Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Patrick McGavin2015-04-27T12:23:06-05:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-mcgavin/rss2015-04-27T12:23:06-05:002019-04-18T18:52:25-05:00Brody Roybal, Leyden's sled hockey hero
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<p>In 2006 Brody Roybal was a bright and ambitious seven-year old kid who embodied a classic desire to develop his personality and interests through athletic competition.</p><p>“I was trying different sports, but then kids I was playing with started getting better,” Roybal said.</p><p>Roybal was determined to find a suitable sport that transcended his disability. He was born a congenital bilateral amputee, meaning he had no femur in either leg.</p><p>“I needed to find some disabled sports I could play,” Roybal said.</p><p>The sport he latched onto nine years ago was sled hockey. It proved the perfect match of need, desire and skill level. The 16-year old from Northfield who’s a junior at Leyden is not content simply to participate. He is one of the best players in the country.</p><p>He earned a gold medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.</p><p>“I fell in love with sled hockey as soon as I got onto the ice,” Roybal said from Buffalo, where he is training with the US National Team that began play Sunday in the eight-team International Paralympic Committee Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships.</p><p>Sled hockey, or “sledge,” as it is known outside the US, was developed in 1960, by a group of Swedish physical rehabilitation specialists and hockey enthusiasts who wanted to help empower disabled athletes to fulfill their desire to continue playing hockey regardless of their disabilities.</p><p>The players are positioned on specially customized sleds attached atop two hockey skates. Position players have specially designed sticks that enable them to shoot with either hand or propel themselves forward with specially inserted metal pics.</p><p>“Sled hockey is pretty much the same as hockey, except we can’t skate backwards and we have the advantage of shooting with either hand,” Roybal said.</p><p>Roybal is a forward on the national team, and the formations and style of play is identical to that of traditional hockey.</p><p>His attraction to the sport was immediate and visceral. Sled hockey allowed what all athletes, to draw on the particulars of the sport and achieve his own special skill and grace in the process.</p><p>“I really liked the physical aspect of sled hockey because with most disabled sports, you feel like you’re restricted,” Roybal said.</p><p>“But with sled you truly feel like you can do anything and it’s really fun to be part of a team and go out and play hockey.”</p><p>Roybal subjects himself to grueling workout and training schedule to prepare himself for the physical demands of the sport. He skates for an hour every day before school, and he often puts in two or three additional hours a day riding his bike or doing strength and conditioning training.</p><p>Roybal emerged on the international stage last year at Sochi, where he registered two goals in five games. He scored three goals and recorded three assists in five games at the World Sled Hockey Challenge last year.</p><p>His play has drawn compliments from the national coaching staff.</p><p>“Brody’s play has certainly improved, but the biggest improvement I’ve seen this season has been his maturity,” US national sled hockey coach Jeff Sauer said. “His confidence is over the top right now, and it’s great to see.”</p><p>Since 2011, Roybal has also played locally for the RIC Blackhawks, a club program sponsored by flagship NHL franchise. RIC Blackhawks plays a traveling schedule against other top club programs, whose year-end national tournaments provide a crucial opportunity for Roybal to develop and refine his game.</p><p>Roybal said he wants to study finance in college. His sport has grown substantially in the time he has been involved in the sport. According to USA Hockey, the number of rinks fitted to accommodate sled hockey is on the rise. One college, University of New Hampshire, offers college scholarships.</p><p>He has a 13-year-old brother and when he is not skating, playing or working out, Roybal said he is immersed in the typical teenage culture of playing video games and hanging out with friends. The Leyden community has been deeply supportive of his efforts.</p><p>“They let me miss all of this school in order to go on all of these trips,” Roybal said.</p><p>“When I came back from the Olympics almost the whole school was at my house.”</p><p>The opportunity to showcase his sport for a world championship on his home turf is especially gratifying, he said. The tournament runs through Sunday, May 3rd. The moment distills the very essence of why he got involved in the first place.</p><p>“I’m free when I’m out there,” Roybal said. “I feel as though I can do anything out on the ice and there are no restrictions. It’s just me, the sled and the ice and I can do anything.</p><p>“I play hockey just like anybody else would.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/27/18502054/brody-roybal-leyden-8217-s-sled-hockey-heroPatrick McGavin2015-04-24T17:56:16-05:002019-04-18T18:57:38-05:00Leyden's Brody Roybal is limitless on the ice in sled hockey
