Craig wrong beyond what he writes
Sep 6, 2012
I really wanted to talk with Bryan Craig on Thursday. Had he returned my call I would have congratulated him on finally doing something right last Friday by resigning as Rich Central’s girls basketball coach. Craig quit hours after a SouthtownStar story broke about his self-published book titled, “It’s Her …
Baranek: No kidding, Mother McAuley volleyball ready for revival
Sep 6, 2012
What a start for Mother McAuley volleyball in 2012. Like many of the classic Mighty Macs teams from the past, this group already has roared …
Baranek: No runaways in race for softball glory
Sep 6, 2012
OK, so we’re heading to the three-quarter pole in the 2012 softball season. What can I tell you with complete confidence about what lies ahead? …
Baranek: Telling tales — and tails — out of school
Sep 6, 2012
And now for another installment of our annual strange, often funny — and this year chilling — diamond tales ... More than any other professional …
Bucci keeps sharp eye on ‘big picture’
Sep 6, 2012
Hillcrest’s softball team scored three runs in the final inning of Wednesday’s 2012 opener. No offense to St. Francis de Sales, but it would have …
Girls hoops season full of lasting impressions
Sep 6, 2012
Before we turn the clocks ahead one hour Saturday, let’s rewind back a few months and take one last look back at some girls basketball …
Hillcrest doesn’t want a Thornton-esque three-peat
Sep 6, 2012
Excuse me if I’m experiencing a little deja vu this weekend, with Hillcrest meeting Montini for the third year in a row at Redbird Arena. …
Being there just isn’t that tough
Sep 6, 2012
Tony Baranek: March Madness still is a ways off, but at Morgan Park the state playoffs already have begun.
Another year of memories in the books
Sep 6, 2012
Tony Baranek: Let’s ring out 2011 with some highlights from the notebook of a well-traveled scribe ...
Baranek: IHSA girls basketball record book dotted with Southlanders
Sep 6, 2012
Some people probably don’t want to hear this, but our girls basketball coaches here in the Southland actually are pretty good when it comes to stepping on the brakes and not really “running it up” on opponents.
Mike Valente hoping to make some noise at Peace
Sep 6, 2012
Tony Baranek: One of the reasons we send out preseason surveys to coaches in various sports is to get their perspective on how they think their teams are going to be. We ask for assessments and projections. Occasionally, coaches suggest story ideas.
Marist’s Ivkovic makes journey from ‘B’ to varsity
Sep 6, 2012
TONY BARANEK: As a freshman, Kirsten Ivkovic was a member of Marist’s “B” volleyball team. Many from that squad didn’t play in their sophomore season, but Ivkovic has blossomed into one of the area’s leading blockers. She’s a leader for the RedHawks, who are competing this weekend in the Class 4A state finals.
Tony Baranek: Julia Hudson never coached by the numbers
Sep 6, 2012
So how is longtime Lockport girls volleyball coach Julia Hudson handling this retirement thing? With humor. For instance, she wanted to make one thing perfectly clear Wednesday.
Bremen’s Smith doesn’t let words get in his way
Sep 6, 2012
If words came to Bremen’s David Smith as easily as yards, he probably wouldn’t be the subject of our forum today. Much already has been …
Baranek: Playoff picks you can put on a (card)board
Sep 6, 2012
TONY BARANEK: I tried to tell them, but they didn’t believe me. They just didn’t believe me. It stated right here in this weekly space a year ago Marist was going to beat Mother McAuley in volleyball for the first time in postseason history. Sure enough, it happened.
Life brings happy return to Bremen for Flaherty
Sep 6, 2012
TONY BARANEK: This is a story about coaching and friendship. Family and devotion. Loyalty and happy endings. The reason for writing it is that Brian Flaherty is back as the head boys basketball coach at Bremen High School.
