Jeff Vorva Photo by Jeff Vorva Brother Rice’S Xavian Valladay Breaks Crete-Monee’S Dabion Couch’S Tackle Attempt En Route to a 55-Yard Dejected St
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The Regional News • The Reporter Ken Jeff Karrson, Vorva, Sports Sports Editor Editor •• [email protected]@regionalpublishing.comS PThursday,OThursday, September MarchRTS 5, 8, 2015 2016 SouthwestSouthwest • Section • Section 2, Page 2, Page 1 1 What a WILD and CRAZY night Photo by Jeff Vorva Photo by Jeff Vorva Brother Rice’s Xavian Valladay breaks Crete-Monee’s Dabion Couch’s tackle attempt en route to a 55-yard Dejected St. Laurence defensive standout Jimmy Burnette, who had nine interceptions for the team in touchdown run in a 61-44 victory Friday night in Chicago. It was the first of his five TDs on the night. 2015, is carted off the field Friday night in the third quarter of a wild 63-49 loss to Immaculate Conception. BROTHER RICE 61, CRETE-MONEE 44 IC CATHOLIC 63, ST. LAURENCE 49 Vallady and Crusaders Muskrat love for Rowell make Warriors cry uncle as Knights outslug Vikings here’s a lot of David and Go- By Phil Arvia we were around six or seven years old.” liath stuff going on in high Correspondent After his name-making performance, PLENTY OF FIREWORKS school football so far. Valladay anticipated a chat with Taylor. T JEFF VORVA In Week 1 of the season, St. Lau- A year ago, a unique family dynam- “The first thing I’ll tell him is we Breaking down the numbers from two wild rence, which could either be a Class Making the ic factored in as Brother Rice running had a big start. We scored on the third games Friday night: 5A or 6A team come playoff time, back Xavian Valladay played a second- play of the game. Like he’d always say, beat a traditionally strong Class 8A Extra Point ary role, frequently blocking as a lead ‘Whatever you decide to do, depend on Bro. Rice ⁄C-M IC/St. Laur. team, Benet, on the road. back for Clifton Taylor — who just hap- your offensive line.’” Total points 105* 112* On Friday night however, the As- pens to be his uncle. After being stopped for no gain on sociation Press’s No. 1 Class 3A team same night). There were fireworks “Nepheeeew,” Crusaders coach Brian the first play from scrimmage, then an Total yards 1,008 1,114 shot off every time the Vikings Total plays 158 139 in the state, Immaculate Conception Badke said with a smile, mimicking the encroachment foul against the War- Catholic, came to Burbank and beat scored and converted an extra point way Taylor addressed Valladay last sea- riors, Valladay scampered 55 yards to Scheduled start 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. the Vikings (which was ranked ninth or two-point conversion. It was a son. “He’s just a great kid. But we knew the touchdown he insisted was his fa- Finish time 11:03 p.m. 10:09 p.m. in Class 6A) by a this-is-not-a-mis- good thing they didn’t shoot them off Xavian would step right in this year. vorite of the night — though he later for both teams or the school would * — School record print score of 63-49. “(Valladay) did the work. He put on added scores 56, 8, 1 and 5 yards. As the disappointed Vikings left be in such a debt that only Donald about 15 pounds this spring. He knows “Those were big blocks John Farano the field and went into the school to Trump can get it out of with the snap how to read in our zone scheme. He’s and Kyle (Mehok-)Doherty made for talk about the train that hit them, the of his smallish fingers. not a dancer — he’s just always moving that cutback to just open up on the right preceding snap. The scoring wasn’t Knights players and coaches were Jordan Rowell, who ran for 207 forward.” side. I just flew through there,” the run- complete until Rice’s John Richardson screaming “We shocked the world yards and four touchdowns in the Friday, Valladay carried 36 times for ning back said. kicked his second field goal of the eve- — we shocked the world!!!!” Knights’ 38-0 season opening win 277 yards and five touchdowns in a 61- Once Valladay got off and running, it ning, a 41-yarder, with 18.3 seconds left. Well, I’m sure that there are a few over defending Class 3A champ 44 win over Crete-Monee that set a Rice seemed everyone was. Crusaders quarterback Dino Borel- pockets of the world where a non- Bishop McNamara, rushed 19 times record for combined scoring. Combined, the teams racked up 1,008 li was 14-of-27 for 20 yards and two conference high school