Bugle Newspapers 6-23-21

JU ne 23, 20 2 1 Vol . 6 5 i ss U e 35

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state baseball > class 4a

East wins Class 4A state title by draKe sKleba For the bugle

When history looks back at the 2021 Plainfield East varsity baseball team, the only word that will be used to describe the improbable run to a state championship is ‘Amazing.’

A No. 13 in the Class 4A Crestwood Supersectional complex few, if any, thought the baseball world would witness what it did at 9:28 p.m. on Saturday, June 19 at DuPage Medical Group Field in Joliet.

Leading the 31-3 Lake Park Lancers 6-5 in the top of the seventh, Bengals closer, junior Christian Mitchelle strode to the mound in the top of the seventh of the IHSA Class 4A state championship game.

Mitchelle, who relieved senior starting and winning pitcher Gavin Schmitt (4-4) in the top of the sixth, quickly retired the first two Lancer batters in the seventh.

A two-out walk to Lake Park’s Max Baer set-up a battle to the end between Lake Park’s Nick Wolfe and Mitchelle.

Mitchelle quickly jumped ahead 0-2. Wolfe continued to foul off pitches and worked the count full.

On a 3-2 pitch, Wolfe hit a smash back to Mitchelle, who grabbed the ball and ran toward first base and flipped the ball to Bengal junior first baseman Bryce Atkin for the final out of the game.

The now 19-15 Plainfield East Bengals were the improbable 2021 IHSA Class 4A State Champions.

It was the first team IHSA state championship in Plainfield East High School athletic history.

“It was kind of my fault for allowing Wolfe to keep fouling off my pitches,” Mitchelle said.

“When I caught Wolfe’s smash, I kept telling myself, ‘do not throw it over Bryce’s head.’ We are Class

4A state champions. It feels so good,” Schmitt knows right where the state trophy is going – or so he thinks.

“We have a trophy case at East,” he said. “I think we do. If not, we will make one because this is going in there.”

The save was his second of the day for Mitchelle, who nailed down the save for sophomore southpaw Brady Louck (6-3) in East’s 5-3 Class 4A Semifinal win over Rockton Hononegah (26-4) on Saturday morning.

“I can say now that we have the best starting pitching rotation in the state with us three. I knew I could trust Christian for me,” Louck said. “I never feel like I have to go the full seven.”

The best way to help the pitching staff is getting a fast lead.

“We really would like to jump out to an early lead,” Plainfield East coach Adam O’Reel said.

“It would take away Lake Park’s small-ball game.”

The Bengals gave their coach just what he wanted.

The booming Bengal bats unloaded on Lancer ace Greg Gutkowski, knocking him out in a three-run third, for a 4-0 Bengal lead.

Louck opened the East first with a triple and scored on a one-out RBI single from Mitchelle for a 1-0 Bengal lead.

“It is amazing. I am the first hitter and I am just thinking I need to get on base for my team,” Louck said. “I wasn’t thinking triple.”

Louck continued his all-out assault on the baseball when he crushed a two-run double to give the Bengals a 3-0 lead in the second. Mitchelle picked up his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0 Bengals after two innings.

Schmitt was tough with Lanc-

er’s on base, pitching out of jams keeping Lake Park off the scoreboard in the first five innings.

Schmitt scattered 10 hits over 5.2 innings pitched, allowing four unearned runs. He struck out five and walked a pair in 107 pitches.

“I felt great. I came in not thinking it was the final game,” Schmitt said. “I had my defense behind me and I pitched to contact and not trying to strike as many guys out.

Our bats pulled through and that’s what got us through. It helps that I know I can give my all and I have (Christian) to pick me up.

“This is so special. We can’t believe we did it. This is something we won’t forget our whole lives.

This is a great bonding experience for us and I wouldn’t want to do it with another group of guys. Having everyone doubt us, we had no pressure. We just came out and played East baseball.”

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Mitchelle crushed a triple and scored on a clutch RBI double from junior Jake Eason for a 5-0 Bengal lead.

