Local Sports News
Pro soccer report: Red Stars clinch playoff spot; Fire names new coach
If the Red Stars had their choice, they would rather have beaten Gotham on Sept. 12 to secure a spot in the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs. Instead, the Red Stars suffered a 2-0 loss to the defending NWSL champions at SeatGeek Stadium, and 24 hours later clinched a spot in the playoffs when Washington…
Saquan Commings’ pick-six highlights Curie shutout of Mather
Slowly but surely, Curie is learning how to win again. The Condors were one of the Public League’s top football programs earlier this century, advancing to the IHSA playoffs 11 times from 2005-19 and winning 41 games between 2014-17. But before first-year coach Jarve Lewis-Bey arrived this fall, Curie had only four victories in the…
Universal hires Mustafa Sulaiman as boys basketball coach
Mustafa Sulaiman wasn’t looking for another job, but one came looking for him. Sulaiman is a familiar figure in Chicago-area prep basketball circles as the creator of the Xposure Runs podcast and the Chitown Showcase for uncommitted players trying to raise their recruiting profile. Now he’s also the head coach at Universal. Sulaiman was hired…
Dominic Pisciotti, Mack Long rally Lyons past Downers North
One of the primary takeaways for Lyons coach Jon Beutjer from a dramatic 21-20 comeback win over Downers Grove North in Week 7 was seeing how his team reacted to adversity. Not only were the Lions (7-0, 5-0 West Suburban Silver) trailing 20-0 at halftime, they also committed four turnovers in the first half and…
AJ Powell does it all for Evergreen Park in win vs. Reavis
Anything you can do, chances are AJ Powell can do better. The 5-foot-9, 150-pound senior demonstrated that in a 21-13 Week 7 win against Reavis in South Suburban Red action. Playing running back and cornerback, Powell rushed 11 times for 83 yards. On defense, he had 9.5 tackles and two interceptions. Powell also blocked an…
Mike Walsh’s Football Top 10, Week 8
1. MARIST (6-1) Last week: Beat St. Ignatius 37-19 This week: vs. Marmion Comment: John McAuliffe and Jacob Ritter combine for 274 yards rushing and five TDs. 2. LYONS. (7-0) Last week: Beat Downers Grove North 21-20 This week: at York Comment: Lions rally from 20 down in third quarter against previously undefeated Trojans. 3.…
Jack’s back: Elliott leads Mount Carmel past Joliet Catholic
Welcome back, Jack. Senior quarterback Jack Elliott missed Mount Carmel’s loss to Brother Rice in Week 6 with an injury. But he was back in the Caravan lineup for Week 7 against Joliet Catholic in Chicago. How much of an impact did Elliott have in Mount Carmel’s 35-21 triumph over the Hilltoppers? A significant one.…
Argo loses to Eisenhower on touchdown in closing seconds
A 19-14 South Suburban Red road loss to Eisenhower in Week 7 gave Argo coach Phillip Rossberg a bad case of déjà vu. Two weeks earlier, the Argonauts traveled to Tinley Park for a South Suburban crossover and lost to the Titans by the same score in a similar fashion. In both games, a big…
Cheerio! Lyons bars can open at 7 a.m. Sunday for early Bears game
By mayoral decree, Bears fans can start drinking earlier Sunday at bars in Lyons. The Bears play Jacksonville in London and the kickoff will be at 8:30 a.m. Chicago time Sunday. Usually, Lyons bars can’t open until 10 a.m. on Sunday. But they will be allowed to open and start serving at 7 a.m. With…
Sandburg’s touchdown pass in final minute sinks Lincoln-Way Central
Sandburg coach Troy McAllister faced a decision in a Week 6 Southwest Suburban crossover game at Lincoln-Way Central. In reality, it wasn’t much of a choice: Let your best athletes make a play. And they did. In the Eagles’ 28-27 victory over Lincoln-Way Central, Charlie Snoreck caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Shelton with…
Myles and Myles to go: Mitchell, Richards race past Shepard
Have a senior season, Myles Mitchell. The versatile running back delivered another dominant performance in Week 6 as Richards shut out Shepard 21-0 in a South Suburban Red game in Palos Heights. Mitchell ran 25 times for 233 yards, including touchdowns of 91 and 9 yards. The North Dakota State recruit also had two catches…
Football notebook: New Solorio coach eyes turnaround
After eight years away from football, Jonathan Jauregui was ready to get back in the game. Already working at Solorio, he joined the Sun Warriors’ coaching staff as defensive coordinator last year. This season, he’s the head coach and Solorio is off to a 4-2 start after getting past host Back of the Yards 18-13…
