Entertainment - Calendar

EACH WEEK ON THIS PAGE GERRY DAVIDSON CENTURY 21 PRESTIGE WILL SALUTE THE METRO-EAST ATHLETES/TEAMS OF THE WEEK. THE ATHLETE OR TEAMS MUST BE FROM ST. CLAIR, MADISON, CLINTON OR MONROE COUNTIES OR COMPETE IN THOSE COUNTIES. TO NOMINATE AN ATHLETE OR TEAM EMAIL THE NOMINEE'S NAME TO jmay131313@msn.com

It's great to be able to once again update our pages 1/18/08

JANUARY 22, 2008

TALK ABOUT BEING IN A ZONE

RED BUD SENIOR BRANDON KUNKEL DRAINED 7 0F 19 FROM THREE POINT LAND WHILE RACKING UP 44 POINTS IN A 65-63 WIN OVER A VERY GOOD TRICO TEAM. BRANDON HAS HAD GAMES OF 42 AGAINST CARLYLE AND 31 AGAINST DuQUOIN ON ON WEDNESDAY. HE AVERAGES 24 POINTS A GAME. RED BUD IS 11-10.

1/18/08...ST. LOUIS UNVERSITYH'S TOMMIE LIDDELL (EAST SIDE) DROPPED 22 ON NUMBER 23 RHODE ISLAND IN THE BILL'S 68-61.

OUR ATHLETE OF THE DAY IS 11/07/07 IS ALTHOFF'S SENIOR SETTER lAUREN STUCKEL. SHE WAS FEATURED IN TODAYDS NEWS-DEMOCRAT. SHE HAS HELPED PROPEL THE CRUSADERS INTO THE FINAL FOUR OF THE IHSA GIRL'S 3A VOLLEYBALL STATE TOURNAMENT. ND'S ROD KLOECKNER POINTED OUT THAT THE 5-FOOT-10 SETTER HAS 752 ASSISTS AND OVER 100 KILLS. SHE HAS A 3.1 GRADE AVERAGE OUT OF A POSSIBLE 4.0 AND WILL PLAY COLLEGE BALL AT WESTERN KENTUCKY. ROD ALSO WROTE THAT LAUREN DOES 200 SHORT SETS A DAYAND 50 HIGHER ONES. CONGRATS TO LAUREN STUCKEL.

The following is for a month period of 6/18/07 to 7/17/07

ALTHOFF GOES FOR NATIONAL SEVEN-ON-SEVEN TITLE

How about the Althoff Seven-on-Seven football team. They won the Notre Dame High School Seven-on-Seven tournament at South Bend. They are in California this week paricipating in the National Finals. We will have interviews as well as updates as they go go the National Title.

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 6/17/07

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13 AND THURSDAY JUNE 14

FLANAGAN CONTINUES TO IMPRESS ALL

Belleville Hilgard (4-1) left-hander John Flanagan struck-out 13 in pitching them to a 7-3 win over Waterloo in an American Legion game last night. He was drafted in the 30th round of by the Chicago White Sox. He will meet with them today. It has been reported he will turn down $80,000 because he wants $100,000 to sign otherwise he will play college ball at Panola Junior College in Texas. We wish the best to John in whatever direction he heads. Information came from the ND.

CLYDE YOUNG NAMED PD BOY'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has named Cahokia's Clyde Young their Boy's Track Athlete of the year. Cyde led the Commances to their second straight IHSA State Championship. He was second in the long jump going 22 feet, 9 1/2 iances, He was sixth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.62, In adtion was on the 400-meter relay team which fashioned a 42.03 good for a third-place finish and also ran on the 880 meter relaly team which won state flying to a time of 1:25.98. Mr. Young will continue his career and education at Mississippi State. Information came from the PD

FLYERS' KIZER SELECTED TO THE PD ALL-METRO TRACK AND FIELD FIRST TEAM

An electrifying perfomance at the IHSA State Finals helped vault East St. Louis Senior Artavious Kizer to a spot on the Post-Dispatch Boy's Track and Field All-Metro First Team. Artavious going into the state finals had the state's third fastest time in the 300 hurdles but did not run the event in the state finals. But he did run14.08 in the 110 hurdles, He WON the 400 meter dash in 47.31 and ran on the second place 400 relay squad in which ran a 41.58. The Flyer speedster wan't through he also ran on the team's record-seting 1,600 relay quartet in 3:13.66. Wow what a performance when and where it counted. He's a Senior. we are not sure where he will attend college but someone is getting an outstanding athlete. Information came from the PD

TUESDAY JUNE 12

SIUE HIRES MIZZOU ASSITANT TO GUIDE WRESTLING PROGRAM INTO DIV. 1 ACTION

Patrick McNamara an assistant at Missouri is the new wrestling coach at SIUE. More?

