HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE BASKETBALL BASKETBALL HOLIDAY ROAD Full pairings for Former Illinois State player the boys and girls holiday tour- Dana Ford is coaching at naments. Scoreboard, Page C4 PORTS Tennessee State. Page C3 IN TOUCH EXECUTIVES SPORTS EDITOR KIRK WESSLER 686-3216 E-MAIL
[email protected] SPORTS DESK 686-3214 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2014 SECTION C 2014 JOURNAL STAR SPORTS STORIES OF THE YEAR Illini get the last ‘giggle’ Beckman helps Illini win three of fi nal fi ve, earn spot in Heart of Dallas BY J.J. WILSON OF GATEHOUSE MEDIA ILLINOIS CHAMPAIGN — Tim Beck- man fi nally got the Illinois football team to its next destination. After winning three of its last fi ve games and fi nishing 6-6, his team was invited to face Louisiana Tech (8-4) in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas bowl at Cotton Bowl Sta- dium in Dallas on Friday. In spite of constantly being doubt- ed, Beckman fulfi lled his preseason promise to win more games and make a TIM postseason BECKMAN appearance in his third RON JOHNSON/JS FRED ZWICKY/JS RON JOHNSON/JS year as head coach. “A m o n t h ago, you didn’t think we had a INSIDE ! Glance at chance,” Beckman the Heart of said at his Illinois, plus press confer- other bowls. ence on Dec. Page C2 7 after Illi- nois accepted its invitation to Dallas. “It’s kind of a giggle now. When people doubt you Celebration of life and you prove them wrong, ayne McClain. it’s very rewarding.” Fallen Peoria-area sports icons Bruce Saurs, Wayne McClain If Beckman is to make Chuck Rolinski.