"The former Sears Power House is now the Henry Ford Academy: Power House High. This magnificent building has been fully restored and is back in service.Built in 1905 as part of the original Sears, Roebuck and Co. headquarters complex, the Power House is now an award-winning, historically preserved, green public high school. " It cost $41 million for the restoration.
Ford Powerhouse is one of the more obscure and little known schools in the CPS. In fact, throughout the history of this blog, I think I mentioned the school only once - in November 2009, when I introduced the school in a post.
Since then, the school has gone through some landmarks. Last spring, the charter school featured its very first graduation class.
Basketball School First
Sportswise, basketball has been the main sport at Ford Powerhouse. Ford elevated itself from the Green Division (lower than even the Blue Division) to all the way up to the Red-West - one of the toughest basketball conferences in the state to win - that features CPS champion Whitney Young, 4th place in the state Orr, North Lawndale, Farragut, Marshall, and others. The Ford Powerhouse team featured St. Joseph transfer Elliot Cole(sr), the top scorer in the state with a 34.1 points per game average. At one point he was the nation's top scorer and scored an amazing 63 points in a game against Little Village this year. Ford's signature win this past basketball season came against Marist.
Ford Powerhouse is now trying to make inroads in track.
It started last year, when Frederick Gilespie quietly ran a 22.97 in the 200 at sectionals. I say quietly because even though he ran such a great time it was barely noticed. First of all he ran that time at the class A University High Sectional- a sectional that is barely even followed even by all the track nuts on this site. In addition, even though he ran a really fast time, he did not advance to state because he missed the state qualifying standard by 0.02 seconds and three runners finished ahead of him. Two of them were from class 1A state champion Leo. Gilespie's time would have bene good enough to qualify for state in almost any other class 1A sectional. Furthermore, Gilsepie did not run at the CPS meet. If he ran a time if 22.97 at the CPS meet, it would have been good enough for a top 6 finish in that event.
I'm glad to see Gilespie run track as he also played on the Ford basketball team.
Gilespie has already run a 23.00 in a windy day to win the 200 at the Charger Nation Invitational. He is the early leader in the CPS leaderboard.
In addition to Gilespie Ford has a couple other athletes to watch in sophomore sprinters Terrill Pope(so), Khalil Kelly(so), and Damon Thomas(so).
Ford is a long way from being a powerhouse in track. But hey, their basketball team did it. Furthermore, they have a promising young coach in Shane Wilson. Wilson brings a fresh outside perspective as he attended Indiana University and worked in IU's Athletic Media Relations. It also helps that Wilson is the Ford Powerhouse Athletic Director.
Ford has never scored a single point at the varsity or frosh-soph level at the city meet. That could change this year. If Ford does that, Ford could be the second school from Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood with a news making track program.
You Know It's a Big Game When.....
Jesse Jackson is in the house.
Former New Trier basketball star, and former head basketball coach Rick Malnati (son of Lou Malnati's pizza) and family watch the game.
Any game that Jabari Parker(#22, middle, sr 6-8, F) - the number one or two ranked player in the nation and a Duke recruit - plays in a game its a big game.
New Trier seemed like they brought half the school. Boy was their student section rowdy.
Finally, you know it's a bg game when the seldom seen Simeon Wolverine mascot shows up.
Simeon 63 New Trier 54
Simeon defeated New Trier in the Chicago State Supersectional in boys basketball. I know the final score says that Simeon beat New Trier by 9. New Trier even got to within 4 in the 4th quarter. But this game felt like a Simeon lock throughout.
Simeon busted out with a 9-0 run to start the game. Then New Trier caught on fire beyond the arc to take its only lead of the game 19-18 in the first quarter. New Trier hit 6 of 7 3 pointers in a wild first quarter. Even though New Trier shot lights out in the first quarter they finished the quarter down 24-21.
The 2nd quarter was a slower pace as Simeon took a 36-28 half time lead. After that Simeon played a very controled and efficient game. They exerted just enough energy to win this game. Their goal was not to blow out New Trier- their goal was just to win.They even eased on a couple inside shots that could have went for monster slams. Instead they just took easy lay ins.
