AURORA – Years from now, you will say you were there.

If you have followed the Plainfield High School boys basketball team the last three years, you know what I’m talking about.

You were there when the Bengals first took the court at the Lincoln-Way North Thanksgiving Tournament in November, 2009. East, under first-year coach Branden Adkins, won the tournament with a roster void of seniors.

You were there when the first year ended at 9-18 with a 75-50 loss to Plainfield North.

You were there last season when the Bengals went 15-13, successfully defended their Thanksgiving title at the Lincoln-Way North Tournament and won their first state-tournament game, beating 49-44 before losing to mighty Benet Academy 65-35.

And, you were there to watch the Bengals rise to glory this season, bringing an excitement to District 202 that hasn’t been seen since prior to the school opening its doors in August, 2009.

I was there, too, every step of the way a...

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Don’t count out the Minooka High School wrestling team.

Don’t do it!

Just when some thought the Indians had reached the end of their amazing run of appearances in the Class 3A dual state tournament, they came up with another hard-to-believe victory.

This time, it was against Edwardsville Tuesday night in Springfield.

Without two of the wrestlers who helped the Indians beat the Tigers 37-25 in December at the Minooka duals, the Indians pulled out a 32-30 victory. Ironically, the turning point in the dual came at 132 pounds. Matt Kelly stepped in for suspended and No. 1 ranked Bob Zabel and came up with an improbable pin against Edwardsville state qualifier Dillon Soliben.

Trailing 9-4 in the final seconds, Kelly turned the tide in the match and the dual by coming up with a fall. Kelly spent most of the season behind the top-ranked wrestler in the state at his weight class.

Minooka won five of the next six matches to take command and reach th...

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Splits are great in the summer with chocolate syrup and a cherry on top. But, in bowling, they usually are killers.

As I took a peek a couple of lanes over late in the last game of the girls bowling state meet Saturday at Cherry Lanes in Rockford, Andrew High School was faced with a split.
It signaled a good chance for the Minooka to take over the game and win the program’s first state championship.

Instead, the Thunderbolts picked it up and another just four frames later.
A pair of unlikely pickups in the seventh frame paved the way for Andrew to win its first state title in the sport by a measly 22 pins. Take those splits away…

“They were lucky,” Minooka senior Danielle Musgrave said. “Hopefully, we’ll get them next year.”

“If it’s your day, it’s your day,” Minooka senior Courtney Johnston said. “It was a good day and a good year for us. We really came together this weekend as a team and that’s what really counts.”

“You can’t take anything...

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It’s time for the Southwest Prairie Conference to finally bring home a girls bowling state championship.

And, I have just the team to do it: Minooka High School!

The Indians, who are ranked No. 2 in the state behind Waubonsie Valley, roll into the state tournament confident and poised to do something that’s never been done before.
“That’s our goal,” Minooka coach Frank Yudzentis said. “As good as we’ve been playing, you should expect to vie for a state championship. That’s the ultimate and that’s what we’re going after next week.”

“We all have to hit our targets and hit our marks,” Minooka sophomore Emily Koulis said. “We plan on placing in the top three at state. It’s one of our goals, honestly. We plan on doing well at state. A lot will depend on the shot and how we react to it.”
Oswego won the state title in 1998, however, it was long before the SPC was formed in 2006.

Since then, the SPC member schools have flirted with the ultimate prize, capp...

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Last Friday was a great day at last I took more money out of Joliet's Harrah’s Casino than I put in but my night was better. I was blessed to see a really good football game in Downers Grove when the Mustangs played host to Downers Grove North for a cross town showdown in which my alma mater South laid a good smack down on the Trojans. Mustang stadium was packed so I had to park in Woodridge (well it seem like Woodridge as the walk from the car was brisk and far) and both sets of bleachers were packed with standing room only which I suppose is the norm as I remembered it.

North put up a fight but the Mustangs Josh Williams and the rest of the Mustang squad were just too strong and continued their dominance and they were victorious for the 6th straight year 24 -14. Kudos to South coach Belskis and the rest of the Mustang staff for steering their team in the right direction as the train of success keeps rolling along for South headed towards a playoff appearance. They always looke...

