasons with the Cubs and is known for his defense. MORE... |
| Hurricanes hold off Rangers : RALEIGH, N.C. - Rod Brind'Amour scored with 6:05 left in the third period to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.
Cam Ward stopped 23 shots, bouncing bounced back from a poor performance two nights earlier in which he allowed six goals in a 7-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Craig Adams also scored for the Hurricanes. MORE... |
| Oral Roberts rains treys to upset Kansas: LAWRENCE, Kan. - Marchello Vealy made his first seven 3-pointers and Oral Roberts stunned No. 3 Kansas 78-71 Wednesday night.
Vealy, only 1-for-13 on 3-pointers last year as a freshman, was 7-for-8 from behind the arc and finished with 22 points. MORE... |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 | Cubs DeRosa signs $13 million, 3-year deal with Chicago: CHICAGO - Mark DeRosa became the first major league free agent to switch teams this offseason, agreeing Tuesday to a $13 million, three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.
A nine-year veteran, he is expected to be the Cubs' everyday second baseman next season. The 31-year-old DeRosa batted a career-high .296 with 13 homers and a career-best 74 RBIs last season for the Texas Rangers, appearing at six positions and starting at all four infield spots. He also can play the outfield. MORE... |
| Run defense a real concern: LAKE FOREST - Lovie Smith ran through the positive aspects of the Bears' 38-20 victory over the New York Giants, and suddenly came to a roadblock.
"Defensively we held them to 249 yards, which is pretty good, they were 17 percent on third down, we got three takeaways that led to points for our offense," he said. "I thought Alex Brown rushed the passer well. MORE... |
| North Stars dampen Storm debut: ST. CHARLES - South Elgin will remember a few things about its first experience playing varsity basketball.
First and foremost, the Storm won't be able to forget losing to host St. Charles North 59-37 Tuesday in an Upstate Eight Conference game - the season opener for both teams. MORE... |
| STANDUP GUY : DEKALB - The tattoo on his arm of Snoopy wearing his "Joe Cool" sunglasses does not represent James Hughes' persona on the basketball court.
"Oh no," said the 6-foot-11 Northern Illinois University center. "When I was younger my mom used to call me Joe Cool because when I'd get in trouble I'd never cry in front of her. She'd say, 'So you want to be Joe Cool, huh?'" MORE... |
| Late drought costs Bulls: DALLAS - Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points and Erick Dampier had season highs of 14 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Dallas Mavericks beat the Chicago Bulls 111-99 Tuesday night for their first home victory of the season.
Dallas won its third straight following an 0-4 start. MORE... |
| Dampier's big game lifts Dallas : DALLAS - Every so often, Erick Dampier reminds the Dallas Mavericks why they gave him a $73 million contract.
Rather than lament how seldom it happens, they've learned to savor when it does - such as Tuesday night, when his 14 points, 13 rebounds and high energy helped the Mavs beat the Chicago Bulls 111-99 for their first home victory of the season. MORE... |
| Huskies seek MAC West repeat : DEKALB - The roster may feature seven new faces, but Northern Illinois coach Rob Judson has a solid group of returnees to build around as he prepares to defend the Mid-American Conference West title.
They are led by 6-foot-11 senior and returning MAC Defensive Player of the Year James Hughes and senior guard Mike McKinney. Junior returnees Ryan Paradise (Naperville Central), Zach Pancratz (Schaumburg) and Ben Rand (Rochelle) were also key contributors, as Judson took advantage of a deep bench. MORE... |
| Everybody's got an opinion on showdown: COLUMBUS, Ohio - In NFL locker rooms, middle-school study halls and taverns across the country, everybody is talking about Saturday's showdown between No. 2 Michigan and No. 1 Ohio State.
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, for instance, favors a team not even playing in the game. MORE... |
| No. 1 Florida rolls: GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Al Horford had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Joakim Noah added 15 points and 10 rebounds and top-ranked Florida overwhelmed winless North Florida 86-40 on Tuesday night.
The defending national champions extended their winning streak to 13 games and dominated for the second time in two games this season. MORE... |
| AD says Knight move no big deal : LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech coach Bob Knight says there were times he was wrong when his hot temper got the best of him on a basketball court. Not this time, however. This time, everyone from the player he confronted to the player's mother and school officials say what Knight did was no big deal. MORE... |
| Northwestern wins ugly affair: EVANSTON - Tim Doyle saw six missed layups, a four-point halftime deficit, and couldn't help but smile.
