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[MARCH 29, 2002]   Lincoln’s varsity baseball team chalked up its first season win on Thursday, defeating visiting Bloomington 10-6.  Tied 4-4 after four innings, the Railer bats exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to provide sufficient cushion for the victory.

Lincoln found itself down early, trailing 3-1 after the first inning. In the first frame, starting pitcher Andy Knopp gave up three of the six hits he allowed in five innings pitched.  The three first-inning runs were the only earned runs Knopp surrendered. He struck out five, walked two and left the game with a 10-5 lead, thanks to the fifth-inning outburst by the Railer offense.

[Andy Knopp faces Bloomington’s Justin Harrison. Knopp recorded Lincoln’s first win of the season.]
[Photos provided by Rich Knopp]

Blake Schoonover went the final two innings, and fortunately he kept the Railer lead intact to the finish. (In two of the Railers’ first three games, a two-run lead going into the last inning has not been enough.) Schoonover struck out three and allowed four hits and one run in his two innings.

The Railer defense struggled in the game, committing five errors in the first five innings. Nevertheless, one notable defensive play came in the fifth inning. After an unearned Bloomington run had scored and with two on and two out, right fielder Mike Martin made a great diving catch in front of him to end the inning.

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Martin scored the first Railer run in the first inning after drawing a walk, stealing a base, and advancing on a shortstop error. Ryne Komnick led off the second inning with a left-field solo home run. Two more Railer runs crossed the plate in the fourth inning. Matt Boyer led off with a single to right, but his pinch runner, after stealing second, was picked off.  Ryan Williams was awarded first after he was hit by a pitch. (In the second inning, Williams was also hit by a pitch, but the umpire ruled that he did not make a sufficient effort to avoid it, so he just called it a ball.)  Martin then sent a line drive to left field — a hit that went to the fence (scored a triple) after the fielder unsuccessfully tried a diving catch. Jeremy Ohmart followed up with an RBI single.

[Left to right: Mike Martin, Derek Schrader and
Jeremy Ohmart walk away from home plate after
Schrader’s home run.]

The bottom of the fifth was decisive for the Railers.  The inning included singles by Danny Schick and Schoonover, a pitcher’s throwing error to first, a double by Komnick, a single by Ohmart, and the BIG hit of the inning — a three-run homer by Derek Schrader. The leadoff hitter, Martin, scored three times on the day.  Ohmart, Komnick, Schick and Schrader had two hits each.

The Railers are now 1-3 on the year. Their next games are in Decatur this coming weekend against Eisenhower and Macarthur. Their next home game, against Sacred Heart-Griffin on Tuesday, April 2, is also their first conference game.

[Rich Knopp]

[MARCH 29, 2002]   NORMAL — As the sun went down behind Hancock Stadium on Wednesday, the first day of Illinois State’s spring football practice felt more like October than late March.

But while the mercury was dropping, the optimism for the 2002 season continued to rise, particularly at the offensive line position. The O-Birds will look to replace a couple of cornerstones in Andy King and Teddy Wulf, but newcomers Mike Stegeman, Stafford Davis and Jeremy Melville looked primed for the competition.

"The offensive line bunch is going to be a fun group to watch develop," head coach Denver Johnson said. "We’re going to have depth there, and there will be some great competition for those jobs. Stegeman, Davis, Melville and several of those young guys look like they’re ready to make a challenge."

In addition to the offensive line, Johnson was impressed with the conditioning of wide receiver Justin Frierson and the running back position. Frierson, who played an important role on the Redbird offense in 2000, never really got involved last season.

"Frierson was heavy and out of shape last season, but he has his weight down, and he really caught my eye out there today," Johnson said. "At running back, both Quincy (Washington) and T.J. Watts looked pretty good. That running back crew is going to be fun to watch as well."

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On the defensive side, Johnson was pleased with T.J. Jackson, the senior transfer from Virginia Tech.

"T.J. Jackson sure looks like a good football player," Johnson said. "Without pads on it’s tough to tell, but right now T.J. looks like he’ll be a good player for us."

Overall, the primary focus of the first practice was the installation of both the offense and defense, as well as personnel recognition on both sides of the ball. The practice was upbeat and spirited by the players as well as the coaches.

The Redbirds will take the turf again, without pads, on Thursday at 3:30 p.m., and the practice will be open to the public.

[Todd Kober, Illinois State University
director of media relations]

[MARCH 27, 2002]   CHAMPAIGN — Illinois seniors Robert Archibald and Cory Bradford will still have a presence in Atlanta during the Final Four weekend. Archibald is part of the National Association of Basketball Coaches Roundball Challenge team that will face the Harlem Globetrotters on Friday, March 29, at Georgia Tech’s Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Bradford is competing in the ESPN College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Basketball Championships.

