Freelance local sportswriter. Media member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Opinions are my own.
NW burbs
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- Followers 1,730
- Likes 73,199
Is there any question that football is the king of high school sports? Huge crowds everywhere with huge student turnouts. Friday Night Lights are back
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Sitting in my garage having a beer and a cigar celebrating the end of a wild and crazy high school sports season. In the last 19 weeks and two days I covered 85 live sporting events and 16 different sports. Thanks to all the AD’s, coaches and especially the players. It was fun.
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I am honored and humbled to be a part of the 2023 Hall of Fame class. Thank you to @stpatrickhoops for the nomination. And thanks to the coaches and the @ibcacoaches
The IBCA is proud to announce our 2023 Hall of Fame Class!
il.nhsbca.org/news/2023-hof-…
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Congrats to @michaelsobrien on his selection to the Illinois High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. It is well deserved.
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For those of us who cover high school football, Cary-Grove is far from underrated. They have won 4 state titles and finished 2nd twice since 2009. Two of those state titles came with wins over East St. Louis including a ESL team that featured Luther Burden.
I’ve long been on the record that Cary-Grove as a program is the most underrated wagon in IHSA football. Just always sturdy as can be.
Hoping it’s a year Pats can catch em though after a great win last week
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Congratulations to my son @ViatorLion10 on his acceptance to Med School at Nova Southeastern in Florida. Just proves that hard work and determination pays huge dividends. Proud of you.
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Northwest Suburbs All-Area Team football.dailyherald.com/spo…
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After watching Maine South and Loyola I am totally convinced that if Oles is healthy @PHS_Football wins a state title.
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Congrats to @RMBoysHoops Max Christie on signing your NLI to Michigan State. I’ll have a story about it later today on @dhpreps
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Tomorrow my son @ViatorLion10 begins his dream when he starts med school. My thoughts and prayers are with you son. I know it has been a long journey. But the real work starts now. The world needs people like you. I know that your dedication will assist those who need it.
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Another great analogy from @matthewjdowd. That’s why he is a first class political commentator
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And that’s a wrap. I just sent in my final boys’ HS basketball story. That’s 26 games this season. It’s the most fun anyone can have. Thanks to the players, coaches, AD’s, staff of all the schools. A huge thanks to @dhpreps for letting me be a part of their superb HS coverage
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Just got my first basketball game assignment in 11 months. I’ll be at @GBS_Athletics as they host @HerseyHoops. 7:15 tip. Can Wednesday night come any quicker?
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Rex. Thanks for retweeting my son earlier today. Was a rough day for him. From one dad to another, for you to take a few seconds of your life to give my son some acknowledgment really helped. My wife and I love your daily tweets and we can’t thank you enough.
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Congrats to @Wheeling_Cats head coach Pete Panagakis and his Wildcats. Wheeling breaks a 19-game losing streak and Panagakis picks up his first win as a head coach.
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Zachary Oles from @PHS_Football and Jalen Dennis from @Wheeling_Cats were honored by @ChicagoBears @BearsOutreach
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Huge thanks to the HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT and to the staff of the emergency room at ST. ALEXIUS HOSPITAL for treating my son after his injury yesterday. Our Family appreciates all that you all have done and he is back home thanks to all your efforts.
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Our loss on the basketball court will be the world’s gain. My story on @ProspectHoops coach John Camardella. basketball.dailyherald.com/s…
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Congratulations to @Max12Christie on scoring your 2,000th career point. @RMBoysHoops
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Congrats to @RM_Mustangs Nate Pedraza on being named @dhpreps Cook defensive player of the week
football.dailyherald.com/spo…
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Just sent in my Cook captains story and baseball all area team into @dhpreps. It will run on Wednesday. And that’s a wrap for me this high school year. Thanks to all for making my 44th year so exciting and so much fun.
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If you are still looking I have one for you. His name is Nick Rattin and played for Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois. Great student, top quality person and has talent and a love for the game. 3-year starter. All area player and Chicago Bears player of the week.
"We were looking for quality student-athletes ... guys that really wanted to be at Delaware."
Hear from head coach Danny Rocco, who added 13 to our #BlueHenFamily today! #BlueHens
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Don’t know who the youth baseball team that was a Lake Zurich restaurant today. But they have to be the cheapest group ever. Party of 25. They left the waitress, who is working to pay for college a $10 tip. You’re a bunch of cheap bastards. Next time go to McDonalds
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Congrats to @HawksMaine assistant coach Charlie Bliss to the Illinois Football coaches association hall of fame.
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Huge shout out to the staff @BGHSBaseball21. A stop off with the team at Gene and Jude’s after a tough playoff loss. Thanks for teaching the ultimate lesson that this really is game for kids. You win together and lose together.