<p>In 2006, Brody Roybal was an ambitious seven-year old who desired to develop his personality through athletics. </p><p>“I was trying different sports, but then kids I was playing with started getting better,” he said.</p><p>Roybal was avid to find a suitable sport that transcended his disability. Roybal was born a congenital bilateral amputee, meaning he had no femur in either leg. “I needed to find some disabled sports I could play,” he said.</p><p>He found sled hockey. It proved the perfect match of need, desire and skill level. The 16-year-old from Northfield is not content simply to participate. He is one of the best players in the country.</p><p>The Leyden junior earned a gold medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. “I fell in love with sled hockey as soon as I got onto the ice,” he said from Buffalo, where he is training with the U.S. National Team that begins a play Sunday in the eight-team International Paralympic Committee Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships.</p><p>Sled hockey, or “sledge,” as it is known outside the U.S., was developed in 1960 by a group of Swedish physical rehabilitation specialists and hockey enthusiasts who wanted to help empower disabled athletes to continue playing hockey regardless of their disabilities.</p><p>The players are positioned on specially customized sleds attached atop two hockey skates. Position players have custom designed sticks that enable them to shoot with either hand or propel themselves forward with specially inserted metal picks. “Sled hockey is pretty much the same as hockey, except we can’t skate backwards and we have the advantage of shooting with either hand,” Roybal said.</p><p>Roybal is a forward on the national team, and the formations and style of play is identical to that of traditional hockey.</p><p>His attraction to the sport was immediate and visceral. “I really liked the physical aspect of sled hockey because with most disabled sports, you feel like you’re restricted,” he said. </p><p>“But with sled you truly feel like you can do anything and it’s really fun to be part of a team and go out and play hockey.”</p><p>Roybal subjects himself to a grueling training schedule to prepare for the physical demands of the sport. He skates for an hour every day before school, and he often puts in two or three additional hours a day riding his bike or doing strength and conditioning training.</p><p>Roybal emerged on the international stage last year at Sochi, where he scored two goals in five games. He scored three goals and recorded three assists in five games at the World Sled Hockey Challenge last year. </p><p>His play has drawn compliments from the national coaching staff. “Brody’s play has certainly improved, but the biggest improvement I’ve seen this season has been his maturity,” U.S. national sled hockey coach Jeff Sauer said. “His confidence is over the top right now, and it’s great to see.”</p><p>Since 2011, Roybal has also played locally for the RIC Blackhawks, a club program sponsored by the NHL franchise. RIC Blackhawks plays a traveling schedule against other top club programs. The year-end national tournaments provide an opportunity for Roybal to refine his game.</p><p>Roybal said he wants to study finance in college. Sledge has grown substantially in the time he has been involved in the sport. According to USA Hockey, the number of rinks fitted to accommodate sled hockey is on the rise. One college, University of New Hampshire, offers college scholarships. </p><p>When he is not skating, playing or working out, Roybal said he is immersed in the typical teenage culture of playing video games and hanging out with friends. The Leyden community has been deeply supportive of his efforts, he said. “They let me miss all of this school in order to go on all of these trips,” he said. </p><p>“When I came back from the Olympics almost the whole school was at my house.”</p><p>The opportunity to showcase his sport for a world championship on his home turf is especially gratifying, he said. The tournament runs through Sunday, May 3. The moment distills the very essence of why he got involved in the first place.</p><p>“I’m free when I’m out there,” he said. “I feel as though I can do anything out on the ice and there are no restrictions. It’s just me, the sled and the ice and I can do anything.</p><p>“I play hockey just like anybody else would.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/24/18502901/leyden-8217-s-brody-roybal-is-limitless-on-the-ice-in-sled-hockeyPatrick McGavin2015-04-24T17:49:07-05:002019-04-18T18:23:34-05:00Dylan Gilbert only begins to shine as a diversified athlete
