tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26520732866516216352024-03-13T05:28:53.880-07:00Emily TroppAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08532468617376434918noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-87123510800824356612014-02-21T12:09:00.000-08:002014-02-21T12:09:51.710-08:00Last call for Champions Ball tickets!If you're a local sports fan, you're not going to want to miss the event at Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in one week.<br />
The second annual Champions Ball on March 1 will start at 5 p.m. and serves as a fundraiser for the Rockford Public Schools and Rockford Sports Coalition. The evening includes dinner, drinks, a silent auction, and the RPS Hall of Fame inductions.<br />
I can't tell you which part of the HOF program I'm most excited for. Guest speaker Ernie Kent is flying in from Oregon to be with us that evening. Our second HOF individual recipient, East's Donna Cargill, will fly in from Alabama to join us. The night will include a special tribute to the 1939 boys basketball team from the ORIGINAL Rockford High School and its coach James Laude, who was also the man who started the basketball program at East. Keith Mulford, the last remaining survivor of that 39 team, will be there to share a couple of memories. I became friends with Mulford a few years ago when I wrote a story on him for the Rockford Register Star, and let me tell you, he is one amazing man.<br />
The evening will conclude with a tribute to Brad "Muzzy" Muzzarelli, the long-time East football and basketball manager, who we lost to cancer five years ago. The moment his family accepts the HOF Community Service award on his behalf will be so moving to anyone who knew Muzzy.<br />
It really is quite a lineup.<br />
Tickets SOLD OUT last year. So get yours soon by e-mailing me for reservations at <a href="mailto:emily.tropp@rps205.com">emily.tropp@rps205.com</a> or visit RockfordSportsCoalition.org to pay online.<br />
See you there!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-32737398150093479422014-02-04T06:08:00.000-08:002014-02-07T13:32:36.751-08:00Congrats to our Guilford boys bowling team!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Coming off a sixth-place finish in sectionals, Guilford’s
boys bowling team knew it had something to prove at state last weekend.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And did they ever.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“At sectionals, we definitely did not have our A game, and
the boys were still able to post a score to get us to the state finals, where
we knew we could compete with anybody,” Guilford coach Brad Sommer said.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So for the second time in four years, the Vikings came back
from the IHSA State Tournament with a state title. Guilford finished with a
pinfall of 13,107 in O’Fallon behind the play of eight seniors – Brett
Sprecher, Chris Arco, Sam Dobel, James Eckstrom, Trustin Givens, Daltin Kafka,
Thomas Rotello and Alex Sommer also played huge roles as members of the team.
All are seniors, and Sprecher led the way with an 11th-place finish.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Guilford, which will celebrate its trophy in an assembly at
the high school this Thursday afternoon, finished with seven tournament titles,
five second-place finishes and conference and regional titles on the season.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Being a team in the NIC-10 provides excellent competition
all season long to prepare our teams for statewide competition,” Sommer said.
“The coaching and the bowler talent level in the northern Illinois is second to
none.”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sommer said the key game at state was Game 8 against
O’Fallon, where the Vikings won head-to-head by more than 200 pins.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“All eight of my bowlers showed excellent mental toughness
over the weekend with dealing with a hostile hometown O’Fallon crowd,” said
Sommer, who also runs our Rockford Public School youth leagues at Don Carter
Lanes.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“This team was strong all season long. They have great
focus, mental toughness and talent.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-52135824950907357682014-01-28T10:52:00.003-08:002014-01-28T10:52:44.076-08:00Have you bought your Champions Ball tickets yet?So, I just got a phone call regarding this year's Rockford Public Schools Champions Ball and Hall of Fame Inductions on March 1.<br />
<br />
A former athlete who is attending needed to know the dress code for his wife.<br />
<br />
Great question. A girl needs to know.<br />
<br />
Relax, though, because even though it's entitled "Ball," that doesn't mean we need to dress for prom. Think cocktail attire or semi-formal.<br />
<br />
Dress code aside, I hope everyone is getting ready for the big event, because it's coming up fast! This will be the second annual Champions Ball, which benefits the <a href="http://www.rockfordsportscoalition.org/">Rockford Sports Coalition</a> and Rockford Public Schools athletics. The night begins with a 5 p.m. social hour followed by dinner at Radisson.<br />
