Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Some 2009-10 Top CPS Wrestlers

Taiwan Ford (sr) of Fenger returns as one of the top returning wrestlers in the CPS.

Class AA CPS Returning 2009 State Qualifiers

Ronzel Darling (so)- Bowen - 103lbs
Jameel Carter (jr) - Uplift - 112lbs
Paul Stingley (sr) - Fenger - 119lbs
Keith Johnson (sr) - Gage Park - 130lbs

Class AAA CPS returning 2009 State Qualifiers
David Whitaker (jr) - Simeon - 160lbs
Niko Liotta (jr) - Mather - 119lbs
Max Schneider (so) - Lane Tech - 135lbs

I'll try to update the following list as the season progresses. For additions: Publisher@lanetechfan.com

Partial list of top returning  CPS wrestlers (updated as of 11/24/09)

listed is one of the weight class(es) they wrestled in last year (place at 2009 city championship)

Nick Jankowski (so), Lane Tech, 112lbs (3rd place at city)
Alex Razo (sr), Kelly, 112lbs (5th place at city)

Matt Finnegan (jr), Lane Tech, 119lbs (city champion)
Michael Mitcher (sr), Marshall, 119lbs

Alcides Hernandez (sr), Kelly, 125lbs (city champion)
Hiathem Hamad (jr), Lane Tech, 125lbs (3rd place at city)

Francisco Aguanaga (sr), Kelly, 130lbs (3rd at city)
Taiwan Ford (sr), Fenger, 130lbs (5th at city)

Willie Diaz (sr), Kelly, 135lbs (5th at city)

Denzel Vaden (sr), Hyde Park, 140lbs (city runner up)

Ray Cardenas (sr), Kelly, 145bs (5th place at city)

Nader Ihmoud (sr), Lane Tech, 152lbs
Jamal Carter (jr), Uplift, 152lbs (city champion)

Pawel Piotrowicz (sr), Lane Tech, 171lbs (4th at city)
Shelton Wallace (sr), Uplift, 171lbs (3rd at city)

Michael Tate (jr), Marshall, 189 lbs
Ameen Solebo (sr), Mather, 189lbs (city runner up)
Brian Gibbs (jr), CVS, 189lbs (5th at city)

Jeffrey Flannagan (sr), Bogan, 285lbs (city runner-up)

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Final 2009 CPS Football Rankings

Gregory McDowell (sr), all-conference quarterback from Orr.

1. Simeon - Prep Bowl and CPS Champs. Gave close games to Mt. Carmel in the state playoffs and St. Rita in the Prep Bowl. Return their top offensive weapons stud QB Robert Gregory and running back Horatio Banks. Will be ranked #1 in the CPS to start the season next year. Simeon has the best line play in the CPS.

2. Hubbard - City runner-ups. Only one of two CPS schools to advance to second round of state playoffs, losing a close game to Belvidere North. Starting quarterback Quincy Skanes is only a sophomore. Combine Skanes with really good sophomore team and Hubbard should be fine the next few years.

3. Morgan Park - Beat Brother Rice to open season. Also beat Hubbard and Simeon during the regular season, largely behind senior QB Daron Brown. Only one of two CPS teams to advance to 2nd round of state playoffs. Sophomore DeShaun Hurley appears to be the heir apparent to Brown. Some say he could be just as good if not better than Brown. Morgan Park will need to reload after losing lot's of players to graduation.

4. Robeson - Another solid season for CPS state semi-finalist- giving city champion Simeon all it can handle. Won conference....again! Robeson will return junior quarterback Juwane Pipkins- one of the top QB's in the city after Robert Gregory of Simeon.

5. King - 2nd to Robeson in conference. This is a one of the top rising football programs in the CPS. You will hear more about King football in the next few years. Word on the street is that the top CPS elementary football players want to head to King. To move up to the next level, King will need to work on a few things like their passing game and getting more of their kids academically eligible.

6. Curie - 2nd to Simeon in the Illini-Red Bird Conference- including victories over Dunbar and Lane. Curie's hopes next year will be on teh development of quarterback Maurice Fleming. He is only a sophomore. Curie returns almost it's entire line.

7. Lane Tech - After winning city last year, a disappointing year for the Indians. Finishing an uncharacteristic 3rd in conference, missed state playoffs, and getting knocked out in the first round of the city playoffs to Hubbard 33-0. Lane will have to replace it's starting running back, starting quarterback, and two of it's top lineman all-stater Laken Tomlinson (Duke) and Louis Pasat-Trinca (Iowa).

