Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Taft vs Whitney Young

The pressure will be on the Whitney Young coaching staff to win this game and go back to the Illini Conference.

The IHSA is set to release the official football conference alignments and schedules at around July 3, 2013.

One game that is already being talked about will be the highly anticipated matchup between Taft and Whitney Young.

These two teams have seldom played each other since 2000 because for most of that time Taft and Whitney Young have been in different football conferences. The last time I remember these two school playing against each other was in 2006 when Whitney Young beat Taft 25-24 when they were both in the Illini Red Bird Conference. That defeat helped in sending Taft to a last place conference finish that year and get sent back to the Chicago conference.

This year, Taft and Whitney Young will both be in the Chicago Big Shoulders Conference. They are expected to be the pre-season conference favorites- with Steinmetz still in the picture.

This game will be especially big for Whitney Young more so than Taft. I say this because Whitney Young is a team that historically has been and definitely want to play in the Illini Conference. The Illini is the top conference in the Public League. Whitney Young was sent down to the lower Chicago conference because they finished last in the Illini- Red Bird last season.

Usually, the winner of a Chicago conference accepts the bid to go to an Illini conference. However, Taft has declined to do so when they won their Chicago Big Shoulders conference two of the past 3 years. So, Whitney Young must beat Taft if they want to win conference and then take care of the rest of their conference foes (which is not a 100% certainty). If Whitney Young does not beat Taft, they face the prospect of having to face Taft again next season in the same conference.

The bottom line is that this game is huge and will undoutably be one of the game to watch this upcoming football season.

The 4x800 at the State Meet

Whitney Young, Jones, and Lane battling it out in the 4x800 at the CPS meet. Whitney Young sophomore Kevin Ma(so) has the lead.

This is the first time in modern history (and probably ever) that the CPS will send 3 teams to the state meet in the 4x800 with qualifying times below 8 minutes.

At sectionals Lane ran a 7:51.43, Jones ran a 7:54.69, and Whitney Young ran a 7:59.21. Lane was expected to qualify as they have already ran below the state qualifying standard. Jones made followed up their CPS meet 4x800 record time with a school record 7:54.69. They decided to run their top 800 meter runner Jamison Dale (sr)  in the 4x800.

Whitney Young seems to be peaking at the right time as they bested their season best time by over 5 seconds and just qualified by running faster than the state qualifying standard. This is the first time in a long time that I can remember Whitney Young running faster than 8 minutes (though I may be wrong) in the 4x800.

 The first order of the day is to qualify for the finals.

Lane appears to have the best shot as they are they have the experience edge being the defending state champions in this event.  However, there is no guarantee in the state meet. Their sectional time of 7:51.43 sounds really fast, but believe it or not is only the 4th fastest state qualifying time. Barrington, Stevenson, and Hersey all ran faster times. I like Minooka's chances who some say was at stealth mode at sectionals and is capabale of busting out with a 7:45 type of performanace.. They are my pre-state meet favorites to in the 4x800.  Jones's time of 7:54.69 is 11th best.

It took a 7:53.85 to make it to the finals (top 12 times) last year. With so many quality teams in the field, I think it's going to take that kind of time to make it again this year. If that is the case, then that means Jones is going to have to break their school record for a 4th time this year just to qualify. Lane will have to not have anyone have a bad day and Whitney Young will have to run the race of their lives.

No matter what happens, this is already a banner year for the CPS in the 4x800.

The boys track state meet starts this Friday at Eastern Illinois with prelims.

Lane Wins 7th Straight Public League Girls Softball Title

Lane Tech 6 Whitney Young 2

Lane Tech won their 7th Public League girls softball title in a row and 14 of the last 16 after defeating Whitney Young 6-2. Freshman Kayla Garcia(fr) was 2 for 4 and had a double. Avellys Roman gave up only 6 hits in the win for Lane Tech.