<br />
We are excited to have former West all-state basketball player Ernie Kent as our guest speaker. He will be one of five inductions that night into the RPS Hall of Fame. Others honored will be Brad Muzzarelli, Donna Cargill, James Laude and the 1939 Rockford High School boys basketball state championship team.<br />
<br />
Tickets are $75 a person or $525 for a table of eight. Get them fast, because this sold out last year.<br />
<br />
Go to either the <a href="https://www.illinoisepay.com/epay/GetSite?cmd=get&siteId=940">RPS website</a> or the <a href="http://www.rockfordsportscoalition.org/">RSC site</a> to order them online, or e-mail me at <a href="mailto:emily.tropp@rps205">emily.tropp@rps205</a> to make your reservations.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-42799091002312866802014-01-03T14:03:00.002-08:002014-01-03T14:13:50.017-08:00Auburn at Boylan makeup game to be played SaturdayIt's been far too long since I've posted, but I hope everyone has been enjoying the holiday break!<br />
<br />
In case you missed it, the Auburn at Boylan boys basketball game originally scheduled for Dec. 21 will be played tomorrow, Jan. 4. Since we won't see NIC-10 games picking back up until NEXT weekend, this is a good chance for hoops fans to catch a bonus game a week early.<br />
<br />
It's never really until after the holiday tournaments that you see teams play to their potential, so I look forward to seeing what they both will bring to the court.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-67141870668873897362013-11-18T10:30:00.001-08:002013-11-18T10:30:16.819-08:00Never bet against the Cardinals in the postseasonOne thing you can always be sure of in our local sports world is that Stillman Valley will be one of the last teams standing in postseason football.<br />
<br />
The Cardinals did it again Saturday when they posted a 34-20 win over Winnebago in the state quarterfinals at Stillman Valley. I was in the stands this time, but what hasn't changed (and never changes!) is Stillman Valley football advancing deep into the playoffs.<br />
<br />
In case you're not familiar with this small school football program, this is the 10TH TIME in 17 years the Cardinals have reached the state semifinals (that of course includes four state titles). The crazy part is they not only meet those standards when they have a lot of returning talent. They somehow also do it during seasons like this one, where they weren't really expected to get past a team as solid as Winnebago.<br />
<br />
They meet a familiar foe in this week's semifinals when they play at Aurora Christian at 5 p.m. Saturday. The two-time defending state champion, AC has consistently been a Big Northern team killer in the playoffs the last five years. And knowing the BNW, I'm guessing everyone from Winnebago, Byron and Oregon will be pulling this week for Stillman.<br />
<br />
The Cardinals are underdogs. But they have been here before - peaking at the right time under a phenomenal coaching staff. Never count them out when it comes to the postseason.<br />
<br />
Death, taxes, and postseason Stillman Valley football.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-73860683521348299092013-10-28T09:22:00.002-07:002013-10-28T12:21:35.028-07:00Guilford preps for first-round home game<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If Rockford Public Schools seems extra fired up for Guilford’s game this
week, it’s because it’s not often the district hosts football playoff games.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Vikings (7-2) will play Cary-Grove (6-3) in
Class 6A first-round action Saturday at 1 p.m. at Swanson Stadium. Gates open
at 11:30 a.m., and tickets are $5 for all ages.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The last time an RPS team hosted a football playoff game was
2007 when Guilford lost to Boylan at home in the second round of the 7A
playoffs. That was also the last time any RPS team has reached the second
round. In the past 20 years, only four RPS teams have played a home
playoff football game - East’s 8-4 team in 2001, Guilford in 2004 and 2007, and this
year’s Guilford’s team.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Saturday, the Vikings play the same team that knocked off
Auburn 41-7 in the first round last year and went on to finish second in the
state. Cary-Grove won the 6A state title in 2009.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But, this year’s Cary-Grove team lost three of its four road
games during the regular season - meaning all the Trojans’ wins have been at home. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With that in mind, here’s hoping that home field advantage comes into play this weekend and gets
the Vikings to the second round.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-67885029831448683302013-10-22T10:29:00.004-07:002013-10-22T10:31:54.807-07:00RPS Challenge? City Challenge? Screw City Challenge? King of the Rock?Here's an announcement of yet another big event Rockford Public Schools is planning for next year.<br />