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Congratulations to @HerseyHuskies Jordan Hansen on being named @ChicagoBears high school player of the week. Read about it in @dhpreps @dailyherald. @BearsOutreach
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One of the best games I have covered in my nearly 40 years. @Conant_BBall and @Fremdhoops put on a show that should make all of them proud.
Boys basketball: Sliwa shoots Fremd past Conant #DHpreps bit.ly/2mSfNnT
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To the players, parents, teachers and friends of the @dhpreps all area football team. Pick up a paper today and see the story in print. Online is good, but the print gives you a lasting memory.
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Congratulations @ViatorLion10 on your PhD from the University of Delaware. Your mother and I are so proud
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It can be officially told now. I am a part of the @dailyherald “Fittest Loser” contest. Although I can’t compete for prizes, I will be doing the entire program and writing about it on Tuesday’s paper. Follow me on my journey to a healthy life.
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This is 2021 6’-4” 295 lb @FremdVikings OL working out in his garage while on Corona break. Looks like he will be ready for the football season.
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No high school football does not mean no high school sports for me. I will be covering boys’ cross country for @dhpreps for the fall season. I will have stories and notes running every Thursday.
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Schaumburg hoop star Chris Hodges opts out this season basketball.dailyherald.com/s…
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It’s always a great day when your story is on the front page of the sports section above the fold.
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@palatinebball and @PalatineHS honor Jonah Goodall and Pediatric Cancer research before the start of tonight’s game
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Not a shock to me. As I said before, in my 40-plus years of covering HS sports, the best pure athlete I have covered.
Via @BGInews former St. Viator TE Cole Kmet is rising up several #NFLDraft boards this spring ore details here rvls.co/3avhEF2
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You know it’s high school football season when you can get a legendary pork chop sandwich at Barrington. @dhpreps @EDGYTIM @BHS220Athletics @BHS220Football
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This is my pork chop sandwich at Barrington on Friday night
🏈🥩 The #IHSA and the Illinois Pork Producers Association (@ilpork) are teaming up to crown the best high school porkchop sandwich in the state!
🤳Show us your favorite porkchop sandwich via #PorkandPigskins
🔗Details & Entry Info➡️ihsa.org/News-Media/Announce…
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It’s a great day when an old coach can say that he had not 1 but 2 of his former players sign NLI’s today. Congrats @jeremiahpitt55 on signing with Iowa and @Jackwalsh1330 with signing with Wyoming. You both will do great things. I am so proud of both of you.
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Congrats to former @wfhoops1 Haley Gorecki on being drafted by Seattle in the WNBA draft
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Congrats to @RMBoysHoops Max Christie and to @BGHSbball Kam Craft to being named the first team of the AP Class 4A all state team. @HerseyHoops Ethan Roberts was named honorable mention
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@PHSKnightsFBall beats @HerseyHuskies 24-23 and wins the MSL East
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Congrats to @Conant_BBall coach @Conant_BBall Tom McCormack. Classy to the end, he is a fabulous coach, a great teacher and a better man.
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@Conant_BBall beats St. Pats 57-53. Sotos with 24, 15 of which came in 4th quarter. Sotos also went over 1,000 point mark for his career
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Feel the shift in power. MSL West 3-0 in the playoffs. Catholic League Blue 1-2. @PHS_Football @BHS220Football @ironwill2014
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Congrats to @conantathletics Malik Fredrick on being named @dhpreps Cook County offensive player of the week
football.dailyherald.com/spo…
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Congratulations to @CarmelCorsairs head coach and former @ChicagoBears Jason McKie on his first win as a head coach. His Corsairs beat @SaintPatrickHS 24-21.
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Whitehair’s snaps are so high. They are throwing the timing of the plays off. @djdurkin
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Football: Buffalo Grove aims to maintain acceleration #DHpreps coachvlk@bghitmen @bg_bison@bg_bison
football.dailyherald.com/spo… via @dailyherald
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Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary to @DebiQuagliano You are the love of my life.
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Thanks Mike for not only what you did for my son, but all the players at St. Viator. I know you will be greatly missed. And by me as well. Thanks for all your assist over the years. I wish you all the best at Naz.
Thank you @ViatorBaseball Coach Manno!