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<p>Baseball is a game played without time constraints or clocks. Of all of his particular talents on the field, Dylan Gilbert has a special ability to capture his own rhythm and speed. “He has the ability to play the game very fast but at the same time let it slow down for him,” St. Ignatius coach Sean Mason said.</p><p>“He is never in a hurry.”</p><p>The junior Wolfpack centerfielder is one of the prized prospects in the Catholic League. In the Wolfpack’s first 11 games, Gilbert is hitting .400 with a home run, five doubles and two triples in recording a team-best .767 slugging percentage. He is the state’s 25th rated player in the class of 2016, according to Prep Baseball Report.</p><p>He is only scratching his potential, Mason said. The 6-1 junior is also a diversified athlete who was good enough to play varsity football at St. Ignatius as a freshman and comes to the baseball team after playing hockey.</p><p>“The toughness and the competitiveness carry over from football and hockey,” Mason said. “It’s his mental toughness that carries him and separates him from the pack. He acts as though he belongs. He’s confident without being cocky.”</p><p>The paradox Gilbert confronts in playing hockey has improved his athleticism though it has also taken away from his offseason training. “It’s tough at times, a lot of people are playing year-round and to come into training in February or March, after hockey, you have to make up those three or four months,” Gilbert said.</p><p>Gilbert, who bats and throws right handed, has made a fluid transition. Blessed with superb speed (timed at 6.89 in the 60-yard dash), he has a strong foundation in aspiring toward the ultimate personal achievement for baseball prospects, the five-tool athlete who hits for power, average and excels at running the bases, fielding and throwing.</p><p>The game is his own stage, and every at-bat is a chance to showcase his talent. “Every time I’m on deck and about to go up and hit, that’s the biggest thrill I take from the game,” Gilbert said. When Mason first installed him on varsity during the state tournament, Gilbert was nervous and a bit overwhelmed.</p><p>“He was raw and his play was up and down, and he made some mistakes,” Mason said. “You also saw the talent. He’s a playmaker who impacts the game in a lot of different ways, his hitting, a throw he makes from the outfield.”</p><p>During his introduction to organized play, Gilbert also experienced different positions, playing shortstop and catcher before making the permanent leap to the outfield. That diversity has only helped his development in the more subtle defense aspects of the game, the intuitive ability to react to balls hit in his direction.</p><p>His continued development is marked by his ability to link his natural talents to the particular demands of the game. “I definitely have room to improve,” he said. “I believe I’m blessed with a lot of talent, but I’ve also worked hard to learn about the game, how to train my eye on the curve and see a lot more pitches and have a good at-bat.”</p><p>Playing in the Catholic League featuring top-ranked St. Rita, No. 3 Mount Carmel, defending Class 3A state champion Providence and St. Laurence, Gilbert confronts elite competition day after day. “Playing against the best is only going to make me a stronger and better player, as well as the team, and we’re all going to improve.</p><p>“It helps me showcase my talent and play up to my abilities.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/24/18497607/dylan-gilbert-only-begins-to-shine-as-a-diversified-athletePatrick McGavin2015-04-23T19:56:38-05:002019-04-18T17:46:33-05:00De La Salle crushes struggling Seton
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<p>The unorthodox dimensions of the baseball field at De La Salle offer a hitter’s paradise. The Meteors have mastered the layout to their considerable advantage.</p><p>“Taking batting practice here every day is really helpful because you get to know the lay of the land,” junior shortstop Tom Duddleson said. “We have a short portion right, and putting the ball in right center or left center and working those gaps, good things happen.”</p><p>Everything worked to perfection for the host Meteors who registered season-highs in runs and hits as they collected nine extra base hits in blasting Seton 17-0 in five innings in a Catholic League crossover game on Thursday.</p><p>Three De La Salle pitchers combined to deny the Sting a single hit.