<br />
I wish I could tell you exactly what it's called. But I'll come back to that.<br />
<br />
On Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, our four Rockford Public Schools boys basketball teams will play two games in conjunction with the Rock Valley College men's and women's games at RVC. The day will be scheduled as follows: East vs. Auburn at noon; RVC women vs. Madison College at 2 p.m.; Jefferson vs. Guilford at 4 p.m.; RVC men vs. Madison at 6 p.m.<br />
<br />
But Feb. 15 won't just be a full day of basketball. This will be an all-out challenge between the four public schools.<br />
<br />
Teams have the opportunity to earn points. A point for a win, of course. But also a point for the team that brings the most fans, has the highest GPA, wins a 3-point contest during halftime of the RVC women's game... There are a ton of fun ideas. The winner is crowned the best of the RPS for the year.<br />
<br />
In a way, this builds off the WROK Stateline Sports Hub Rockford City Challenge it ran for football, which Guilford won. Can this also be spread to other sports? Quite possibly.<br />
<br />
I love the idea of the Feb. 15 challenge because it's a great way of unifying our district schools at the same time we're building on rivalries. I've thought for years that RPS teams should do a better job of improving relationships with one another; promoting themselves and making an impact as a district, not just a school. For example: teams organizing district-wide fundraisers or doing community service together, or how about starting an all-RPS team for each sport. Those kinds of things.<br />
<br />
We're also excited to continue to work with the awesome athletic staff at RVC for this event. So many of our athletes feed into the RVC programs, and if we want to best benefit our kids and represent our city, it's important we're on the same page.<br />
<br />
Boys basketball is the perfect sport to use as a guinea pig when it comes to a challenge of this sort. It's one of RPS' only sports where you see all four teams being very competitive and having some of the best talent in the area. Plus it's obviously good exposure and experience for the players, who might be playing on a college court if they get deep into the playoffs.<br />
<br />
So. Up til now, we've simply been calling it the RPS Challenge or City Challenge. But we wonder if something catchier and more fun would be better. Thoughts? Suggestions? Shoot me an e-mail at <a href="mailto:emily.tropp@rps205.com">emily.tropp@rps205.com</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-87829326237056091232013-10-16T13:26:00.000-07:002013-10-16T13:26:01.235-07:00Stillman Valley football fans show massive support of Coach LalorI always knew Stillman Valley football fans were obsessed.<br />
<br />
Seriously, though. Obsessed.<br />
<br />
It's OK, though. Because I would be too if I had such an incredible football program to follow in my back yard. And that's why the latest Stillman Valley football initiative is so much fun.<br />
<br />
Head football coach Mike Lalor - one of my favorite people in the world - is up for the title of USA Today's Best High School Football Coach for Region 4 (there are eight regions). He already won at the state level. <br />
<br />
The title will be decided by <a href="http://contest.usatodayhss.com/vote/bestcoach2013/r4?votedfor=C&success=1">online voting</a>, and there's no limit to how many times you can vote. And if you think a small town like Stillman Valley wouldn't have the population to generate enough votes to make Lalor a contender, you're wrong. The entire community is voting around the clock. They take shifts. Some will vote over and over again for hours and on multiple devices at the same time. I would guess teachers are giving students time in class to vote for their coach this week.<br />
<br />
They are also promoting it like mad in surrounding communities. I've seen supportive posts on facebook from Byron and Genoa-Kingston folks, to name a couple. It's awesome to see.<br />
<br />
The deadline to vote is Friday at 11 a.m., Stillman Valley time. Right now Lalor has 223,305 votes and is in second place behind a man from Kentucky who coaches in a district that includes five high schools. It's crazy that Lalor, in a town of 600, is so close to the lead.<br />
<br />
Unless you know Stillman Valley's football fans.<br />
<br />
Did I mention they are obsessed?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-71515424937145871422013-10-09T08:47:00.002-07:002013-10-10T11:19:53.227-07:00Get ready for one of the biggest RPS games of the seasonWhen does an employee of the Rockford Public Schools (kinda, sorta, in a way) root for one RPS team over another?<br />
<br />
When it plays a role in how many total district teams might make the playoffs.<br />
<br />
Guilford (5-1) will play Auburn (2-4) in Week 7 action this Friday at Wyeth Stadium. Auburn needs to win-out the regular season in order to become playoff eligible, and Guilford already is.<br />
