I had a memorable half-hour conversation recently with Marist senior Avery Jedry. We talked about state titles, her senior season and how she is giving up volleyball to pursue a nursing career. But…

From being a No. 1 seed to shocked sadness. Lemont’s girls volleyball season has come to a stunning end due to an Illinois High School Association rules violation regarding matches played. Tu…

Andrew junior Keke Tholl brings more than her catcher’s mitt and explosive bat to the ballpark. The Michigan recruit brings leadership and enthusiasm. And some good vibrations. She and teamma…

Mother McAuley’s Grace Hynes will always be remembered for her toughness, her clutch ability and her leadership during her four years on the varsity. But that’s not the only way the Uni…

Sandburg coach Jim Fabianski has always stressed the importance of team bonding. Although the 2020 season was lost to the coronavirus pandemic, the spirit of camaraderie certainly remains evident a…

PEORIA — When all else fails, dance. Marist trailed St. Charles North by two runs going into the sixth inning Saturday when the whole team made some motivational moves. The leader? According …

I did some congratulating, some reminiscing and also had a good laugh during a recent conversation with former Richards coach John Chappetto. The congratulations were to Chappetto for being hired a…

This week, I should be tanned and tuned in to doing an all-area softball team after a wonderful weekend at state. The coronavirus pandemic sure made a mess of all of that. What makes me more sad, t…

There are a lot of coaches who I consider “seasonal” acquaintances. I see and talk with them often during the three months or so that their teams are playing, and then at the end we bas…

FIRST TEAM Emily Bojan, Marist, senior, catcher: Batted .415 with 30 runs, seven doubles, nine home runs and 41 RBIs. All-state. East Suburban Catholic Conference’s player of the year. Commit…

If the sophomore jinx had intentions of catching Marist shortstop Easton Lotus by surprise, it’s too late. The Louisville recruit is already off and running. Lotus was 6-for-6 in stolen bases…

One of my favorite moments covering the girls state basketball finals last weekend took place in the interview room. It happened Friday during a session with Benet’s players. Mother McAuley h…

A good storyteller keeps the reader in suspense until the very end. I don’t think that would be the right thing to do today. The story behind Lincoln-Way Central senior Lauren Kraft’s l…

It’s still early in the season, but Marist’s Camryn Lyons is already hitting 5-for-14 with a double, two homers and three RBIs.

FIRST TEAM Jenna Badali School: Mother McAuley. Year: Senior. Height: 5-6. Position: Guard. Accolades: GCAC Red Player of the Year. All-tournament at Bison Classic and KSA Holiday. Key stats: 17.5 …

In the crowd of jubilant Mother McAuley supporters who filled one side of the Shirk Center court on Monday, Jenna Badali stood and smiled. The junior guard had been the star of the show, astonishin…

Marty Jepsen shook his head and smiled. I was talking with the Marist boys volleyball standout about inspiration, courage and coming out a champion. It had nothing to do with his sport. It had ever…

Marist senior Molly Murrihy had a recurring dream all season. In them she was at Redbird Arena, competing in the state championship match. “It usually went that we’d get there and I nev…

Marist senior Morgan Flynn knows her role and does it well. “I’m usually the defender,” she said. “I’m not the one who makes most of the points.” But she can. An…

It may be true that you can’t coach height. But it does stand to reason that without it, you have to do more coaching. Mother McAuley’s Ashley Luke Clanton has been standing tall on tha…

PEORIA — She had the first say on Friday. She had the first say on Saturday. Senior first baseman Eileen Donahue deserved to have her say while standing with celebrating Marist teammates in t…

One way to get through this coronavirus pandemic is to try and make the most of a difficult situation. I don’t know anybody who has done it better than Marist senior Sydney Affolter. In fact,…

For the past several months, Tony Baranek and I have been joking around with each other that the longest farewell tour since Elton John is finally coming to an end. I’m calling it a farewell …

Andrew senior Keke Tholl’s first base hit as a player at Michigan will certainly be a fun one. That’s because her aunt, Bonnie Tholl, will be waiting for her in the first base coachR…

With Lincoln-Way West senior Taylor Gugliuzza and Mother McAuley senior Jenna Badali, Lewis promises to have quite an electric backcourt over the next four seasons. Who would have predicted the sta…

The coaching history in girls volleyball at Mother McAuley is pretty fascinating stuff. For a while, it was kind of like a “Can you top this” contest. Donna Smith started it with a 1977…

I hesitate to call these the top 10 stories and storylines I had the privilege of writing and following in 2023. In the spring alone, we highlighted 67 different softball players. I hope they all c…

After returning home from the state volleyball tournament, it didn’t take long for Mother McAuley senior Ellie White to get back into the gym. She cheered on the Mighty Macs in Monday’s…

