Chicago Public League Sports Blog

The Start of Another Cross Country Season

With the first day of official practice coming up here are some of my random thoughts.

Jamison Dale- Statewide the most talked about name from the CPS will be Jamison Dale of Jones College Prep. Dale enters his senior year having already won the CPS meet his junior year. This year, he enters the season as a legitamate title contender for class 2A. He broke the class 2A 1600 meter run record in track last spring.

Jones is a state trophy contender- For the first time since probably the early 1970's or earlier, the CPS brings in a team with legitamate pre-season hopes of a state trophy- if not a state title. I'm talking about Jones College Prep. Jones has a senior dominated team led by track all staters Jamison Dale(sr) and Luke O'Connor.

Who else has hopes of qualifying for state besides Jones? - Mather has a chance in class 2A depending on how much their athletes have developed. As for class 3A, Lane and Whitney Young would have to fill some big holes from last year to even think about it.

What's the city meet going to look like? Jones goes into the season as my favorite. The Eagles have never won a city title in cross country or track this looks like the year. Lane and Whitney Young also have good teams to at least make it interesting.

 

Lane Tech Football on the Hot Seat

Lane Tech Football Coaching Staff

In the over 100 + years of Lane Tech, I don't think Lane has ever witnessed a prolonged slump. Lane has had 3 years in a row now of a sub .500 season record. This dubious streak started in 2009 when Lane finished at that time an unheard of 4-5 and missed the state playoffs after making the playoffs for 12 consecutive years.

Even a coaching change in 2010 at the head coaching spot could not find relief as new coach Fred Proesel led Lane to a 4-5 record his first year and then an even worse 3-6 last year.

This is how Lane's schedule looks like this year and my predictions

Week 1 vs DeLaSalle-  Loss
Week 2 @ Glenbrook North- Loss
Week 3 vs Bogan - Win
Week 4 @ Simeon - Loss
Week 5 vs CVS - Toss up
Week 6 vs Dunbar - Loss
Week 7 @ Whitney Young - Toss up
Week 8 vs Curie - Loss
Week 9 CPS Playoffs or CPS Cross Over Game - Win

Lane Tech will be heavy underdogs in their first two games against DeLaSalle and Glenbrook North. Even when Lane had city championship caliber teams, games against those teams would have been tough. Lane will be lucky to not have a running clock against D and GBN. In week 3 Lane faces Bogan. Lane always has Bogan's number and this year should not be any different. Lane opens conference against #1 Simeon @ Gately. Let's hope Simeon does not run up the score. In weeks 5-7 Lane plays CVS, Dunbar, and then Whitney Young. This in my opinion is the key stretch for Lane. These 3 games will determine Lane's finish in conference. Winning all 3 is a dream, winning 2 of 3 and some will say Lane is back, win 1 of 3 and it may be enough to prevent a last place conference finish, and lose all 3 then Lane's season is over.

It's too early yet to say wheter Lane will turn it around this year. I do know they have proven senior starters at the QB position with Jack McLaughlin(sr) and at the RB position with speedster Antonio Abreu(sr). Both are bigger, stronger, and more improved than last year.

Lane fans are becoming impatient. We'll see if Lane can turn it around this year.

The New Crew at Lane Tech

From left to right David Schmieg(jr), Mansur "Waffles" Soleman(sr), Oswaldo Lorenzano(jr), Marcelo Burbano(sr), Pavlo Hutsalyuk(so), Brandon Zimny-Schmitt(sr), and Jon Vara(jr).

Lane Tech graduated 4 of its varsity top 7 from last year. You are going to see a few new or emerging faces donning the myrtle and gold this year as well as a couple familiar faces. Pictured above is the new crew doing some summer training at River Park. (TJ photo)

Denzel Ward of Julian Picks up an Offer from Purdue

(DW photo)
Denzel Ward(sr, 6-9,285lbs, jr, OL) of Julian has picked up an offer from Purdue of the Big Ten. Colleges love his size at 285lbs and at 6-9, he is very tall even compared to other lineman. Ward is only a junior. He's been really busy in off season camps at Ohio State and Wisconsin among others. His results have been impressive as Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and USC have expressed interest.

Ward, at 6-9 also plays on the Julian basketball team, although there is some talk he may not suit up for basketball this winter to focus on football.

Ward is part of a Julian team that is looking better as the season is about to begin. The Julian Jaguars have already been boosted by the additions due to transfers of Division I college prospects Khairi Bailey and Demetrius Cooper.

CPS College Recruiting Page

Hubbard Greyhounds Cross Country Team Preview

Ricardo Robles(sr) is part of a Hubbard team whose prospects look good to improve on its 10th place varsity finish last year.