Senior Ryan Skiba followed with an RBI single and a 6-0 lead, for what would prove to be the gamewinning hit for the Bengals.

“It’s just unbelievable to be state champions,” Eason said.

“I had been in a slump for three games and it felt great to get the

big RBI double in the fifth.”

The Lancers showed why they belonged in the Class 4A title game, when they exploded for five runs in the top of the sixth to pull within 6-5.

The first Lancer run was on a Bengal defensive miscue. Leadoff man Mason Barr hammered a two-run bomb to pull Lake Park to within 6-3 with one out.

Mitchelle replaced Schmitt and picked up the second out of the inning before Lake Park’s Jackson Kent hit a clutch two out, two run double to pull the Lancers to within one run at 6-5.

see east page 10

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state soFtball > class 2a

young angels take second in state by marK gregory editorial director

@Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

Wrigley – it is a name people know as the name of a baseball stadium on Chicago’s north side or as the chewing gum company from where the stadium earned its name.

Add to that list the name of the third baseman for the Joliet Catholic Academy softball team.

If it wasn’t known already, freshman Wrigley Fanter made her name known in the softball world with a 5-for-7 day in the IHSA Class 2A tournament Wednesday afternoon.

Fanter was 3-4 in the Angels’ 5-0 semifinal win over Unity High School from Tolono and was 2-3 in the state championship game where JCA fell 4-0 to undefeated Rockridge, who finished the season 29-0.

“It was a good day for me and for the team,” Fanter said. “It was a lot of hard work. We all came together and we all fought. I thought this season was great because we do have a lot of younger girls on the team. Our pitching was great and we hit all season. It came together, we just felt a little short today.”

Fanter also manned her third base position like a veteran and not someone playing in her first year of high school softball.

She has played on big stages before, but this was the biggest.

“I play at a high level with my travel team, but I was nervous today,” she said. “We all played well.”

If she was nervous, it did not show. That play is what JCA (23-9) will look to as it tries to make a trip to the state softball finals a yearly occurrence.

“She made a name for herself this season and solidified it and confirmed it today,” said JCA coach Tina Kinsella. “She is a spit fire, but it is not just Wrigley. We have the twins that are freshmen, you have a sophomore shortstop, our DP for the game was another sophomore.

Sure, it will probably start with her, but half the team is returning for the next two or three years.”

The group of underclassmen that got experience while contributing, as well as the ones coming up from the lower levels will make JCA a dangerous team for a while.

“We have a lot of potential,” Fanter said. “There are a lot of new

Angels coming into the program and I am really excited for what is to come.”

Not only did Fanter make a name for herself in the tournament, she did so playing with her sister, junior Phoenix, who is a senior and was the right fielder for the Angels for both games in Peoria.

“I was blessed to be able to play with my sister and I know the other girls were all blessed. It was a great feeling,” Wrigley Fanter said.

The Fanter sisters are one of three sets of sisters on the JCA team as freshman twins Sam and Madison Patrick both started.

Starting senior centerfielder, Charlie Kinsella, not only had her sister, freshman Camryn, on the team, she also had her mom as coach of the Angels.

“The whole team feels like a family. It is really special. It is great to look over and have my mom right there by my side,” Charlie Kinsella said. “This season has been great, especially not having last year. I am in shock that we made it to the state finals. This is crazy.”

Kinsella was 0-3 in the state final game, but hit the ball hard – which was the epitome of what JCA hitters went through in the last game.

In the second inning, she hit one of two rockets to third base that were right at the Rockridge third baseman. Then in the fifth, she sent a ball to the warning track for an out.

“That is part of the game sometimes,” she said. “We hit the ball, we put it in play and that is just what happens.”

Not only was Charlie happy to share the moment on the field with her mom, her coach was equally as happy, but said her daughters had to earn their spots on the team, just like anyone else.

“Having two daughters, I am sure people expected that they would play or be in prime spots or prime hitting positions – but no,” Tina Kinsella said. “Charlie is a senior and she struggled in the No. 2 spot, so we dropped her down.