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Are you who you thought you were or are you who we think you are with week 4 in the books and the contenders are rising while the pretenders are planning like the Chicago Cubs for next year poll. I never liked them polls because in my mind they really don’t mean anything. There are teams who are a top the poll all season but come playoff we find out who are the true champions that have what it takes to complete the mission set forth at the beginning of the season, a state championship. I don’t look at polls during the season because if I do we might as well crown your team now instead of playing out the season.

Kudos to coach Frank Lentil of the Mount Carmel Caravan on earning win number 307 last weekend over the St Joseph Chargers although out numbered 2 to 1 in personal and up against all odds of winning there was no quit in the Charger team and they eventually scored. You might think I’m being funny but you weren’t at the game so that itself was quite an accomplishment a...

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Week 2 in the books and guys let me tell ya what I experienced 2 blow outs and 2 shutouts and a rain delay turns into a cancelation then a continuation phew that’s a lot of stuff Fri. night I ventured to one of my favorite schools and teams, the Warriors from Lincoln Way West hosting the Warriors from Crete Monee in what some call a revenge game. Crete got there revenge 35 to 0 in a game like that you know you must play till the whistle and till the end of the game. In a nutshell you stop fighting till the fight is done and in that aspect the West Warriors did not disappoint I hate to be the team they face next weekend cause it isn’t going to be pretty. Kudos to the boosters for the hot dogs and diet pop they were outstanding!

Saturday was along day I ventured out to see the Steelmen of Joliet and their new field in which I also think is outstanding I suggestion shuttle busses because you have to walk a week to get to the field. The Spartans of Romeoville were the opponents ...

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Football hmmm... the lights, the smell of the turf, cheerleaders, band, roaring fans and oh yes the concession stand was just as I remembered it. I had a lot of changes in my life so my first game this season was a little bittersweet for me for I lost my partner earlier this year my wife Janice who passed suddenly. She was the one holding the bag for me in my previous seasons so it made this season's opener a bit different.

Last Friday night my first assignment was traveling to Mustang country home of the Downers Grove South Mustangs and wow the last time I was near that field was I suppose 1979 when at the time I was holding a tuba go figure. The game started with South Elgin driving the field and fumbling on the 2-yard line. that's when I got my first glimpse of Mustang senior tailback Josh Williams who showed off his stuff on the first play from scrimmage a 31-yard sweep en route to a 334-yard rushing night.

I got tired watching the young man run, he was high stepping...

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Welcome to the midweek break everyone. Lots of things going on in the world of sports both at the high school and professional levels. Some weeks are just boring with not much to say, yet others are full of interesting happenings, and when that occurs it gets me to thinking and from there I can only attempt to break it down and try to pass along any wisdom I can in relation to said event or events...So sit back...relax, and I'll pass along a little something to you all...free of charge of course....It's the only way to go...

TEAM...Together....Everyone...Achieves....More.

Team...The single most important component of any sport. A collection of individuals united for the common goal of playing,a nd ultimately winning. Having played organized sports,and now being part of the media world that covers athletic competition I can appreciate it's inner workings, it's quirks, the camaraderie, the nuances, and rituals like leaping in the air and chest bumping, and things like ...

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Good Monday to everyone out there! I hope all had a nice weekend although as has been the case for the past few months the weather was just brutal. I was holding out hope that things would hold up through Saturday afternoon, but after that early Friday afternoon storm blew through with tornadic activity in some parts, the temperatures did a swan dive and we were back to cold...wet and chilled! Fear not though, it appears that things will get better quickly and by the end of the week we should be basking in sunshine and pleasant temps! Another week is upon us, and it's time to gear up for local high school sports playoff competition so.... a few musings from the old noggin....

Alright, this will be the last week of regular season play for baseball, and softball teams up in the larger school classifications. Post season play will start today for both class 1 & 2A in each of those sports. In baseball this Thursday the Lisle Lions will host a Regional semi-final ga...

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