</p><p>Sophomore Teodoro Marquez excelled in front of and behind the plate for the Meteors (7-10). The No. 9 hitter laced two triples and a double in knocking home two runs. Making his first start of the year at pitcher, he struck out five in three innings. He also threw out a Seton runner caught looking at second and coaxed a double play groundout in facing the minimum nine batters.</p><p>De La Salle received contributions from its entire roster. Second baseman Robert Zebrauskas finished 3-for-3 with two triples and a double in driving in three runs and also scoring three runs.</p><p>The Meteors erupted for 13 runs on 10 hits in the third inning, sending a stunning 18 players to the plate. Zebrauskas ripped his two triples in the inning.</p><p>“We made some good adjustments, especially the second time around in the order,” he said. “We let the ball travel and let our hands to the work.”</p><p>De La Salle repeatedly found the vulnerabilities in the Sting’s defense, finding deep gaps and aggressive running the bases. Right fielder Nick Pettigrew also smashed two triples in scoring and driving in two runs.</p><p>“I’d been struggling a little bit, so it was great to have a game like this where you could sit back on the ball and still feel confident swinging away,” Pettigrew said. “On those two triples, I was able to sit back and just wait.”</p><p>The Meteors ended with six triples and three doubles.</p><p>Seton coach Mark Hammond said the Sting (1-15) is experiencing a significant rebuilding campaign after losing the bulk of his starters from a year ago, including two pitchers, two catchers and his outfield.</p><p>The Sting managed three base runners, a walk and two batters hit by a pitch.</p><p>Eight different De La Salle players recorded at least one RBI. Centerfielder Jalen Davis knocked in three runs on three singles. The southpaw also threw one inning of relief, where he struck out two Sting batters. Duddleson pitched the final inning.</p><p>The Meteors saw the game as a jump start, with Catholic White play about to commence. “We were down at the start of the season, but now we’re up,” Zebrauskas said.</p><p>“Today was a blast, and that’s what we’re looking to do. We’ve gotten everybody’s back, and we’re picking each other up and we’re out there having a really good time,” he said.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/23/18491913/de-la-salle-crushes-struggling-setonPatrick McGavin2015-04-15T19:55:16-05:002019-04-18T17:25:25-05:00Mount Carmel puts on hitting clinic against St. Ignatius
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<p>The St. Ignatius baseball field, Rice Park, is located behind a bank off Roosevelt Road. The setting proved fitting because pretty much everything Mount Carmel hit was money.</p><p>Behind the superb play of first baseman Malik Carpenter and shortstop Jeremy Houston, the No. 3 Caravan pounded six extra base hits, two home runs and registered 14 hits in smashing the host Wolfpack 14-3 in five innings on Wednesday afternoon.</p><p>With the perfect weather and tight dimensions of Rice Park, the hitters enjoyed most of the advantages. St. Ignatius hovered close through three innings thanks to its own long ball prowess. Mount Carmel (12-1, 2-0 Catholic Blue) had too many weapons.</p><p>“One through nine [batters] they have college players through their whole lineup,” St. Ignatius coach Sean Mason said.</p><p>Mount Carmel starter Aaryn Chandler ran his record to 3-0 in pitching four innings, allowing three runs, five hits, three walks and striking out one. Gabe Sanchez retired the Wolfpack in order in the fifth.</p><p>Carpenter went 2-for-2 and drove in four runs with a monster two-run blast over dead center in the first inning following a double by center fielder Josh Stowers. It was the first home run of the year for the Chicago State-recruit.</p><p>“I didn’t know it was going to be a home run because the ball was on a line,” Carpenter said.</p><p>He added a two-run single during the Caravan’s five-run fourth inning.</p><p>“It was a slow fast ball and I just sat and waited on it.”</p><p>Houston also impressed by knocking in four runs on 3-for-4 hitting that featured a run-scoring double, an RBI-single and a two-run single in the fifth that punctuated the rout. Houston broke a personal dry spell with the three hits.</p><p>“I’d been struggling with my hitting lately,” Houston said. “Coming into the game, I felt pretty good and my confidence was high. The difference today was I just settled down at the plate and I didn’t think too much about how I was swinging.”</p><p>His play marked just how dangerous, versatile and deep the Caravan lineup runs. Houston, right fielder Nick Wheeler (solo home run) and designated hitter Bob Seymour (2-for-4, 2 RBI) are the team’s 6-7-8 hitters and they combined for six hits and six runs batted in.