<br />
Simply put, an Auburn win over Guilford this week MIGHT end up giving us not one, but two, RPS playoff teams in the same season. Which, as I've found out, is very rare. Only six times have two RPS teams reached the playoffs in the same year:<br />
<br />
1985: Jefferson and East<br />
1986: West and East<br />
1987: Jefferson and Guilford<br />
1988: Jefferson and West<br />
1992: Jefferson and Guilford<br />
1993: Jefferson and Guilford<br />
<br />
Auburn has Freeport (1-5) and East (2-4) waiting for it in Weeks 8 and 9, respectively. Both are teams the Knights have solid shot at beating (Although watch out for those E-Rabs, who could also still make the playoffs by winning the rest of their games. In which case, Week 9 Auburn vs. East would be bigger than this week). So this week's game at Guilford could make or break the season for Auburn.<br />
<br />
But. This game is huge for Guilford, too. Although they've already earned that fifth win that makes them eligible, the Vikings would feel much more comfortable notching Win No. 6 to absolutely secure a spot and get a higher seed. And they'd prefer to do it this week, with Hononegah (4-2) and Harlem (5-1) still waiting for them in the last two weeks. And from another standpoint, how nervous would we be if Guilford loses its last three games, and we have two RPS teams with five wins apiece and neither has enough playoff points? (Not likely, but you never know!) If that's the case, you pull for Guilford this week.<br />
<br />
Any way you look at it, Friday's game is one of the more important games of the year for the Rockford Public Schools. And no matter who wins the game, it will ultimately be a win for the district.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-20735491624541730302013-10-08T10:38:00.006-07:002013-10-08T10:38:53.497-07:00Wellness Symposium a success, Basketball Clinic up next!It's been a busy month here, as you can tell by my lack of blog posts. But it's a "good" busy.<br />
The Rockford Public Schools held its first full-day Wellness Symposium at Jefferson High School Friday. The turnout was overwhelming.<br />
Most of the attendees were physical education, health, wellness and driver's education teachers from our schools. But there were 102 total attendees from 10 different school districts from our area.<br />
The instructors were treated to a day full of presenters who came from as far away as Minneapolis. About 20 of them presented on how to incorporate a wide range of things into the curriculum. (Stretching, adapted sports and injury reduction, for example.)<br />
It was a day full of valuable experience for all our health teachers, who were also treated to lunch provided by Jersey Mike's and Pepsi. OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center served as the primary sponsor.<br />
Now onto the next thing. The Rockford Public Schools Basketball Coaches Clinic is 11 days away, and registration is still open. This event will feature NIU Men's Basketball Coach Mark Montgomery as well as Craig Doty and Misty Opat from RVC.<br />
Auburn High School will host the event from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $25, and it includes lunch. Contact me if you want to register at <a href="mailto:emily.tropp@rps205.com">emily.tropp@rps205.com</a>.<br />
The thing I most look forward to is seeing the diverse group that will be there. It's open to all coaches, at all levels, male and female. I can't wait.<br />
There's so much going on here, it's hard to keep up. But it's well worth it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-47119485562726250062013-09-25T14:00:00.000-07:002013-09-25T14:00:03.705-07:00Runners: Get out your red, white and blue attire for the Veterans 5KHere's a non-RPS event coming up I really want to share.<br />
<br />
Veterans Day is coming up early in November, and aside from some people getting the day off work, it goes relatively unnoticed in our city. No big parade or events that I'm aware of. Until now.<br />
<br />
The Veterans Drop-In Center on North Court Street is organizing its first Veterans 5K Run and Walk on Saturday, Nov. 9. The run starts at 9 a.m., and the route will begin on North Madison Street and join the Sinnissippi Bike Path near the YMCA, then turn around and come back.<br />
<br />
The event, scheduled two days before the actual holiday, is promoted as a "Fun Run & Walk" that will recognize Veterans and raise money for the center. Meaning, you don't need to be a hard-core runner to participate. The cost is $20 a person.<br />
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Runners are encouraged to wear red, white and blue, and regulars at the Drop-In Center will be there to help volunteer. <br />
<br />
Here's the online sign-up. <a href="http://vets5k.eventbrite.com/">http://vets5k.eventbrite.com/</a> , and more information can be found on their facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VeteransDropIn5k?ref=profile">https://www.facebook.com/VeteransDropIn5k?ref=profile</a> .<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-77482294863451978472013-09-23T14:21:00.000-07:002013-09-23T14:24:33.725-07:00Think "Rising Stars," except for volleyballFor the past 16 years, the Rising Stars Classic has been the event that marked the end to many of our top basketball players' high school careers.<br />
