september 2011

September 2011, Vol. 5 No. 1

2 l September 2011 l sisportsconnection.com

sisportsconnection.com l September 2011 l 3

Publisher/Editor Jim Muir

Account Executive Cheryl Hughey

PhotographersChristopher KaysCeasar Maragni

Contributing WritersJohn D. HomanRoger LipeCeasar MaragniMario Moccia Jim MuirMike Murphy

Joe SzynkowskiNathan WheelerTom Wheeler

Graphic DesignerRhonda Ferguson

For more information regarding Southern Illinois Sports Connection call Jim at 618-525-4744. For advertising information, call Cheryl at 618-353-8515.

sisportsconnection.com

The Line UpSeptember 2011

Volume 5, No. 1ColumnsPublisher’s Greeting 5Faith on the Field 7In Focus 10RLC Report 32From Wheel’s Garage 34Ask the AD 35 Murf Turf 37From Where I Sit 41

FeaturesMaking an Impact 8New Turf - Same Tradition 14One-On-One with Jesse Barge 20Photo Feature - Swimming Championships 22Faith and Football 24No Quit 28Photo Feature - Great Egyptian Omnium 38

24

3828

14

20 22

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Finally, as I like to do from time to time let me offer a big ‘thank you’ to our faithful advertisers and our loyal readers. We recently celebrated our fourth anniversary, something that everybody at SISC is proud about. And when you consider that we’ve done that month after month during the greatest recession since ‘The Great Depression’ well … it’s nothing short of remarkable. And let me say unequivocally that without the support of our readers, advertiser and the grace and strength of God through his son Jesus Christ we couldn’t pull this off every month.

It’s another smorgasbord issue of SISC – a little something for everybody – so roll up your sleeves and dig in and enjoy.

All the best to you and God Bless!

Jim MuirPublisher

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Greetings and welcome to the September issue of Southern Illinois Sports Connection.

With the start of a new school year and of course a new high school sports calendar, September is a transition month for us here at SISC. In the coming months we will be focusing most of our attention on the fall sports schedule that includes football, volleyball, golf and cross country. I can speak for everybody at SISC in saying that we’re glad the ‘Dog Days’ of summer are behind us and we’re looking forward to the 2011-12 sports season.

As we put this month’s issue together it’s apparent that we have a little something for everybody. Our cover story gives great insight into the dual-career of Benton’s Bob Pankey, who serves as defensive coach for the football Rangers. When he’s not on the sidelines Pankey serves as associate pastor at Whittington Church, which certainly puts him in contrasting jobs.

In the story the word ‘character’ is used often, something I find quite refreshing. Given what we see in professional sports these days it’s good to know that along with tackling and blocking instructions young athletes are also being given insight into dealing with real-life situations. It’s a great read and SISC writer Joe Szynkowski did a tremendous job interviewing both coaches and players.

This month we also feature a story about the remarkable recovery of a young Zeigler athlete, Tyson Kretz, who overcame great odds to make a triumphant return home to family and friends. It’s a touching story that clearly shows us once again that there is strength in numbers and power in prayer. We also have features this month on volleyball, golf and our usual great selection of columns.


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As we communicate and model Christ-honoring, dynamic leadership with our teams, we will help the younger ones move past Level 2 and its weakness. We can help them lead through their productivity (Level 3) and on to Levels 4 and 5. One need only read the Gospels, The Acts of the Apostles, the Proverbs or Old Testament historical books with his leadership cap on to see that godly leadership often includes strong challenges, face to face reproof, public rebuke and even physical confrontation. Each of those is hardly in keeping with maintaining one’s popularity. Such is the cost of leadership. It should not be entered into naively. Let’s call this generation’s leaders to shake off their shackles of popularity and move onto dynamic leadership which takes the risk to raise everyone’s performance and the team’s sense of unity.

Faith on the FieldBy Roger Lipe

For the last couple of months I’ve been pondering why it seems that most of today’s

leaders in sports, especially those on the court, pitch, floor or field, have such limited leadership ability. I have heard numerous coaches decry the dearth of leadership among their players of both genders and at almost every level of sport. As I have observed the players of my acquaintance and heard from other coaches and team chaplains, I think I have arrived at a conclusion. Most of this generation’s leaders would prefer to be popular with their teammates than to lead them effectively. That preference limits their leadership in some very important ways.

In John Maxwell’s book, “Developing the Leader Within You,” he calls this “Leading by Permission” and assigns it position No. 2 on a 1-5 scale of ascending levels of leadership. The low number for this level of leadership is indicative of its weakness. Level 2 leaders can lead those who like them or are willing to go along with a likeable personality. Their popularity allows them to carry their teammates along until conflict, discord or substandard performance arrives and their leadership weakness is suddenly exposed. If one’s leadership is built upon popularity, he will stop short of challenging his teammate to give

greater effort. She will balk when leadership calls for her to correct destructive or divisive attitudes or speech. He will defer the “calling out” of another player for his selfish play or foolish off-court behavior to the coaching staff rather than assertively calling everyone to a higher standard.

Coaches, Chaplains, Character Coaches and Sport Mentors can assist in this process. In order to do this well, we need to be Level 4 or Level 5 leaders. Maxwell’s Level 4 is: Leading by Developing People and Level 5 is: Leading by Personhood. Leading at Level 4 takes guts and Level 5 takes time. If we’ll invest in, challenge and develop team leaders, we can help them press through the tyranny of popularity and on into leadership which cares enough about the team and each teammate to seek the best from each one and the team’s best, even if it costs him popularity. It is better to be respected than universally liked. Popularity will wane over time, but respect is much more durable. If we stay engaged with emerging and developing leaders long enough, we become Level 5 leaders and powerfully impact all those around us just by showing up. That is particularly true if we will purposely seek out and help develop leaders within the team.

Limited Leadership


surgery in April of 2010. Schweigert sat out the 2010 season.

To their credit, both decided to complete their eligibility at Logan this school year rather than move on to another school.

“Holly and Jada are pretty much 100 percent healthy now,” said Vols third-year head coach Bill Burnside. “I would describe both girls as athletic and capable. And having been a part of this program for three seasons, they are also experienced and can pass on their knowledge of the system to the younger players.”

Burnside said that with All-Conference and All-Region performer Michelle Lazorchak firmly entrenched in the other middle hitter’s position, Schweigert and Hollinshead are in essence competing

August 2009 and had surgery the next month. She returned to the team last fall for her freshman year, but only received spot playing time.

Schweigert’s injury occurred in November of 2009 or right before the

postseason District Tournament with

FEATUREFEATURE

By John D. HomanLogan Media Services

It’s been a long road back for Holly Schweigert and Jada Hollinshead. Each has endured much pain and

frustration, as well as countless trips to physical therapists for rehabilitation sessions. But now pain and frustration have given way to exhilaration and anticipation of a new volleyball season.

The two John A. Logan College sophomores have persevered and are stronger athletes and individuals because of it. Former roommates, Schweigert and Hollinshead each have sustained season-ending knee surgeries during their time in Carterville. Hollinshead was hurt in

JALC sophomore middle hitter Jada Hollinshead powers one over the net in practice last month. (Logan Media Services photo)

Making an ImpactLogan spikers Holly Schweigert and Jada Hollinshead complete long road back from season-ending knee surgeries

“People get hurt all the time. Sure, I’ve been asked several times why I would want to keep playing. I do it because of my love for the sport. I will cry the day I play volleyball for the last time and that’s not about to be now.”

– Holly Schweigert, JALC volleyball player


floor, I stopped wearing it. And eventually, I stopped worrying about the knee. Now, I very rarely think about it at all.”

