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But things seem to be different for
this year’s Preachers. Is it the beautiful new athletic facility? Is
it the promising new recruits? Maybe. However, fans are a little
uneasy because when the ball goes up for the first time in the
’02-’03 season, Matt Clark won’t be on the floor. You might call
this the "post-Clark era." How do you replace 2,744 career points, a
three-time All-American and National Player of the Year, not to
mention veteran leadership? If you have the answer to that question,
give coach Randy Kirk a call. The biggest challenge for Kirk’s team
this year is replacing the heart and soul of this team for the past
four seasons. This team has to develop a new identity and new
habits. This team has to learn how to play without the school’s
all-time leading scorer.
The Preachers have 11 new faces on a
team that returns three starters. Coach Kirk is optimistic about
this year’s recruiting class: "The good news is this is the deepest
recruiting class I’ve had since I’ve been here." Kirk says several
of these players will have significant roles this year, while others
may be a year or so away.
Caleb Edson, true freshman out of
Centralia, is one who will have immediate impact. Edson has an
impressive resume that includes two appearances in the state finals
of the 3-point competition. "He’s a very athletic kid who can shoot
the ball very well," says Kirk. Edson will start at shooting guard
at the beginning of the season.
Another recruit who will have an
immediate impact is Chad Nelson. Nelson is a transfer from Grace
Bible College, where he started as a freshman. With a 6-foot-7
frame, Nelson provides the Preachers with a big body who can also
shoot the ball. He will also start for the Preachers.
Tim Schultz has been a surprise for
Kirk and the Preachers. Schultz ran the second fastest 800-meter in
Indiana as a high school senior. Kirk points out, "He’s been a
pleasant surprise for us and brings a lot of energy to this team."
Two transfers who will help the
Preachers are Cory Rayhorn and Brian Dunaway. Both have been injured
in the preseason and haven’t had much practice time. However, Kirk
believes they will help the team as soon as they get healthy.
Rayhorn is four years out of high school but a true freshman. Even
though he’s only 5-foot-8, Rayhorn is extremely quick. "He’s the
quickest player with the ball I’ve ever coached," claims Kirk. Brian
Dunaway will also bring a lot to this team. He is a transfer from
the DI school Southern Louisiana. Dunaway is extremely athletic and
will provide the Preachers with both an inside and outside threat.
[to top of second column in this article] |
Who will lead this young, inexperienced
team? The Preachers will look to senior Joel Searby for leadership.
Searby averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds last year. A U-High grad
and former DIII player, Searby will need to step up and anchor this
team of new faces. Senior Zach Below also returns. Below averaged 12
points a game last year and will be looked on to take up the slack,
not only of Clark’s scoring but also senior leadership. How far the
Preachers go may rely on how well these two seniors can lead them.
The Preachers also return key upperclassmen Jake Raymer, John
Holderby and Jim Turney. So that gives them something to build
around.
The schedule is extremely tough, and
November will make or break this young team. They play five
nationally ranked NAIA schools as well as potentially six NCCAA
nationally ranked teams. The stretch in November includes three of
these ranked NAIA teams and DII team Alaska Anchorage.
Kirk talked about the Preachers’ rough
schedule: "This is a very ambitious stretch. If we can survive this
with a thread of confidence, we’ll be a very good team in February.
However, this is a stretch that could destroy a young team."
The Preachers have never been to the
national tournament. Maranatha Baptist returns all five starters,
and the Preachers have to get by them if they want to get the monkey
off their back. Upsets and heartbreaks have kept the Preachers out
of nationals in years past. They have an advantage this year because
they are host to the regional tournament.
If this team wants to shed the
reputation of not being good in the postseason, two things must
happen. One, they have to establish good chemistry. Talented as they
may be, if they don’t play well together, you can guarantee an early
exit. The second thing they have to do is have people step up. When
the Preachers needed a score, Matt Clark was always up to the task.
Who will take on that role? It’s essential that the Preachers find
someone to step up and want the ball in the final two minutes.
The question
still remains if this is the Preachers’ year. The talent is there,
but will they gel together? The trip to nationals is well overdue,
so Preacher fans, get out the rally monkey and let’s go to Oklahoma.
[Brandt Wilson] |
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Lady
Railers denied trip to state
You had a feeling that the Lady Railers
volleyball team was due to break out this weekend and take a
much-deserved trip on that wild, magic carpet ride known as the
state tournament. But once again fate stood in their way in the
manifestation of Normal Community High School. However, that match does
NOT take away the accomplishments of this great group of girls.
