Chicago Public League Sports Blog

CPS Plans to Close Dyett and Crane

Crane - and it's rich basketball tradition- is set to close.(Crane Basketball photo)

Crane students and parents were visibly enraged after school. After all, earlier that they they were given official written notification that their school was going to be closed. The CPS anounnced that Crane on the west side and Dyett on the south side are going to be closed. All current students will be allowed to finish their high school until graduation (including freshman). But starting next fall students that would have gone to Crane will instead be rerouted to Wells high school and freshman that would have gone to Dyett will go to Phillips.

According to CPS chief Jean Claude-Brizard:

“We know how difficult this is for some folks,” Brizard said. “But we all have to agree that we have to do what’s right for kids and this is the best solution.”

Brizard cites chronic poor academic performance as one of the main contributing factors to decide to close the schools.

From a sports perspective this is devastating for both schools. Dyett, was just awarded a sports facilities makeover by ESPN and things were looking up despite the turbulent times. Crane, is a school with a rich basketball history. They are always a contender in the tough Red-West conference. Crane has won 11 Public League basketball titles, with the most recent one coming in 2003 (That's right they finished ahead of Simeon and Whitney Young that year). Crane also has two current NBA players - Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies and Will Bynum of the Detroit Pistons.

Detailed CPS Report

Illini Conference Player of the Year Nominations....Part 2

 Kevonta McIntyre(sr, RB, 6-1, 205lbs)(photo courtesy K. McIntyre) voted last year as the CPSFan.com running back of the year. This year, his performance on the field deserves a nomination for the Illini-conference player of the year. He rushed for 1143 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also took over the quarterback duties for a while when star quarterback Maurice Fleming went down with an injury. McIntyre also played linebacker. McIntyre, at 6-1, 205lbs showed he is a powerful runner with some good speed. If there was a running back of the year award in the CPS, he would definitely be voted by me as one of the top 2 or 3 running backs in the city.

Tavin Allen(5-11, 195lbs, sr, RB) Instrumental player in Fengers dramatic team rise this year to a surprise conference championship and state semi-final appearance. Fenger was the only CPS team to lose to Simeon by less than 28 points. Simeon lost to Simeon by only 5 points in the city semi-finals. Fenger's all time leading touchdown leader he had 18 td's with 1400 on the ground with on 83 carries without this athlete fenger wouldve never made the playoffs he played a big role in every single game won by Fenger with 2 or more td's.

I'd also like to nominate:

Darvell Harris(sr), QB of Dunbar
Darrien Boone(jr), QB of Fenger
Jim Daniels(sr), OL of Whitney Young
Quincy Skanes(sr), QB of Hubbard
Dae Shuan Hurley(sr), QB of Juilan
DeMarlon Morris(sr), DB of Julian
Devonte Rimmer(sr), RB of King
Destry Cross(jr), LB of Harlan
Devon Sanders(jr),RB of Robeson

Jarvis Wright(sr, QB) of Robeson

Please comment for additional nominations. And if your case is strong enough, I may just put them on the final ballot.

Part 1

Mather- Wins Follow Good Soccer

Mather played and beat Fenwick, Peoria Notre Dame, and Chatham Glenwood along their way to their state championship run. All are class 2A powers. Notre Dame and Glenwood are right there in the state title hunt every year much like Wheaton Warrenville South and Joliet Catholic are there every year in football. Beating one of those 3 teams is great. All 3 and by the margin leaves no doubt.

Also look at Mather's non conference schedule against class 3A teams, they did very well.

No one knows for sure how deep Mather could have gone if they were in 3A. Next year we may find out because they may be in 3A next year. It will be interesting to see how Mather fares next year. I do not believe they are a one year wonder. A real soccer program takes time and can reload. Case in point Peoria Notre Dame. State champs last year, graduate everyone and yet still makes it to state semi-finals.

For Mather to be a success next year, I'd like to see a sustained level of performance. Not necessarily a state championship, but I want to see a continuation of high quality soccer play - despite losses to graduation. If they do that, wins usually follow.

Julian's Ladell Fleming; Amundsen's Desroy Maxwell committs to NIU

Desroy Maxwell (OL/WR, 6-3, 240lbs, sr) was a one man wrecking crew for Amundsen.

Northern Illinois University received oral comittments from Desroy Maxwell of Amundsen and Ladell Fleming(6-1, 210lb, LB) of Julian.

Maxwell, who plans to major in Engineering, said he wants to go to a winning program. Maxwell, in my opinion is one of the best overall players in the CPS. He was a one man wrecking crew on all facets of the game. He was a tackling machine on defense, an incredible receiver on offense, and is one of the city's best kickers. He hit a 40+ yard field goal that was instrumental in Amundsen' stunning upset of Morgan Park earlier this year.

Ladell said he likes the family feeling at NIU. Ladell had a team high 115 tackles from a much improved Julian program.

“He’s an aggressive, sideline-to-sideline type of linebacker,” Julian coach Jason Richardson said. “He’s just a smart player who makes plays. He was really flying under the radar. I think if he had got out earlier he would have got some really big offers. I think he’s a steal. - from ESPN.

