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Saturday, Sept. 21

High school football

[SEPT. 21, 2002] 

At Lincoln

Jacksonville      7     0     7     0  --14

Lincoln             6     0     0   15  --21

Schrader 25-yd. run (kick failed), 72-yd. run (Agostino pass from Leisinger), 41-yd. run (Gahr Kick).

High school volleyball

[SEPT. 21, 2002]  Lincoln's record:  9-2

At East Peoria

LCHS def. Peoria Notre Dame 15-7, 15-1.

Stats (game 1):

Kills:  Michelle McFadden, 6.

Blocks:  Michelle McFadden, 2.

Assists:  Brooklyn Robbins, 21.

Srv. Pts:  Samantha Conrady & Missy Aper, 8.

Aces:  Samantha Conrady, 3.

Digs: Missy Aper, 11.

Stats (game 2):

Kills:  Missy Aper & Kari McFadden, 4.

Blocks:  Brooklyn Robbins & Ali Hower, 1.

Assists:  NA

Srv. Pts:  Christina Xamis & Kari McFadden, 6.

Aces:  Christina Xamis, Maria Benitez & Kari McFadden, 2.

Digs: Samantha Conrady, 10.

LCHS def. Peoria Richwoods 15-9, 15-7.

Stats (game 1):

Kills:  Kari McFadden, 10.

Blocks:  Kari McFadden, 5.

Assists:  Brooklyn Robbins, 26.

Srv. Pts:  Brooklyn Robbins, 9.

Aces:  Brooklyn Robbins, 1.

Digs:  Missy Aper, 8.

Stats (game 2):

Kills:  Missy Aper, 7.

Blocks:  Brooklyn Robbins, 4.

Assists:  NA

Srv. Pts:  Christina Xamis, 8.

Aces:  NA.

Digs: Maria Benitez, 5.

Articles from the past week

NL Central is center of potential

By Brandt Wilson

[SEPT. 19, 2002]  In 2000, the National League Central added Ken Griffey Jr. to its impressive resume of sluggers, which already included Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Brian Giles, Jeff Bagwell and Geoff Jenkins. Now Big Mac is gone, Griffey hasn’t stayed healthy, Bagwell’s numbers are down, and Jenkins hasn’t quite met his potential. While Sosa and Giles are still solid, the NL is now the division budding with young talent and just waiting to explode. Young phenoms such as Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman thrill us with monstrous home runs, disciplined hitting and even sensational defense. As September rolls by and the playoffs draw near, the NL Central seems to be wrapped up. But as we look at the future and current stars in this division we realize the best years are yet to come.

Let’s start with the division-leading Cardinals. Even though their farm system may be thin, they have the best young player in the game in Albert Pujols. Pujols surprised everyone last year when he came out of nowhere to play 161 games, hit 37 home runs and drive in 130 runs. The young star has proved to everyone that last year was not a fluke. So far, through 142 games, he’s all but matched those numbers, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 115. This young outfielder will be a mainstay for the division leaders and will give NL Central pitching fits for years to come.

J.D. Drew showed promise when he came up in 1998. However, injuries have limited Drew the past four seasons, and he has yet to show people what he can really do. Last year, in only 109 games, Drew had 27 bombs and 73 RBIs, while his average was well above .300. His defense and arm are also above average. However, nagging injuries this season have caused his numbers to drop. If J.D. can play a full season avoiding injury, he could put up Pujols-like numbers, and the Cardinals could potentially have an outfield of Pujols, Edmonds and Drew, all with 30-plus HRs and 100-plus RBIs. And they’ve won the division two years in a row and look to be running away with it this year. It’s hard to imagine how powerful that offense will be with a healthy J.D. Drew in the mix.

Now turn to the Houston Astros. Once famous for the killer "B’s," Biggio, Bagwell and Derek Bell, Houston has a new killer "B" in town. That of course is Lance Berkman. In just his third full season, this switch hitter is putting up impressive numbers. He has a career average of .306 and is already approaching the 100-homer mark in his career. He’s on pace to hit 50 home runs this season — no small task even in Minute Maid field, a ballpark notorious for the long ball. Berkman has also made some eye-popping plays in center field, which is not even his natural position. He is a phenomenal athlete with tremendous power. If Richard Hidalgo and Daryl Ward ever reach their full potential, Houston could also have a pretty solid run-producing outfield.

