By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Despite missing the first two games of the season, Chicago Red Stars standout Mallory Pugh entered this week’s action in a three-way tie for second in goals scored in the NWSL. Pugh scored her fourth goal of the season to help the Red Stars (3-1-2) beat OL Reign, 1-0, in…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Renee Chimino was like many people who thought Mary Pat Connolly was going to coach at Marist forever. But Connolly recently announced her retirement, and Chimino was hired to take her place last week. Chimino is a Marist graduate who played on Connolly’s best squad, the 2007-08 team that finished…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer It was as easy as 1-2-3. Actually, it was more like it was easy as 1A-2A-3A. Two area individuals and a relay team emerged from the IHSA state boys track meet over the weekend as champions — one in each classification. Luke Jelderks of Chicago Christian won the Class 1A…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Chicago Red Stars coach Chris Petrucelli doesn’t mince words when it comes to describing star player Mallory Pugh. “Quite frankly, I think she’s the best player in the league,” the first-year coach said. “There’s nobody I would rather have, honestly. I’m lucky I get a chance to work with her…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Mallory Pugh gave a sample of what could be a big 2022 season when she scored four goals in the exhibition Challenge Cup series. But the Red Stars scoring threat missed the first two games of the NWSL season with an injury, and the team split decisions against Louisville and…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer The Sandburg baseball team has had more downs than ups this season. But the Eagles finished the regular season on a strong note with a run to second place at the Steven M. Bajenski Memorial Tournament, which wrapped up May 21 at Ozinga Field in Crestwood. To get to the…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer How good was the competition in the boys track Class 3A Lockport Sectional in the 3200 meter relay? Sandburg’s relay team of Brock Rice, Declan Tunney, Trent Anderson and Sean Marquardt ran a time of 7:42.42, which tied for the third-best time in the nation in 2022. And that was…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Donn Pall admits things were low-key when he played baseball at Evergreen Park High School. Expectations were not high. Having fun was more important. “There were no big games and we didn’t have a special team,” Pall said. “It was just fun to play with a bunch of my friends…
Read More
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer When the soccer world woke up on May 15, the Chicago Fire II had not won an MLS NEXT Pro game and the Chicago Red Stars had not lost a regular-season game this season. That all changed late that afternoon. The Fire II won the first game in their short…
Read More
Area Sports Roundup: Marist knocks off Glenbard West in battle of nationally ranked volleyball teams
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Power on power didn’t work the first time around. Power here and there, mixed in with some savvy soft shots, did the trick the second time. In a battle of two of the top 11 teams in the nation, according to the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association May 11 rankings,…
Read MorePrep News
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match losing streak.…
Year of growth | Evergreen Park enjoying inaugural boys volleyball season
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After almost 70 years of existence as a high school, Evergreen Park finally has a boys volleyball team. The Mustangs are playing their inaugural season with a junior varsity squad, with some matches being played at the varsity level. Head coach Brian Zofkie is leading this group with assistant coach Tom…
Boys Volleyball | Brother Rice falls to Glenbard West and York, takes 4th at Smack Attack
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent It was a busy weekend in the area for boys volleyball as Brother Rice hosted its 14th annual Smack Attack tournament. The 24-team event played April 19-20 featured area teams Brother Rice, Marist and Richards, along with defending Class 4A champion Glenbard West and two highly rated teams from Kentucky. Matches…
Swanson scores, assists in Red Stars’ win over Reign
The Red Stars improved to 3-1-1 by beating the Seattle Reign, 2-1, on the road on April 21. Mallory Swanson had an assist on an Ali Schlegel goal in the fourth minute and added a goal of her own in the 31st minute. Swanson missed last season after sustaining a knee injury on April 10,…
Red Stars’ Tatumn Milazzo has top Save of the Week
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Tatumn Milazzo called her achievement “funny.” The Chicago Red Stars defender and Orland Park native was awarded the NWSL’s Save of the Week after chasing down a ball in a loss to Angel City on April 13. The Save of the Week usually goes to a goalie. Milazzo laughed about the…
Men’s College Volleyball | Saint Xavier captures fifth straight conference tourney title
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The SXU men’s volleyball team won its fifth straight Chicagoland Christian Athletic Conference tournament championship after a 25-16, 25-17, 25-22 sweep of Calumet College of St. Joseph on April 20 at the Shannon Center. Jan Lopuch had 10 kills and nine digs for the Cougars. With the win, the Cougars (21-8)…
College Baseball | Saint Xavier upsets Eastern Illinois
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier baseball team picked up a win that its players are going to remember for a long time. The Cougars stunned Eastern Illinois, 4-2, on April 17 in Charleston. It was the Cougars’ first win over the Panthers, a Division I program, since 2005. Lyons grad Troy Stukenberg had…
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match losing streak.…
Year of growth | Evergreen Park enjoying inaugural boys volleyball season
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After almost 70 years of existence as a high school, Evergreen Park finally has a boys volleyball team. The Mustangs are playing their inaugural season with a junior varsity squad, with some matches being played at the varsity level. Head coach Brian Zofkie is leading this group with assistant coach Tom…
Boys Volleyball | Brother Rice falls to Glenbard West and York, takes 4th at Smack Attack
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent It was a busy weekend in the area for boys volleyball as Brother Rice hosted its 14th annual Smack Attack tournament. The 24-team event played April 19-20 featured area teams Brother Rice, Marist and Richards, along with defending Class 4A champion Glenbard West and two highly rated teams from Kentucky. Matches…
Swanson scores, assists in Red Stars’ win over Reign
The Red Stars improved to 3-1-1 by beating the Seattle Reign, 2-1, on the road on April 21. Mallory Swanson had an assist on an Ali Schlegel goal in the fourth minute and added a goal of her own in the 31st minute. Swanson missed last season after sustaining a knee injury on April 10,…
Red Stars’ Tatumn Milazzo has top Save of the Week
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Tatumn Milazzo called her achievement “funny.” The Chicago Red Stars defender and Orland Park native was awarded the NWSL’s Save of the Week after chasing down a ball in a loss to Angel City on April 13. The Save of the Week usually goes to a goalie. Milazzo laughed about the…
Men’s College Volleyball | Saint Xavier captures fifth straight conference tourney title
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The SXU men’s volleyball team won its fifth straight Chicagoland Christian Athletic Conference tournament championship after a 25-16, 25-17, 25-22 sweep of Calumet College of St. Joseph on April 20 at the Shannon Center. Jan Lopuch had 10 kills and nine digs for the Cougars. With the win, the Cougars (21-8)…
College Baseball | Saint Xavier upsets Eastern Illinois
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier baseball team picked up a win that its players are going to remember for a long time. The Cougars stunned Eastern Illinois, 4-2, on April 17 in Charleston. It was the Cougars’ first win over the Panthers, a Division I program, since 2005. Lyons grad Troy Stukenberg had…
Boys Volleyball | Glenbard West tops Marist to stay unbeaten
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Marist boys volleyball team, ranked fifth in the nation by USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches, lost to Glenbard West, 25-23, 25-21, in the championship match at the Brother Rice Smack Attack on April 20 in Chicago. Glenbard West (19-0) is the two-time defending state champion and is ranked third in the…
St. Laurence hoops teams top honor roll
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area basketball teams proved to be strong on the court and in the classroom this season, and St. Laurence was the leader of the pack. The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association compiled a list of the top academic teams, and the area did well. In Division 3 girls, St. Laurence was ranked…