My other daughter is on the bench waiting for her turn getting a taste of it because she will be out here, too.”

While the softball team came up one win shy of a state championship, what it did was put the Angels on the state radar.

JCA has been known for years

for baseball, football and girls volleyball, but softball is one of the sports bringing attention to the rest of the girls sports.

“We put softball in the mix and I hope it stays in the mix for years to come. It was great having people come all the way out to Peoria to watch us,” Charlie Kinsella said.

“Girls soccer, softball, girls track, girls tennis, girls cross country – this has been a great year for JCA girls sports.”

For Tina Kinsella, who serves as girls athletic director, it is something she is happy to see.

“We are a dominant school and we are showing that across our female sports,” she said. “A lot of people know us as Catholic High and football and baseball, but now here come the Angels.

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state soccer > girls > class 2a

Angels fall 1-0 to unbeaten Triad by marK gregory editorial director

@Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

Something had to give.

During the playoff run, the JCA girls soccer team dominated opponents, lighting up the scoreboard, to the tune of an average of 8.4 goals per match.

In the same period, Triad High School had not allowed a goal during the postseason and only three all year.

Unfortunately for the Angels, defense won the championship, as Triad got a goal 24 minutes into the match.

Knights forward Laney Harshany hurled a flip-throw, which landed in the box in a host of players.

Triad’s Gracie Giacoletto got a foot in the ball and tallied the lone goal of the title match.

“We talked about that throw in all day long,” said JCA coach Oscar Valdez. “Even a week prior, we talked about that if we meet them,

this is their thing. It didn’t go our way. My girls played awesome, everyone gave thrie effort and that is what I am proud of.

“I tip my hat to (Triad). They are a very good team. We had our chances. We had a couple chances in the beginning and the whole thing would have changed differently.”

The Angels placed fourth in the state two years ago, when the seniors starred on varsity as sophomores and it looked as if the team was destined for three state trophies.

After losing last year to COVID-19 shutdown, senior Morgan Furmaniak said it made this year more special, despite the outcome.

“It is an amazing feeling,” she said. “Last year, we got robbed by the pandemic, so to be out here in the first-place game, it is a blessing to be here with these girls.

“We had our chances and they

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state tracK and Field > boys > class 3a

Indians take second in close meet by marK gregory editorial director

@Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

The Minooka botys track team fell just shy of a Class 3A state championship, scoring 34 points in the mee and falling by two points to state champion Neuqua Valley.

Heading into the 1600-meter relay, the two teams were tied atop the leaderboard and each had a tram in the final event.

Neuqua placed seventh in the race in 3 minutes, 23.45 seconds, while was ninth in 3:23.97.

That finish gave the Wildcats the 3634 edge over the Indians.

“We’ve had a goal of earning a state trophy for a number of years now,” said Minooka coach Nick Lundin. “We’ve had a lot of good teams throughout the years but this one finally broke through. It’s a great feeling.”

The Minooka 400-relay team of Samuel Drey, Darren Anderson Tyler Colwell and Elijah Martin claimed a state championship, finishing the race in 42.01.

“The 4x100 Relay race was absolutely huge for us,” Lundin said. “We expected to finish first in the 4x800 re-

lay, but a talented Neuqua Valley team ran a perfect race and nipped us at the line. We expected to get second in the 4x100 relay ,but the guys ran a perfect race and earned that championship.

“Having 18 points after two running events was exactly what we expected and needed.”

Drey and Colwell also combined with Cael Hiser and Ian Loudermilk to place third in the 800-meter relay in a time of 1:28.92.

Adam Shaw, Zach Balzer, Emerson Fayman and Vincent Van Eck combined to take second in the 3200 relay in 7:49.43.

Individually, Colwell placed second in the 200 dash in a time of 21.97.

Lockport junior Gabe Czako tallied a pair of second-place finishes, claiming the runner-up spot in both relay races.