Because she was coming off the surgery a year ago, Hollinshead saw only limited playing time for a Vols team that won 29 matches en route to Great Rivers Athletic Conference and Region 24 titles.

“Last year, I was rusty. The game was fast-paced and I ended up watching a lot. This year, my focus is 100 times better. I have made a lot of improvement and really want to play. I am trying to show Coach Burnside that I am an aggressive athlete. I had a lot of success in high school and I think I can have it again.”

Like Schweigert, Hollinshead said she puts the team ahead of her own personal goals.

“We’d both like to see the team qualify for Nationals (Logan came one match short of that goal last November, losing out to Iowa Western in the District finals). That’s what we dream about and we think we’re capable of making it there. Personally, I just want to play. I want to show what I can do and maybe earn a scholarship to play at a four-year school next fall.”

Burnside said the players who produce on the court will get the lion’s share of playing time.

“I’m very proud of both of them,” he said. “And I think both have the potential to play at a four-year school next year. It’s just a matter of showing what they are capable of doing when given the opportunity.”

would want to keep playing. I do it because of my love for the sport. I will cry the day I play volleyball for the last time and that’s not about to be now.”

Schweigert said it was an arduous task rebuilding muscle strength in her leg and even more challenging to overcome the mind games.

“The injuries are still there in the back of my mind, but when the competition gets going, I forget all about them,” she said. “I’m not jumping quite as high as I was my freshman year, but my arm swing has gotten much better. I’m really excited about the new season and want to prove I can still play well.”

Schweigert, who turned 21 in September, said she plans to major in marine biology. But that doesn’t mean her volleyball career ends at Logan.

“I want to play at a four-year school somewhere. I am hoping for a scholarship, ideally in California or Florida. If I don’t get a scholarship, I still plan to walk on. I am not ready to give up on the game.”

Hollinshead is from Farina, which is a small town located about 20 miles south of Effingham.

The 21-year-old said she had never suffered anything worse than a sprained ankle or thumb before tearing up her right knee her freshman year.

“I was told that my ACL was in a weakened state before I completely tore it in practice. It was such a shock to me. I had 12 months of rebab and wore my brace last year for a while, but once I felt I could do what I wanted to do again out there on the

against one another for the other middle hitter starting position. The odd one out will serve as a backup to the two starters.

“I am confident that whomever we put at the position – Holly or Jada – will produce for this team,” Burnside said. “Both have

shown they could be effective hitters and blockers. We’ll see how things work out in practice as the season wears on.”

A native of Festus, Mo. near St. Louis, Schweigert said knee injuries are nothing new to her. She sustained ligament damage to her right knee when a junior in high school. At Logan, she tore ligaments in her left knee. Thanks to modern medicine, the scars are hardly noticeable.

While many athletes would consider giving competitive athletics a rest after two major knee surgeries, Schweigert said there was no way she was going to let an injury end her dream.

“People get hurt all the time,” she said. “Sure, I’ve been asked several times why I

FEATURE

“Last year, I was rusty. The game was fast-paced and I ended up watching a lot. This year, my focus is 100 times better. I have made a lot of improvement and really want to play. I am trying to show Coach (Bill) Burnside that I am an aggressive athlete. I had a lot of success in high school and I think I can have it again.”

– Jada Hollinshead, JALC volleyball player

Vols’ sophomore front-row player Holly Schweigert follows through with a big hit in practice. (Logan Media Services photo)


at a time when his parents’ Buckner cycle shop was one of the busiest and most successful in the region. But sadly Mike was killed a few years ago in a freak accident while riding his motorcycle. That hit Ward like a punch to the gut. He took a break from racing for a bit, but soon realized that his friend wouldn’t want that.

Ward says that he actually feels safer on the race track that when he’s riding on area highways, “To me, it’s much safer out there on the track than on the road. On the track, we’re all going the same way.

So as Ward fights off age and injuries to excel in a young man’s sport, I asked him if he has any special strategies when he’s racing. He grinned, saying “Yes. Get out front and try to stay there!”

American Motorcycle Association’s Championship races at DuQuoin, finishing in the top three riders in his race.

Ward got astride his first motorcycle at the tender age of 5. He fondly recalls that it was a 60cc mini-enduro that he used to jump on every chance he had and tear up the lawn of his parents home in Sesser. He kept riding motorcycles right up and through high school, finally working his way up to bigger and faster machines. He currently races riding a 450cc Yamaha dirt bike.

Ward said that his first serious racing came just after he graduated from Sesser-Valier High School in 1981. It was on a Yamaha 250cc dirt bike that he purchased from Jim and Joyce Ragan’s Yamaha dealership in Buckner. “I was kind of crazy back then and decided the cycling racing life was for me.”

While pursuing that passion there’s been a few bumps and bruises along the way. Among his race induced injuries have been a broken neck, fractured ribs, broken ankles, broken arms, broken shoulders and various other broken bones. While that alone would seem to be enough to convince most of us to hang up our helmet, not Ward. “I intend to race as long as I can.”, he said with a big smile. While that may be true, that same smile hides a heap of hurt, some of it in part because of a freak motorcycle accident that killed his best friend.

During his early years of competitive racing Ward and local cycle racing legend Mike Ragan were best buddies. Ragan, the only son of Jim and Joyce Ragan, grew up with the sights and sounds of motorcyles all around him,

Byron Ward is not your typical athlete. For starters, he’s just a few months shy of AARP

eligibility. Add to that the fact that he stands 5’6” and weighs 125 pounds, and you can begin to appreciate what makes the Buckner resident’s continued passion for his hobby rather unique.

The Sesser native spends his working hours operating a huge bulldozer pushing piles of coal at an area coal mine. While that pays the bills, it’s Ward’s love of motorcycle racing that sets him apart from most of his fellow coal miners. He explains, “Some guys like to hunt, some like to fish, some like to play golf. Me, I like racing dirt bikes.”

For over three decades now Ward has donned the red, white and blue leathers of Ragan’s Yamaha and taken to the race track in hopes of finishing first, or at least among the first, to cross the finish line. If you find it hard to imagine a 49 year old still participating in this young man’s sport, you’re not alone. Rarely does he participate in a race without receiving looks of astonishment from young riders who hadn’t met Ward yet or raced against him. As often as not, they soon realize that the old guy can still race. Earlier this summer Ward participated in the

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seven days away. Maybe it’s another home game or perhaps a road trip to another community and another brown field. Who cares? It doesn’t matter. Your team survived to play another day.

On the flip side, there has to be loser. No, wait, let me rephrase that. There has to be a team that scores fewer points. On brown fields on November Saturday afternoons there are no losers. As a fan do you remember watching young men, many who have just played their final game of organized football, console each other and talk about what might have been? The days to come for these players and fans will be filled with a lot of ‘what-ifs.’ But even in defeat the memories of a playoff game, a Saturday afternoon and that brown field will forever be within reach.

Just like with the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat is also framed against that brown field.

There is an old adage that says ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ I suppose that’s true unless you’re talking about high school football, playoff fever gripping a community, November memories on a cold Saturday afternoon and those wonderful brown fields.

The words to describe those pictures are countless.

leaning to his left perhaps trying to ‘help’ his team make the defensive stop. Think for a moment about the sound of the crowd, falling quiet in between downs and then rising to a fever pitch with the snap of the ball. With the Marion quarterback (Matt Brown) nearly in the grasp of a Troy Triad defender it’s a given that at this very moment the crowd noise is ear-piercing and both sidelines are at full-throttle.