Kamarion and Kavarion McCarter power Kennedy past Ag. Science
Things are changing for Kennedy football, and the McCarter brothers are among those making it happen. In one of the biggest games in program history, the Crusaders knocked off Ag. Science 17-8 in Week 6 at Gately Stadium. That all but clinched the Public League White Southwest title for Kennedy (5-1, 3-0), whose two remaining…
Area sports roundup: Cougars fall to national power; area golfers swing to sectionals
St. Xavier has proven to be a solid top-15 football team in the country in NAIA play, but the Cougars need a little more work when playing with top-5 opponents. Cougars coach Mike Feminis didn’t sugarcoat things when he said his team took “a good old-fashioned butt whipping from an outstanding team,” after the visiting…
Nazareth’s ground game dominates vs. St. Rita
Quarterback Logan Malachuk and the other skill players at Nazareth draw most of the attention and deservedly so. After all, the Roadrunners have piled up 206 points through the first six games of the season, a 34.3 average. But after Nazareth’s 45-21 CCL/ESCC Green victory at St. Rita in Week 6, it was the five…
Late field goal lifts Brother Rice past Mount Carmel
All Brother Rice kicker Brady Gomez wanted was a chance at redemption. He got it. Gomez kicked a 19-yard field goal on the final play of the game to lift the Crusaders past visiting Mount Carmel 16-13 in a Week 6 CCL/ESCC Blue showdown. Gomez had missed a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter.…
Mike Walsh’s Football Top 10, Week 7
1. MARIST (5-1) Last week: Beat Providence 28-7 This week: at St. Ignatius Comment: Running back John McAuliffe and quarterback Jacob Ritter accounted for two TDs each in a strong victory over Providence. 2. LYONS (6-0) Last week: Beat Oak Park-River Forest 49-14 This week: at Downers Grove North Comment: West Suburban Silver supremacy on…
Girls volleyball roundup: Mother McAuley beats Marist to take third in ASICS
Mother McAuley’s chance for a three-peat of winning the ASICS Challenge was halted in the semifinals. But the third-place match was no disappointment. The host Mighty Macs took third in the tournament by beating rival Marist for the second time in 10 days, 25-20, 25-19 on Oct. 5. The two teams met on Sept. 26…
Cross country: Solorio’s unique venue a hit with runners
Come over the bridge spanning the west branch of the lagoon at the Marquette Park Golf Course on the way from the ninth green and make a left. While making the final kick down the left side of the No. 1 hole, there are trees on the left that have leaves beginning to change colors.…
K.J. Morris kick-starts Brother Rice in romp past St. Patrick
As beginnings go, it’s tough to top the one that K.J. Morris provided his Brother Rice teammates. On the opening kickoff of the Crusaders’ 48-0 CCL/ESCC crossover victory over St. Patrick at Triton College in Week 5, Morris sprinted 95 yards for a touchdown. For an encore, Morris returned a punt 45 yards for a…
North Dakota State commit Myles Mitchell, Richards race past Argo
Fans at Friday night’s South Suburban Red matchup between Richards and Argo hoping to see running back Myles Mitchell at his best were not disappointed. Mitchell powered the Bulldogs to an impressive 41-0 victory in Summit, carrying 29 times for 191 yards and five touchdowns. The North Dakota State commit found the end zone on…
Vanderbilt commit Jack Elliott, Mount Carmel cruise by Benet
Through the first five games of the season, Mount Carmel has piled up 215 points for an average of 43 points per game. One of the primary reasons why the Caravan have been so successful thus far is the play of senior quarterback Jack Elliott. In guiding Mount Carmel to a 48-13 Week 5 CCL/ESCC…
Cornell commit John McAuliffe, Marist get past IC Catholic
Scoring points hasn’t been a problem this season for Marist. That trend continued in Week 5 as the Redhawks traveled to Elmhurst and defeated IC Catholic 34-26 in a CCL/ESCC crossover. Through the first five games of the season, Marist, which improved to 4-1 overall, tallied 148 points, good enough for an average of 29.6…
‘Pinky’ power: Jonathan Castro leads Kennedy past Carver
When Jonathan Castro first went out for football at Kennedy, no one knew who he was. So his new teammates gave him a nickname. “Honestly, I just love the color pink,” the Crusaders senior said. “So I came in sophomore year and no one really knew my name. They saw I had a pink mouthguard, pink…