It's also been an opportunity for the area small schools to try to prove themselves against the bigger schools in the NIC-10.<br />
As a long-time member of the selection committee and someone who covered about a dozen of them, I love Rising Stars. So much so that I often wondered WHY the area doesn't have a similar all-star event for other sports.<br />
Our volleyball community feels the same way, and now something exciting is in the works.<br />
The first All-Star Volleyball Showcase will be held Nov. 23 at Guilford. It will feature the top senior volleyball players from the area and the NIC-10 competing in a day-long event sponsored by Club Fusion Volleyball and hosted by Rockford Public Schools.<br />
The event starts with Club Fusion coaches running an hour-long clinic for our Rockford Public Schools fifth- through eighth-grade boys and girls players. An Area vs. Area all-star match starts the competition at 2:30 p.m. NIC-10 vs. NIC-10 all-star teams play at 3:30. Then the winners meet for the title at 4:30 p.m.<br />
A selection committee of local volleyball experts and media members will meet to vote for the teams and coaches in late October. To keep the boundaries of "local" players defined, only seniors from Winnebago, Boone, Ogle and Stephenson Counties are eligible. Coaches can submit nominations to me at <a href="mailto:emily.tropp@rps205.com">emily.tropp@rps205.com</a> from now until Oct. 21.<br />
Ben Fisher with Club Fusion, Guilford head coach Tina Sundstedt and East head coach Abby Jenkins have also been instrumental in the planning process, and the positive reaction from area coaches has been overwhelming. It's going to be a fun event, and one that is long overdue.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-29515115672241184122013-09-17T10:49:00.004-07:002013-09-17T10:49:54.058-07:00Spanish Hoops Clinic set for this weekendTell your friends:<br />
<br />
To accommodate the Spanish-speaking youth basketball players in the district, RPS is holding a free Spanish instructional basketball clinic for boys and girls this Saturday at Guilford High School.<br />
<br />
The clinic will be run by Aim High Hoops from 10 a.m. to noon, and pre-registration is not required.<br />
<br />
"This is an opportunity to showcase the sport of basketball to our Hispanic students to hopefully generate more interest and participation," District AD Mat Parker said.<br />
<br />
For more information:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/o3f0ds6jwtpa3b3/2013%20Spanish%20instructional%20clinic%20with%20RPS.jpg">https://www.dropbox.com/s/o3f0ds6jwtpa3b3/2013%20Spanish%20instructional%20clinic%20with%20RPS.jpg</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-22465778661427668112013-09-16T13:31:00.002-07:002013-09-16T13:31:42.782-07:00This isn't RPS-related, but it's too good not to share.<br />
<br />
Many people know former Lutheran coach Jerry Guse passed away in May after nearly a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Last football season, he sat in a folding chair on the west side of the end zone for every home football game. After every game, the first thing the Crusaders did was run over to Guse for either a hug or high five.<br />
<br />
Well this season, even though he's gone, the team hasn't forgotten Guse. The school painted a purple ribbon on one of the goal posts on the west end of the field. So now after every home game this year, the Crusaders will run over to touch the ribbon in honor of their former coach. So appropriate for a man who touched so many lives.<br />
<br />
The team just finished its streak of three straight home games and heads over to Winnebago for a battle between two 3-0 teams this week.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-70415304637660447952013-09-06T11:03:00.003-07:002013-09-06T11:03:43.209-07:00A little thought on the Boylan/Hononegah gameWith the talent under Coach Sughroue at Hononegah this year, most are not only hoping, but expecting, Boylan's conference win streak to end tonight.<br />
<br />
I hate to say it folks, because I'm an RPS fan, but I'm going to be rooting for Boylan just a little. Or at least that it's super close. But before all the non-Titans roll their eyes, I'll explain why.<br />
<br />
If Boylan goes to Hononegah and gets annihilated, it doesn't say quite as much about Auburn's team this year. Remember, Auburn held it's own against Boylan in Week 1, losing 16-7. <br />
<br />
BUT. If it's close and/or Boylan wins, it shows that the Knights deserve to be up there with the top teams in the conference this year. Pretty simple. We shall see.<br />
<br />