So, we know it’s late in the game and we know the fans are still on their feet which means at the moment this picture was taken this game was still up for grabs. In short, the dream of playing another Saturday afternoon is still very much alive for both teams and both communities.

The thing that stood out the most to me about this picture is the solid brown color of the playing field. For players, that solid brown field means that summer is gone; the two-a-day practices are a faint memory, the Friday nights under the lights playing on a plush green field are forgotten. None of that matters now. What does matter is that a brown colored field on a Saturday afternoon means one thing: win and you move on … lose and you go home. And even though we’re barely at the midway point of the 2011 season brown fields and November football is very much on the mind of many fan-atics here in Southern Illinois.

For those of us who revel in those wonderful Saturday afternoon playoff games that brown field brings back good and bad memories.

Let your mind wander and think about this.

How many times as a fan have you huddled against a November chill, warmed more by watching your team celebrate victory on a brown field than by the layers of clothing you wear? There’s nothing in high school sports quite as exciting as knowing that another Saturday afternoon and another brown field memory is only

“On the High Road”By Jim Muir

Certainly, I enjoy all sports immensely but the week-to-week battle of football sets it aside and makes it

unlike any other high school sporting event.

Think about it like this: in basketball, baseball, track, cross-country, tennis, golf or volleyball you might stub your toe and lose a game or match on a Monday or Tuesday and then have a chance to redeem yourself a day or two later. But, in football if a team struggles on Friday night they have seven long and tortuous days before they can try and right the ship.

And of course football is the only IHSA sanctioned sport where a team has to qualify for post season play. In other sports a team can go 0-for-the-season and still participate in regional play but in football it takes those oftentimes elusive six wins to guarantee a chance to play in Week 10.

I recently ran across a copy of our very first SISC, and oh my goodness, what a flood of wonderful memories poured out of that inaugural issue. But, the thing that really stood out was the front cover and the scene of football game between Marion and Troy Triad. Perhaps you remember but let me describe that picture to you.

First, it’s obvious by the amount of light that this is a day game which automatically tells you that this is a November playoff game. That point in itself makes it a very special day. It’s quite remarkable to watch a community embrace a football team in preparation for a Saturday afternoon showdown.

Looking at the gray sky that’s visible through the autumn-colored leaves and you can almost fill the chill in the air. It’s also obvious that the picture was taken deep into the afternoon so it’s late in the game. Fans can be seen in the upper left hand corner of the picture. They’re all on their feet and you can even see that one gentleman is using some body language,


Through the annals of sports history there are certain venues that hold an aura or mystique – a place where opposing teams know they’re an underdog as soon as they enter.

Venerable Van Metre Field in Du Quoin – where football is much more than just a game that high school boys play on Friday night – is one of those places. A look at the Indians unparalleled success during the past four decades provides plenty of proof about the legend and lore surrounding Du Quoin football and its legendary field.

Consider these numbers: during the past 43 years Du Quoin has had only three … count ‘em, one, two, three … losing seasons and during that same time span has won an incredible 78 percent of their games (369-107). And during the past 23 years under longtime coach Al Martin the Indians have been even better than that, winning 83 percent of their games while amassing an overall record of 233-48. Those heady numbers under Martin break down to an average of 10 wins per season for nearly a quarter of a century.

While Van Metre is looked at as hallowed ground in Du Quoin the facility has taken on a new look with the addition this year of artificial turf. Du Quoin athletic director John Campbell said the new turf is something

FEATURE


that has been considered for several years and likened the experience to shopping for a new car.

“It’s like driving through a car lot and seeing a vehicle and saying ‘wouldn’t it be nice’ to be able to buy that car but then you realize it’s out of your price range,” Campbell said. “We’ve thought about it for quite some time.”

The renovation of Van Metre Field became possible when funds became available for a new high school that is now under construction. Along with the new high school a new all-weather track, new baseball field, renovated Anders Gymnasium and construction of an all-purpose gymnasium will also be added.

Campbell said the addition of the new artificial turf required the removal of the top layer of dirt at Van Metre Field which caused him to give considerable thought about the countless number of Du Quoin athletes that played on that soil while celebrating victory and rarely tasting defeat.

“There have been an awful lot of footsteps taken on that old field that was dug up and with every step of course there are memories,” said Campbell. “But, the entire community is excited about the new field and there will be new memories to make.”


Feature continued. . .

Van Metre Field in Du Quoin –

where football is much more

than just a game

Roger Craft has been the announcer at DuQuoin football games since 1979. Of the new field he said, “It’s great! We dont’ have mud down the middle any more.”

The Indians mascot, , did his part to help inspire the Indians and their fans.

The DuQuoin High School dance and cheerleading squads helped generate enthusiasm at the game.


“It’s a credit to everybody who

ever played here. We’re thankful

to our community for everything

they’ve given us.”

-DuQuoin Coach Al Martin Bitty Craig has been working the front gate at DuQuoin Indians home football games the past eighteen years and was at her post for this year’s first game on the new Van Metre Field.

The home crowd filled the seats for the opening game on the newly refurbished Van Metre Field.

DuQuoin High School head football coach Al Martin works the sidelines during the game against Herrin.

Fans visiting Van Metre Field are made aware of the winning tradition at DuQuoin. The Indians have won state titles in 1988 and 1992 and finished runner up five other times since the mid 1980’s. They currently hold the state record for 27 straight years of playoff experience.


Grab your copy of Southern Illinois

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Q: Where does the 2011 PGA Championship rank along with the others you have done?

A: The 2011 is right behind the 2010 PGA for two reasons. I had a very interesting ruling with Johnson Wagner. I have attached the draft of an article I wrote that will appear in The PGA Magazine. Then I walked with Robert Karlsson and Charl Schwartzle Sunday. Schwartzle is the current Masters Champion so that was neat. Karlsson had 4 birdies and an eagle through twelve holes. He was 8 under for the tournament and very much in contention. Unfortunately he bogied 16, 17, & 18 to finish in 4th place at 5 under par.

During the third round of the 93rd PGA, Johnson Wagner hit his second shot on the Par 5, 12th hole into a hedgerow. His only option would have been to chip out, but that caused his stance to be on a cart path, entitling him to relief (free drop). His drop was further into the hedges, but when the ball was dropped, it bounced off several branches in the hedge, leaving him outside the hedge. Johnson’s intent was to hit a shot left-handed, which again caused his stance to be on the path; he again was entitled to relief. After his second drop, the ball was in position to be played naturally for Johnson (right-handed). Johnson went on to chip onto the green and two putt, making par.

Q: Could you explain what exactly you do as a rules official while at the Championship? (I know exactly what you do, but most of our readers probably don’t)

A: We are there to help the players with any ruling. We also try to prevent rules infractions by advising players if they are proceeding incorrectly. We must make sure the player and his marker are aware of any infraction we observe and what penalty is involved (this happens very infrequently); Finally we monitor pace of play and radio a roving official if a group is out of position. The rovers do the timing if a group is put on the clock.

Q: I know you said you were on 12 when Matt Kuchar got into trouble with the boundary fence on Thursday. Was there any type of ruling you had to give, and if so, what was that ruling?

A: Matt Kuchar asked if there was a

SISC Goes One-On-One with Jesse BargeBy Christopher Kays

SISC Photographer Christopher Kays recently made the trip to Atlanta Athletic Club for the 93rd

PGA Championship. During his time there, he meet with Kokopelli Golf Club Head Golf Professional Jesse Barge, PGA, who was a member of the rules committee for the championship.

Q: First off, how many championships have you been to as a rules official?