Friday’s game marks the third consecutive year the Globetrotters will compete against the best the class of 2002 has to offer, as part of a partnership with the NABC. Pre-game activities, including the Slam Dunk Challenge and Hot Shot Shootout — where a Globetrotter will be teamed with a college all-star — begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, and the game tips off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. The game will not be televised.

Along with Archibald, headlining this year’s talented NABC College All-Star roster is Cincinnati guard Steve Logan, Oregon forward Freddie Jones, North Carolina forward Jason Capel, Georgia Tech point guard Tony Akins, Texas Tech center Andy Ellis, NABC National Defensive Player of the Year John Linehan of Providence, Georgia State forward Thomas Terrell, Hawaii guard Predrag Savovic, South Florida forward Altron Jackson, Southern Illinois center Rolan Roberts and Wake Forest forward Darius Songaila. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo will pilot the talented 12-man team.

Bradford is participating in the 14th annual ESPN College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Basketball Championships, showcasing the top 3-point shooters and slam dunkers in the NCAA. The championships will be televised on ESPN at 1 p.m. Central time on Saturday, March 30.

[Kent Brown, assistant athletics director, sports information director, University of Illinois]

[MARCH 26, 2002]   NORMAL — Illinois State head football coach Denver Johnson didn’t have to look far to fill the coaching void on his staff. In fact, he just had to walk down the hall at the Kaufman Football Building to Chris Patton’s office.

After serving one season as a restricted earnings coach, Patton was promoted by Johnson on Wednesday to fill the vacancy left by Mac McDaniel, who resigned in December. Patton will continue working with the defensive line for the Redbirds.

"I’m thrilled to have this opportunity," he said. "This is the payoff on the gamble, so to speak. I set out to be a college football coach 10 years ago, and it took me awhile to even get into the high school ranks. I put myself in the position to do this, and coach Johnson was gracious enough to give me this opportunity. It was a risk and I left a great job, but I accepted a restricted earnings position at a place I love and it paid off."

For Patton it’s a happy ending, but for Johnson it’s even happier. He gets a good football coach.

"Chris Patton is a fantastic football coach," Johnson said. "We were extremely fortunate to have him on the staff this past year. He did a great job of coaching, handling his players and recruiting for us. He also adds great chemistry to this coaching staff. He’s honest and loyal, which are qualities that I very much appreciate. I’m delighted to be able to keep him on the staff and to move forward."

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The Chickasha, Okla., native joined the Illinois State staff after completing six years in the highly regarded Texas high school ranks. He was in the Dallas Lake Highlands High School system from 1995-00. During the 1990s, Lake Highlands was the fourth-most successful playoff program in 5A football, with three appearances in the semifinals and one in the quarterfinals.

Patton was a blue-chip high school player who was also named one of the top 10 players in Oklahoma in his senior season. He accepted a scholarship to Oklahoma State, where he played from 1980-84 as a two-year letter-winner. He was a defensive lineman in his first two seasons and an offensive lineman in his last two campaigns.

His position coach on the defensive line at OSU was current Miami Dolphins head coach Dave Wannstedt. While Patton was at OSU, the Cowboys made appearances in the 1981 Independence Bowl, the 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl and the 1984 Gator Bowl.

Following his college career, Patton worked in the private sector but maintained his coaching career, including a stint with a club team in Gavle, Sweden.

Patton graduated from OSU in 1989 with a degree in organizational administration. He and his wife, Laura, have two daughters, Rachel, 13, and Katie, 3.

[Todd Kober,
Illinois State University director of media relations]

[MARCH 25, 2002]   The Railer varsity baseball team had a cool reception in Bradley-Bourbonnais last Saturday. With temperatures in the mid-40s and the wind often in the 20s, it was a difficult day to play baseball. Nonetheless, the conditions were the same for both teams. At least one win against the defending state champions from up north would have been a nice early-season boost. Unfortunately, the Railers saw a two-run seventh-inning lead slip away and lost the first game 7-6, and they couldn’t put a run on the board in the second game, losing 5-0.

In the first game, LCHS got it going early, leading 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth. Three runs crossed in the first inning when Danny Schick whacked a triple over the center-fielder’s head, scoring Derek Schrader and Andy Knopp, who had reached on a fielder’s choice and a walk. Schick scored himself when the right fielder dropped a fly ball off the bat of Matt Boyer. The Railers scored a fourth unanswered run in the fourth, thanks to a leadoff double by Jeremy Ohmart. Schrader moved Ohmart to third on a ground out. Knopp then hit a grounder to the right of the shortstop, and the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag, scoring Ohmart on the play.