Week 2 is usually a favorite week of mine because it shows us which teams are the cream of the crop, and which ones will struggle. You can't tell as much about high school football teams until you start seeing how they play against common opponents. After tonight, we'll have a better idea of the top and bottom. From there, it's really all those middle-of-the-pack teams that will keep things interesting and keep us guessing.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-44981001844381345852013-09-05T10:51:00.000-07:002013-09-05T11:06:27.770-07:00Bits and PiecesThere are so many great things happening here that periodically it will be good to throw together a post with a whole lotta bits and pieces.<br />
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First of all, we met with the awesome athletic staff at Rock Valley College this morning and are excited to see that they will be adding men's and women's soccer next year. It's the first time they've had soccer since 2006-2007. We obviously support it whole-heartedly, as it makes a great fit and is an excellent opportunity for so many talented soccer players throughout RPS. Athletic director Misty Opat is hoping to have coaches hired by the end of the month, so anyone interested in applying can call 815-921-3804.<br />
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Secondly. Huge shoutout to Jefferson's boys soccer team. The J-Hawks won last weekend's Auburn Invitational, beating Harlem 7-0 in the finals. Jefferson is now 6-1 on the season and plays in the Johnsburg Tournament this weekend.<br />
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We have a pair of clinics coming up in October that everyone - not just RPS staff - is invited to. RPS will hold a Wellness Symposium on Oct. 4 at Rock Valley College. Numerous presenters will speak on a wide range of topics related to physical education and health. Also coming up on Oct. 19 is the second RPS Basketball Coaching Clinic at Auburn High School. NIU's Mark Montgomery, RVC's Misty Opat and Craig Doty, and Auburn's Bryan Ott are speakers. Contact me at <a href="mailto:emily.tropp@rps205.com">emily.tropp@rps205.com</a> for more info on both of these events.<br />
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East wrestling has some openings for its annual tournaments sponsored by the Illinois National Guard. The events are Nov. 30 for freshmen, Dec. 7 for varsity, and Dec. 14 for sophomores. Contact Michael Armato at 815-229-2110.<br />
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Auburn is holding a fundraiser this Sunday to pay for new uniforms and equipment. The Knights are hosting a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. at Applebee's (1675 E. Riverside Blvd.). Contact <a href="mailto:timothy.malone@rps205.com">timothy.malone@rps205.com</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-82873837271521229972013-09-04T13:54:00.002-07:002013-09-04T13:54:27.935-07:00Caught my first glimpse of NIC-10 volleyball last nightIt's been a busy week, but I did manage to catch some volleyball action last night as the NIC-10 season started.<br />
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Abby Jenkins coached her first conference game for East, and while the team is showing huge improvements, it lost 25-10, 25-17 to Boylan.<br />
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Nothing to hang their heads over. The Titans have been a power in the conference since Bryanna Weiskircher has been on the roster. A senior setter and Penn State recruit, Weiskircher plays on a whole other level for the Titans. (I'll say it again that I think she's the best player I've seen come out of the area in my 15 years here.)<br />
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Regardless of the end result, I walked away confident that the E-Rabs are heading in the right direction. And at least they can say they were tested by the best right away and improve from there.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-85016345942517470552013-08-30T11:38:00.003-07:002013-08-30T11:44:03.214-07:00Expect some long games in Week 1<br />
Happy Week 1 Football Friday, everyone.<br />
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Heads up as you head out tonight. Be prepared for some some long-running games.<br />
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First of all, there are ALWAYS more penalties in those first couple weeks, which we all know adds time. But secondly, with this extreme heat, you can expect several additional timeouts called by officials for water breaks.<br />
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According to the memo sent out by the IHSA this morning:<br />
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"Whenever there is extreme heat and football games feature longer or additional timeouts, etc. for water/rest, there are always questions about who decides this (officials, coaches, host school, IHSA, etc.) and when. <br />
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Just to clarify, our football administrator Craig Anderson sent a communication to all IHSA football officials this week recommending that they…<br />
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-Provide officials time-outs for water (whenever needed, but preferably after a change of possession and at least one per quarter)<br />