Losses: Saul Salinas(53rd @ varsity meet), Joshua Ruiz(85th @ varsity), Jose Reyes(110th @ varsity meet)

Key Returnees:Richard Lucio(so- 44th at last years CPS soph meet), Luis Reyes(sr- 64th @ varsity meet), Adrian Barrientos(so- 71st @ varsity), Ricardo Robles(sr- 77th @varsity), Felix Vasquez(sr-78th @varsity), Manuel Lule(sr, 49th @ JV)

Last year: 12th place @ cps soph meet, 10th place @ cps varsity meet, 7th place @ cps JV meet

For a school like Hubbard, it's not about winning the city championship but making improvements in the program. They definitely showed some progress on the distance side in track. Just graduated Saul Salinas ran a 10:35 in the 3200 and a 4:44 in the 1600 at the CPS meets. Those are some pretty good times and in past years, they would have been good enough to score at the city meet. As it turned out the 10:35 placed 11th at city and the 4:44 just missed making the 1600 meter finals. The 4x800 meter did manage to score as they ran a 9:07.10 to place 8th at the city meet. Hubbard beat teams from Kenwood and Kennedy.

All 4 legs of the 9:07 4x800 team ran cross country last fall for Hubbard and all 4 are going to be seniors this year. The 4 are Luis Reyes(sr- 64th @ varsity meet), Ricardo Robles(sr- 77th @varsity), Felix Vasquez(sr-78th @varsity), and Manuel Lule(sr, 49th @ JV). I got a chance to see this group of 4 run and warm up at the city meet. I'll tell you what, I had to do a double take. I thought they were from Curie. This group looked lean, fit, and in shape. They seemed like a group of serious distance runners which at Hubbard until recently has been lacking.

Add rapidly develop sophomore distance runner Adrian Barrientos(so- 71st @ varsity) to the above 4 and you got the makings of a more than decent top 5 for Hubbard. Barrientos showed some promise last year as a freshman. He broke into Hubbard's top 5 and ran a good time of 18:28 at the city meet running at the varsity level for Hubbard.

There is talk that Hubbard wants to get 5 runners running 17 minutes. Based on how I have seen their program progress the last year, why not! 

Coach Jarvey Lewis-Bey - Trying to Bring a New Norm to Marshall

I feel that a good coach is one of the biggest factors in the success of a programs. One of those coaches is coach Jarvis Lewis-Bey. After a successful run at Senn, Coach Bey decided to move to coach at Marshall. The results have been phenomal and speak for themselves.

Senn football team record with/without Bey
School Year         Record         Coach
2005-06               2-7              Herman Blade

2006-07                8-3            Jarve Lewis-Bey
2007-08                3-6            Jarve Lewis-Bey
2008-09                7-4            Jarve Lewis-Bey
2009-10                8-2            Jarve Lewis-Bey
2010-11                9-1            Jarve Lewis-Bey

2011-12                1-8            Vincent Davis

Marshall football team with/without Bey:
School Year         Record         Coach
2009-10                4-5             William Gray
2010-11                2-7             William Gray

2011-12                8-2             Jarve Lewis-Bey

Immediate Dividends
As you can see from the table above, Coach Jarve-Bey is developing a track record of successfull turnarounds. He turned Senn around from a school with consistent losing record to one of winning. His record his last two seasons at Senn was 17-3.

He it trying to do the same thing at Marshall. I just did not know he could do it so quick. He turned Marshall around from a 2-7 team to an 8-2 team in one year. His team almost pulled out a shocker in last year's playoffs when his team lost only 10-6 to a very good Evergreen Park team in the first round of the state playoffs. Evergreen Park ended up being a state quarterfinalist.

I can't wait to find out what he can do his second year at Marshall. It will be a tougher test for Marshall as they have been promoted to the much tougher Illini Heartland conference with Brooks, Harper, and others.

Football Team Previews Page

Here is a video interview I conducted of Bey when he was at Senn after his team pounded Lincoln Park.

The CPS is figuring it out

The CPS has always been and is a basketball conference. No other conference in the nation but the CPS can boast the following individual basketball accolades:

• The NBA's MVP  Derrick Rose (Simeon)
• The NBA's #1 draft pick Anthony Davis (Perspectives Charter)
• The #1 high school senior basketball player (class of 2012) Jabari Parker (Simeon)
• The #1 (or #2 depending on publication) high school junior basketball player Jahil Okafor (Whitney Young).

This begs the question, what about other sports. Can the CPS have some success (as far as state level prominence) in other sports. I will say this in the 2011-12 school season, the CPS did have a taste of it in some other non-basketball sports and activities.

Chess (officially labled an activity)- 4 teams finished in the top 21 at state including Whitney Young(3rd), Northside Prep(5th), Kelly (17th), and Lincoln Park (21st). I'll take the top 2 teams from the CPS over any other conference in the state. Only the Central Suburban League can rival the CPS as far as the top 2 teams. Kelly and Lincoln Park ain't bad either.

Cross Country- Jones finished 7th and Mather finished 13th in class 2A. I don't know the last time the CPS had two teams finish that high. Jones is shooting for at least a state trophy this year. Lane Tech advanced to state out of the very difficult class 3A Niles West sectional beating distance powerhouses such as Niles North and Maine South. 

Soccer-Mather may have been the high school story of the year for the entire state of Illinois by winning state in class 2A soccer. They not only won, but they completely dominated.

Track- Dunbar led by Darvell Harris and Kelvyn Park led by Brian Carter and Jamal McNeely finished in the top 10 in the state in ther respective classes. It's been a long time (maybe over 25 years, though I could be wrong) that the the CPS has had two teams finish in the top 10 at state. Lane won a state championship in the 4x800- the first CPS school to do so. Dunbar took titles in the 200, 4x200, and 4x100.