</p><p>“The team does really good just trying to get on base anyway possible.”</p><p>St. Ignatius star junior centerfielder Dylan Gilbert (1-for-3, RBI) and third baseman Scott Cappis (1-for-3, 2 RBI) blasted opposite field home runs, in the first and third inning, as the Wolfpack (5-5, 0-2 Catholic White) trailed just 5-3 after three innings.</p><p>Two walks and a hit batter opened the floodgates for the Caravan in the fourth inning, setting up Carpenter’s shot into left field for a two-run single. Houston’s two-run single in the fifth keyed the three-hit, four-run fifth inning for the Caravan.</p><p>“You just can’t give a team with those kind of abilities that many opportunities at the plate,” Casey said. “We were right with them for three innings.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/15/18488705/mount-carmel-puts-on-hitting-clinic-against-st-ignatiusPatrick McGavin2015-04-15T17:54:54-05:002019-04-18T18:57:32-05:00Speedy shortstop Taylor Jackson thrives for Kenwood
<p>A year ago the veteran Kenwood baseball coach Bill Hanselman was not even sure who Taylor Jackson was. He saw the eager young prospect turn up for the first supervised workouts and he was immediately intrigued.</p><p>“I never saw him play before he came here, and even though he was just a freshman, I saw he had the skill level to play up [at the varsity],” Hanselman said. “The first game of the season, it was really cold, and I had him batting ninth in the order. Within the next couple of games, we moved him to fifth and and he was there the rest of the year.”</p><p>Jackson made an auspicious debut in Public League baseball, hitting .442 with eight doubles, two triples and 26 runs batted in for the Broncos and playing centerfield and second base. He is only getting better. The 5-8, 165-pound Jackson is one of the top prospects in the city’s class of 2017. In his first nine games this season, Jackson is hitting .400, slugging .533 and has yet to strike out.</p><p>He is explosive between the bases. At an elite showcase for the state’s top underclassmen organized by Prep Baseball Report last fall, Jackson posted the fastest time in the 60, the benchmark baseball scouts rely on.</p><p>Baseball is Jackson’s only sport and he trains year round to master each aspect of the game. He traces his success to his offseason workout regimen. “In the winter and the summer, I go to the [hitting] cages, with my high school, or traveling team, and and I put in the time,” Jackson said.</p><p>“Hitting is probably one of the hardest things about the game,” he said. “You have to account for the different speeds of the pitches, and timing is really important. I have a good eye for the ball, a high IQ for the game and with the intensity I bring to the game, that’s how I’ve done well so far.”</p><p>Now Jackson is undergoing another transition in making the shift to playing shortstop, probably the toughest defensive position to master. He is quick learner, indicative of a kind of a fearless streak he has about him. “When I get in between the lines, I’m not afraid of anything,” he said. “I just go out there and put in my best effort.”</p><p>Jackson was drawn to baseball as a three-year old. “I was playing catch in the park with my father, and I told him that’s what I wanted to do,” he said.</p><p>While baseball doesn’t get the same attention that basketball and football get in the city, Jackson remains enthusiastic. “It’s funny sometimes that baseball is the last option, compared to basketball or football,” he said. “Students and teachers come out to our games and watch us play and they get fascinated.”</p><p>Jackson is a crucial part of that process. He also loves the chance of playing against elite national competition playing for the White Sox Ace, one of the travel teams organized by the White Sox to offer top city prospects a chance to play against different levels of competition.</p><p>Getting exposed to different players and styles of play has been crucial to his development. “You have to learn how to adjust in those situations,” he said. “You’re seeing pitchers throwing 90 [miles per hour] consistently and a lot of breaking balls thrown at you, so you have to make those adjustments.”</p><p>His high school coach is thrilled to anchor his program around him. “Taylor has exceptional hand eye coordination and he’s a hard worker,” Hanselman said. “He plays year round and maintains top grades.</p><p>“He’s an all-around good kid.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/15/18502881/speedy-shortstop-taylor-jackson-thrives-for-kenwoodPatrick McGavin2015-04-13T09:43:15-05:002019-04-18T17:51:15-05:00IHSA files motion to dismiss concussion lawsuit