Bradley-Bourbonnais made the score 4-2 in the fourth on a leadoff walk, an error and a double. They scored two more in the fifth, tying the score at 4-4 in a strange turn of events. The fourth inning saw three Lincoln pitchers. Blake Schoonover, who had pitched four innings (striking out five, walking three and allowing two hits up to that point), gave up two opening singles. Knopp came in to relieve Schoonover to face senior Dan Haley. During Haley’s at-bat, Lincoln’s catcher, John Peters, threw out one of the runners trying to steal. However, Haley smacked a line drive that skipped past Lincoln’s center fielder, scoring one run. And the hit also scored the tying run when Haley himself was awarded home because one of the Railers threw a glove at the ball on the play. With a 1-1 count on the next batter, Matt Boyer got the call to the mound and pitched the rest of the game.

Even with Bradley-Bourbonnais’ comeback, the Railers regained control, scoring a run in the sixth and another in the seventh inning. In the sixth, Ryan Williams walked and was forwarded to second on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Martin. With two out, Schoonover drove a grounder up the middle to score Williams. In the seventh, Schrader led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out by Michael Aper and went to third on a wild pitch. Schick plated Schrader by hitting a grounder that careened off the pitcher’s foot toward the shortstop.

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With a two-run lead going to the last at-bat for the home team, the Railers were primed for their first victory. (Metamora scored three in their last at-bat to defeat the Railers 5-4 less than a week ago.) But the rowdy defending state champs were not going down easily. Bradley’s last chance began with a walk and was followed by a single and a double that tied the score at 6-6. An intentional walk, a sacrifice bunt and another intentional walk loaded the bases with no outs. Bradley-Bourbonnais took the game prize on a final single over the second baseman’s head.

Boyer took the loss, going two innings, striking out one, and granting three walks (two intentional) and four hits. Schrader, Schick and Ohmart had two hits each in the losing cause. Junior Kyle Arthur went the distance for Bradley-Bourbonnais, giving up eight hits and striking out just one.

In the second game, the Railers tallied not one hit and left four runners stranded on base. Ryne Komnick took the loss in the game, throwing 3 2/3 innings. Komnick allowed three runs, yielding six walks, five hits, and striking out four. Ryan Williams finished the game on the mound for the Railers. Two unearned runs were scored on Williams, who allowed no hits, struck out one and walked one.

The next Railer game, at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, will be their first home game. While now 0-3, the Railers are still a solid team that will undoubtedly chalk up a number of wins this season.

[Rich Knopp]

[MARCH 25, 2002]   Lincoln High School opened its sophomore baseball season with a pair of losses to highly regarded Bradley in Kankakee on Saturday. The Railers dropped the first game 9-8 in eight innings and lost the second contest 7-4.

Lincoln played well defensively, making just one error in each game. The Railers pounded out eight hits in the first game, with Trent Kavelman and Miles Musick collecting a pair of hits each. Musick scored a run, drove in a pair and connected for a double. Mitch Sheley, Jason Williams, Brandon Babbs and Chris Matson each had one hit, Williams’ hit being a double. Sheley had a pair of RBIs and scored a run. Williams and Matson also scored for the Railers, while Jason Melton scored two runs.

Pitchers for Coach Gary Stoltzenburg were Brandon Babbs, Trent Kavelman and Chance Berger. Berger suffered the loss.

Lincoln had just four hits in the second game, with Musick again coming up with a pair of safeties. Neil Rohrer and Kyle Atteberry had the other Lincoln hits. Sheley and Atteberry had RBIs for Lincoln. Bobby Masestas was the starting and losing pitcher for the Railers. He was followed on the mound by Matson and Paul Phillips.

Lincoln is scheduled to play its home opener Tuesday against Decatur Eisenhower at 4:15 p.m.

[Bill Martinie]

[MARCH 25, 2002]   

Lincoln vs. Mount Zion

Game 1

Lincoln              010 102 0 — 4-3-1

Mount Zion       003 410 x — 8-11-2

Game 2

Lincoln              002 000 0 — 2-8-1

Mount Zion       122 100 x — 6-9-0

Mount Pulaski vs. Pawnee

Game 1

Mount Pulaski     013 000 0 — 4-8-3

Pawnee              100 000 0 — 1-3-1

Game 2

Mount Pulaski    300 213 1 — 10-11-4

Pawnee              005 450 x — 14-6-4

[MARCH 25, 2002]   Lincoln College split a pair of games with Lewis & Clark on Saturday at Lincoln, winning the first game 6-0 behind Anthony Hoffert, and losing the nightcap 8-1.

Sophomore Tim May got the Lynx on the board in the first inning with a three-run homer, and Hoffert made the runs stand up. Hoffert worked five innings, giving up five hits while striking out five and walking three. Charlie Deakin and Dan Dunn each worked one inning in relief. The Lynx plated three more runs in the third on five singles, one each from Dunn, Jake VanDyke, May, Scott Gold and Kenny VanHouten.