CENTRAL BASEBALL COACH KURT PETERS RESGINED AS VARISTY BASEBALL COACH

The Belleville News-Democrat reported that Central baseball coach Kurt Peters has recently resigned in order to speend more time with his family. He will continue to coach boy's freahman basektball fro the Cougars. Peter's teams won three straight Class A regionals from 2004 to 2006.

WE SALUTE THE TRENTON LEGION BASEBALL TEAM ON WIN NUMBER 600

Trenton on a squeeze play deHATfeated Cisne on the road 2-1 to pick up win number 600 in their storied history. Long time area media member and most popular Pete Schumacher played a key role the development of the program. The current coach. Jason Sattefield has continued the tradition of exceptional coaches of Trenton's American Legion program.

HATS OFF TO AREA HOCKEY PLAYERS

Zach Fizer, (O'Fallon) Clayton Keller and Steven Pawlow (Swansea) along with Braden Stormer of Belleville are members of a Chestefield, Missouri team that won a championship at the prestigioius AAU Sarnia Bluewater Shark tournament in Ontario, Canada. Steven Pawlow is on the team with players born in 1999 the other three play on teams with players born in 1998. Former Blues players coach the teams.

Above information came from today's edition of the Belleville News-Democrat.

METRO-EAST HIGH SCHOOL TRACK STARS HONORED BY THE POST-DISPATCH

The Post-Dispatch announced their Girl's Track and Field All-Metro Team. Selected to the first team were Junior Ronecia Nash of East St.Loius. Ronecia won the Illinois State title in the 100 meters, (11.5) the 200 with a 24.86 and was a memeber of the championship 400 meter-relay squad. Senior Britney Allen of East St. Louis a Middle distance runner who help her team rack up points at the state meet, Senior Jennifer Palovcsik of Belleville won the state Class AA title in the high jump with a leap of 5-7 and finished fourth in the long jump going 18-2 and Jere Richardson of Cahokia gives the Metro-Eash half of the eight slots on the PD All-Metro Girls Track and Field first team. Jere, a junior, was third in the state 100-meter hurdles with a 14.35. She was ninth at state in the 300 meters and ran in the sixth place 400-meter relay as her team won it all in 2007.

MONDAY JUNE 11

JAY HAAS WINS AGAIN ON THE CHAMPIONS TOUR

Belleville West graduate Jay Haas a former Illinois State and NCAA (Wake Forest) champion won for the third time on the tour Sunday shooting a scorching 2-under 69 in the Principal Charity Classic giving him a three stroke win. The defending points leader is blowing away the field in the Champions Tour points race this year. Way to go Jay.

JASON FORD TO IOWA AS HE DECIDES EARLY

The News-Democrat reported today that Althoff's Jason Ford has made a verbal commitment to attend the University of Iowa to play football there next season. He is 6-foot-1 and weighs 215 pounds. Ford is a three year starter and is regarded as one of the best high school running backs in the country. His team this fall is a contender for the Illinois state football championship in its class. Althoff returns most of its key players from last year's playoff season.

WAY TO GO FLYERS!!!

East St. Louis won the SWIC high school boy's basketball tournament on the strength of freshman-to-be Keonte Minor's layup with 40 seconds to go to give the Flyers a lead they would not lose in a 55-51 win over the Missouri State defending 5A champions McCluer North.

Information for the above stories came from the Belleville News-Democrat

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 6/10/07

THE EDWARDSVILLE TIGER'S LADIES WRAP-UP FANTASTIC SEASON

The Edwardsville Tigers did an outstanding job of representing themselves, their school, their community and the area finishing third in the IHSA State Tournament Girl's Softball Tournament. They defeated Downers Grove South 5-4 in the third place game. They set a school record of 37-4 with the win.

TIGERS' GUY'S SEASON ENDS IN THE ELITE 8 ROUND OF PLAYOFFS

EDWARDSVILLE BOYS LOST ON FRIDAY TO NAPERVILLE NEUQUA VALLEY 7-4 IN THE IHSA QUARTERFINALS OF THE STATE CLASS AA BOY'S BASEBALL TOURNAMENT. THEY FINISH AN OUTSTANDING 34-6.