A: This was my 11th PGA Championship. I also officiated at the 2004 Masters and the 2005 Tournament Players Championship.

Q: What is your most memorable PGA Championship as an official, and why?

A: The 92nd PGA in 2010 was the most memorable. I walked with Jim Furyk and Jason Dufner in the fourth to last group. I have attached a summary of a very unique rules situation involving Jim Furyk. The summary was prepared by David Staebler at the USGA and sent to me, the chairman of the PGA Rules of Golf Chairman as well as the R&A. Shortly after the committee resolved this incident Dustin Johnson grounded his club in the bunker. I was in the locker room by that time and all the rules official there let out a collective gasp.

The situation Barge refers to with Jim Furyk in the 2010 PGA Championship is that on the 3rd hole of the final round, Furyk hit his first putt, he bent down to mark and lift his ball when he heard a click and noticed a magnet, about the size of a quarter, on the shaft of his putter near the hosel. A decision had to be made by the Rules Committee to decide if Furyk had made a stroke with the magnet on his club, which would have caused him to incur a penalty stroke because A strict Rules interpretation would indicate that the magnet was an external attachment. If treated as such, the question would then be whether the magnet once attached to the club caused it immediately to become a non-conforming club for the purpose of applying the Rules. The Johnson incident was that Dustin Johnson grounded his club in some sand that was rules as a bunker, taking him out of a playoff for the PGA Championship, by adding two strokes to his score from the 18th hole on Sunday.

FEATUREFEATURE

FEATURE


penalty if his club touched the boundary fence during a practice swing or the actual stroke. I told him that was permissible and no penalty would be involved if that happened.

Barge was stationed on the 12th hole when Matt Kuchar hit a shot against the course boundary fence. Since the fence is a direct boundary for the course, no relief is given to the player. Kuchar, instead of taking a drop, hit a shot backwards that struck a tree, with the ball coming almost right back to the position it was hit from. Kuchar went on to card a double-bogey seven on the par 5, twelfth hole.

Q: On Sunday, each group has a walking referee, does the PGA also have officials on each hole like the previous three days? If not, why the walking referee with each group?

A: We have an official on every hole all four days of the tournament. On Saturday and Sunday a walking official is assigned to each of the last five groups. Since play is in groups of two on the final two days that means we have an official with the top ten players.

Q: What is the number first ruling that sticks out in your mind that you have given at a PGA Championship?

A: The Jim Furyk incident; even though the committee made the final ruling & this years ruling with Johnson Wagner. The Wagner ruling is a great example of how knowing the rules and asking an official questions can benefit a player.


Photo Feature

Photos & Story by Ceasar Maragni

This summer the Marion Marlins swim team played host to the Southern Illinois Swim League’s Championship Meet at Ray Fosse Park. The annual event draws a huge crowd with teams

from Salem, Centralia, DuQuoin, Herrin, Anna, Mt. Vernon, Harrisburg and Marion in attendance. The meet is hosted by each participating team on a rotating basis and 2011 was Marion’s turn.

The DuQuoin Swimming Indians won the first place team trophy this year, with the Salem Swordfish second,, the Herrin Tiger Sharks capturing third and the Marion Marlins taking fourth place.

Swim meet coordinator Nancy Pemberton of Marion said that 352 swimmers participated in this year’s championship meet.

MARION MARLINS HOST CHAMPIONSHIP SWIM MEET

A treasure trove of trophies awaited the finalists at the annual event.

Tents were in abundance at Ray Fosse Park as parents, grandparents and others in attendance sought shade at the championship meet while awaiting their loved one’s participation.

It seemed that every few minutes a new round of swimmers were diving into the water for their heats in the Championship meet held at Marion’s Ray Fosse Park.


MARION MARLINS HOST CHAMPIONSHIP SWIM MEET

Judges stood at the finish line with stop watches at the ready as swimmers completed their events.

With hundreds of youngsters participating in the season ending championship meet, there wasn’t room for parents inside the fence surrounding the pool at Marion’s Ray Fosse Park, so mothers like Kristen Wilkins, Salem, had to resort to shooting thru the fence when her daughter was racing.

The young swimmers competed fiercely, hoping to nail down a first place trophy in their event.


Cover Story

By Joe Szynkowski

Reciting The Lord’s Prayer before and after games. Partaking in a pre-game meal at a local church.

Graciously pointing to the sky after scoring the winning touchdown.

Football and faith have gone hand in hand for many years and Benton defensive line coach Bob Pankey has found a way to intersect the two in his professional life. Brought on the staff last year as a “character coach” and assistant defensive line coach, the full-time youth pastor has quickly transitioned from new guy to leader of the trenches.

Pankey played high school football for Benton and graduated in 1992. After earning two bachelor’s degrees from Southern Illinois University, he became youth pastor of Whittington Church in


2002 and began coordinating a club called Fellowship for Christian Students. His knowledge of Benton and his love for football made it an easy decision to join Jeremy Clodfelder’s staff last season.

“I’ve always thought that to be an effective pastor or person of faith, you have to get outside of the church walls and try to make a difference in the lives of people,” Pankey said. “It’s hard to make a difference inside the church. You have to get outside and be involved with the community.”

A local seminar sparked Clodfelder’s idea to hire a “character coach.” He noticed during the summer before last season that Benton’s players responded well to Pankey in the weight room and realized the positive impact Pankey could make on the Rangers.

“We felt like that was a direction we needed to go in a hurry,” Clodfelder said. “He’s good for the kids and, heck, he’s good

Benton’s Bob Pankey finds many parallels between his jobs as youth pastor and football coach

for me. I know that I can get close to out-of-bounds from time to time. I still have my moments, but I try to clean things up. Not that I would say we’re awful, probably no different than other programs. I think his presence in our program has been a positive for us.”

Pankey doesn’t have “character coach” typed out on his business card – it just goes without saying that he understands and specializes in the process of building character among his players and even his fellow coaches.

Bob’s good for the kids and, heck, he’s good for me. I know that I can get close to out-of-bounds from time to time. I still have my moments, but I try to clean things up. Not that I would say we’re awful, probably no different than other programs. I think his presence in our program has been a positive for us.”

– Jeremy Clodfelder, Benton head football coach –


“It’s not really an official title, but it’s just kind of understood,” Pankey said. “Most of them view me as another football coach. I take the approach, whether you have the designation or not, we’re all character coaches. If you’re around young people they’re watching you and learning from you whether you want them to or not.”

Tough TransitionThe welcome addition

of Pankey came at about the same time as the tragic

subtraction of longtime B e n t o n coach Mark Harben. The linebackers’ c o a c h unexpectedly passed away on June 19, 2010, at the Rangers annual camp in Rantoul.

Pankey did not travel with the team to the camp, but was there for the Rangers when they returned home with heavy hearts. “I just tried to give them all encouragement,” he said. “I just wanted to help them through it and help them know how to react. I told them it was OK to grieve and to respond however they responded.

“I was really careful last year to not make it seem like I was replacing coach Harben, because you can’t replace coach Harben. I was just coming in as an additional person to coach football and be support for the boys at any point and time.”

Clodfelder did his part to assure his

players, too, a s s u m i n g H a r b e n ’ s duties as

linebackers’ coach and asserting Pankey’s job as Doc Simpson’s assistant defensive line coach. Still, some players found it to be an uncomfortable situation. “I knew him because he is my pastor,” said senior wide receiver/defensive back Eric Price. “But I know to some of the guys it felt like he was replacing coach Harben. But it didn’t take long for everybody to warm up to him.”

