
Girls Soccer | McAuley starts playoffs with rout, but falls to LW East in regional title game
By Steve Millar
Correspondent
Hosting a playoff game on its new turf field for the first time, Mother McAuley made it a memorable occasion.
Four players scored two goals each and the eighth-seeded Mighty Macs rolled to an 8-1 win over 10th-seeded T.F. United in a Class 4A Mother McAuley Regional semifinal on May 17.
The season ended for Mother McAuley (10-8-3) on May 19, however, with a 4-1 loss to second-seeded Lincoln-Way East in the regional championship game.
Against United, Macs senior forward Ciara Hosty, freshman forward Calli Edwards, junior midfielder Ava Grace Sales and senior midfielder Riley McKee each scored twice for Mother McAuley. Hosty also had three assists and Gabriella Martin made six saves.
“We said we wanted to start strong,” Mother McAuley coach Jenna Ryan said. “They ended up having the first shot, but from there we turned it on. I think in the midfield, Xotchil (Ramirez) and Emily Kovar were able to control the game. We were able to rely on them.
“So often we’re just kicking the ball around, but today we kept finding them and they were able to control it. We were able to connect and get all our passes going.”
After Edwards opened the scoring in the ninth minute, Hosty made it 2-0 four minutes later.
Sales then scored the prettiest goal of the night, volleying in Ramirez’s cross to increase the lead to 3-0.
“It was an awesome ball from Xotchil and honestly I just threw myself at it to get it in the back of the net,” Sales said. “It felt amazing. It was unreal. I feel like I’ve been working hard and it feels great to make it happen like that.”
T.F. United was still in relative striking distance down 3-0 at halftime, but the Mighty Macs poured it on in the second half as Edwards, Hosty and Sales each scored their second goal in the same order that they struck in the first half.
McKee added the final two goals, her second and third of the season.
“It was awesome,” McKee said. “I got the other goal on our senior night, but doing it in this game was awesome, too. Especially the celebrations with our team after.”
Local News

Worth Memorial Day event recalls past conflicts, wars
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Worth Mayor Mary Werner welcomed sunny skies on Sunday morning. However, Werner said she could not take credit for the 70-degree temperatures before the Memorial Day Observance at Veterans Memorial Park at the corner of 111th Street and Harlem Avenue. “We have had plenty of times where we had coats…

Couple, Countryside at odds over land sale
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Albert and Rosemary Dostal want to sell their empty land in Countryside. But they are finding that a difficult task. The couple, which lives in the 9500 block of 56th Street, owns nine wooded acres south of 57th Street and west of La Grange Road. It’s been in the family…

2 wounded in Bridgeview shooting
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Two men were wounded May 21 after two groups started arguing in the parking lot at Menards in Bridgeview. Police said the incident started at 8:05 p.m. with an argument between two groups in the parking lot at 9140 S. Harlem Ave. Police Chief Ricardo Mancha said police are trying…

Summit School District 104 breaks ground on admin center, school improvements
Spread the love By Carol McGowan Cook County School District 104 broke ground May 20 on three projects to be done this summer at three locations within the district. The first ceremony started at 8 a.m. at the future site of the District 104 Administrative Building, that will the built at 7509 W. 63rd Street…

Water study finds 12 leaks in McCook system
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch A water study that McCook’s village board approved in March is paying dividends just two months later. Mayor Terrance Carr said that a dozen leaks have been found in the city’s water system, which had been losing 5 million gallons each month. “We found 12. We fixed all 12 of…

Orland Park welcomes Rainbow Cone
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Rainbow Cone was welcomed in to the Orland Park community on Friday morning when a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the franchise’s newest location, 15711 Harlem Ave., Orland Park. The location is run by the duo, John Buonavolanto and Fernando Toscano. “There are a lot of South Siders…

Obituaries May 25, 2023
Spread the loveMICHAEL J. BARAN Michael J. Baran, age 37, passed suddenly May 4. Cherished son of Krystyna (nee Wieczorek) and the late Ireneusz “Eric” Baran; beloved brother of Kathy Baran, Christopher Baran and the late Mark Baran; dearest nephew of Ciocia Gienia. Dear cousin and friend to many. Visitation was held May 15. Funeral…

UPDATE: RidgeFest cancelled over flash mob safety concerns
Spread the loveEditor’s note: Chicago Ridge Mayor Chuck Tokar said Friday that RidgeFest originally set for July 28-30 was being cancelled for this year out of safety concerns as a result of the teen rampage last weekend at a carnival in Tinley Park. It’s the second area event called off because of the threat of…

Girls Soccer | Sandburg’s season ends with heartbreaking loss to Lincoln-Way West
Spread the loveBy Steve Millar Correspondent It was a tough regular season for a young Sandburg team, which entered the playoffs on a six-game losing streak. The fifth-seeded Eagles put that all behind them May 16, running away with an 8-2 win over 11th-seeded Bloom in a Class 4A Lincoln-Way West Regional semifinal in New…
Neighbors

Pritzker set to consider signing more than 500 bills in the next three months
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers passed 566 bills through both chambers of the General Assembly in the recently concluded legislative session – all but one of them in May. It sets the table for an approximate three-month bill-signing season for Gov. JB Pritzker. That’s because the state’s constitution gives…

Capitol Cast: End of Session Review
Capitol News Illinois · End of Session Review The Capitol News Illinois team breaks down the highlights of the just-completed 2023 spring session.

Cannabis regulatory reform bill fails to advance in spring legislative session
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A proposed cannabis reform bill won’t get further consideration until at least the General Assembly’s fall veto session after stakeholders failed to come to an agreement during the spring session’s final stretch. Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, told Capitol News…

Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue
By JERRY NOWICKI, HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] UPDATE: The budget was filed as a 3,409-page amendment to Senate Bill 250 late Wednesday evening. This story has been updated to reflect the latest developments as of Wednesday night. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday they’ve agreed…

Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers in Springfield have unanimously approved a measure that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement companies or their officers from donating to candidates for public…

State board of education looking for new providers in preschool ‘deserts’
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to sign the budget bill lawmakers just passed, the Illinois State Board of Education is seeking applicants for some of the new money contained in that bill. ISBE is looking for new providers to offer preschool programs in areas…

Pritzker touts new budget’s higher education spending
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker began a tour of the state to tout the new state budget that lawmakers passed last week, stopping at two university campuses Wednesday to highlight the spending plan’s increased funding for higher education. “With this new budget, we’re making it possible for nearly…

Cannabis regulatory reform bill fails to advance in spring legislative session
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A proposed cannabis reform bill won’t get further consideration until at least the General Assembly’s fall veto session after stakeholders failed to come to an agreement during the spring session’s final stretch. Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, told Capitol News…

Native American history, ride-share regulation measures clear General Assembly
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though it became clear this week that the General Assembly’s spring legislative session would go longer than scheduled as lawmakers finalize a budget, several measures cleared the legislature by its original Friday adjournment date. Those include a requirement that schools teach a unit of Native…

Lawmakers approve measure giving utilities control over new downstate transmission lines
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — In the final hours of their spring session last week, lawmakers approved a controversial measure that would give existing power companies in downstate Illinois, notably Ameren Illinois, the first crack at installing new transmission lines. The measure applies to companies that already own or operate electric…