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<p>The Illinois High School Association filed a motion with the Cook County Circuit Court on Friday to dismiss the class action lawsuit brought against it in November. According to the filing the lawsuit “threatens high school football.”</p><p>The concussion lawsuit alleges the IHSA has been negligent in securing the safety of its student athletes.</p><p>Filed November 26 in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of former Notre Dame quarterback Daniel Bukal, in lieu of monetary damages the suit seeks broad and sweeping changes in how schools medically monitor its athletes.</p><p>Bukal was replaced in the amended suit by Alex Pierscionek, a former South Elgin lineman.</p><p>In his public remarks in early December, IHSA executive director Marty Hickman contended the financial burdens involving with satisfying the lawsuit demands are onerous.</p><p>Hickman said financially strapped schools could be forced to eliminate their football programs.</p><p>In the motion to dismiss the IHSA says it is “not the NCAA and certainly not the NFL…not a multi-billion dollar business. (The Plantiff) is asking that far-reaching, long-term programs be imposed on a non-profit association with effectively no net revenues, certainly nothing even in the same universe as the colossal scale of the NFL.”</p><p>The IHSA has not conducted its own financial cost analysis, said associate executive director Kurt Gibson.</p><p>“It would vary from school and depend a great deal on location,” Gibson said. “My own sense is the costs would be a great deal more than people even think or realize.”</p><p>The suit requires that schools provide doctors at every practice and game. More than 60 percent of high school football related concussions occur in practice, according to statistics compiled by medical provider Cleared to Play.</p><p>“That would be an astronomical costs to schools, and it would be very difficult for schools to afford that,” Proviso West athletic director and assistant principal Calvin Davis said.</p><p>The average costs of a full-time certified athletic trainer, with benefits, is $45,000-50,000 per year, according to data provided by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). Currently the IHSA recommends each home team have a medical doctor available for its games.</p><p>Having doctors attend every single practice is not practical, said one Chicago-based trainer who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the subject.</p><p>“For the most part it’s not an economic issue because the doctors, physicians, anybody that’s really associated with the high schools, they’re doing it for free,” he said.</p><p>“The doctors want the exposure, but when they have to leave their own office to be at practice to do something they’re doing on their own free time every day is not reasonable.”</p><p>The Oak Brook-based Athletico is the country’s largest provider of athletic trainers. More than 80 of its trainers work in Chicago-area schools. In 2013 Athletico developed an iniative with the Bears to subsidize the costs of providing medical personnel at Public League football stadiums.</p><p>The program was renewed and expanded this year. The Bears provided $25,000 and the NFL extended a matching grant that allowed Athletico to staff 350 regular season games and the five-week playoffs at the city’s seven public stadiums such as Gately, Lane and Hanson.</p><p>Today, fewer than half of the Public League’s schools have medical trainers available day-to-day, said Davis, the former director of Sports Administration. The costs of medical staff at daily practices would require a massive infusion of private and public capital at least tripling the Bears’ initiative.</p><p>“I have to agree with Marty Hickman on this one,” Davis said. “I just don’t know how schools would fund it.”</p><p>A status hearing in the case before Cook County Judge LeRoy Martin Jr. is set for April 23.</p><p>Contributing: Associated Press<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/13/18492656/ihsa-files-motion-to-dismiss-concussion-lawsuitPatrick McGavin2015-04-09T19:36:09-05:002019-04-18T17:21:06-05:00Kenwood's Rahamanh Katumbusi in no rush to make decision
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<p>Rahamanh Katumbusi angled toward the rim in moving between two defenders for a crucial putback that helped his South team hold off the North in the Kiwane Garris Future SuperStars All-Star game last Saturday.</p><p>Everything was in the moment for Katumbusi, the 6-2 Kenwood guard. In the final game played on his home court, he scored 16 of his game-high 25 points in the second half in earning the most valuable player recognition. It also symbolized a change and a hard shift from the familiar to the somewhat uncertain.</p><p>The moment also signified very specific endings and new beginnings.</p><p>Only seven of the 33 players who participated in the two games have signed with college programs. For players like Katumbusi, the game provided a chance to give back to his school and community.