“I’ll be honest. I didn’t really want him at first,” said junior lineman Shane Bettenhausen. “I wanted coach Harben. Now I go to him probably more than anybody else for anything. He’s my coach.”

After working for a year under Simpson and spending the offseason helping rebuild Benton’s defensive philosophy from the

ground up, Pankey now feels that the transition is complete.

“I learned a lot from Doc Simpson. Not just about football,” Pankey said, “but about being around the boys and how to do your thing. He was a really big influence on me.”

“He’s done a tremendous job,” Clodfelder said. “He’s taken over the defensive line. It’s his. I give him full reign.”

Melding Faith and FootballPankey coordinates Thursday night

pre-game meals for the Rangers at various churches throughout Benton. Eating at different churches each week helps players and coaches connect with a large group of community members. That fits right in with Pankey’s overall philosophy on faith.

“I try to be an example and let my faith show in the way I live my day-to-day life,” he said. “Whether it’s coaching on the football field, let your faith show. Whether it’s walking through the halls of Benton High School let your faith show. Whether it’s doing something at the church Sunday morning, let your faith show.”

Pankey said although faith and football work well together, he is careful not to

“Most of them view me as just another football coach. I take the approach, whether you have the designation or not, we’re all character coaches. If you’re around young people they’re watching you and learning from you whether you want them to or not.”

– Bob Pankey, Benton defensive coach –



overstep his boundaries. “We’ve tried really hard to not push the faith aspect of things off on the kids … I’ve never tried to shove that in anybody’s face or be over the top with anything like that. They all know what I do for a living.

“I have had kids come up to me that would say, ‘coach, I’ve got an issue going on in my life …would you pray for me.’ And I do. I would do that for somebody who walked up to me in Wal-Mart. But then I know that there are also probably some kids who aren’t interested in the faith aspect of things.”

Benton’s players appreciate Pankey’s faith and say that he does a good job of balancing his religion and his duties as football coach. They feel comfortable approaching him for issues that may arise, football-related or not.

“He’s patient with you and makes sure that you know what you’re doing,” said senior lineman Colt Dugger. “He doesn’t just get mad and keep going. He stays and waits with you.”

“He’s a laid back guy, but he’s a coach at the same token,” Price added. “He handles things in a Christian manner.”

So can this patient and laid back pastor yell if he has to?

“Oh yeah, I love the intensity part of football,” Pankey said. “I think the players know what to expect and what not to expect from me as far as how I respond in certain situations. It hasn’t been an issue at all in terms of getting them geared up and having their respect. I haven’t felt like they think I’m soft.”

Pankey has lent his ear to many people dealing with painstaking problems and challenging circumstances. He officiates funerals. He understands that there are more important things in life than football – a message he constantly shares with his players.

“I try to use illustrations of life to help make sense of things on the football field,” Pankey said. “I told them this last year, life’s not all about football, but football is all about life. There’s a whole lot you can learn here that translates to all aspects of life.”

Joe Szynkowski is a freelance writer for SISC. He can be reached at [email protected].

“I try to use illustrations of life to help make sense of things on the football field. I told them this last year, life’s not all about football, but football is all about life. There’s a whole lot you can learn here that translates to all aspects of life.”

– Bob Pankey, Benton defensive coach –


No Quit

Benton senior Lindsay Hathcoat brings leadership and intensity to the Benton Rangerettes volleyball team


FEATURE FEATURE

By Joe Szynkowski

Shining with sweat and red in the face, Lindsay Hathcoat just won’t quit. It is an unusually

humid September day and Benton’s east gymnasium is holding the heat well. One corner of the gym features a water fountain. Another hosts an industrial-sized floor fan. Both corners are popular today. “This is conditioning day!” yells out longtime Rangerettes volleyball coach Tony Phelps.

He’s not kidding. Hathcoat fronts every line

of hitting drills and leads every lap of sideline-to-sideline runs. That intensity and leadership is what makes the Benton senior outside hitter arguably Southern Illinois’ most talented volleyball player.

“I remember seeing her in sixth grade over in Akin school. I was thinking this kid has got talent,” said Phelps, who has seen plenty of skilled volleyball players over his combined 25 years of coaching. “I had no idea she would become the player she has become. As far as all-around player, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better one.”

Hathcoat is the Rangerettes’ leader on a team featuring six seniors, albeit seniors who boasted little varsity experience entering this season. As juniors last fall, they watched from the bench as a group of seven seniors led by Sydney Potts put together the best season in school history. The Rangerettes finished 37-3, winning 32 matches in a row before being bounced in the Class 2A super-sectionals.

Benton picked up where it left off at the beginning of this season. The Rangerettes

tallied a n

impressive 9-0 record

entering their annual Rangerette Classic in mid-September.

So can Benton really be better? “I want to believe that we can top last

year,” Hathcoat said. “We set our goals high. What’s the fun in setting your goals low? At least early on, I think we’ve proven we can beat good teams. It would be great to top last season and make my senior year awesome.”

Hathcoat and the Rangerettes sure put in long hours on the front end of this season. Benton worked nearly two weeks more than they usually do in the summer, traveling to tournaments in Springfield and Fairfield and participating in a six-week league in Salem. In all, the Rangerettes

played about 25 matches on top of their Tuesday-Thursday morning workouts in Benton.

“You don’t know if it helps or not but we knew we were losing seven seniors and probably needed the extra work,” Phelps said. “I think we did the right thing. But the quick start doesn’t mean much if you can’t maintain it.”

Phelps is careful not to compare this year’s team to last season’s squad, although the 2011 Rangerettes have already done something special. They won the Southern Illinois River to River conference volleyball tournament in Herrin, becoming the first Benton team to do so since 2003. A conference championship at the end of the season would mark the first time in history a Benton team won the SIRR tournament and conference title.

“Last year’s team set a pretty ridiculous bar,” Phelps said. “We checked around

“I remember seeing her in sixth grade over in Akin school. I was thinking this kid has got talent. I had no idea she would become the player she has become. As far as all-around player, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better one.”

– Benton volleyball coach Tony Phelps –


and 37-3 is the best record by any team in Southern Illinois history … that’s unrealistic to think we’re going to do that again.

“We need to get past 20 wins and we’ll go from there. I do think this team can get in the mid-20s and maybe even the 30-mark, but we have to stay focused and see where the season takes us.”

Phelps leans on his senior group of Hathcoat, Hayley Webb, Kirsten Cairel, Macy Shurtz, Abigail Bennett and Emily Tate. Junior Morgan Corn and sophomore Christy Hayden have also given the Rangerettes some spark. Hathcoat has utilized her varsity experience to teach her teammates the importance of playing together as a team.

“She is pretty much an all-around great player,” said Bennett, Benton’s senior middle hitter. “She’s really good at motivating her teammates if we get down. That’s the biggest thing with her.”

“She’s a hard worker and she really cares about the game,” echoed senior setter Webb. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. Every match is important to her.”

Aside from her soaring vertical jump, precision passing and powerful striking, Hathcoat also features a dynamic jump serve. The ball explodes off her hand and follows a baffling topspin trajectory over the net, where it usually finds the hardwood.

“It’s a very high-skill serve and most girls are not physically strong enough to do that,” Phelps said. “It really confuses people. Our JV kids see it every day and they can’t handle it.”

Neither could many teams last season, during which Hathcoat delivered 43 aces with the jump serve. She also finished with 245 kills and a team-high 444 digs. The senior played club volleyball and worked out with teammates this winter in an effort to surpass those impressive numbers.

“She works as hard or harder than anybody,” Phelps said. “There will be a loose ball on the floor and you’ll see her diving on the floor. If other people see that, they’ll do the same thing. She’s vocal in practice and she loves the game.”