In the 110 hurdles, he posted a time of 14.10, while running a 38.42 in the 300 hurdles.

In the same 300 hurdles, Plainfield North’s Jaylan Given was eighth in 40.55.

North’s Ryan Maseman was third in the 800 run in 1:54.78, while Joliet West freshman Marcellus Mines posted a time of 4:16.92 in the 1600 run and placed third.

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state soFtball > class 4a

Minooka takes 4th in 4A softball by marK gregory editorial director

@Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

When the IHSA Class 4A postseason started, the Minooka girls softball team entered with a record of 11-13 and coming off a fourth-place finish in the SPC West.

With a regular season like that, there were not many people who thought the Indians had a chance at a regional title.

Minooka claimed the regional title, used a pair of comebacks in the sectional - including their post-lighting delay rally to win the title over Belleville East and then drubbed a Yorkville team that they played twice in conference.

All that earned them a berth in the state finals, where the ‘Wondergirls’ dropped a pair of games to two of the best pitchers and best programs in the state and left Peoria’s Louisville Slugger Complex with a 16-14 record and a state fourth-place medal around their necks.

“There are only four teams (in Class 4A) that have a medal,” Minooka coach Mark Brown said.

“I don’t think very many people believed that we would get out of our regional and to be here and be one of those four teams that walks away with a medal says something about this team’s toughness and leadership. I am very proud of all they have accomplished and they have made Minooka very proud.”

What also said something about the team’s toughness and leadership was their play on the field.

Minooka lost the third-place tilt to Huntley and ace pitcher Briana Bower, 4-3, after a Chloe Kohnhorst bomb to centerfield in the bottom of the seventh inning brought the Indians to within one run.

“It was a great way to go out. I was thinking contact, but that was nice,” Kohnhorst said of her two-run home run. “We didn’t have much to lose, so we went all or nothing. Even though we didn’t win, it was a great opportunity to play. We expected to be here, but most people had us crossed off.”

The Indians battled the entire day against tough pitching, however, in the consolation contest they fought through Bower’s 18 strikeouts and managed seven hits on the game.

Huntley tallied a run in the first when Bower blasted a solo home run to help her own cause. The score remained 1-0 until the fifth when a couple hits and a delayed

call at third by a seemingly confused umpire assisted Huntley in scoring a pair of runs.

Minooka tallied one of its own in the fifth, but Huntley got an unearned run in the top of the seventh that after the Kohnhorst homer was the difference.

“We are a program that we don’t ride one player, so all through the season, we are seeing what we have and sharpening our tools and then we play teams like Marist and Lincoln-Way Central and when you are trying to figure things out and going up against those programs, your record doesn’t indicate how good your team is,” Brown said.

Of the seven hits for Minooka, five came off the bats of underclassmen.

Kohnhorst and fellow sophomore Anna McClimon each had a pair of hits, while freshman Sofia Dziuba had a single and a pair of stolen bases.

“We all just battled and I am really proud of how we hit her, being one of the best pitchers in the state.

I am very proud,” Dziuba said. “We all just battled and I am really proud of how we hit her, being one of the best pitchers in the state. I am very proud.

“Being a freshman on varsity, the juniors and seniors have helped grow our underclassmen into the type of players they are. They were so welcoming with us and didn’t treat us like we were lower than them - they treated us like family.”

With those three leading the returners, the future looks bright for the Indians.

“Our three underclassmen had tough at bats against one of the best pitchers in the state and that group believes we will be back here,” Brown said.

Bower wasn’t the only top-notch pitcher Minooka faced Thursday in Peoria.

In the semifinal, the Indians had a rematch game with Lincoln-Way Central and pitcher Lyndsey Grein.

During the regular season, the Knights defeated Minooka 11-1 and while the semifinal ended 4-0, the game was much closer - in fact, it was scoreless into the fifth inning.

“Lincoln-Way Central probably thought they were going to crush us because we lost 11-1 to them earlier, but we are a different team,” Kohnhorst said.