TIGER'S LADIES ADVANCE TO THE FINAL FOUR

THE EDWARDSVILE GIRLS ADVANCED TO THE FINAL FOUR OF THE IHSA CLASS AA GIRL'S SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENT AS THEY KNOCKED OFF OAK PARK-RIVER FOREST 1-0. A KEY PLAY FOR THE TIGERS WAS A GREAT THROW FROM JENNY GUELDNENER STANDING ON THE OUTFIELD GRASS TO CATCHER MICHELLE WEEMS TO NAIL THE RUNNER AT THE PLATE. THE RUNNER WAS TRYING TO SCORE FROM SECOND ON A HOPPER BETWEEN THIRD AND SHORT. EWARDSVILLE'S SYDNEY GREENWALT TWIRLED THE SHUT OUT. INFORMATION FROM THE NEWS-DEMOCRAT.

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 6/3/07

TIGERS SWEEP IHSA SUPER-SECTIONALS

Edwardsville nipped Belleville East in the Edwardsville IHSA Super-Sectional softball game today (6/4/07) 1-0. For state wide softball scores click here. Edwardsville blasted Chatham 10-0 in the Sauget IHSA Super-Sectional baseball championship game today. (6/4/07) For state wide scores click here.

GRANITE GIRLS ADVANCE TO THE FINAL FOUR AT IHSA SOCCER TOURNEY

GRANTIE CITY'S GIRL'S SOCCER SATURDAY, 6/2 TEAM WINS AT STATE ASHLEY STREID KNOCKED IN A LOOSE BALL GIVING THE WARRIORS A 2-1 WIN AS THEY ADVANCE TO THE FINAL FOUR WHERE THEY FINISHED THIRD IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT.

GREYHOUNDS FINISH SEASON IN THE IHSA ELITE 8

Lebanon wound up an outstanding season in a 3-0 loss at state to Rockridge in girl's Class A Softball.

THOMA'S MASSIVE TATOR SPARKS COLUMBIA'S COMEBACK

As Yogi used to say, "It's never over until it's over. The Columbia Eagles after a rain interrupted (from Saturday to Monday) contest was resumed and they had fallen farther behind, 7-2 , received a 385-foot blast over the fence in center field to erupt to a come from behind 11-7 victory over Hillsboro Monday in the IHSA Class A Carlinville Sectional championship game. The Eagles (30-5) will play Willliamsville (19-12) today at Blackburn College in Carlinville for the right to advance to the Class A finals.

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 5/26/07

WAY TO GO PATTY KLINGELHOEFER

For the third straight year Patty Klingelhoefer (O'Fallon) won the Knights of Columbus Free Throw State Championship. The champ of the 12 year old divison is the daughter of former Mascoutah and McKendree standout basketball player Rick Klingelhoefer. Her uncle Tommy played the point on one of Mascoutah's best teams. Her aunt Barbara is in the McKendree Hall-of-Fame (volleyball) Way to go Patty.

ALTHOFF WINS FIRST REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL CROWN

How about the Crusaders volleyball team? They were seeded 12th in the Blingbrook Sectional but upended the number five and four teams to win thier first volleyball regional. Althoff until this year was the only high school south of Chicago to have a volleyball team. They toughened up by playing the best teams from the St. Louis side of the river and competing in the powerful Brother Rice tournament. Rod Kloeckner pointed out in his article on the championship that the Crusaders had just two fans in the stands as they defeated the host shool having to travel 270 miles (one way trip.) Dylan Kinsella had 14 kills and Evan Neville collected 20 assists in the title affair. Althoff travels 275 miles Wednesday to Bolingbrook where they will play the top seed, Naperville North in a sectional semifinal.

COMANCHES EDGE NEIGHBORS EAST SIDE FOR STATE TRACK AND FIELD TITLE

Their school districts adjoin each other and they finished one-two in the IHSA State Track and Field Championship. More click here

MAROON'S MAKE IT TO THE FINALS AT IHSA STATE TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Brian Zaron and Nick Berger have made it to the Final Four of the IHSA Tennis State Tournament. They have racked up an impressive 35-1 recond this season. They wound up second in the state. For results. click here.

GIBAULT GIRLS FINISH SECOND AT STATE SOCCER FINALS

Gibault who won the IHSA Boy's State Soccer Class A Tournament fell one win short from winning the girl's Class A title. Though 9-10-2 for the season, going into the semifinals the Hawks almost won it all. Gibault played a very strong schedule and it payed off for them as they earned a second place trophy at state. More...click here.