At the end of practice on that hot, muggy day, Phelps leads his team through a running drill. Once the seniors finish their final run, they head for the corner of the gym with the water fountain, then the corner with the fan. All of the girls sit to catch their breath – all but one.

Hathcoat stands. “Her leadership is really critical and

she has really dedicated herself to become the player she is,” Phelps said. “That, along with her natural ability has made the difference. We need her to stay healthy. As Lindsay Hathcoat goes, so shall the Rangerettes go.”

Joe Szynkowski is a freelance writer for SISC. He can be reached at [email protected].

LINDSAY HATHCOAT’S 2010 STATS

245 kills444 digs

43 jump serve aces

BENTON’S RECENT SIRR CHAMPIONSHIPS

2010200220012000

BENTON’S RECENT REGIONAL TITLES

20102009200620052004200320022001

“I want to believe that we can top last year. We set our goals high. What’s the fun in setting your goals low? At least early on, I think we’ve proven we can beat good teams. It would be great to top last season and make my senior year awesome.”

– Lindsay Hathcoat –



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Logan College Fall Classic. The team is made up of sophomores Annie Borowiak (Nashville), Laura Fleri (Mt. Vernon), Sammie Quisenberry (Marion, Ky.), Chelsea Steele (McLeansboro), Hannah Thompson (Jackson, Mo.), Samantha Watkins (Johnston City), Katelyn Weaver (Carmi), Misty Webster (Thompsonville) and Corinne Wildeman (Mt. Vernon, Ind.); and freshmen Kendyl Ahrens (Poseyville, Ind.), Taylor Cicardi (Pinckneyville), Emily Cripps (Herrin), Samantha Hicks (Elkville), Kelsey Mobley (Carmi), Taylor Thomas (Arcola), Molly Whaley (Benton) and Erica Wilson (O’Fallon).

Coach Tony Etnier has his baseball team set for another season at The Lake. The sophomore class includes Jordan Chamness (Anna), Steve Draper (Alto Pass), Andrew Edwards (Gilbertsville, Ky.), Jordan Fortner (Decatur), Greg Guest (Nashville), Garrett Hunt (Benton, Ky.), Nolan Ray (Evansville, Ind.) and Reggie Young (Louisville). Freshmen this year are Nick Andros (Goreville), Jarrett Bednar (Decatur), Brad Bozic (West Frankfort), Garrett Breeding (DuQuoin), Ty Broady (Greenville, Ky.), Matt Bunselmeyer (Rockwood), Tirey Burch (Santa Claus, Ind.), Justin Busekrus (O’Fallon), Aaron Choate (Mt. Vernon, Ind.), Ethan Collins (Evansville, Ind.), Brian Deaton (Mt. Vernon), Blake Deaton (Mt. Vernon), Frank Dreslinski (Milford, Mich.), Brian Ekiss (Decatur), Cory Farrow (Elizabethtown, Ky.), Dontae Gabriel (Toledo, Ohio), Brandon George (DuQuoin), Zac Henry (Metropolis), Dylan Hutson (Crab Orchard), Sam Laha (Louisville), Dalton Mellott (Owensboro, Ky.), Jason O’Brien (Emden), Alex Posey (Cary), Adam Tarantino (Paducah, Ky.) and Dawson Verhines (Woodlawn).

For all things athletic at The Lake, visit

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Florentina Glodde (Celebration, Fla.), Taylor Koeller (Marissa), Shian Poole (Mt. Vernon) and Lexi Shoemaker (Mt. Vernon).

Tennis, under coach Dave Junkins, took second at its first outing this fall – the Dorothy McClure Invitational at Millikin University. The team this year is well-balanced with returning sophomores Chelsea Cross (Belle Rive), Chelsea Flatt (Benton) and Kylie Pickel (Mt. Vernon); and first-year players Allison Reed (Mt. Vernon), Shaelynn Tice Belle Rive) and Alyssa Williams (Benton).

Sara Crews’ volleyball team started its season with a 3-1 win over Southwestern Illinois College. Volleyball at The Lake is made up of sophomores Jessica Engel (Troy), Amber Mocaby (Pittsburg), Jilissa Payne (Whittington), Mackenzie Newman (Nashville), Ashley Slack (Sesser), Chelsey Hafford (Hoyleton), Megan Wren (Harrisburg) and Morgan Waters (Marion). Newcomers include Bethany Hensley (Salem), Breanne Pelker (Scheller) and Kourtney Heggemeier, Jennifer Moeller and Melanie Rhine, all of Nashville.

Softball, under longtime head coach Dave Ellingsworth, started its fall season at the Sept. 2 John A.

RLC Report By Nathan Wheeler

Rend Lake College teams are back in action with returning sophomores and newcomers

to The Lake. Right now golf, tennis and volleyball are playing, and baseball and softball have kicked off their fall campaigns.

First-year men’s golf head coach Lucas Cromeenes has already had success. The team shot a 594 to take first over John A. Logan College at the RLC Fall Preview Invitational in West Frankfort. It was The Lake’s first outing. RLC’s Josh Harp (Benton) took third and Zach Holland (Maryville) came in fifth. This year’s RLC team consists of returning sophomores Harp, Holland, Logan Murphy (Mt. Vernon), Jared Paddick (Mt. Carmel) and Sam Waters (Valier); and newcomers Patrick Heller (Ina), Dalton Shockley (Metropolis) and sophomore Dylan Smith (Keenes).

Women’s Golf, coached by Cindy Corn in her 12th season, took first at its invitational as well. The Lake dominated its competition, winning by 51 strokes with golfers placing in the top four spots on the all-tournament team. The team this year is made up of returning sophomores Hannah Gill (Carterville), Keeghan May (Nashville) and Gabbi Schuerman (Decatur); and newcomers

Warriors athletics back in action

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Tomlinson III (University of Florida golfer) play in the PGA and NASCAR fan Mark Strange wants to win at Batesville.

I have trouble believing that Wingo, Stalker and ZR’s Adam Rosoho (on his list is for me to spell his name correctly) wants to sky dive.

My favorite, Hamilton county Ag teacher C.R. Sloan wants to “make a difference in a kid’s life”

Some of these are “way out there” and you think will never be achieved, but Monty Clark wrote on his list, “a hole-in-one” and one week to the day later he got his hole-in-one at Stardust on No. 5.

Maybe mine will come true also?

From Wheel’s Garage By Tom Wheeler

At last months Big Bear golf tournament for my Dad we had a survey with the question “What

is on your bucket list?” We had some great responses, here are a few:

My list was simple, take my grandsons

to a Final Four, work a Saluki basketball game with Mike Reis and speak at Hamilton County’s graduation in 2012. (There are 50 reasons I want to do this.)

These lists tell something about each

golfer’s interests, let me explain. Jay Bernhardt, Larry Bowman, Herrin coach Jason Karnes, John Koechner, Randy Smith and his son Craig, Bobby Rushing, and David Russell, all want to play Augusta or at least watch the Masters. ZR coach Cody Wingo and “Slick” Woods wants to play at St. Andrews.

Cubs fan Gary Pop, Benton pro Johnny Jones and ex-McKendree lefty David Stalker all want to win the Lotto. While Marion football coach Dean Schulmeisters wants to win a state championship (5A) as does Herrin football coach Dwayne Summers. While basketball coaches Jason Hobbs, Benton and his brother Kyle, Christopher Junior High, want to take the little Hobbs kids to a University of

‘The Bucket List’Kentucky game. Thompsonville coach Brock Harris wants to see Duke play UNC in Cameron as does Bobby Rushing. Pope County baseball coach Dave Roberts wants to visit Cooperstown

Junior High coaches Mark Dyel, Benton and ZR’s Russell wants to meet a president while Herrin athletic director Mike Mooneyham wants to visit Normandy Beach.