For me personally it is always hard to
say goodbye to the seniors. They had great careers here, and we wish
them nothing but the best. For the returning players, I can only say
that next year I plan to watch them in Redbird Arena.
CONGRATULATIONS on another outstanding
season, Lady Railers!
Angels
denied at nationals
When you dispose of the No. 1-ranked
team in the nation earlier in the day, you have to figure that your
chances for bringing home some national hardware were looking pretty
good. However, the denial bug hit another local team as the Lincoln
Christian College Angels went down in the quarterfinal round and
were unceremoniously bounced right out of medal play. Again, that
will NOT diminish what these young ladies accomplished.
The LDN will REALLY miss Breanne Prunty
banging home the game winners, but congratulations to her, Christen
O’Malley and Lauren Cox for making this year’s All-American squad.
Also, kudos to coach Kevin Crawford, who won an unprecedented fourth
or fifth (or was it 12th) National Coach of the Year award.
(Editor’s note: The LCC athletic director who hired Mr. Crawford is
now a semiprofessional sports writer with the LDN.)
Denial
bug hits the Bears too
I have watched and re-watched the
highlights of this game, and I can tell you Bears fans only one
thing: You were robbed! First it somehow took them an hour and 10
minutes to play the third quarter! Not the second half, BUT the
third quarter! I don’t know who keeps stats, but IF that’s not a
record… it should be. It was nuts! Then the last two minutes of the
game was just a calamity of errors.
However, I don’t know why so many
people are surprised. IF you go back and watch the tapes of last
year’s AFC championship game between these same Pats and the Oakland
Raiders, you will see at least three blown calls that ensured that
the Pats would win!
They’re pretty lucky that they didn’t
have a riot on their hands at the end of this ballgame. I haven’t
seen this many mistakes by one crew in a Pop Warner league game!
First there was no measurement on a crucial fourth and short play.
While I’m guessing they did pick up the first down, in a crucial
situation like that, you just have to measure it. Integrity demands
it! Next, NO ONE even signals first down. Then an extra down appears
to have been given… and I haven’t even mentioned the addition of
nine seconds to the game clock.
Now don’t get me wrong. Perhaps every
one of these WAS the right call. BUT, you would’ve never been
convinced of it watching this circus act, EVEN if you were a
Patriots fan! I don’t understand why and how crews can make some of
these seemingly easy things appear so complicated. And to stand
there and discuss some of them for several seconds or minutes takes
away from the fluidity of the game!
I’m not going to comment on where I
think they were wrong or right. I’d just like to see improvement,
especially in the area of consistency.
In the grand scheme of things the Bears
aren’t going ANYwhere this year except back to their luxury boxes
next to the lake and their stinkin’ PSLs, but WHAT IF they were in
the playoff hunt? What kind of a brouhaha do you think that would
have set off Sunday night? Has ANYone figured out the draft order
yet and who the Bears might get IF they stay on course the rest of
the way?
Rams’
vaccination keeps denial bug at bay
The St. Louis Rams did NOT let the
denial bug deny them an amazing comeback victory over the San Diego
Chargers, 28-24. Is it the system or is it Marc Bulger? YOU make the
call.
The Indianapolis Colts also had an
incredible road victory AT Philadelphia.
How in the world can bookies ever make
any money in the world of sports? I wouldn’t EVEN bet on what I’m
gonna do in the next five minutes, much less who’s gonna cover the
spread in an NFL game! Are you kidding me???
LCC men’s
hoops goes 3-0 on first road trip
In my 10 years of coaching out at LCC,
I don’t remember ever going 3-0 on the opening weekend. We usually
played only two! However, this group of LCC cagers may be worth the
viewing to you community hoops junkies. First of all, the new
Laughlin Center is a perfect spot to view a hoops contest. Second,
coach Randy Kirk’s intense, aggressive style makes his teams
competitive against virtually anyone they line up against. Third,
he’s got some nice players — Normal U High’s Joel Searby and a D-I
import from somewhere in Louisiana (God bless ’em, and keep ’em
coming!) in the person of Brian Dunaway, just to name a couple.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7 p.m., right
here on the beautiful eastern edge of Lincoln, you can see this
vaunted attack take on Robert Morris College. Plenty of good seats
still available, BUT there is ONLY one more home game for the first
semester: Nov. 26. SO, get out there Tuesday night and start
becoming an LCC backer… This train is NOW BOARDING!!!
We
recommend the LC wagon as well
We have not yet seen this year’s
edition of the Lynx, but we hear that they take no prisoners! B.J.
ALWAYS does a great job, and we love watching games over at LC!
[to top of second column in this
article] |
 Can
someone please explain the Illini to us?