What seemed like a mess looked like a masterpiece - sort of - to the Northwestern senior. MORE... |
| Webb wins NL Cy Young Award : NEW YORK - Back in the minor leagues, Brandon Webb had so much trouble controlling his sinker that he was hitting batters with it all the time and growing increasingly frustrated on the mound.
A few years later, that sensational pitch made him a Cy Young Award winner. MORE... |
| Frisco should be grateful: The good people of San Francisco have lots of reasons to be happy these days.
The earth hasn't rumbled lately, and runaway housing prices seem to have finally peaked. The 49ers may be moving, but at least they're not going far. MORE... |
| Opinions abound on the big game : COLUMBUS, Ohio - In NFL locker rooms, middle-school study halls and taverns across the country, everybody is talking about Saturday's showdown between No. 2 Michigan and No. 1 Ohio State.
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, for instance, favors a team not even playing in the game. MORE... |
| Paterno visits Penn State practice, might attend game: STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The rolled-up khakis, the thick-rimmed glasses, the nasally voice: the familiar sights and sounds of Joe Paterno returned briefly on Tuesday to Penn State.
More than a week after undergoing left leg surgery, the 79-year-old head coach felt well enough to come to practice, and might even be back in a Beaver Stadium press box for this weekend's regular-season finale, defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said Tuesday. MORE... |
| Boston wins Matsuzaka sweepstakes : NAPLES, Fla. - The Boston Red Sox emerged Tuesday night as winners of the bidding for Daisuke Matsuzaka with a $51.1 million offer and have 30 days to sign the Japanese pitcher to a contract.
The Seibu Lions of Japan's Pacific League announced they had accepted the high bid for their prized pitcher, and the major league commissioner's office simultaneously confirmed at the general managers' meetings that the Red Sox had made the offer. MORE... |
| Sox eyeing new spring home field: PHOENIX - The Los Angeles Dodgers and White Sox are negotiating to move their spring training bases to Glendale, with the teams possibly sharing a stadium in the Phoenix suburb as early as 2008.
MORE... |
| Do you know me? : It will be just like old times for several Northern Illinois University men's soccer players tonight when they meet Indiana in a second-round game of the NCAA Tournament.
In goal for the sixth-ranked Hoosiers will be sophomore Chay Cain, a Waubonsie Valley High School graduate who played with the Chicago Magic club team. NIU's roster features three players - sophomores Steve Kolzow and Bryan Abdallah and freshman Alan Bickel - who played in front of Cain for coach Angelo DiBernardo, a former Hoosier All-American in 1978. MORE... |
| Huskies ready for showdown with Hoosiers: It will be just like old times for several Northern Illinois University men's soccer players tonight when they travel to play at Indiana in a second-round game of the NCAA Tournament.
In goal for the sixth-ranked Hoosiers will be sophomore Chay Cain, a Waubonsie Valley High School graduate who played with the Chicago Magic club team. NIU's roster features three players - sophomores Steve Kolzow and Bryan Abdallah and freshman Alan Bickel - who played in front of Cain for coach Angelo DiBernardo, a former Hoosier All-American in 1978. MORE... |
| Nuggets' Anthony shines in Victory against Heat: MIAMI - Carmelo Anthony scored 33 points and the Denver Nuggets twice converted four-point plays to beat the Miami Heat 112-105 Tuesday night.
Anthony lost his scoring duel with fellow 2003 draft pick Dwyane Wade, who had 37 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. But the Nuggets reached .500 by winning their third in a row after an 0-3 start. MORE... |
| Hawks, Aycox roll past Elgin: ELGIN - Some of the names have changed for Bartlett, but the result on the scoreboard at Chesbrough Field House didn't look much different than in recent years.
The Hawks cruised to a season-opening victory on Tuesday night, beating Elgin 55-32. At least one familiar face for Bartlett was Morgan Aycox. The fourth-year varsity veteran and honorable mention All-Stater from a year ago asserted herself early on as the team's new go-to scorer with 10 points in the first quarter. MORE... |
| Arends equals career record in Indian Creek win: Stephanie Arends scored a game-high 16 points and dished out eight assists as Indian Creek opened the season with a 68-43 win over Westminster Christian. Arends pushed her career point total to 946, which ties her for the school record. Lindsay Richardson scored a game-high 23 to lead the Timberwolves.