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 5/19/07

RONESHIA BRILLIANT IN IHSA STATE TRACK & FIELD FINALS

Roneshia Nash won two first place individual medals and ahchored two first place relay teams in the state finals. The East St. Louis junior scored 40 of her team's 46 points. Going into the final event , the 1,600 relay, the Flyers led Barrington 46-45 but East Side didn't qualify for the event which Barrington won to capture the state crown 55-46. For results of area teams and athletes click here.

KAITLIN FIRES ANOTHER NO-NO

SIUE's Kaitlin Colosimo fired her second no-hitter in NCAA Divison 11 Softball Championship action in pitching the No. 5-rated Cougars to a two-hour rain delayed 4-0 win over second-ranked Lock Haven (51-4) 4-0. The Cougars play the title game at 10am on Monday 5/21/07.

MASCOUTAH GRADUATE HONORED

Mascoutah's Melanie Klinglehoefer has received two honors at Webster University. She was honored with the school's Inspiration Award and Oustanding Offensilve Award. Melanie, a four year starter set a school record in volleyball with 3,978 career assists in 414 games as her team went 77-39.

JOHN FLANNIGAN DOES IT AGAIN!!!

Belleville West ace John Flannigan who got the win over Edwardsville (a two-inning outing in the completion of a suspended game) the day before, came back with a 10-0 six inning performance in a key SWC win over always strong O'Fallon. In nine innnings of work in two days, John hurled a total of nine innings of shutout baseball. And it was against two of the top teams in the area. West is 10-2 in conference action and 22-4 overall. The Maroons are a win away from their first outright conference title since 2005. They have East St. Louis (0-14) and Granite City (15-12) left to play.

GRANITE CITY GOING FOR STATE TOURNAMENT TRIP HAT TRICK AS THEY ENTER POST-SEASON

The Warriors who have posted a 15-1-3 record have lost only to Neuqua Valley from the chicago area are looking for their third straight trip to the IHSA State Tournament. The girls have dominated their SWC opponents 65-13 in racking up a 7-0 conference mark...Thanks PD

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 5/12/07

SIUE LADIES TO THE NATIONAL FINALS

The Cougars advanced to the NCAA Division 11 Softball World Series. For details click here.

WEST ACE OUTSTANDING AGAIN

Belleville West's Cindy Bitters fired a one-hitter in pitching the Maroons to a 6-0 win over Highland. She struck out seven and walked no one. She also pitched the second game. Cindy picked up the 7-4 win in the second game hurling five innings, yielding no runs, three hits, striking out three and walking no one. In 12 innings, she gave up no runs, four hits, while striking out 10 and issuing no walks.

FLYERETTES QUALIFY 16 INDIVIUALS AND THREE RELAY TEAMS FOR STATE

The young East St. Louis girl's track team which placed third in the IHSA state meet last year has served notice they are ready for the 2007 championship as 16 individual and three relay teams qualified for this weekend's state finals.

LANCER FRESHMAN LEAPS 6-FEET, 5 INCHES IN SWC MEET

The Southwestern Conference boys track and field championship was again interrupted by the weather but it didn't stop Belleville East freshman sensation Daryl Rice from winning the high jump with a very impressive leap of 6-feet, 5 inches. The Flyers 400 relay team set a conference record with a blistering 41.3. East Side broak their own record of 41.7 set in 2003. Thanks ND.

LANCER SOFTBALL PLAYER 9-FOR-10 SO FOR THIS WEEK

Like Jerry Reed said his mega country hit, "When your hot...your hot." Belleville East second baseman Jessica Schaefer has blasted out nine hits in 10 trips to the plate so for this week. The Lancers have racked up a 19-4 record this season and are ranked number 22nd in the Class AA state Illinois Coaches Poll for this week. Thanks Steve Korte and the ND.

WAY TO GO TESSA GAVILSKY OF GRANTE CITY

Norm Sanders reports in the ND that sensational Granite Senior Tessa Gavilsky, an all-state soccer player as a junior, has been named the Gatorade and RISE magazine Illinois Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She is only the second girl south of Chicago to win the honor since its inception ten years ago. She is now a finalist for Gatorade National Girls Player of the Year. The winner will be announced later this month. Granite has a record of 16-1-3. Tessa is a 5-foot-8 midfielder who has drilled home 17 goals and added 16 assits so for this season. She will head to Stetson a Division 1 school in Dleand Flordia on a soccer scholarship.