Just when you thought that the forks
were firmly embedded in your sick and fading Illini, lo and behold
they go up to Wisconsin, a place they haven’t played well over the
years, and pummel Bucky and his brothers, 37-20! And Channel 3’s
Chris Widlick told me it wasn’t that close. He went on to say that
the Illini dominated them in spite of committing five turnovers!
Five turnovers usually gets you a seat next to WhatsamattaU!
Jon Beutjer seems to be coming into his
own, but can Illinois even HOPE to upset Ohio State? I have been so
skeptical the last two years, and even though I’ve had a lot of
right picks, I’ve also had a lot of wrong ones (the Cards-Arizona
one sticks in my mind). I don’t know why, but I’m smelling upset in
Chambana next Saturday. I hate to make predictions, but since you’re
forcing me, I’m going with Illinois 24, Ohio State 23!
By the way, the Illini MUST upset OSU
on Saturday to even hope for a bowl bid. I know it’s a long shot,
but nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Denial
bug bites ISU in heartbreaking loss
The denial bug showed up in Normal in
the form of two huge miscues as the Redbirds snatched defeat right
out of the jaws of victory before over 6,000 windblown fans on
Saturday. The LDN couldn’t believe, with ISU leading 17-10 midway in
the third, that an ill-advised screen pass ended up going for a big
interception and a couple of plays later Youngtown State had tied
the game. On the ensuing kickoff, the ball headed for the
stratosphere with Dorothy, and Toto and the Birds refused to cover
the ball! If that wasn’t enough to sink your stomach, on fourth and
three the Penquins fired a deep pass in the corner of the end zone
that resulted in the game-winning touchdown, 24-17.
With so many weird things happening to
our city and area teams, could SOMEbody PLEASE call the
Ghostbusters?!!!
ISU and
Illini hoopsters hit the hardwood
You are now entering my favorite time
of the year — college basketball season. Some have even suggested
that I quit coaching because I was too big a fan of the game. While
those reports are greatly exaggerated, I won’t deny that I love
hoops sometimes more than life itself! When the Birds or the
Preachers or the Illini or the Railers go on an 11-0 run featuring a
couple of 3s and a nasty dunk, I just have to get up and dance. And
don’t be surprised that the people in my section usually REALLY
appreciate my exuberance! Well, it’s that time again, as LCC and
Illinois host games Tuesday, ISU hosts one on Thursday, and the
Illini unfurl their BIG TEN champions banner on Friday! I don’t have
an LC schedule in front of me, but I’m sure they’ve got some
exciting contests on tap as well! Get on out and support your
favorite team(s)! It’s FANtastic!!!
FREE
TICKETS
IF you are junior high age or younger
and IF you have NEVER been to an ILLINI basketball game and IF you
have someone who can take you to a game this week, send a note to
jmayfield@lccs.edu. I will
give two FREE tickets to one of Illinois’ games this week to
the first person who contacts me via e-mail. Good luck!!!
"FANdamonium"
Again, I want to take this opportunity
to thank the many viewers and listeners of our Monday night sports
call-in show for your many kind comments and reviews.
• The purpose of our show
is to:
• Talk about college and
pro sports of area interest
• To promote our local
college, high school and junior high coaches and athletes.
• To give non-major sports
the publicity that they deserve but seldom receive
And it is gratifying to Greg and me
that you loyal and outstanding viewers have captured our concepts
and have been quick to embrace them. Also, everyone who has called
or e-mailed with an idea so far has been heard or responded to.
PLEASE keep those calls, cards and e-mails coming… This is YOUR
show! You can catch us right here on the LDN by clicking on the live
link every Monday night at 6. Or you can watch us on CITV Channel 5
or listen to us on FIX 96.3 on your FM dial.
Our format is:
• First segment — Area pro
and college reports and banter of interest with callers
• Second segment — Live
interviews with local college, high and junior high coaches and
athletes
• Third segment —
Follow-ups, giveaways and wrap-up
Last night’s guest was Lincoln High
School soccer coach Tom Mauhar. We also hope to have football coach
John Oaks sometime soon to wrap up a successful year of Railer
gridiron work.
Future shows: We hope to showcase more
area volleyball teams, and soon we’ll be starting through the winter
sports. Look for a BIG basketball showcase in the next few weeks. IF
you have ANY suggestions, call us at the LDN at 732-7443 or e-mail
us at
ldneditor@lincolndailynews.com.
YOU are the
reason that this show has been so successful! Thanks again, as Greg
and I really appreciate you helping us focus some positive light on
the great young people of our community and our county!
[Jeff
Mayfield]
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