Lewis & Clark broke open a close game in the fourth inning of the second game with four runs and then added three more in the fifth. Lincoln failed to score until the seventh, when they pushed across one run. Kyle Eastman was the starting and losing pitcher, going 3 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and five runs. Jeff Harris, VanDyke and Dunn all had a pair of hits for Lincoln.

The Lynx are scheduled to play at Kaskaskia Sunday afternoon.

Lewis & Clark     000 000 0 — 0-5-1

Lincoln College    303 000 x — 6-6-2

Second game

Lewis & Clark     001 430 0 — 8-11-0

Lincoln College    000 000 1 — 1-11-2

[Bill Martinie, Lincoln College
sports information director]

[MARCH 23, 2002]  

See Illini website for full game report

View pictures of the game

[MARCH 23, 2002]  NORMAL — Sophomore Taren O’Brien and junior Steph Reichle both are recovering as expected from arthroscopic knee surgery performed Wednesday by Dr. Robert Seidl. Both Illinois State starting guards played despite knee problems at the end of the 2001-02 season and should be ready for action for the 2002-03 season.

According to Redbird athletics trainer Yvonne Logan, O’Brien’s procedure repaired the outside lining of her knee, and Reichle had a piece of damaged meniscus taken from her knee. Both had arthroscopic procedures in 2001. Reichle had major knee surgery in 2000.

O’Brien led the Redbirds in scoring, assists and free throw percentage in 2001-02. Reichle led the squad in steals and was No. 2 in rebounds and assists.

Redbird coach Jenny Yopp believes both will be ready for next season.

"Taren and Steph both play extremely hard and work hard to prepare themselves every day," said Yopp. "That can create the kinds of knee problems they have, but that same great attitude and work ethic will guide their recovery. Both are committed to staying (on campus) through the summer to work hard and get stronger."

O’Brien and Reichle will be part of 11 returning letter-winners and four returning starters for the Redbirds in 2002-03.

[ISU news release]

[MARCH 22, 2002]   If you picked the upsets and had Kent State, Indiana and Missouri still alive on your brackets into the Elite Eight, would you please stand up???

•  Is Jermaine Dearman one of the best players you’ve never heard of?

•  According to Dick Vitale, Billy Packer and all the other college basketball experts, the Big Ten was REALLY down this season. I could REALLY tell that by the way Duke handled IU... Give me a stinkin’ break!!!

•  Don’t think Gonzaga let you down if you had them going a round or two or more.

•  The NCAA selection committee should be ashamed of themselves for giving the Zags a No. 6 seed. That was a travesty, and they made sure that the guys from "The Kennel" would have a difficult time advancing. I think that this whole process should be investigated! Especially when you also consider that Butler and Ball State were left completely out of the tournament. What’s the matter? Don’t they travel well? Don’t their alums spend the money that Wake Forest and UCLA grads do? The whole system is beginning to stink almost as much as the BCS!!!

•  Did you see the Westinghouse-Lanphier game? That was one of the best IHSA championship games that I’ve seen since I moved here back in 1975. Pure high school hoops drama. Congratulations to former Lincoln coach Craig Patton for guiding the Lions to such a wonderful year!

•  Speaking of Lanphier... Will Iguadola now end up with the Illini? And will McBride follow him there?

•  I had a bad feeling about the Creighton game. I felt that they might be a team of destiny. I also have a bad feeling about the Kansas game. They seem to get bounced around this time of year a lot, and the law of averages has to be in their favor. I would love to continue being wrong right up through Tuesday morning, April 2!!! ... in a parade somewhere on a street in Chambana, Ill.!!!

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•  Lincoln Railer softball and baseball, track and soccer, as well as other sports are now under way. Did anyone consult the weatherman to let him know that these are SPRING sports? Why am I so cold that I feel like I’m STILL trapped in WINTER sports?

•  While the Cubs, White Sox and Cardinals have had a few bright spots during spring training, they all may have created more questions than they’ve supplied answers. Pitching decisions and final lineups will dictate how these teams come out of the box. Over the last several years I’ve felt that the playoff teams had many things in common. Usually one of those aspects was that they started the seasons well. I felt that the Cubs really maximized their chances with a fairly good start last season. Let’s see who comes outta the gates quickly this year.

•  It won’t be long before we are teeing them up! I can’t wait. The world just seems to be a better place when you can play golf every once in a while.

•  I’ve seen a lot of athletes, cheerleaders and band members the past few days as I’ve participated in Lincoln Christian College’s Week of E program. I’m glad to see that for most of them, academics is STILL the highest priority. Character and sportsmanship probably still have the best chance of being taught or caught on the elementary and junior high levels.

I’ve appreciated you students making positive comments about our newspaper and radio show. Please participate in both whenever you can. We exist at the Lincoln Daily News and at FIX 96.3 to serve YOU!!! Have a GREAT spring break, and I’ll catch you all on the REBOUND!!!

[Jeff Mayfield]

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