Senior outside hitter Marty Jepsen enjoyed the biggest match of his career Tuesday when he led Marist to its first trip to state since 2010. But he didn’t plan to enjoy it too much. The 25-14…

First Team Kylie Cook, Beecher, senior, infielder: Batted .469 with 34 runs and 21 RBIs. All-state, all-conference. Committed to St. Francis. Isabel Cunnea, Marist, senior, outfielder: Batted .491 …

PEORIA — There was a time in the Class 4A state championship game Thursday when Marist’s Abby Dunning was aiming for her second no-hitter. The last two innings, she was fighting for sur…

New girls basketball coach Keisha Newell is already feeling at home at Mother McAuley. The administration, the players and even her predecessor, Ashley Luke Clanton, have unfurled the welcome mat. …

As the popular phrase goes, “You can’t be everywhere.” And if I missed some big moments in Southland girls sports for 2022, I apologize. But I did pack in a ton of lasting moments…

Without even scoring a point, Marist senior McKenna Kallianis received the loudest ovation during Friday night’s game against Marian Catholic. It occurred late in the first quarter when the 5…

The Illinois High School Association is continuing to roll with the punches in its attempt to keep hopes alive for a spring season. In a press release on its website Wednesday, IHSA executive direc…

Marist was facing a pitching powerhouse Thursday in Michigan commit Lauren Derkowski. None of the RedHawks know her as well as their own ace, Boston College recruit Abby Dunning. “We’re…

One thing I remember with crystal clarity about Abby Booth Degliomini as a two-sport varsity athlete at Stagg is her humility. Whenever she made a big basket or had a key hit, she always made sure …

When she was a sophomore, state finals weekend brought nerves, excitement and a touch of disappointment for Sage Mardjetko. When she was a junior, state finals weekend brought determination, succes…

Marist, the Class 4A state champion, returns with star-studded lineup, but watch out for Lincoln-Way Central, Lockport and Lemont.

You just can’t retire for more beautiful reasons than those mentioned by Marist girls basketball coach Mary Pat Connolly. She has four sons, three daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren &md…

If Mother McAuley volleyball standout Gigi Navarrete has said it once, she’s said it to me 50 times over the past four years. McAuley’s student fan section, otherwise known as the ̶…

She can’t deny it. Marist senior Sydney Affolter gets a kick out of it when she outlifts some of the guys at the local health club. “I would go with my dad and my brother,” Affolt…

Marist junior Isabel Cunnea has had a tough time with her bats this season. The power-hitting outfielder has already cracked two of them. She brought home another new one Sunday and immediately wen…

NORMAL — Mother McAuley needed a few things to finish off its 16th state championship. Things like power hitting, defense, setting — and it sure didn’t hurt having some positivity…

Stagg had just returned to the gym for the start of the second half of Monday’s game against Oak Forest. Suddenly, junior Kelsey Dwyer sprinted the entire length of the court. At the other en…

John D’Ambrosio coached football for over 50 years in high school and college at Bremen and St. Xavier.

Among her other talents, Marist senior Cassie Lindmark is the best at calming down a nervous teammate. With a chance Wednesday to break a scoreless tie against Sandburg, the Kentucky recruit had to…

One of the ways senior guard Jenna Ryan led Marist past Mother McAuley on Monday was by simply staying several steps ahead. While a teammate was pulling down a rebound, Ryan was already three quart…

Andrew senior Kathleen Hester did something Tuesday that absolutely shocked me. It wasn’t her performance in the circle against Lockport. I’ve witnessed and written about her pitching e…

The first step toward having an Illinois high school sports season in the fall has been taken. The IHSA released guidelines Friday for Phase 1 of its Return to Play plan. Voluntary strength and con…

Catching in the steady rain isn’t a ton of fun for Lemont senior Frankie Rita. With all that equipment on, maneuvering around the plate can be a tad bit treacherous. Truth be told, though, th…

Junior guard/forward Grace Hall doesn’t always follow the script for Homewood-Flossmoor. Ad-libbing is a big part of her game. “When we run a play, if I see a certain shot that I can ta…

When freshman Quinn Arundel was installed as Mother McAuley’s point guard for the start of the season, it was not a big surprise. Junior guard/forward Morgan Feil actually expected it. “…

Marist senior Maggie Meyer had a lot to block out during Friday night’s Class 4A supersectional match against host Mother McAuley. There were the championship banners. A boisterous Mighty Mac…

During the four seasons I enjoyed watching and writing about Marist standout Sydney Affolter, one thing was always certain. She would either score in double figures or rebound in double figures. Mo…

It was more than fitting that junior outside hitter Sydney Buchanan had the final kill Wednesday night for Mother McAuley. It was mandatory. Oh, there were other stepper-uppers, but Buchanan was th…