</p><p>It also helped him focus on the task at hand, figuring out the next stage of his playing life. The guard is a strong student with excellent grades, so he has more options than most. Delaying his decision is certainly a gamble on end as the vast majority of programs have closed their recruiting for the Class of 2015.</p><p>College basketball is nothing if not volatile, he pointed out. In Illinois alone, DePaul, UIC and Bradley have just named new coaches.</p><p>“There are transfers and coaching changes, so I see it as an advantage for me to wait longer to see your choices and see what is out there for you,” Katumbusi said.</p><p>That uncertainty is reflected throughout the country. At the McDonald’s All-American game, eight players, or one third of those selected to the game, were undecided on their college choice.</p><p>“Those are the best players in the country and they’re still don’t know where they’re going,” he said. “That makes me feel better about my situation.”</p><p>Marlo Finner took over the Kenwood program and Katumbusi flourished in the team’s uptempo style as he lead it in scoring, carrying the Broncos to an undefeated Red-Central title (10-0) and a 19-win season that ended with a Class 4A sectional semifinal loss against St. Ignatius.</p><p>“I wasn’t happy at all in the way our season ended and now I’m using that as motivation,” he said.</p><p>Programs such as New Hampshire, Hampton, Metro State and Lake Forest have each expressed interest of late. The timing means fewer scholarships are available. Still, Katumbusi said he is able to be more selective and determine his best fit.</p><p>Katumbusi is using the Public League’s spring break to begin a series of official and unofficial school visits he plans to conclude by early June before making his final decision.</p><p>“I’m looking forward to seeing those schools in person, rather than just making contact with coaches through phone calls and texts,” he said.</p><p>Recruiting is another form of auditioning, he said. The process is grueling but very worthwhile. Katumbusi has a runner’s background, having also competed in cross country and track to maintain his conditioning. He is ready to prove his value.</p><p>“At this time of year, it’s all about playing harder and training harder,” he said.</p><p>“Once you go down for these visits, coaches ask ask to see you or watch you play in open gyms and that’s the chance to go out there and really showcase my skills.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/9/18488019/kenwood-8217-s-rahamanh-katumbusi-in-no-rush-to-make-decisionPatrick McGavin2015-04-09T19:23:48-05:002019-04-18T17:46:58-05:00Homewood-Flossmoor's Destin Barnes leaves options open
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<p>Destin Barnes does not have everything mapped out. He is open and free and considering everything on the table. The 6-6 Homewood-Flossmoor wing is one of the top remaining unsigned players.</p><p>After serving as the catalyst for the Vikings’ second-half surge to the season, Barnes had the incentive to delay his decision. When your college decision, like his, remains very much in play, everything counts. The better you play, the greater the upside.</p><p>Most of the slots for the senior class are already accounted for. Rather than be nervous about the uncertainty, he views it as a form of liberation. It’s a riskier though sometimes more satisfying route to take, according to Barnes.</p><p>“Right now, I feel like I’m a free agent and everybody wants to know what I’m doing and they want a piece of you,” Barnes said.</p><p>The wing guard and forward averaged 16 points, six rebounds and four assists for the 20-win Vikings who reached the sectional semifinals and lost just two games after Christmas. Barnes showed the size and versatility to play in the post and on the wing.</p><p>In the first year of coach Marc Condotti, the Viking started slowly after the football team reached the Class 8A state championship game and it took time for the team to jell under a new system and incorporating the football players into the mix.</p><p>The three-year starter helped bridge the early difficulties. The Vikings were virtually untouchable after January. Other than Class 4A state champion Stevenson, Homewood-Flossmoor was the only team to knock off third-place finisher Bolingbrook after December as the Vikings captured the SouthWest Suburban Blue.</p><p>“Once we got everybody together, our team chemistry just skyrocketed,” Barnes said.</p><p>Barnes was the primary cause who demonstrated leadership and a strong command of the game that paid dividends in multiple avenues for the team.</p><p>“I think my shooting is a strong point, as well as my understanding of the game,” he said. “I have a very strong basketball IQ. I can put it on the floor and also pass the ball and play a multitude of positions.”