game Illinois for 260 yards and four TDs against “He’s a big-time player,” Badke said. total yards. The first quarter ended with touchdowns, both to Branden Houston would not generate a second thought, St. Laurence and caught five passes “He really showed it tonight — he’s like Rice (2-0) up 35-19, and after the War- (6 catches, 84 yards). Crete-Monee’s Isa- but I was sure impressed. for 107 yards and a touchdown. the Kansas Comet (ex-Bears great Gale riors (1-1) closed to within 35-32 at the iah Rucker completed 29-of-51 passes The way this chain of events is go- The pass reception for the score Sayers). He’s a playmaker who really half, a pair of rushing touchdowns in for 430 yards and two touchdowns, both ing, IC better look over its shoulder came in the third quarter after the wants the ball in crucial situations.” the third left the Crusaders ahead 49-32 to Kevin Pate (11 catches, 195 yards), because there might be a Class 1A ball was expertly tossed into his In the afterglow of his performance, heading into the final 12 minutes. who also had rushing touchdowns of 1, team that is licking its chops, look- mitts from Luke Ricobene, who es- one of the first people to come to Val- Crete-Monee, ranked third in Class 3 and 2 yards. ing for an upset. caped on defender and was being laday’s mind was Taylor. 6A by the Associated Press, got with- “That could’ve been the longest foot- As the score indicated, this was wrestled to the ground by another. “I do miss that kid,” he said of his fa- in 52-44 with 1:58 left, but Valladay ball game ever,” Badke said. “Crete- a goofy game, maybe even goofier “Our quarterback is a muskrat, ther’s brother. “I miss being around him. set up his own 5-yard run for the final See CRUSADERS, Page 4 than that game at Brother Rice (a 61- We’ve been growing up together since touchdown with a 46-yard burst on the 44 victory over Crete-Monee on the See VORVA, Page 4 Stripped of victory, Mongolian coaches strip and throw tantrums Editor’s Note: Since we didn’t have any Olym- wrestler Ikhtiyor Navruzov. So it was no won- pians from this area that we could celebrate FRANK der Ganzorig had started backpedaling and or throw a parade for, we bring in Palos Hills waving his arms in celebration jornalista (at least that’s what it said on his GOGOLA The clock read 6:00 — the end of the match credential) Frank Gogola, who spent the Sum- — with the scoreboard showing 7-6 in favor of mer Olympics in August as a media intern. We Postcard the Mongolian. Ganzorig, head coach Tseren- asked him to write about his most interesting baatar Tsogtbayar and assistant coach Byam- experience and, well, he gave us the near-na- from Rio barenchin Bayaraa started celebrating what ked truth. would be a short-lived victory on the mat. Navruzov challenged and was awarded a IO DE JANEIRO — “And then raced to the press box to write my story. As I penalty point since Ganzorig was evading the Mongolians started strip- climbed the steps, I noticed the action that led and not engaging his opponent. With Ganzo- R ping.” to the stripping. rig running away, Navruzov was unable to at- There were many sentences I never dreamed Mongolian wrestler Mandakhnaran Ganzorig tempt to score a point. of writing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. I was celebrating a bronze-medal win in the 65k The score was tied, 7-7, but Navruzov tech- saw great soccer matches and swimming rac- division. The problem was there were still seven nically led on criteria since he scored the last es, but two Mongolia wrestling coaches pro- seconds left in the match. I know from my expe- point. Ganzorig and his coaches were in disbe- vided the most bizarre and disgraceful scene rience wrestling at Stagg High School that you lief. I was just taking it all in. as they stripped off their clothes, tossed them can’t celebrate while a match is ongoing. It was Aug. 21, the final day of the Olym- at the refs and threw a tantrum. A Russian journalist sitting to my left told pics, and I thought I already had seen my After interviewing U.S. wrestler Frank Mo- me in broken English how the match was rife Photo by Frank Gogola linaro, who lost in a bronze-medal match, I with “shady” scoring in favor of Uzbekistan See GOGOLA, Page 4 Wrestling coaches strip in protest at the Summer Olympics. eVantage checking Easy a different banking account that pays www.cnbil.com Oak Forest Palos Heights a competitive Rate without a maturity date.