Both will be nominated in my upcoming Illini-conference player of the year poll.

Blue-North Looks Like It's Going to Be a Long Season

Blue-North Basketball Standings
11/28/11
source: Sun-Times

Blue-North	W	L		W	L
Roosevelt	0	0		0	0
North Grand	0	0		0	0
Sullivan	0	0		0	0
Chicago Academy	0	0		1	2
Amundsen	0	0		1	2
Uplift	0	0		0	4
Payton	0	0		0	5
Lake View	0	0		0	3
Northside	0	0		0	2
Rickover	0	0		0	2

When I put the Day 3 basketball scores last week, I accidently forgot to add that Amundsen beat Clemente 57-54. I thought that would be a minor oversight. Little did I know, that score played a big significance for the Blue-North teams. That win was one of only two wins that Blue-North teams managed to get in the first week of the basketball season. Blue-North teams had a horrendous start to the season as they opened a combined 2-20.

Not only did they lose, in many cases they lost big. Lake View lost to Ida Crown (not exactly a basketball school) 55-37, Payton lost to Evanston 62-20, and Northside Prep lost to St Benedict 60-34.

The CPS is known as a basketball conference. Everyone knows about the Simeon's, Farragut's, and Crane's of the CPS.

But, on the darkside, the CPS has a Blue-Conference which to be frank plays very sub par basketball. Last week, the Blue-North was a combined 2-20, Blue-South teams were 6-19, and Blue-West teams were 4-14. Sadly, many of the wins came against other Blue conference teams.  Also, a lot of people don't know this but the CPS also has a Green conference which is brokend down into the Green North and the Green South. The Green conference consist of very new, very developing, and all very obscure basketball programs like Hancock, UC Woodlawn, Spry, Epic, and Solorio. (I am as hardcore as it gets when it comes to the CPS and even I am vaugely familiar with most of the Green schools).

Fall Sports Final Results

Taft girls golf city-runner up

Boys Golf
1st- Whitney Young
2nd - Lindblom

Girls Golf
1st- Payton
2nd- Taft

Boys Soccer
1st- Mather
2nd- Lane Tech
semi's- Washington
semi's- Curie

Girls Volleyball
1st- Whitney Young
2nd- Payton
semi's- Von Steuben
semi's- Jones

16-inch softball
1st- Lane Tech
2nd- Washington
semi's- Taft
semi's- Corliss

Football
1st- Simeon
2nd- Harper
semi's- Fenger
semi's- Dunar

Boys cross country
1st- Lane Tech
2nd- Mather
3rd- Whitney Young

Girls cross country
1st- Lane Tech
2nd- Whitney Young
3rd- Jones

Girls swimming
1. Lane Tech
2. Northside
3. Whitney Young
4. Curie

 Fall 2010

Final Fall 2011 CPS Football Rankings

(pre-season rank)
1. Simeon (1) - city champion
2. Hubbard (3) - state quarterfinals
3. Harper (NR)- city runner up
4. Fenger (NR) - city semi-finals
5. Dunbar (4) - city semi-finals
6. Curie (2) - played Maine South tough in state playoffs
7. King (12) - (8-1) regular season; played Sycamore well in state playoffs
8. Julian (10) - played Sterling well in state playoffs
9. Whitney Young (9) - upset Morgan Park in city playoffs
10. Morgan Park (6) - Illini Prairie state conference champs
11. Urban Prep (NR) - Chicago Second City conference champ; lost only 43-41 to state quarterfinalist Rochelle. Probably deserves to be in the top 10.
12. Marshall (NR) - Chicago Windy City conference champs; lost only 10-6 to state quarterfinalist Evergreen Park
13. Robeson (5) -started season 5-0 before losing 4 of last 5 games
14. Brooks (NR) - 2nd in Illini- Heartland conference
15. Austin (NR) - 2nd in Chicago Second City Conference
16. Orr (11) - 4th in Illini Prarie State conference
17. Taft (19)- Chicago Big Shoulders conference champs
18. Hyde Park (17) - 2nd in Chicago Second City conference
19. Foreman (16) - 2nd in Chicago Big Shoulders conference
20. North Lawndale (NR)- Inter-City 2 conference champs

Others: Manley, Mather, Payton, DuSable, Collins, Lake View, Lane Tech

Lane rocks 3 suburban teams at Naperville Central

WRESTLING results from Naperville Triangular Meet
Lane 41, Downers South 24
Lane 46, Naperville Central 21
Lane 49, Batavia 19

If anyone thought last year Lane team advancing to state sectional semi-finals (Elite 8) was a fluke- think again. Lane started out really strong at the Naperville Triangular wrestling meet with Downers Grove South, Naperville Central, and Batavia. Lane beat all 3 teams.

I know it's early and teams are still evaluating talent. But for a CPS team to defeat 3 west suburban teams is a story.

Lane next match is a dual meet with Niles West on Thursday, December 1. The match will be at Lane. Suburban teams seldom go to the city to wrestle. Niles West has great and very spacious wrestling facilities. Many of them will get a shock to see a wrestling match occurring in Lane's small gym 3. This will be a rematch between the two teams of last year's state sectional semi-finals in which Lane rocked Niles West 55-6.