It's still premature to say that the CPS is figuring out how to win in other sports at the state level, but the results above seem to give some hope. There is hope and potential in other sports. I feel that one of these years a CPS baseball team could emerge, a CPS individual tennis player could rise in prominence, a girls softball team could go deep in the playoffs, even sports like golf and swimming are not out of the realm of possiblity.

Track, soccer, chess, and cross country did the CPS proud last year.

What will this year hold?

 

 

 

The Usual Suspects

Why are teams like Lane and Mather there every year?

Every year for the last decade or so it's always the same teams every year when conversations come up about the top CPS cross country teams. Lane Tech, Mather, Northside Prep, Whitney Young. Those teams always finish in the top 5, the only difference is the order changes. One year Lane Tech wins it all, then Mather has a run for a couple year, then Northside get's in the mix, and Whitney Young is always there in the top 5. I call this group the usual suspects.

I do have to add Jones in this group. Although the Jones phenomena has been a recent development. As recently as 5 or so years ago, they barely had a cross country team. The last couple of years they have legitimized themselves with back to back top 4 team places at the varsity level. This year, they seem poised to win their first city title in cross country or track.

So what teams outside of this elite group, has a chance to break into the usual suspects? In my opinion it Lincoln Park and Curie. Both teams have quality coaches. They also have some quality runners. I feel their only missing ingredient is getting more runners to their programs. They have quality coaches to be be able to develop runners. The problem is, cross country is a sport that really takes time to develop runners, especially on the boys side. Few freshman have an impact at the varsity level right away. It takes most runners at least 2-3 years of solid training and hard work to be able to maek an impact at the varsity level.

Payton, Hubbard, and some other teams- with more work on their program are also capable of joining this group.

Morgan Park Mustangs Football Team Preview

Watch out for up and coming junior Tahje Hartley (DE Jr , 6-1, 195lbs). He's added 15lbs of muscle since last season.

Last Year:
4-6-0 overall; 4-1-0 first place in the Illini Prairie State Conference; First round state playoff loss to Lemont 56-30.

MP is coming off a season in which they opened 0-4 with losses to Providence catholic, Mount Carmel, Simeon, and Amundsen. The Amundsen loss was especially painful as it was the first time Morgan Park has ever lost to Amundsen - and one of the most stunning upsets in the CPS for any sport last year.

But after the Amundsen lost MP went on to win all of their remaining conference games including a 27-14 win over conference rival Hubbard. But the euphoria from the Hubbard win did not last long as Morgan Park got beat by Whitney Young in the CPS playoffs and Lemont in the state playoffs.

This year:
Illini Prairie State Conference

Morgan Park
Hubbard
Orr
Robeson
Bogan
Urban Prep (moved up from Chicago conference)

Outlook:
A Morgan Park source told me that the kids are working hard under new coach Wesley Yates, who replaced Jeremy Gold. Under Yates, the kids are looking to go back to going back to one of the elite teams in the CPS.

They will do so with some quality returning talent and some up and coming players despite the loss of graduation and transfers (most notably Demetrius Cooper- who has an offer from Notre Dame among others).

Charles Bournes is the running back to look out for. Andre Newell returns as the starting quarterback.

Conference Outlook:
As usual, Hubbard will be there for the conference mix. But do not count out the other teams. Morgan Park struggled to beat Robeson, Orr, and even Bogan last year. Those teams will be roaring to get back at Morgan Park. Urban Prep fresh from being promoted from the Chicago conference has a lot of returning talent and does not want to get sent back down. My feel is that Morgan Park will not go through conference play unscathed.

Players to Watch
Jonathan Harris OL/DE Jr
Tahje Hartley DE Jr
Jareem Fleming DE Jr  
Tim Smith WR/DB JR
Eddie Scott LB Sr
Javon Bright Wr/S
Charles Bournes RB
Andre Newell QB

Football Team Previews Page

Does Lane Tech have any kind of realistic chance at Jones this year?

Mansur Soleman(sr) of Lane Tech

 I'll never say never. Why? Because just like an athlete improves with quality training over time, coaches improve as well. The Lane Tech coaching duo of Chris Roof and Tony Jones has been around for a long time (over 8 years?) and they get better every year. Lane won it last year and made it downstate. But 4 of their top 7 graduate. We know Marcelo Burbano(sr) will be there with the front pack. We know Jon Vara(jr) will run in the 15's. He'll be a top 10 cps runner. Varsity returnee Mansur Soleman ran low 16's last year and could be in the 15's last year. Now all Lane has to do is develop 1-2 more runners to run up there. They got some young talent in runners like Pavlo Hutsalyuk(so), Christian Badillo(so), and David Schmieg(jr).  I feel Lane can potentially put together a team that can have 5 all city runners at the varsity level. In most years, that is good enough to win it all. Will it be good enough this year to surpass Jones? We'll see. I think if Lane can have 5 all city runners and still lose the city title, then so be it.

Lane opens at the St. Patrick Invitational.