FORMER BELLEVILLE EAST STAR RACKS UP RECORD

Kelsey Warning (Belleville East) now owns the single-season RBI record as she drove home three giving her 53 RBI for the year. She needs two RBI of the MVC's record of 55. Kelsey is hitting .304, through 54 games recording 15 home runs. Thanks ND.

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 5/5/07

BROOKE SMITH IS HAVING A FANTASTIC SEASON

Metro-East Lutheran's Brooke Smith leads the area in RBI with 34, with runs scored 30 and is tied for the lead in home runs with five. She is third in triples with five, tied for fourth in doubles with six. Brooke is is 9-4 with an ERA of 3.45.

WEST'S JOHN "NO-HIT" FLANNAGAN BRILLIANT AGAIN

The Maroons' standout left-handed pitcher fired a three-hit, six inning shutout in an 8-0 win over Belleville East. The game was called after six innings because of rain. John is now (5-0) and owns an 1.03 ERA. Teammates Tyler Muren and Mitch Mateck each collected three hits in the senior's win. West won its ninth straight game to go 7-2 in SWC play and 18-4 overall. The Lancers are now 3-5 in league play and 11-7 in total games played.

AMY'S OUTSTANDING IN LADY CAT'S WIN

Mckendree's Amy Quirn gave up just two hits and one run as the Cats belted Hanniball-LaGrange 11-1 in five innings.

RAIN CAUSED THE POSTPONTMENT OF MANY AREA SPORTS EVENTS FOR THE WEEK.

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 4/28/07

DIXON WINS HIS 584TH FEATURE BUT SALE IS RED HOT!

Ed Dixon racked up his career 584th Feature win a week ago at Belle-Clair Speedway sweeping the heat, dash and feature but Chris Sale may have tied an all-time record. He won the make-up feature which was postponed because of the length of the evening's racing program then proceded to win the Pure Stock heat, dash and featue events to give him four wins in four attempts for the night.

The UMP Modifieds produced one of the great finishes. Tom Ratajczyk came from the third spot to slip past Bobby Bittle and Brian Bielong to capture the feature win. Dean Hoffman was right there with the three at the start/finish line. The race featured side by side racing rhoughout. The UMP Sportsman Feature went to Mike Harris. They race again tonight.

TIGERS' SOPHOMORE LAUREN FRANCIS FLIRTS WITH PERFECT GAME

Lauren Francis was one out away from a perfect game over the Althoff Crusaders when the Crusaders' Melissa Pickerel reached base on an infield single. Francis faced just 22 batters, giving up one hit and striking out six. The Tigers won the game 5-0

JAY HAAS WINS LIBERTY MUTUAL LEGENDS OF GOLF

Belleville West High School graduate and former Illinois State HIgh School Golf Champion Jay Haas was trailing by four shots with eight holes to go but came back to win a playoff with Tom Kite and won the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf for his second championship this season in defending his title

COMANCHES BOUNCE BACK EARN REVENGE ON EAST SIDE

After losing to East St. Louis last week in the Al Joyner Relays the IHSA defending state champs Cahokia bounced back to tale the St. Clair County Boy's Relays by eight points over East St. Louis.

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 4/21/07

Edwardsville pitcher Sydney Greenwalt fired a no-hitter as the Tigers knocked off Collinsville 5-0. She walked just one hitter while striking out 13. A diving catch by teammate Amanda Rimkus helped preserve the no-no.

Wesclin catcher Justin Dunning belted three home runs and drove home seven runs in a 14-0, five-inning win over Dupo. Dunning is headed to Quincy College owned a .415 batting average of the game. The homers came with two on, one on and a solo shot. He now has four "tators" for the year. Wesclin ranked number one in the ND poll of small schools won their 10th game in a row to go 13-2.

Congratulations to Edwardsville's left-hander Justin Hampton. The left-hander ws called up to the San Diego Padres from Triple-A Portland. He also pitched at SWIC. He was 1-0 with an ERA of 1.50 in six games with the Portland club. He was up with Colorado last year in September of 2006 but was picked up on waivers by San Diego on October 11, 2006

The East St. Louis Flyer's Track team the 13th annual Al Joyner Relays with an impresive win over the IHSA defending state champions Cahokia. The meet was tied after 15 events but East side captured the 300 hurdles and didn't give up the hard earned lead. The two teams are considered to be two of the best high school track teams in the country.