Lane Tech is ranked in the pre-season top 25 in the state in some publications. Matmen has Lane ranked ahead of Mt. Carmel, Barrington, Libertyville, Providence, St. Rita, Lake Park, and Lyons Township.  That puts Lane ahead of some serious wrestling programs. I can't remember a time a CPS team has been ranked this high in the pre-season.

Illini Conference Player of the Year Nominations....Part 1

Here are some obvious nomination for the CPS football conference Illini-Player of the Year. If you would like to nominate a player not on this list, please comment and state why and I may just add him to the final ballot. I'd like to nominate at least 1 player each from Harper and Fenger. However, I do not know the stats or give the best asessment on those players. If someone can comment on a Harper or Fenger player that you feel deserves nomination please comment. The same goes for other Illini-conference schools.

This is  the first of a series of posts where I will highlight some nominations.

Robert Gregory(sr, QB, 6-3, 195lbs), Simeon
Gregory is tall, athletic, fast, and has the arm speed, strenght, and accuracy. Most importantly he is a player. He is always a threat with his legs and his arms. In the few losses that Simeon has had, Gregory still performed well. Definitely in the group of top quarterbacks to come out of the CPS in recent years. That group includes Daron Brown of Morgan Park, Juice Williams of CVS, Cori Benz of Lane Tech, and Demetrius Williams of Morgan Park. All played Division 1 after high school. He has been hobbled a bit with injuries this year. At full strenght, I would not trade him for any quarterback in the state. Comitted to Arkansas.


Jordan Diamond(sr, OL, 6-6, 289lbs), Simeon
6-6, 289lbs strong, athletic, and great technique. He has over 20 college scholarship offers including a couple SEC schools (Arkansas, Auburn). If an SEC school has to venture outside of the football rich south, then you know you are good. The last time I talked to him, he has not decided on a college. Diamond has NFL potential.

Mikhail Dubose(sr, LB/TE/DE, 6-2, 245lbs), Hubbard
Dubose is a motor. I view him as a big, strong, powerful tackling machine. He is relentless in pursuit and has good closing speed. I see him as a speed defensive end in college. He is undecided on his college choice, but has several D1 schools with offers. Check out how he manhadles this defender at the US Army Camp:

Prep Bowl- Mt Carmel 34 Simeon 20

1st quarter:
Simeon first possession- drives to Mt. Carmel 35 yard but is stopped on downs on 4th and 2.
Mt. Carmel first possession - Simeon's Jabari WInston intercept a pass, Simeon ball on the 50 yard line.
Simeon 2nd posession - 22 yard touchdown reception to Cywettnie Brown. Simeon 7 Mt. Carmel 0
Mt. Carmel 2nd posession - 3 and out. Simeon defense playing well. Mt. Carmel punt is a shank. Simeon ball on the Mt. Carmel 42 yard line.
Simeon 3rd posession -Mt. Carmel personal foul gives Simeon the ball on the Mt. Carmel 32 yard line. 1st and goal on the Mt. Carmel 12 yard line. Mt. Carmel face mask puts the ball on the Mt. Carmel 4 yard line. Simeon's Robert Gregory fumbles the ball and Mt. Carmel recovers on the 5 yard line. Robert Gregory is injured on the play.
Mt. Carmel 3rd posession- 3 and out. Mt. Carmel punts the ball from its own 15 yard line. Simeon has shut down the vaunted Mt. Carmel running game in 3 first half posessions.

2nd quarter
Simeon 4th posession - Simeon starts on the Mt. Carmel  46 yard line with backup quarterback Elcee Burke at the quarterback position. Simeon offense is not the same without Gregory. Mt Carmel intercepts the ball and returns it to the Simeon 40 yard line.
Mt. Carmel 4th posession - 38 yard touchdown to Gasser. Mt. Carmel 7 Simeon 7
Simeon 5th posession - Simeon starts on it's own 18 yard line.  Elcee Burke still at the quarterback position. 3 and out. Simeon punter Thomas Burke knocked out of game due to injury. Simeon punts with sophmore back up punter Mitchell Burton. Burtons squeaks off a 19 yard punt.
Mt. Carmel 5th posession - Mt. Carmel scores on a 9 yard touchdown run. Mt. Carmel 14 Simeon 7
Simeon 6th posession - Paris Ratcliffe 80 yard touchdown reception. Mt. Carmel 14 Simeon 13
Mt. Carmel 6th posession - time runs out in half.

3rd quarter

Mt. Carmel- 35 yard Brandon Greer touchdown run. Mt. Carmel 21 Simeon 13
Simeon- punt
Mt. Carmel- 1 yard Brandon Greer touchdown.Greer has 220 yards rushing.  Mt Carmel 27 Simeon 13
Simeon- 12 yard touchdown throw by Burke to Cywettnie Brown. Mt Carmel 27 Simeon 20

4th quarter
Mt. Carmel-  3 and out. Punt
Simeon- turns the ball over on downs at the Mt Carmel 45 yard line
Mt Carmel - converts big 3rd and 9. Butkus scores on 2 yard TD run

Mt. Carmel 34 Simeon 20- Final