Offensively, New Trier has nobody that could stop the inside game led by star Jabari Parker(6-8,sr) and 6-9 Russell Woods(6-9,sr). On the defensive side, New Trier really had to work and pass the ball around just to get a shot off. Then, when they did get a shot, they had to make it because their offensive rebounding was almost non-existent against the much taller and much more athletic. New Trier really had to rely on the 3 point shot because of the shot blocking of Simeon. Simeon harassed the inside game of New Trier all night and Simeon must have had 10-12 or more blocks in this game.
New Trier played well in this game and gave it a great effort. New Trier senior guard Reid Berman scored 10 points in a row in the 4th quarter and Princeton bound G/F Steve Cook(6-4, sr) played his heart out. I've played against both of those guys in pick up basketball at Life Time Fitness in Old Orchard. They are dominating players. But not against this Simeon team loaded with D1 talent.
I could see why New Trier beat St. Patrick, Notre Dame, and Niles North to advance to the Super Sectionals. But, their best effort was not enough to get too close against this Simeon juggernaut. I can't see any team getting close to beating Simeon for the state championship.
People forget that it was only as recently as 2008 that Lane last won a city championship in football. Back in those days, they were beating Simeon and Morgan Park.
The only thing I can say is that basketball and football go in cycles. Right now Simeon and Morgan Park are dominant in both sports in the CPS.
It was not always that way. I know it is hard to believe.
On the football side, people forget Lane won 2 city championships in football the last 8 years. Lane was beating Morgan Park and Simeon in those days. Mather was a football powerhouse in the 1990's and actually won a Prep Bowl.
I know it is hard to believe but there will be a day when Simeon and Morgan Park is off the throne in football and basketball. When that days comes, people will look back at these days.
Basketball is a sport that is probably even greater affect in cycles
Not too many years ago North Lawndale College Prep won the city
title. Farragut, Westinghouse, King and Crane were basketball powerhouses. Nowadays, those are still solid programs but they started the season not as CPS contenders. Replacing them this year are teams like Orr, Curie, and Morgan Park. Believe it or not top 10 state ranked Morgan Park and Orr were not always this good. They both only won their first sectional championship in basketball only this season. Uplift in the Red-North went from a Blue team last year to a 2nd place finish in the Red-North this year.
Foreman and Notre Dame played a Regional Final basketball game on March 1, 2013 at Glenbrook South High School.
Photo Album
Foreman players and coaches hands in before the game.
Notre Dame Dons warm up.
Notre Dame 56 Foreman 48
Notre Dame star Matt Mooney(sr, F, 6-4, 195lbs) shoots a free throw as Foreman's Marcus Gatlin(5-11,jr, G) watches. Mooney poured 25 points to lead the Dons.
Foreman gave Notre Dame a much closer game than it probably expected. Notre Dame held a 4 point lead with 1:36 to play. Foreman had the ball. Karon Linton(sr, 6-3, G) had the ball and drove down the lane to what looked like a basket. That is when Notre Dame's Justin Halloran(6-6, sr, C) came up with I feel the game's biggest play by blocking the ball. It gave Notre Dame posession and they held on to win 56-48.
Foreman showed early that they could play against the favored Notre Dame Dons. Foreman took a 19-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
However, Notre Dame really stepped it up defensively in the 2nd quarter. Notre Dame started the 2nd quarter on an 8-0 run and held Foreman scoreless for the first 6 minutes and 24 seconds of the 2nd quarter. Notre Dame took a 27-22 half time lead.
Overall, I was impressed by the play of both teams. Foreman played a great game on both sides of the ball. Karl White(6-6, F/C) - one of the top unsigned seniors in the state - had several blocks and was a monster down low. Nobody from Notre Dame could stop him when he got the ball down low. The problem was the Notre Dame defense prevented him from getting the ball enough.
I left with a very positive impression of the Foreman team. I could see why they were the Red-North champs. They have some size with 5 players 6-5 or over. 4 of those 5 return next year and two of which are freshman - Jakari Smith(6-6, fr) and Doug Lowery(6-5,fr).
Foreman will be very strong next year as they have only 2 seniors on it's 14 man roster.
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