sports
People game may be Paul’s NBA ticket
Brandon Paul’s secret weapon at the NBA draft combine is a little unorthodox. It involves his experience wearing a name tag and working an actual eight-hour day — not something most Big Ten basketball stars and potential NBA draft picks do.
High School Sports
IHSA governs preseason football practice
Stevenson sophomore Bourbon a throwback to era of three-sport athletes
In an era of sports specialization, three-sport athletes have largely gone the way of video rental stores. Some still exist, but they are a rarity. Willie Bourbon is reminiscent of a time when letterman sweaters, poodle skirts and bobby socks were a common sight on high school campuses.
Grayslake Central keeper gets it done in soccer shootout
In a way, the finish reminded of the end the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in 1983, with victorious coach Jim Valvano running onto the court looking for players to hug, only to have trouble finding them.
Eight area schools sending players to state tennis tourney
Perennial powers Stevenson, Lake Forest and Deerfield won sectional team titles and eight area schools qualified singles players or doubles teams for this week’s IHSA state boys tennis tournament.
Warren, Lakes, Lake Forest lead the way at state girls track meet
Brittny Ellis, Brittani Griesbaum and Danielle Griesbaum have been here before and they could be here again. The three Lake County sophomores all wound up on the top of the podium for the second straight season at the IHSA girls state track meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field.
Lakes sending huge contingent to state boys track meet
Lakes was dominant during Friday night’s IHSA Class 2A Vernon Hills Sectional track and field meet. So dominant, in fact, that the Eagles’ 144 team points were nearly twice as many as their closest competitors.
Soccer future looks bright for both Lake Forest and Antioch
Lake Forest High’s School’s girls soccer team exploded for four goals in 11 minutes early in the second half to bury host Antioch 5-0 on Friday and win the Class 2A regional championship.
Waukegan point guard to play at juco in Quincy
Waukegan High School basketball standout Jordan Johnson will play college hoops next year at John Wood Community College, which is a juco in Quincy.
They’re bouncing off the walls at Jump America in Gurnee
Time really does fly when you’re having fun. It’s been a year already since the Jump America indoor trampoline park and fun palace opened on Lakeside Drive (south of Route 132, just west of the tollway) in Gurnee.
Warren’s Ellis sets pace for area girls at state girls track meet
Don’t get Brittny Ellis wrong. She’ glad to not be running in a blizzard, a driving rain or a deep freeze. But the Warren High School sophomore still would have preferred a bit of a transition.
Success of High School Sports Banquet truly is a team effort
EXTRA POINT: Every sports fan has days that are special to him/her. One of those magical days occurred Thursday evening at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center. The occasion was The News-Sun’s annual High School Sports Banquet, in which we pay tribute to the county’s elite student-athletes.
Friendly Confines in Libertyville just got a bit friendlier
While the controversy continues to swirl around the Chicago Cubs’ plans to install massive digital scoreboards at iconic Wrigley Field, the youth baseball program in Libertyville has made another major upgrade to its Juniors baseball field.
Racing resumes Sunday at Waukegan BMX track
BMX racers of all ages are welcome to come to the Waukegan track on Sunday for an afternoon on up-and-down BMX competition.
Gerry’s kids kick for a cause
Gerry Cook believes there’s a lot more involved in helping young people develop than just enhancing their martial arts skills.
Former Bears meet, greet future ‘Bears’
The Beach Park Bears are no longer flying solo in Lake County in terms of membership in the North West Youth Football League. The NWYFL has expanded to eight teams for the 2013 season as the Lake Zurich Flames have joined. The Flames were long-associated with The Chicagoland Youth Football League, which is the league all the programs based near Beach Park (Zion, Waukegan, Gurnee, etc.) are associated with.
Grant upsets Zion-Benton to win title
Turns out, it was worth the wait. Grant High School’s softball program needed 13 years to earn a spot in the North Suburban Conference Championship Game. And when the Bulldogs finally got there on Wednesday, they didn’t waste the opportunity. Led by junior pitcher Caitlyn …
