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Area Sports Roundup | Area baseball and softball stars on ESPN

By Jeff Vorva / July 30, 2023 / Comments Off on Area Sports Roundup | Area baseball and softball stars on ESPN

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer It’s easy to catch some of the area’s former athletes honing their crafts. You can find former Brother Rice star and Palos Park native Michael Massey belting home runs for the Kansas City Royals on MLB Network, ESPN or YouTube. During recent NBA seasons, Hickory Hills native and Stagg grad…

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Storylines are Normal for 2023 high school football

By Jeff Vorva / July 16, 2023 /

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer This year, the road to a state football championship ends at Hancock Stadium in Normal. For Class 7A defending champion Mount Carmel and Class 6A champ East St. Louis, it begins there, too. The two titans kick off the opening weekend of 2023 against each other at 7 p.m. on…

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Area Sports Roundup | Adversity volleyball finishes 5th in nation

By Jeff Vorva / July 9, 2023 /

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Adversity was faced with adversity. As a result, its dreams of a national championship were dashed. Adversity 16 Adidas-South still finished tied for fifth in the nation at 50th AAU Boys National Volleyball Championships held in Orlando, Florida, in early July. The team is top-heavy with rising juniors from Marist.…

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Area Sports Roundup | Rice grad McGinnis returns to Crusaders; Max Strus cashes in

By Jeff Vorva / July 3, 2023 / Comments Off on Area Sports Roundup | Rice grad McGinnis returns to Crusaders; Max Strus cashes in

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Brandon McGinnis’ first season as a high school boys volleyball head coach ended at his alma mater, Brother Rice. St. Rita, which McGinnis coached at the time, dropped a 25-16, 25-8 sectional semifinal match to the Crusaders on May 27. His second season will find him back at Rice, where…

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Area Sports Roundup | Brother Rice’s Van Assen, Chicago Christian’s Sedakis lauded after huge seasons

By Jeff Vorva / June 26, 2023 / Comments Off on Area Sports Roundup | Brother Rice’s Van Assen, Chicago Christian’s Sedakis lauded after huge seasons

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The high school baseball and softball seasons closed up shop earlier in the month, but there are a few leftovers that have jumped out. Brother Rice senior pitcher Cole Van Assen was named to the Collegiate Baseball/Diamond Sports High School All-American team. Van Assen was 10-4 with a 1.79 ERA…

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Rice grad Payton is Buster Posey Catcher of Year finalist

By Jason Maholy / June 18, 2023 / Comments Off on Rice grad Payton is Buster Posey Catcher of Year finalist

By Mike Walsh Correspondent Louisville catcher Jack Payton has been named a finalist for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. Payton, an Orland Park resident who prepped at Brother Rice, is one of three finalists along with Kyle Teel of Virginia and Ryan Snell of Lamar.…

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OLIVIA TRUNK

Area Sports Roundup | Area hoops teams compete in summer showcases

By Jeff Vorva / June 18, 2023 / Comments Off on Area Sports Roundup | Area hoops teams compete in summer showcases

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Five area girls basketball teams participated in a monster girls hoops showcase and showed their skills to college coaches during the NCAA’s live period. The first Windmill City Weekend Live Event took place June 15-17 at Batavia High School. Each team competed in a four-team pool and then playing a…

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Area Sports Roundup | Autopsy determines ex-Nazareth football player had heart condition

By Jeff Vorva / June 12, 2023 /

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The Nazareth community was saddened on Feb. 20 when it found out that graduate Ryan Keeler, who was attending and playing football for UNLV, had died in Las Vegas. It was revealed last week that the results of the autopsy performed on Keeler determined the 20-year-old UNLV football player died…

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Baseball Class 4A State Championship | Brother Rice falls to Edwardsville, takes 2nd for best finish since 1981

By Jeff Vorva / June 11, 2023 / Comments Off on Baseball Class 4A State Championship | Brother Rice falls to Edwardsville, takes 2nd for best finish since 1981

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Cole Van Assen helped take Brother Rice to a place it hasn’t been to since 1981. A state championship game. The Crusaders lost, 6-4, to Edwardsville in the IHSA Class 4A state final on June 10 at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet, but it was Van Assen’s masterpiece…

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College Notebook | Lacrosse players Rubino and Hallman earn honors

By Jason Maholy / June 11, 2023 / Comments Off on College Notebook | Lacrosse players Rubino and Hallman earn honors

By Mike Walsh Correspondent Nick Rubino was one of seven North Central College men’s lacrosse athletes who were lauded as members of the 2023 All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Team. Rubino, a senior, became the program’s second three-time All-CCIW selection and earned a first-team nod for the first time in his career. Rubino ranked…

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Prep News

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Thome sweet Thome: Nazareth baseball defeats Hall of Famer Jim Thome’s alma mater

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Nazareth baseball team took a road trip to the middle of Illinois and improved its record to 7-0 on March 23 by beating Limestone, 6-0. Limestone is the alma mater of former White Sox player and Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Thome, who is an assistant coach for the…

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Chicago Catholic League greats headed to Hall of Fame

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent A handful of area stars will be inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The list features Kevin Bracken (St. Laurence, wrestling), Kevin Carberry (St. Rita, football), Matt Macievic (De La Salle, cross county and track), Mike McGrew (Mount Carmel, football), Dan Nicholson (Brother Rice, football) and…

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Fire II tops Chicago City, advances to to second round of Hunt Open Cup