8. Al Raby - This could be the best of the Chicago Conference teams -winning with an undefeated 7-0 record. Al Raby surpised the heck out of everyone -including myself losing only by a score of 16-9 to traditional power Morris in the first round of the state playoffs. I'm looking forward to see how Raby does in the Illini conference next year.

9. Bogan - Undefeated regular season in the Chicago Windy City Conference - including victories over Julian and suburban Tinley Park. Bogan moves up to the Illini-conference next year.

10. Mather - Mather wins the Chicago Big Shoulders conference - including a 34-13 victory over 8-2 Taft. Mather may have the top athlete in the city in all-everything Ameen Solebo. Solebo is an all-city football player, city runner up in wrestling, and city shot-put champion in track.

Others - Taft, Julian, Dunbar, Foreman, Brooks, Orr, Harlan

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St. Rita fan has already become the first follower. Become the first person from the CPS to follow.

(PS this is my only presence on Twitter... I'm focused on the blog and my other work, and alas can't tweet and do that at the same time).

Videos Now - Niles West vs Corliss 3rd quarter action at the Niles West Thanksgiving Tournament

Corliss kept the game close for most of the game. But in the 4th quarter Niles West pulled away in their 64-56 victory over Corliss at the Billy Schnurr Thanksgiving Tournament at Niles West High School. This was the 5th place game.

Boris Cayemitte (left, 6-1, sr forward) and athletic Davante York - a 6-4 sophomore for Corliss line up at the free throw line.

Corliss, from the Blue-South conference of the Chicago Public League starts out the season 1-3 with a win over Niles North and losses to CVS, RIch South, and Niles West. Corliss leading scorer in the tournament was 6-3 and about 260lbs forward David Williams- who poses problems for defenders with his wide fram and offensive moves.

Here is some uniterrupted 3rd quarter action:

Videos Now - CVS survives Lake Forest 3 point shot at the buzzer

CVS wins 38-36 to take 3rd place in the Billy Schnurr Boys Basketball Thanksgiving Tournament at Niles West High School. They had to survive a 3 point shot by Lake Forest at the buzzer. See the video below:

High Hopes!

"Harlan has a legitimate shot at placing at state in all four relays and all six running events 800 and below" -- Harlan Coach Mark Thompson

Harlan's Melvin Johnson (sr) - just one member of a  deep Harlan squad that you will hear about all year.

From CPSfan.com FaceBook Page:

" The Falcon's Track Club (Harlan) had their first day of practice today. We did 20-yard time trials with Semi-Automated timing for sprinters and some distance and 600-meter time trials for the distance and some sprinters. I'll try to get some times posted tomorrow but as of right now Harlan has a legitimate shot at placing at state in all four relays and all six running events 800 and below."

-- Mark Thompson
Harlan Head Boys Track and Field Coach.

Introducing....Ford Powerhouse Charter School

What was once an old run-down Sears powerplant, is now a new CPS charter school called the Ford Powerhouse Charter School (tribune photo).

A new CPS charter school has opened up in the North Lawndale neighborhood in the west side. The new school called Ford Powerhouse Charter School, opened up it's doors this year to 250 9th and 10th graders. 10th and 11th graders will be added soon.

The school was once a run down Sears powerplant. It was over 100 years old and ran well at the once vibrant community. But after Sears left in 1973 for the Sears Tower, the mammoth building was left in disarray. It recently housed birds and rodents.

But thanks to a $41 million dollar overhaul, the school has been transformed.

The school will have basketball team, play a varsity schedule and participate in the CPS Public League Green Division - with teams like Little Village, Westinghouse, Marine Military, and Chicago Math and Science Academy. Ford could eventually have other sports teams like track and cross country, but don't expect it to be a POWERHOUSE soon.

Simeon Gains Serious Respect in Exciting Prep Bowl Loss to St. Rita

Simeon and sophomore quarterback Robert Gregory stamped itself as a serious team to watch out for next year as they surprised many people with their performance against St. Rita.

Simeon lost the Prep Bowl to St. Rita 34-20, but they gained serious respect. After being down 14-0 in the first quarter. Simeon bounced back to tie the game 14-14 at the half. At the 4th quarter the score was tied 20-20 before St. Rita pulled away at the end.

St. Rita started the season as the pre-season number one team playing in the toughest conference in the state in the Catholic League Blue.

Most impressive for Simeon was the play of their offense. The offensive line opened up holes all day for quarterback Robert Gregory and for junior running back Horatio Banks.

Both Banks and Gregory return next year. Those two alone will surely make Simeon a top 25 pre-season team next year and an early favorite in the CPS.