#GoLions
#LionForLife
@SaintViatorHS
@svhsandshmalum
@SVHSFutureLion
@ViatorianUSA
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Congrats to @Wheeling_Cats Michael Best on being named to the @dhpreps Cook all area team
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e-edition.dailyherald.com/in… - Marshall overcomes adversity, makes impact on and off the court
@ViatorAthletics @stviatorbball @SaintViatorHS
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Football: St. Viator's hoping good things come in threes #DHpreps viator athletics@viatorathletics sain tviator football@svfootballcoach
football.dailyherald.com/spo… via @dailyherald
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Prior to kickoff between @PHS_Football and @Fremd_Football the youth football teams of PAFA line up behind the respective schools they will attend
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Last night was senior night for @mwwarriors girls hoops. Not only did they honor the seniors from MW, they honored the seniors from their opponent Vernon Hills by presenting them with a flower. #classy
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I begin my 40th season (yes, I am THAT old) of covering high school sports tomorrow. Here is a preview of the @dhpreps Cook County games. Looking forward to another great year.
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Congrats to @ViatorBaseball and head coach Mike Manno with reaching 30 wins this season.
Saint Viator 🔟
Glenbrook North 2️⃣
Casey Hintz: 6.0IP, 7H, 2ER. 7K
Tony Pluta: 2-4, R, RBI, (2) 2B
Joe Bollard: 2-3, RBI, 2B
Connor Nicolas: 1-4, 2RBI, 2B
🦁‘s move to 30-1. Back at it tomorrow vs. Warren Blue Devils.
@PBRIllinois @Quags57 @IHSBCA1 @Dion_JTsports
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Congrats to @BHS220Football @barrington220 Eric Darlington and Mark Di Iorio on being named to the @dhpreps Cook all area team.
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I am at Elgin for the sectional between @BarringtonVars1 and @stevensonhs. We are are in weather delay due to a tornado warning here in Elgin. Gotta say, this is a first for me
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Congrats to @mwwarriors Jake Bellizzi on being named @ChicagoBears high school player of the week for his performance in Week 9. See you at Soldier Field! @BearsOutreach @dhpreps
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Left the parking lot at Soldier Field. It took 42 minutes to get to the post office. 1 hour to Cicero Avenue on 290.
Someone please tell me again the benefit of having a football stadium on the lakefront?
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High school football begins in earnest tonite. I’ll be at @Fremd_Football as they host @LZHSFootball. It will be start of my 49th season covering high school football.
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Congrats to @Fremdhoops coach Bob Widlowski on his 300th win. His Vikings beat @LHSwildcatBball 52-49. Jake Schoffstall led the Vikings with 23 points including 7 three-pointers.
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@RMBoysHoops beats Stevenson 54-53 on overtime. Miletic had 37 points and 10 rebounds
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2020 @dailyherald #FittestLoser writer says #coronavirus worries won't stop his #workouts dailyherald.com/entlife/2020… via @dailyherald
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Congrats to @ViatorBaseball and U of A stars Casey Hintz and Tony Pluta.
Enjoy Omaha.
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Congrats to @Wheeling_Cats Michael Best, @ironwill2014 Nick Rattin, @mwwarriors Jake Bellizzi and @BHS220Football coach Joe Sanchez who were honored by the @ChicagoBears on Sunday. See their pics in @dailyherald today. @dhpreps @BearsOutreach
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Late Saturday night I had some health issues. I went to the hospital in Hoffman Estates. It took 8 hours to be seen and another 6 hours to go through tests and be admitted to have my gallbladder out today. I just want to say those delays were not due to uncaring staff 1/3
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Once again @matthewjdowd shows how insightful and eloquent he can be. Keep up the great work.
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Congrats to @ironwill2014 Nick Rattin on being named @ChicagoBears player of the week. @BearsOutreach
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Thank you @SaintViatorHS you helped mold my son into an instrument of the healing power of God. He begins med school in a week and can use some prayers on his journey.
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@HerseyHuskies has announced that Tom Nelson will be their new head coach. @dhpreps
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Congrats Mike. 4th boys’ basketball head coach in school history
I am pleased to announce Mr. Mike Brown as our new head boys basketball coach. We want to wish him and the program the best of luck in the future. Congrats Coach!
#LeaveALegacy
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I’ll be at @HerseyHuskies on Friday. Then it’s off to Hinsdale Central for @ConantFootball on the early afternoon. Then I will scoot to Oswego East to cover @BHS220Football. That’s how you do it come playoff time. @dhpreps
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I nominated @HoffmanHS coach Mike Donatucci as @ChicagoBears high school coach of the week. @BearsOutreach
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@ProspectHoops beats @ConantCougars 61-58 in OT. Mack with 22 for Prospect and Swedura with 14
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@ProspectHoops roars from 10 back at the half to beat @BGHSbball 63-54. Prospect clinches the MSL East and won their 28th conference game in a row. Jon Kreidler led Prospect with 25 points. BG Cam Kraft, who had 17 at the half, was injured in 3rd quarter.
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