Kohnhorst had the lone hit in the

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obitUaries Jones Arthur D. “Art” Jones, age 88, a Plainfield resident since 1996, formerly of Naperville, IL. Arthur went home to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, June 17, 2021. He was born September 25, 1932 in Ottumwa, IA. Beloved husband of 57 years to the late Cheryl “Cherie” Jones (nee Owens), whom he married August 27, 1954 and who preceded him in death on March 28, 2012, loving father of Georgina Jones of Elgin, IL and Van Nguyen of Vietnam and

sons, Courtney (Donna) Jones of Warrenville, IL and Arthur D. (Demmie) of Warrenville, adored grandfather of Arthur D. (Amy) Jones, III, Samantha Jones, Zachariah Jones, Diana (Sparky) Copaev and Vincent (Jessica) Nguyen, cherished greatgrandfather of Evangelyn Jones; Gigi and Dash Copaev; Evan Nguyen, devoted son of the late Samson and Emma (nee Harmon) Jones, dear brother of the late Georgia (Al) Cushion, brother-in-law of Gary (Sandy) Buehler and Christine McCoy, fond uncle, great-uncle and friend of many.

Art grew up in Ottumwa, IA and was a 1950 graduate of Ottumwa

Wheeler Helen L. Wheeler (nee Lockwood), age 94, a lifelong resident of Plainfield, IL, passed away on Sunday, June 13, 2021, at Tabor Hills Healthcare Facility in Naperville. She was born June 6, 1927 in Plainfield.

Beloved wife of the late Murley J. Wheeler, Jr., whom she married July 6, 1979 and who preceded her in death on June 11, 2020, former spouse of the late Charles F. Pottorff, Jr. (former Mayor of Plainfield 19571977 - deceased June 14, 2016), loving mother of Jan Pottorff of Italy, Diane (Dave) Hohisel of Fontana, WI and Tom Pottorff of Casey, KY, adored grandmother of David, Jr. (Becky) Hohisel, Dennis Hohisel and Derek (Sarah) Hohisel, cherished greatgrandmother of Mallory, Halyn, Connor and Jackson Hohisel, devoted daughter of the late Zerrel and Florence (nee Goist) Lockwood, dear sister of Joan (the late Rich) Hintzsche of Sycamore, IL andJerry (Linda) Lockwood of Lac du Flambeau, WI, fond aunt, great-aunt and friend of many.

Helen grew up in Plainfield and was a 1945 graduate of Plainfield High School. She worked as a secretary at Plainfield High School after her graduation and later married and became a devoted and loving homemaker.

Helen was a former member of Plainfield United Methodist Church and was a current member of Harvest New Beginnings Church in Oswego, IL. Helen was a former member of the Order of the Eastern Star.

Visitation was held on Tues-

High School. He received a BS from Iowa State University in Ames and served in the U.S. Air Force for 17 years, ROTC, active duty and the Reserves. Art was employed by Sunbeam Products for over thirty years, retiring in 1985.

Art was a former member of Westmont Alliance Church, Westmont, IL and a current member of Friendship Baptist Church, Plainfield.

Visitation was held Monday, June 21, 2021, 4:00-8:00 PM at OvermanJones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 15219 S. Joliet Rd., Plainfield.

A celebration of Art’s life was held

on Tuesday, 10:00 AM at Friendship Baptist Church, 15801 S. Route 59, Plainfield, IL 60544, with Pastor Odis Weaver officiating. The service was live-streamed at overman-jones. com under Art’s obituary.

Interment followed at Naperville Cemetery, Naperville.

For those who would like to leave a lasting tribute to Art’s life, memorials may be made to: Friendship Baptist Church, 15801 S. Route 59, Plainfield, IL 60544, (815) 4362380, https://www.fbcplainfield. com/ For more information, please call (815) 436-9221 or visit www.overman-jones.com

gUso Roque Guso, age 96 of Saxon, WI passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at his home in Saxon. Roque was born on September 27, 1924 in Havana, Cuba the son of Roque and Grace (Garcia) Guso.