I hope some of these guys accomplish their lists including CZR football coach Mike Fletcher who wants to run with the bulls in Spain, Pinckneyville coach Tod Rushing who wants to visit the Holy Land with his wife and inimitable golfer Robin Dodson who wants to sail around South America after he hunts and fishes in Alaska.

Softball coach Keenan Clark wants to watch his twins Elsie and Olin grow up, Stardust Golf course pro David Mc Neal wants to watch his grandson J. D.


QQ

Q

QAsk the ADBy Mario Moccia

I heard that Coach Lennon would like to see the SEMO football game become a trophy game where the winner is awarded a traveling trophy. Has this idea been seriously considered and what, if any, was the response from SEMO athletics?

At one point, we were working with the SEMO Department of Athletics to attempt to secure a title sponsor for this type of event. Our goal was to make it an all-encompassing trophy where points would be awarded for each athletic contest between the two schools and a winner being presented with the trophy after the last competition. Since we play SEMO in virtually every sport, the only hurdle was to make sure all the sports secured scheduling agreements with SEMO and that our multi-media rights partner, Saluki Sports Properties along with the SEMO athletic department sold the sponsorship. At the present time, a title sponsor has not been secured, but I know our multi-media rights team continues to work on this since it is something we would all like to see happen.

Is there any way to make the weekly coach’s TV show available online? The Coach’s show is produced by WSIL-TV and they have not streamed

the show on their website in the past. Our Media Services Director, Tom Weber, is looking into the possibility of getting a copy of the show in a format that could be streamed from our site.

Are there any plans to place flags representing the MVFC members around Saluki Stadium? Perhaps adding these at the top of the fence which encompasses the stadium would add a nice touch? Also, has all of the landscaping been completed around the new stadium, including adding more trees to the south area of the stadium?

I agree that flags around the top of the stadium would be a tremendous visual addition to Saluki Stadium on game day. We could do the other MVFC schools, all Saluki flags, and the American flag on Military Appreciation Day. We have looked into this with 360 architecture and principal designer and partner John Eyler estimates the cost at approximately $10,000 to do the league schools and $20,000 if we wanted to do the Saluki or American flags. Like many other add-ons considered during the Saluki Way construction process, we eliminated many “wants” in favor of “needs” and this unfortunately fell into the want category. I would like to pursue a sponsor or a new revenue stream to fund this project as it was something we wanted to do from the beginning.

All the landscaping has been completed around the stadium and much like the flags, we attempted to stay within a budget. I believe when the trees and other green spaces mature it will make the stadium look that much more “complete” in a few years, and if we find that we have some bare spots we can always add a few trees here and there.

I felt last Saturday’s Saluki Fan Fest at Saluki Stadium was a great event for kids and adults to have a chance to interact with both the football players and the coaches/staff. Will this event be reconsidered for next season and if so, has there been any talk about adding any further activities as well as publicizing this event even greater?

I am glad you and your family enjoyed the event. We are certainly considering having this as an annual event and potentially including other sports as well, such as basketball. A host of factors need to be considered in the future, including the start of high school football season and the timing of our own end of fall camp scrimmage. I talked with Coach Lennon about potentially scrapping the whole fall scrimmage and holding a Fan Fest on the Thursday before high school football, and he seemed open to it. Since we received late notice of the scrimmage cancellation this year, we weren’t able to spread the word as effectively, but we were able to utilize our website, our social media components (Saluki Athletics on Facebook & @SIUSalukis on Twitter) as well as radio spots during the week. In future years, we will use print, radio and more word of mouth with an earlier notice to ensure that kids and families from all over southern Illinois can participate.


Boats, HousesHorses, Roosters

What do YOU have to trade?

We trade for ANYTHING!

Go ahead, test us!


Murf’s Turf

than any other player gets? What about Lance Berkman and Chris Carpenter? There is only so much money to go around and they have already given a huge chunk of that to Matt Holiday. Cards GM John Mozeliak has already

stated the team will pick-up the two year $21 million dollar option on Adam Wainwright barring some unforeseen complications in his return from ligament replacement surgery in February. Berkman has hinted he might come back with another one year contract or might retire after the season. At his age and stage of his career, is Rafael Furcal just a rented Cardinal for a few more weeks? Where does

Edwin Jackson fit in? I can’t think of a season that has

had so much drama wrapped up in it as Cardinal baseball prepares to shut down for the year. I will be interested to see what happens, but like I said, football season is here and after all, my favorite team’s only play once a week. Talk about some drama!

Lets Meet Here Next Time

time for a change. I also hear that a lot from other Cardinal fans. I respect Tony LaRussa but I don’t like him and I think he over manages certain game situations. Situations that Tony have blow up, such as the removal of Chris

Carpenter last in a game in late August that the Red Birds went on to lose, immediately come to mind. There were boos in Busch Stadium this year. I think a majority of the fans would welcome a change.

However, there are fans that stand steadfast. A colleague recently chided me for giving up on the Cardinals season in late August. I told him the Brewers were just too good, their lead was just too big, and anyway, football season was here. I was secretly envious because he still had that youthful enthusiasm that I have lost over the course of my sports lifetime.

Should the Cards make big changes? Attendance is down almost three thousand per game. Should they pony up and offer Pujols more money

As the St. Louis Cardinals’ season draws to a close most will agree that it has been an

unusual year. The surprising rebirth of Lance Berkman, the countless injuries the Red Birds have had to overcome, and the underlying current of the ‘Pujols Situation’ have made it one of the most unique in Red Bird history. At times, during these past few weeks, I thought it would be appropriate to replace the birds on the bat of the Card’s logo with questions marks on the bat.

Next years club could have a radically different look from top to bottom and I have even heard rumors floating across the mighty Mississippi that the Cardinals might be sold by this time next year.

Of course the big questions will be, and has been all through the season, will Albert Pujols be a Cardinal next year? Honestly, I am still on the fence and I guess I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Deep down I think there is something that will make him stay but the cynic in me is strong as I creep toward senility.

What about Tony LaRussa? Will LaGenius come back? Will he wait and see what Pujols does? If Tony does return, does his long-time friend and pitching coach Dave Duncan? Personal opinion interjected again, I think it’s

End of an Era. . .or the Beginning of a New Look

By Mike Murphy


Bigger numbers from a bigger area and two fun-filled days of bicycling in Williamson County make the second annual event a huge success

Photos & Story by Ceasar Maragni

Bicyclists from 11 states helped make the second annual Great Egyptian Omnium a big success this summer and race organizers and planners are already busy making plans for next year’s event.

The first Great Egyptian Omnium was held in Marion last year and attracted 125 riders from throughout Illinois and neighboring states. The 2011 version featured two fun-filled days of racing with the Saturday races beginning and ending in Creal Springs while the Sunday events were held at John A. Logan College. This year’s races attracted 157 riders to the weekend of racing.

Williamson County Tourism Bureau Executive Director Shannon Johnson said she was thrilled with the turnout this year and that most riders were happy with the scenic course layout.

“We decided to try using Creal Springs for the first day and John A. Logan College for the

second day this year and the feedback from the change has been very positive,” Johnson said. “We picked Creal Springs for more scenery, showcasing another section of Southern Illinois, and we felt that the John A. Logan College campus was a lot more spectator friendly.”

