Sun-Times preps news and notes

Updated: September 22, 2011 6:13PM

Road trip

So why are football teams from Illinois and Minnesota playing Friday on a college field in Iowa? Blame the unbalanced East Suburban Catholic Conference schedule, which leaves teams searching for nonconference opponents all through the season. This week, Carmel is heading to the University of Dubuque to play Wayzata, the defending big-school state champ in Minnesota. Corsairs coach Andy Bitto looked for games in almost every Midwestern state before finally setting up this one. Because it’ll be a one-off event, neither school wanted to play on the other’s home field. A variety of neutral sites were considered before the schools settled on Dubuque.

Unknown Commando

Marshall basketball coach Henry Cotton said he thinks 6-4 senior Milton Doyle is the best unsigned player in the senior class. Doyle sat out last season after transferring to Marshall and breaking his wrist. He played a little club basketball with the Illinois Hawks, but he missed most of the summer circuit while attending summer school. He opened some eyes in June with his performance at the Reebok tryout camp in Chicago, then attended the Reebok Breakout Challenge in Philadelphia in July. ‘‘He’s an exciting talent,’’ Cotton said. ‘‘He’s a natural player who does things and makes plays you can’t teach. And he is such a respectful kid.’’

Head west

John Schneider, a 6-7 forward from Barrington, gave an oral commitment to Western Illinois and basketball coach Jim Molinari last week. He chose Western over Lewis, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Western Michigan.

Good deed

Each year, the Libertyville boys cross-country team picks a charity to help. The recipient this year was the Remembering Gabby Drozdz Fund. The fund was started in memory of Gabriella Drozdz, a Lake Zurich teenager who died in a hit-and-run accident near Lake Zurich High School in July. There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible. Tips can be reported to the Illinois State Police at (847) 438-2349 or online at www.illinoiscrimestoppers.org. More information can be found at www.gabbydrozdz.com.

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