Simeon/St. Rita possession by possession results

Simeon vs St. Rita - Prep Bowl Live Updates

First Quarter

* opening kickoff-  15 seconds into the game - St. Rita's Jahwon Akui takes the opening kickoff about 80 yards for a quick 7-0 St. Rita lead.

* first Simeon possession - 3 and out

* first St. Rita possession - 8:05 left in the first quarter - St. Rita backup running back Travis Starks takes a hand off about 35 yards for another Rita touchdown and a 14-0 St. Rita lead.

* 2nd Simeon possession - Simeon starts on 20 yard line; drives down the field behind the running of quarterback Robert Gregory and running back Horatio Banks (30 yard run). Simeon drives to the St. Rita 1 yard line. Simeon goes for it on 4th and goal and Gregory plunges in for a 1 yard touchdown run on a fake handoff, making the score St.Rita 14, Simeon 6.

* 2nd St. Rita possession - starts on their own 45 yard line. 3 and out. St. Rita punts

Second Quarter

* 3rd Simeon possession - start on own 25 yard line. Robert Gregory takes a quarterback draw 65 yards down the sidelines for a touchdown. Simeon goes for 2 and converts on a Banks run. 10:23 remaining int he half. Simeon 14 St. Rita 14

* 3rd St. Rita possession - start on own 25 yard line. 3 and out.

* 4th Simeon possession - start on own 40 yard line. at this point Simeon has 156 yard rushing to St. Rita's 60. Simeon get''s to St. Rita 40 but has to punt.

* 4th St. Rita possession - start on 20 yard line. St. Rita drives to Simeon 35 before Simeon's Darius Scott makes an incredible interception on the ST. Rita 10 yard line.

* 5th Simeon possession - start on own 15 yard line. Nobody has run like Simeon has run has done the entire year against St. Rita. Soldier Field is shocked. Simeon drives to the Simeon 40 an has to punt the ball. 

Half Time Score

Simeon 14 St. Rita 14

Publishers half time comments

I wrote in a blog post that Simeon has a chance to win this game. People clobbered me on even the thought of it. One guy even said " Charlie Weiss has a better chance of being the Notre Dame coach, than Simeon has of winning this game against St. Rita"

My half time analysis says that Simeon has not only played with St. Rita but has played better offensively and defensively. If it wasn't for the opening kickoff TD, Simeon would be up.

This is a battle between two running teams. Simeon has outrun St. Rita about 175 yards to 69 yards thus far. If that trend continues. Simeon will have a good chance.

They go into half time with all the confidence and momentum. They can beat St. Rita.

3rd quarter

Simeon 1st possession- starts on own 32. Simeon drives to St. Rita 27 yard line on a key 3rd and 4. Simeon takes it from there but a holding penalty and a loss on a run put it at 2nd and 30. A big throw by Gregory puts it 4th down and 6. Simeon missed a 42 yard field goal w 7:09 left on 3rd quarter. Questionable long field goal attempt. I would have went for it on 4th and 6.

St. Rita 1st possession- start on own 26. Akui 35 yard run. Another 1st down put the ball on the Simeon 32 yard line for a first down. St. Rita then plays smash mouth football with all running plays to drive to the Simeon 20. Key 3rd down and 9. On what looked like a broken play St. Rita Qb Rob Gallick throws a 20 yard screen play for a TD to Akui. Missed extra point. 1:19 3rd quarter. St. Rita 20 Simeon 14

Simeon 2nd possession - Juavier Green takes the Kickoff return to the Simeon 40 yard line. Simeon drives to the 28 yard line for 1st and 10. Horatio Banks runs for a 26 yard touchdown run evading several tacklers. Extra point was missed. 35 seconds 3rd quarter. St. Rita 20 Simeon 20.

4th quarter

St. Rita 3rd possession - Akui scores on a TD run. St. Rita 27 Simeon 20

Simeon possession - Simeon first down called back on a holding penalty. Simeon punts. 5:36 left in game

St. Rita possession - St. Rita starts on own 23 yard line.3rd down and 2 on the St. Rita 45. Akui picks up the first down with 2:42 to go. Akui just keeps chucking up yards. Big 37 yard touchdwon reception by St. Rita TE Gorski. 20 yard touchdown run by Akui puts the game away for St. Rita. 1:46 left St. Rita 34 Simeon 20

Simeon possession - Simeon starts on own 36. Several passes by Gregory puts ball on Simeon 20. Touchdown pass called back on a personal foul penalty with 35 seconds left. St. Rita gets the ball on an interception with 2 seconds left.

Final Score

St. Rita 34 Simeon 20