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-Extend timeouts and ends of quarters to provide more time for rehydration"<br />
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Could be a late night for some teams. But everyone stay cool and SAFE and enjoy your Week 1 games!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-28131407466161882612013-08-29T11:57:00.002-07:002013-08-29T11:57:06.222-07:00Ernie Kent to be the guest speaker at this year's Champions Ball
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my good referee friends calls Ernie Kent the best
basketball player to come out of our area since 1970.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My former colleagues at the Rockford Register Star named him
to their five-player all-century basketball team.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Now I never saw him play, but Ernie Kent was certainly one
of the first names I learned when I moved to Rockford 15 years ago. He's a
household name for local sports fans, especially the ones who came from the
public schools. Which is why I was so thrilled to hear his confirmation this
morning that he will be the featured speaker for this year’s Rockford Public Schools Champions
Ball and Hall of Fame Inductions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For those who don’t know, Kent was an All-American and All-State basketball
player at West, graduating in 1973 while also a member of the National Honor
Society and earning Scholastic All-American honors. He played for the
University of Oregon and went on to have big success as head coach of the Ducks
from 1997-2010, reaching five NCAA tournament appearances, including two Elite
Eights.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kent is now a color analyst for Fox Sports Pac-12 men's basketball and is
also President of the National Association of Basketball Coaches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year’s Champions Ball will be held March 1
at Radisson, with proceeds going to the Rockford Sports Coalition and RPS athletics. The event sold out with more than 400 people in its first year last
year, and the planning is underway for another successful year. Steve Shannon will return as emcee, SwedishAmerican Health System has stepped forward as our first primary sponsor, and the Hall of Fame Committee meets next month to go through this year's nominations.</span><br />
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Save the date on your calendars now, because it's going to be a hot ticket.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-58639248381354590792013-08-27T10:41:00.004-07:002013-08-27T10:48:23.546-07:00Boylan versus Auburn might not look like a good game on paper, but it's still bigOpening week, and I know where I'll be Friday night. The game between Auburn and Boylan will be BIG.<br />
Why? On paper it seems like it could be an ugly game. Boylan won this meeting 60-6 in Week 9 last year, after all. But there are several reasons why 5,000 people are expected to fill Wyeth Stadium for Week 1. To name a few:<br />
1. To see just how much better Auburn really is. The Knights have had a full year and a half under coach Dan Appino now. And while Auburn showed massive improvement last year by reaching the playoffs, it still collapsed against conference power Boylan. How much difference will another year make under this coaching staff? We'll find out.<br />
2. Appino won two state titles as Boylan's coach. So naturally anytime his new Knights play the Titans, it brings attention.<br />
3. The excitement surrounding the Rockford Public Schools continues to build. For the first time in decades, the city can feel how dedicated to athletics the current administration is. That alone is enough reason to go out and root for Auburn, East, Jefferson and/or Guilford Friday.<br />
4. Let's face it. It's Boylan. The Titans draw the biggest crowds every game no matter where they go, because they are ultimately the measuring stick all other teams compare themselves to. <br />
5. It's FOOTBALL SEASON. It doesn't really matter to a lot of people how good the game will be anyway. Everyone is just happy to be back under the Friday night lights.<br />
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Fans who want to buy their tickets early to avoid the lines at the front gate Friday can do so. Auburn High School will presell tickets all week between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Prices are $4 for adults and $2 for students and seniors. Call 815-966-3300 for more information.<br />
One other note. To accommodate the large crowd, the "no parking" rules due to the construction at Auburn will be lifted Friday night for the game.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-10926157229616011222013-08-26T14:09:00.000-07:002013-08-26T14:09:16.909-07:00Get ready to see the impact of the RPS feeder programs
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the things Rockford Public Schools is most committed
to right now is developing its athletic feeder programs. We will soon see the