</p><p>Barnes said he is most comfortable playing shooting guard, and he believes that is his ideal college position.</p><p>Chicago State has offered Barnes. He is also drawing interest from UIC, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Indiana University-Purdue University, Rhode Island, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and James Madison. He is also playing on the spring club circuit with the Derrick Rose All-Stars during the April live period as a way to broaden his exposure.</p><p>“After that I’m going to get committed and sign somewhere,” he said.</p><p>Barnes is also a standout baseball player. He thinks that contributed to the limited activity of his recruiting.</p><p>“I was playing competitive and travel baseball up until last year, and I think that’s one reason my recruiting has gone a little slow,” he said.</p><p>His future is very much in his hands.</p><p>“I didn’t play as much club or AAU before, but now I’m fully committed to basketball,” he said.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/9/18491976/homewood-flossmoor-8217-s-destin-barnes-leaves-options-openPatrick McGavin2015-04-09T18:59:56-05:002019-04-18T18:25:56-05:00Dion Earls Jr. is a big reason why Simeon dominates city football and baseball
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<p>Baseball and football suggest a shotgun marriage that require vastly different skill sets and physical demands. At Simeon, Dion Earls Jr. is a connective thread whose versatility, athleticism and toughness help make the Wolverines a city powerhouse in each.</p><p>Earls Jr. is an explosive All-City running back who powered Simeon to a Class 8A state semifinal appearance as a multiple purpose threat at running back, receiver and punt returner. Football was his first love, he started to play at the age of four years old.</p><p>His baseball career began at age 10 as a member of the Jackie Robinson West program. Football is his future after he signed a letter of intent with Ferris State, a top Division II program in Big Rapids, Michigan, as a running back and slot receiver.</p><p>A three-year baseball starter, Earls Jr. has just begun his final campaign leading Simeon as its leadoff hitter, offensive sparkplug and defensive stalwart who is capable of playing multiple positions. He has already played second, shortstop and centerfield for the Wolverines.</p><p>As a junior he hit just over .400 and was a demon on the basepaths, according to legendary Wolverines’ coach Leroy Franklin.</p><p>“His strongest point is that he can run,” Franklin said. “Once he gets on base, he’s just dangerous out there. He had a ton of stolen bases for us last year, and only got thrown out maybe once or twice.</p><p>“He just loves to play and is a very good player.”</p><p>Earls Jr. is a natural leader and winner. Simeon never lost a conference game in football during his three years. Simeon’s run in the state football playoffs set the tone for his final baseball season, he said.</p><p>“In football we pretty much just took off in the playoffs, and now I want to have that same energy and just transfer it to baseball and try for the same goals,” Earls Jr. said.</p><p>His strengths as a running back—balance, footwork, explosion—is evident as well in the spring. In football he was a powerful in-between the tackles runner despite his 5-7 frame. He is powerfully built and generates strong bat speed.</p><p>“I’m more of a contact hitter than a power hitter,” he said.</p><p>“As a player my strength is just my speed and how I play the game, always looking to get something extra. Anytime I hit a single I’m going to try and turn that into a double,” he said. is speed and quickness also suit him in the field. His glove is solid, keying a typically air-tight Simeon defense.</p><p>Baseball has not been a sideline activity. He participated in national camps and All-Star games in Virginia and Georgia and also played with a White Sox-organized elite high school travel team.</p><p>“I had a lot of baseball offers, but I just couldn’t give football up,” he said.</p><p>Earls Jr. is determined to go out in grand style. Taking a more pronounced leadership role this year, he said the baseball team is looking to develop and find its stride during a spring break road trip to play in a tournament at Bowling Green in Ohio this week.</p><p>“As we’re starting to see more reps with live pitching, we’re getting a bat on the ball and our pitchers are starting to throw even better,” he said. “For me personally, I’m just giving it my all for one more run, and I think the later in the season, the better we’ll be.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/4/9/18497986/dion-earls-jr-is-a-big-reason-why-simeon-dominates-city-football-and-baseballPatrick McGavin