That seemed to be good planning as participants such as Andy Czarnecki of St. Louis said afterward, “I raced in all of the weekend events and I had a great time and will definitely be back next year.”

Photo Feature

Jaime Guzman pins her race number onthe back of daughter Fernanda Guzman. Fernanda, 16, said that this was her firstyear of racing. The Guzmans are from upstate Momence.

A father and son duo hang out in the shade of the Creal Springs City Park shelter prior to their individual races.


Eduardo Nieuwenhuyven, St. Louis, fine tunes the rear wheel of his bicycle prior to his race.

Williamson County Tourism Bureau Executive Director Shannon Johnson, left, answered questions at Saturday’s race headquarters at Creal Springs City Park.

Racing through the scenic southern Illinois countryside was part of the appeal of the Greater Egyptian Omnium.

A pair of participants carry spare

tires and rims to the staging area in downtown Creal Springs.


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Tyson’s lap top so he could follow the Cardinals when he left the hospital and entered special therapy where there were no televisions.

Wade said “In fact Mark called last week to check on Tyson and said Skip was wondering when we were coming to a game.”

I asked Tyson how he was doing and he pointed to the baseball field, “I just want to get out on the field, to get on the basketball court.” As he talked his eyes sparkled and his familiar grin was there when I kidded him that he couldn’t shoot anyway. He answered, “maybe not, but I can pass it and hustle on defense.”

Now when you watch your athlete play, when they miss a putt or miss a tackle, strike out or serve one out of bounds, just remember what the Tyson Kretz family has went thru for the past six months. Keep your priorities in line because no one knows what tomorrow will bring.

Thank you Tyson for being so strong and this Ol’ Coach will be there when you suit up for the Tornadoes next year.

occasions he were told to “get your family here quick, Tyson isn’t going to make it.” Wade had just lost his dad Tom after a courageous battle with cancer just a couple years before and now his son was so sick.

Wade and Tyson’s mom Deanna Freeman-Morris never left his side. Support from family and friends were overwhelming. The family also found out how big the hearts of the Southern Illinois community was. Over 1,400 “Team Tyson” T-shirts were sold. Go to any community in the south and you will see, on the old or the young, a Tyson T shirt. The Elks Clubs of Southern Illinois really stepped up as did many, many people who helped raise money for Tyson and his family in a very complex time.

Jim Edmonds of the St.Louis Cardinals stopped by to meet Tyson, Red Bird teammate Skip Schumaker became a regular visitor and promised Wade that he would have Tyson, Isaac and Wade to a game to watch batting practice and hang out in the Cardinal dugout before a game. PR man Mark Taylor put a Cardinal website on

I watched Wade Kretz walk up to the junior high baseball game to watch his son Isaac McPhail

play. He was carrying his precious young daughter Kaylee Jo. Next to him was his very active son Aiden and then rambling behind was his 12-year-old son Tyson.

As I watched Tyson walk up I could only think, with tears in my eyes, here comes a walking miracle.

If you don’t know about Tyson and “Team Tyson” let me explain.

Last year Tyson was a sixth-grader in Zeigler-Royalton, like his father Wade, he was an all around athlete. On January 31 of this year Tyson was rushed to St. Louis Cardinal Glennon Hospital. He had been running a fever and had a case of strep throat but nothing out of the ordinary for a youngster of his age. It was first thought he had some kind of viral infection but then the seizures started, and they wouldn’t stop. Admitted on a Monday he was put in a self-induced coma on Wednesday.

Tyson was in this coma for 81 days and Wade remembers on at least two

Team TysonTyson Kretz ‘wins’ the biggest game of his young life and is looking forward to athletic competition again

By Tom Wheeler From Where I Sit


FEATURE

Family and friends react when the ‘Tyson Caravan’ makes its way to the Circle in Zeigler.

More than 1,400 Tyson T-Shirts were sold throughout Southern Illinois

Tyson waves to family and friends.

Large crowds waiting for young Tyson to make his arrival from Cardinal-Glennon Children’s Hospital.

Column continued. . .


MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH7:15PM

RENT ONE PARK | MARION, IL

A big wave from Tyson to the welcoming crowd.

Tyson (right) and his brother Isaac McPhail



Sports are a great way for teens to stay physically fit while learning important life skills. But, sports also putthese young athletes at risk of injury, especially concussions. A recent study found that 47 percent of highschool football players suffered a concussion each season, according to statistics gathered by the NationalCenter for Injury Prevention.

What is a concussion?A concussion is a brain injury. Concussions are caused by a bump, blow, or joltto the head or body. Even a “ding,” “getting your bell rung,” or what seems to bea mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.

What are the signs and symptoms?You can’t see a concussion. Signs and symptoms of concussion can show up

right after the injury or may not appear or be noticed until days after the injury. If an athlete reports one or moresymptoms of concussion listed below, or if you notice the symptoms yourself, keep the athlete out of play andseek medical attention right away.

Signs Observed byFamily/Friends/Coaches

Symptoms Reported by Athlete

• Appears dazed or stunned• Is confused about assignment or position• Forgets an instruction• Is unsure of game, score, or opponent• Moves clumsily• Answers questions slowly• Loses consciousness (even briefly)• Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes• Can’t recall events prior to hit or fall• Can’t recall events after hit or fall

• Headache or “pressure” in head• Nausea or vomiting• Balance problems or dizziness• Double or blurry vision• Sensitivity to light or noise• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy or groggy• Concentration or memory problems• Confusion• Just not “feeling right” or is “feeling down”

How to prevent a concussionEvery sport is different, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself.• Use the proper sports equipment, including personal protective equipment. In

order for equipment to protect you, it must be:o The right equipment for the game, position, or activityo Worn correctly and the correct size and fito Used every time you play or practice

• Follow your coach’s rules for safety and the rules of the sport.• Practice good sportsmanship at all times.

Head injuries are very serious, please seek medical attentionimmediately.

If you have any further questions about concussions or other sports related injuries, you can contactone of the certified Athletic Trainers of NovaCare Rehabilitation at 618-216-2583!

Information provided by the U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, Centers For Disease Controland Prevention. For more information, visit: www.cdc.gov/Concussion


Physical Therapy Needed.You don’t think about physical therapy… until you need it! When you do, think

NovaCare Rehabilitation first. Our experienced clinical team will create an

individualized treatment plan that will help reduce pain and prevent re-injury

while achieving each patient’s specific goals. Whether you’re a student athlete,

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The Numbers Tell the StoryYou have in your hand, on your hip or in your handbag the most valuable four inches of real estate in the world today. It is your mobile phone. And you carry it with you wherever you go. What makes it so valuable? It has your eyes and your attention. You might spend your idle time playing games or texting your friends. It is like television used to be... nearly everyone has one and uses it every day.

Here are 10 facts:

1. You along with about 4.1 billion people worldwide have a mobile phone.

2. An amazing 86% of all Americans own a mobile phone.

3. An astounding 68.7% of all cell phone users are considered frequent text users (mostly the young).

4. Text messages are OPENED 97% of the time. Compare that to bulk e-mail rates which is opened only 20 percent of the time.

5. Within the first hour, 83% of all text messages are opened.

6. In the USA last year, 1.56 trillion text messages were sent. That has tripled since 2007.

7. Every second 52,082 text messages are sent.

8. Mobile phones are now the gateway for businesses to connect with customers.

9. Customers choose what information they want to receive and when they want to receive it.

10. Smart businesses have begun using mobile media marketing as part of their marketing plans, both for prospecting new customers and for rewarding their existing customers.

september 2011

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