direct impact of it in all our sports, and Jefferson golf is a perfect example.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">RPS is now in its second year of offering a formal IESA-affiliated
golf program to its middle schoolers. So the incoming freshmen are the first
ones to come up together through the feeder system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hunter Loveridge, Colin Thurston, Joseph Mitkusevitch,
Chandler Groth and Brendon Alsup all played together at RESA last year and will
join 15-year coach Bruce Beling on the Jefferson golf team. Thomas Britton, a
junior, is the team’s captain, while Zachary Morgan, David Hutson and Drew
Doctor are also on the team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“These RESA boys could be a force three or four years from
now,” Beling said. “I told them that. They are great kids.”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-53867040086066207822013-08-19T12:24:00.003-07:002013-08-19T12:25:40.447-07:00Benson won't be known as "Austin Young's Quarterback" this yearHow does a quarterback who throws for 1,884 yards go relatively unnoticed in a season?<br />
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He has a receiver named Austin Young.<br />
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As a senior, Young stole the show for the E-Rabs last year, catching 44 passes for 1,076 yards. He averaged 120 yards a game, with nobody in the NIC-10 ever averaging more than 100. Young also set the conference record for most yards in a game - 247 - against Jefferson.<br />
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But a player that good has to have someone to throw him the ball, and that guy was Jacob Benson. Benson returns at the quarterback position for the E-Rabs, and he's probably one of the RPS players I'm most excited to see this season. As a junior, his 1,884 yards (97-for-196) was fourth best in the area last year. The other three ahead of him - Aquin's Nolan Brannick (156-for-277, 2,573 yards), North Boone's Austin Baden (151-for263, 2,288 yards), and Lutheran's Jake Milbourn (134-for-224, 1,951 yards) - were all household names in their respective communities and schools.<br />
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Here's hoping his experience last year with Young made Benson a good enough quarterback to make a name for himself this year. With a new group of receivers, Benson could be a household name at East.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652073286651621635.post-91710971702580557452013-08-13T12:43:00.002-07:002013-08-14T11:46:47.932-07:00Kicking off another prep sports season, this time from a different perspectiveThe first day of the prep sports season. One of my favorite days of the year. I took some time this morning to visit the Guilford football and volleyball practices, and I got goosebumps, excited for the year that's to come. I'm sure I wasn't the only one.<br />
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This year will be different for me, no doubt. After 15 years, it will be the first time I won't be in the pressbox or interviewing players after games as a reporter for the Register Star. I will miss that part of the job terribly.<br />
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Thankfully, my new role with the Rockford Public Schools allows me to not only stay in touch with the local sports scene, but also finally have a school to be able to cheer for. And I have four! I now have the freedom and privilege to say I'm a Guilford, East, Jefferson and Auburn fan. I am so excited about the direction RPS athletics is headed, I can't stand it.<br />
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Stateline Sports Hub generously offered me this outlet to write, so I hope to share some of my thoughts on area sports, especially District 205's. I won't be in the trenches anymore, so it will be interesting to see how I adapt. The key in this role, just as it was at my old job, is to focus on making prep sports an enjoyable and life-changing experience for the kids, coaches and families. To me, that's what it's all about.<br />
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I saw yet another example of it today. It was a gorgeous morning, standing on the immaculate green turf at Swanson Stadium, and listening to whistles and coaches yelling directions for drills. As I walked back to my car, I ran into a gentleman who asked me if I knew where the freshman team was practicing. I pointed to where (I thought) it was and asked if he was a father.<br />
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He was. His son is a freshman. Today was his very first practice as a high school football player. That the father took the time out of his day to swing by and watch a few minutes of his son's first practice made me smile. For that family, four years of incredible memories have just begun. What a ride they're in for.<br />
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Goosebumps.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115948905117386050noreply@blogger.com0