Mike Walsh’s Football Top 10, Week 6
1. MOUNT CARMEL (4-1) Last week: Beat Benet 48-13 This week: at Brother Rice Comment: QB Jack Elliott continues to excel with four total TDs vs. Redwings. 2. MARIST (4-1) Last week: Beat IC Catholic 34-26 This week: vs. Providence Comment: John McAuliffe rushes for 211 yards and four TDs in impressive road win. 3.…
Local News
Palos United Methodist Church hosts pet blessing
It was a lively occasion as a pair of Great Danes, a cat named Gus, and an elderly Beagle-Lab mix named Seamus were among the four-legged attendees gathered Sunday afternoon, Oct. 6, at Palos United Methodist Church for the annual pet blessing celebrating the Feast of St. Francis. Pastor Caitlyn Nesbit led the ceremony at…
Orland Park names interim village manager and assistant
Orland Park Assistant Village Manager Jim Culotta will take over as the interim village manager and former police deputy chief Brian West will take his place as interim assistant. The board of trustees made those decisions during the Oct. 7 meeting in the wake of village manager George Koczwara’s resignation after his contact was set…
Orland Park Public Library hosts dementia support group
The Orland Park Public Library is continuously offering programs and services to help all levels of need within its local community. The library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave., is hosting a Dementia: Caregiver Support Group on Mondays at 1 p.m. The free program is designed for those caring for a loved one with dementia. Caregivers are…
Sandburg Boy Scout restores historic cemetery for Eagle Scout project
You don’t usually equate multi-phase project management with high school students, but then again, you probably haven’t met Sandburg sophomore Jimmy Sullivan. Sullivan is pursuing his Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout rank and has spent most of 2024 planning the project that will earn him that prestigious honor – restoring the Old German Methodist…
Rain barrels available for Oak Lawn residents
An Oak Lawn trustee said residents can purchase rain barrels through a program sponsored by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Trustee Paul Mallo (3rd) attended a recent Southwest Conference of Mayors meeting where it was mentioned that rain barrels are available to residents. Rain barrels are available through the MWRD for $43.…
‘Guilty’ bribe-taker William Mundy sues Summit over retaliatory firing
Former Summit public works director William Mundy, who pled guilty to federal corruption charges, claims in a new civil lawsuit he was fired for exposing the same village corruption he took part in, court records show. Mundy filed a federal lawsuit against the village, demanding back pay, reinstatement, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees, according to…
Lake Katherine pays tribute to endangered Monarchs
The ever-popular Monarch made its appearance once again at Lake Katherine Nature Center & Botanical Gardens during a weekend long, Monarch Celebration. The 31st annual Monarch Celebration honored the exquisite Monarch, right at the nature center, 7402 Lake Katherine Drive, Palos Heights, and was held on September 21 and September 22. Judy Splayt, of Tinley…
‘Selma’s Sweets Run 4 Peace’ 5K at Moraine Valley Community College
Selma’s Sweets Run 4 Peace 5k at Moraine Valley Community College gathered over 1,000 attendees for Palestine Child Relief Fund. “When I think about PCRF’s first inauguration nearly 11 years ago, we had a great group by far, but this is the largest group I’ve seen attend this event. Congratulations,” said Mayor Gerald Bennett. Runners…
Pets rule at Orland Township’s Palooza
In 2010, Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady, with the help of his own family, expanded the Orland Township Food Pantry and created the Orland Township Pet Pantry. He called it, “Crashy’s Closet,” which was named after O’Grady’s beloved rescue cat. Today, “Crashy’s Closet” has helped many residents ease the burden of owning a pet, maintaining…
Starbucks opens on former vacant lot in West Lawn
A new Starbucks opened last week in Chicago’s West Lawn community on a lot that had been vacant for 40 years. Groundbreaking for the newest Starbucks took place in March at 6413 S. Cicero Ave. and was led by Mayor Brandon Johnson and 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn. The lot was a former gas station…