He is survived by his loving wife, Lois Guso; daughter, Linda (Edward) Wietting; grandson, Jordan Wietting.

day, June 22, 2021, 11:00 AM -1:00 PM at Overman-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 15219 S. Joliet Rd., Plainfield.

A celebration of Helen’s life followed Tuesday, 1:00 PM in the funeral home with Rev. Scott Poling officiating.

Interment: Plainfield Township Cemetery, Plainfield.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen’s memory can be made to: Lightways (formerly Joliet Area Community Hospice), Development Office, 250 Water Stone Circle, Joliet, IL, (815) 740-4104, https://lightways.org/.

For more information, please call (815) 436-9221 or visit www. overman-jones.com

He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Yolanda Holehan, Odette Marshall, Katherine McMaugh; brother, Joseph.

A funeral service will be held at a later date.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Mountain Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ashland and Mellen, WI. Online condolences for Roque may be left at MountainFuneralHomes.com

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cooK coUnty

pappas unveils online tool to weigh government debt burden in property owners Property owners for the first time can find out what portion of local government debt falls on them, thanks to a new, groundbreaking online tool created by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

“Most reports identify government debt as an amount per person,” Pappas said. “My latest study takes a more targeted approach by showing debt in relation to each property in Cook County.”

minooKa From page 8 game against the Knights, as she went 3-for-5 on the day.

While the Indians didn’t see the bats heat up over the two games,

The new, unique tool reveals that Willis Tower carries local government debt of nearly $289 million, equal to 41.5% of the iconic skyscraper’s $697 million value. A Riverdale house carries $31,800 in local debt, equal to 48% of its $67,000 value. And the debt on a house on Hodgkins has $127,400 in debt, equal to 25.7% of its $496,000 value.

By contrast, the debt on prop-

erties in more affluent, lower-tax areas, like Barrington Hills and Winnetka, falls below 10% of the value of the properties in those locations.

These new calculations are available at cookcountytreasurer. com, where property owners can click the purple box on the homepage and search their address to see their local debt burden compared to the value of their home in both

dollar and percentage amounts.

The new methodology also allowed Pappas to better compare the overall debt burdens borne by residents of any Cook County city or village. That exercise revealed the burden of local government debt varies greatly throughout the county, with generally heavier burdens in less-affluent suburbs where the populations are more than 50% Black or Latino. The tax-

es tend to be much higher in many of those minority areas, an indication that more debt leads to higher property taxes.

“Property purchases in Cook County come with a hidden credit card balance, in the form of local government debt,” Pappas said.

“Property owners end up paying down that debt, on top of also covering their mortgage, utility and maintenance costs.”

Olivet Nazarene University-bound pitcher Allie Timm battled the heat to toss a combined 10.2 innings.

“She is so tough,” Brown said of his senior hurler. “In the (semifinal) she came in around the fourth in-

ning and I could tell her tank was on empty and I asked her how she felt and it shows her toughness that she said, ‘I feel fine.’ She would never tell you that she is worn out.

She will give you everything she has and more and she did that today and she kept us in two games against two premier programs and

we just couldn’t get the bats going, but that’s softball.

“She sets the tone for the team. If our senior pitcher is out there busting her butt and giving everything she has, that trickles down and the juniors, sophomores and freshmen follow. Allie leads by example.”

Timm knows what the Indians

accomplished this season and sees the bright future for Minooka as the younger players carry on what she and her fellow seniors started.

“Just making it here was a good thing, because no one expected us to get here,” Timm said. “Almost half of our lineup is underclassmen and they will continue it on.”

19 games and I don’t think any No. 13 seed has ever won a Class 4A state championship. When we defeated Oswego in our regional opener, that gave us the confidence to make this run.

“Other coaches have reached out and have shown their support. Guys from our conference that say, ‘you guys have the pitching every year, it’s just about getting through.You gotta catch a break and we have caught some breaks this playoff run, but you have to – its baseball. Early in the season, we were scared of everything, but not now. This group didn’t care who the hero was.”