MORE... |
| Ouch, that smarts! : LAKE FOREST - Lovie Smith ran through the positive aspects of the Bears' 38-20 victory over the New York Giants, and suddenly came to a roadblock.
"Defensively we held them to 249 yards, which is pretty good, they were 17 percent on third down, we got three takeaways that led to points for our offense," he said. " I thought Alex Brown rushed the passer well. MORE... |
| East's Bertrand done for season: Discipline problems and an injury have dealt serious blows to St. Charles East's high hopes this season.
Mike Bertrand, a 6-foot-4 senior who was expected to be one of the top players in the Upstate Eight Conference, is out for the season after violating East's code of conduct on two separate occasions. MORE... |
| Judiciary panel eyes NFL Network : WASHINGTON - The NFL is about to start airing live regular-season games on its own network, and that has Congress a bit curious.
"We're intrigued, to put it mildly, what the NFL has in mind," Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. MORE... |
| Morton Short-changed: Freshman's 28 points power Wolves to 4th victoryJOLIET - The Joliet Junior College men's basketball team used a proven formula Tuesday to forge an 88-65 nonconference victory over Morton at Wills Gym. Solid defense, transition baskets and a couple of hot hands paved the way for JJC (4-1). The hot hands came from freshmen Jarvis Griffin and Adam Short. MORE... |
| Stories match rivalry: In Columbus, employees at Eddie George's Grille 27 are installing new block "M" footballs in the urinals at the popular campustown hangout.
Their preparations this week are timed for the rush leading up to Saturday's big game. When Ohio State fans excuse themselves from their tables, they literally will be able to pee on Michigan. MORE... |
| Drawing the line: Run defense officially a Bears sore spotLAKE FOREST - Lovie Smith ran through the positive aspects of the Bears' 38-20 victory over the New York Giants and suddenly came to a roadblock. "Defensively we held them to 249 yards, which is pretty good, they were 17 percent on third down, we got three takeaways that led to points for our offense," he said. "I thought Alex Brown rushed the passer well. MORE... |
| Northwestern 'D' smothers Demons: DePaul manages just 39 points against WildcatsEVANSTON - Craig Moore scored 10 points and hit a key 3-pointer, and Tim Doyle and Kevin Coble scored nine apiece to lead Northwestern to a 49-39 victory over DePaul on Tuesday night. Moore was just 2-for-6 from the field, but his 3 with 1:53 remaining extended the Wildcats' lead to 43-36. MORE... |
| Director: Chin lift was no big deal: THE ASSOCIATED PRESSLUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech coach Bob Knight says there were times he was wrong when his hot temper got the best of him on a basketball court. Not this time, however. This time, everyone from the player he confronted to the player's mother and school officials say what Knight did was no big deal. MORE... |
| Doubles combo sits in 2nd place: Adding to what appeared in Tuesday's Herald News, following are more notes from the world of local women's bowling:
• A group of 14 bowlers invaded Town & Country Lanes in Peoria on Nov. 11-12 to participate in the Illinois State Senior Tournament. With two squads remaining, a few from the area were still "on the board." MORE... |
| Waszak flies into state meet: Lemont High School freshman swimmer Melanie Waszak became the school's first state meet qualifier.
Waszak advanced to this weekend's state meet in Evanston by winning the 100 butterfly in 59.70 seconds at Saturday's Hinsdale South Sectional. MORE... |
| Rangers' rally snaps NJ streak: NEW YORK - Jaromir Jagr scored two goals 26 seconds apart and Brendan Shanahan finished off a most improbable third-period rally just over a minute later to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory that snapped the New Jersey Devils' season-high, four-game winning streak Tuesday night.
A 2-0 Devils lead was erased in a 1:30 span, leaving goalie Martin Brodeur hanging his head and Rangers fans derisively chanting "Mar-ty Mar-ty." MORE... |
| Slain Miami lineman mourned: From staff reportsMIAMI - Many wore the school colors of orange, white and green. Others filed into church wearing T-shirts with Bryan Pata's name and the words "In loving memory." Mourners gathered for the funeral of the Miami defensive lineman Tuesday, a week after he was shot and killed outside his apartment complex. "I never got to tell him but as a teammate, a brother and a role model: I love you, man. MORE... |
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