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire II picked up a late invitation to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and beat Chicago City, 6-0, on March 20 in front of an announced crowd of 810 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Giovanni Granda and midfielder Vitaliy Hlyut each made their professional debut and scored their first…

Julia Bianchi heads back on defense shortly after delivering a first-half goal for the Chicago Red Stars on March 23 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Red Stars top Seattle, open season with two wins for first time in franchise history

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year’s last-place finish notwithstanding, the Chicago Red Stars have had a pretty rich history of success. The franchise has seven NWSL playoff appearances and has finished runner-up twice (2019, 2021), and prior to 2022 had finished no lower than fourth in the league ‘s regular season standings for six consecutive…

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College Football | Marian (Indiana) and St. Francis highlight Saint Xavier 2024 home slate

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Saint Xavier has released its 2024 football schedule, which has the Cougars opening the season in Michigan. SXU will travel to the Detroit suburb of Southfield to play Lawrence Tech on Sept. 7 in a Mid-States Football Association crossover. The Cougars’ home opener kicks off at noon on Sept. 14 when…

Morton's Nariah Clay was named to the NCJAA Division II all-tournament team as the Panthers finished fifth in the nation. Photo courtesy of Morton College Department of Athletics

Morton College women’s hoops takes fifth in nation

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent For the second year in a row, the Morton College women’s basketball team finished fifth in the country. The Panthers closed out the 2023-24 campaign in Joplin, Missouri, with a 75-67 victory over Iowa Western on March 23 in the consolation championship game at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament. It…

Marist's Jack Meader (left) and Nathen Toth face each other during a block attempt against Downers Grove North in the semifinals of the Marist Invitational on March 23. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Lockport for Gold at RedHawks Invite

By Randy Whalen Correspondent Marist enjoys getting its season going by hosting a tournament that is now in its 20th year. They had a good time again this season, going unbeaten over five matches in two days to win the Marist RedHawks Invitational for the sixth consecutive time. The RedHawks ended the tournament with a…

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Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound March 27, 2024

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Thome sweet Thome: Nazareth baseball defeats Hall of Famer Jim Thome’s alma mater

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Nazareth baseball team took a road trip to the middle of Illinois and improved its record to 7-0 on March 23 by beating Limestone, 6-0. Limestone is the alma mater of former White Sox player and Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Thome, who is an assistant coach for the…

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Chicago Catholic League greats headed to Hall of Fame

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent A handful of area stars will be inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The list features Kevin Bracken (St. Laurence, wrestling), Kevin Carberry (St. Rita, football), Matt Macievic (De La Salle, cross county and track), Mike McGrew (Mount Carmel, football), Dan Nicholson (Brother Rice, football) and…

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Fire II tops Chicago City, advances to to second round of Hunt Open Cup

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire II picked up a late invitation to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and beat Chicago City, 6-0, on March 20 in front of an announced crowd of 810 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Giovanni Granda and midfielder Vitaliy Hlyut each made their professional debut and scored their first…

Julia Bianchi heads back on defense shortly after delivering a first-half goal for the Chicago Red Stars on March 23 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Red Stars top Seattle, open season with two wins for first time in franchise history

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year’s last-place finish notwithstanding, the Chicago Red Stars have had a pretty rich history of success. The franchise has seven NWSL playoff appearances and has finished runner-up twice (2019, 2021), and prior to 2022 had finished no lower than fourth in the league ‘s regular season standings for six consecutive…

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College Football | Marian (Indiana) and St. Francis highlight Saint Xavier 2024 home slate

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Saint Xavier has released its 2024 football schedule, which has the Cougars opening the season in Michigan. SXU will travel to the Detroit suburb of Southfield to play Lawrence Tech on Sept. 7 in a Mid-States Football Association crossover. The Cougars’ home opener kicks off at noon on Sept. 14 when…

Morton's Nariah Clay was named to the NCJAA Division II all-tournament team as the Panthers finished fifth in the nation. Photo courtesy of Morton College Department of Athletics

Morton College women’s hoops takes fifth in nation

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent For the second year in a row, the Morton College women’s basketball team finished fifth in the country. The Panthers closed out the 2023-24 campaign in Joplin, Missouri, with a 75-67 victory over Iowa Western on March 23 in the consolation championship game at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament. It…

Marist's Jack Meader (left) and Nathen Toth face each other during a block attempt against Downers Grove North in the semifinals of the Marist Invitational on March 23. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Lockport for Gold at RedHawks Invite

By Randy Whalen Correspondent Marist enjoys getting its season going by hosting a tournament that is now in its 20th year. They had a good time again this season, going unbeaten over five matches in two days to win the Marist RedHawks Invitational for the sixth consecutive time. The RedHawks ended the tournament with a…

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City wants to buy armory at MDW

. Has been vacant since 2017 .  By Tim Hadac For decades, it served military purposes, as well as Chicago’s gateway for Presidents stopping off in the city. But the Army National Guard Midway Armory, 5400 W. 63rd St., has been mostly vacant since 2017, when the Illinois Army National Guard ceased operations there and…

Mary Ellen Fox --Photo by Cosmo Hadac

A successful career serving thousands

. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . Most folks work for years at their jobs, expecting and receiving little fanfare, then retire quietly. Garfield Ridge resident Mary Ellen Fox planned to retire from her 30-year job in the City Clerk’s Office quietly; and she did, earlier this year. But co-worker Jim…

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