The wind adds to an incredible run for Lane Tech girls sports in the spring. This spring Lane girls have won Public League titles in girls track and field, girls soccer, girls softball, and took 2nd in girls water polo.

Payton Wins CPS Boys Volleyball Title

Payton d. Whitney Young (23-25, 25-22, 25-22)

Earl Schultz and Payton came back after losing the first set to beat Whitney Young for the Public League title.

Payton lost the first set 23-25, so they had no margin of error in the 2nd set. In the second set Payton dug itself in another hole as it was down 22-19. Whitney Young needed 3 more points to win the game. But Payton, led by the play of stars Earl Schultz and Alex Bresler(sr) scored the next 6 points in a row to take the crucial 2nd set 25-22. The Grizzlies then won the final set 25-22 to take the Public League Boys Volleyball title.

Payton finally defeats Whitney Young in a title game. Whitney Young beat Payton for the title in 2010 and 2012.

Whitney Young Beats Lane Tech for CPS Boys Lacrosse Title

Whitney Young 7 Lane Tech 6

Whitney Young wins its first ever city boys lacrosse title.

Curie Wins 7th Straight CPS Boys Water Polo Title

Curie 11 Whitney Young 8

There's a dynasty brewing in the south side and it's not at Simeon or Morgan Park. Its at Curie. Curie won an astonishing 7th straight CPS boys water polo title after an 11-8 win over Whitney Young.

Whitney Young Rallies to Take The CPS Girls Water Polo Title Over Favored Lane

Whitney Young 6 Lane Tech 5

Down 3 goals, Whitney Young stormed back to stun Lane Tech to take the CPS girls water polo title. Jessie Cronin(so) scored the final 2 goals for Whitney Young that proved the difference. Lane had beaten Whitney Young twice during the regular season.

Some Notable Recent Scores

Boys Lacrosse
Whitney Young 9 Lane Tech 8
Upstart Whitney Young showed that there is a new power in the city, as the Dolphins beat Lane Tech for I believe the first time in boys lacrosse.

Baseball
Morgan Park 9 Simeon 7
Morgan Park takes the Jackie Robinson Conference lead with a 13-1 conference record. The Simeon Morgan Park rivalry goes beyond football and basketball.

Girls Softball
Lane Tech 11 Loyola 5
Any time a CPS school beats Loyola in almost any sport, it is news. Lane girls softball team beat Maine West earlier in the season and now Loyola. The Indians are seeded #4 in the upcoming Ressurection state sectional. That is one of the highest seedings I can remember for a CPS girls softball team.

Victor Taylor of King Upsets Toye in the Long Jump

City Long Jump champion Victor Taylor(sr) of King College Prep. It took a personal record of over 1 feet, but that was just enough for Taylor to win the 2013 CPS long jump title. His leap of 21-6 was just one inch more than runner up Joseph Toye(so) of Whitney Young, the pre-meet favorite.

The top 4 finishers finished over 21 feet.

Malachi Goodman(jr) missed out on scoring valuable points for Whitney Young as he finished 9th.


Clark has a budding long jump star as freshman  Malachi Squall(fr) finished 10th overall with a great leap for a freshman of 19-1.25. That mark is the furthest long jump for a CPS freshman this year.

long jump picture results:
(click for bigger pic)

Peter Casey Sets the Early Pace with Discus Title for Whitney Young

City Discus champion Peter Casey(jr) Whitney Young

Prior to this meet, Peter Casey(jr) never threw over 110 feet in the discus at a meet. That all changed as not only did he break 110, but he threw 134-3 to win the 2013 CPS Discus title. Teammate Milton Woods finished 5th to give Whitney Young a quick 13 points to start the meet, with star jumper Joseph Toye(so) still having to perform in the jumps. That set a loud message to the fans watching the event, that Whitney Young was serious in defending their city title.

Lane countered with a 2-3 finish by Timothy Pinner(sr-above) and Bobby Kurek(sr) to keep pace with Whitney Young. All 8 CPS scorers in this event threw over 100 feet.