To get to the title game, East defeated Rockton Hononegah (26-3) 5-3 in the semifinal Saturday morning After firing a two-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts against Brother

Rice in the 3-0 Class 4A Crestwood Supersectional on Monday, supersoph Brady Louck allowed four hits and two earned runs with 12 strikeouts in his six quality innings on the mound against Hononegah.

Leading off the top of the third, Bengal senior centerfielder Caden Dyhr launched his first home run of the season over the left field fence to give the Bengals a 1-0 lead. Louck singled and scored on a Indians’ error for a 2-0 Bengals lead after two innings.

In the third inning, Dyhr clubbed an RBI double for a 3-0 Bengal lead and scored on a Louck groundout for a 4-0 Bengal lead. Louck knocked the Indians down in a 1-2-3 third inning.

Bengals 4, Indians 0.

“The Hononegah pitcher threw junk but I got a fastball and hit it

Knights held her at bay.

“They played Morgan really good. They scouted us well,” Valdez said. “She was getting the ball to other teammates.”

Despite missing out on last season, Valdez said the original goal for this year’s squad was to improve on the finish in 2019.

“We had a goal to get better and

we got better. Maybe next time, we can get the state championship,” he said. “The senior class, I could not ask anything more than what they did for this school and this program. That group of girls has taken JCA to the next level.

Ten years down the road, everyone is going to remember this group. They are amazing.”

east From page 3 roaring on its feet, struck out Lancer Tommy Kowl, leaving the tying run on third to end the inning.

“We thought Christian was good in that role because we didn’t want to pull him from short because he has been really good there,” O’Reel said.

“So, we trusted our other guys and let them run with it and Brady has been great and Gavin has been great and when we needed a little extra velo at the end, Christian came in. He’s not afraid.”

O’Reel said playing with no fear was a mantra for the Bengals after a rough start to the season saw the team sit at 5-12 early on.

“Unbelivable,” O’Reel added. “A total team effort. We had everyone contribute in this run. We only won

angels From page 6 didn’t fall. Things just didn’t go our way, but we kept fighting and kept pushing.

Furmaniak led the JCA offense this season with 39 goals, including a hat trick in the Angels’ 7-1 semifinal win over St. Ignatius.

In the final match, however, the

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dUpage coUnty

Tornado touches down in Woodridge On Sunday, June 20, at approximately 11:30 p.m., a tornado touched down east of Route 53 between 83rd Street and 75th Street in Woodridge.

DuPage Public Safety Communications (DU-COMM) activated the tornado sirens at 10:48 p.m. in Woodridge and the surrounding communities.

The tornado traveled east to the Lemont Road area of Woodridge.

The Village of Woodridge is assisting those affected by the tornado and assessing the damage.

At this time, there are no reports of significant injuries.

People should avoid the area — it contains downed power lines and fallen trees.

Woodridge Public Works is working to clear debris, and lo-

cal fire districts continue to assist. Due to the significant damage caused by the tornado, the Woodridge Police Department contacted the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) for assistance.

ILEAS operates the largest statewide local law enforcement mutual aid network in the U.S. and helps to combine public safety resources for emergencies.

The Woodridge Police Department received more than 200 calls for service received after the tornado touched down.

There were several fires throughout the night as well as three medical transports with various injuries.

Two people transported to Edward Hospital and one person to

Good Samaritan Hospital.

More than 100 structures received significant damage. Commonwealth Edison reported 6,429 power outages, 3,868 restored 2,561 with no electricity since the start.

Mayor Gina Cunningham proclaimed a state of emergency.

Her declaration of civil emergency allows the village to take all action to clean up and repair damage donw as well as make expenditures as needed to provide such services.

The Red Cross is establishing a shelter at Thomas Jefferson Junior High School at 7200 Janes Ave. People may call the Red Cross for assistance at 877-597-0747.

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