But the young stars on this team don’t swing a bat, they bring the heat. Roy Oswalt, Wade Willer, Carlos Hernandez and Peter Munro are four of the best up-and-coming pitchers, not only within their division but in the entire National League. Roy Oswalt is only 25 but has shown the poise of a veteran. In his second full season, he is proving he can get just about anyone in the league out. He has a 2.83 ERA and is just one win away from the magical number 20. Twenty-game winners are rare in this day and age; 20-game winners this young are even more rare. His 190 K’s in 216 innings will almost guarantee him third place in the Cy Young voting, behind a guy named Schilling and a guy named Johnson. If Oswalt were to win the award, he would become the youngest since Doc Gooden won it in 1985 at the age of 20. Wade Willer has also turned some heads. He has proved this year that he was not just a "one-hit wonder" by posting a 3.58 ERA and 13 wins through Sept. 14. Hernandez and Munro are young and inexperienced, but with the leadership of Oswalt and Miller they are well on their way to completing what could potentially be the best staff in the division.

Who better than to lead the Cincinnati Reds into the opening of their new ballpark in 2003 than Ken Griffey Jr., right? Not so fast. Cincinnati fans aren’t turning their heads at leaping catches and monstrous home runs by the future Hall of Famer. Instead they’re turning their eyes on two promising outfielders who were taken in the same draft in 1998.

[to top of second column in this article]

Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns have Cincinnati talking about more than Junior’s injuries and Skyline Chili. Had it not been for Pujols last year, Adam Dunn had a good case for Rookie of the Year. He put up monstrous power numbers between A, AA, AAA and the Big Show. In just 66 games he hit 19 homers and drove in 43 runs. He has struggled in his first full season, not putting up near the numbers everyone thought he could. But he has proved to be a very patient hitter, drawing 122 walks in 490 at-bats. That ranks second only to Barry Bonds in the NL. Dunn is only 22 years old and the sky is the limit.

Austin Kearns has a pretty good case for NL Rookie of the Year this season. The youngster from Lexington, Ky., has 13 HRs and 56 RBIs in 372 at-bats. Like Dunn he is only 22. Like Dunn, he was taken in the 1998 draft, a draft that is turning out to be a pretty good one for the Reds. Dunn, Griffey and Kearns will be the big three christening the Great American Ball Park in 2003. Dunn and Griffey could hit at least 40 HRs each, and Kearns could be right behind them. They match up evenly with the Big Three in Houston and in St. Louis IF they stay healthy.

The Chicago Cubs have perhaps the most young talent of any team in the NL Central. With exception of Mark Prior, the results just aren’t there yet. Hee Seop Choi, Bobby Hill and Corey Patterson have yet to reach their full potential. Roosevelt Brown is running out of time, and Kerry Wood still hasn’t recovered from his injury in 1999. Prior is solid — 147 strikeouts in 116.2 innings is enough said. However, questions remain with the others. While Dunn, Berkman and Pujols seem to have reached their full potential, these young stars may still be a year away.

At one time a staff anchored by Kris Benson in Pittsburgh looked extremely promising. But injuries and salary constraints left Pittsburgh with only a new stadium and a lot of empty seats. Pittsburgh looks forward to September not because the pennant race heats up but because football season begins and they can take their mind off their miserable Pirates. However there may be a small light at the end of the tunnel. Josh Fogg and Kip Wells put up honest numbers this year with a 4.32 and 3.61 ERA respectively. These two combined to win 24 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates. If Benson can bounce back from injury and Wells and Fogg pan out, this pitching staff could be better than average. They’re going to have to be because the Pirates aren’t going to score any runs.

Now we come to the Milwaukee Brewers. Richie Sexson? Maybe. Geoff Jenkins? No, his time has passed. Alex Sanchez? Who? With 37 SBs and a .289 average, he might be a diamond in the rough. He’s not a Pujols or Berkman, but the Brewers aren’t the Cardinals or the Astros either. Sanchez has showed promise, but Milwaukee has a way of breaking promises. See Jenkins, Sexson and Sheets. Maybe if they brought back those old royal blue and yellow jerseys with the glove and ball on the hat they would attract more free agents. It’s just a thought.

So in the years to come, fans of the NL Central will be entertained by the likes of these young stars. In one year, chances are the Central will be a race much like the AL West is today. Houston’s strong young pitching, Cincinnati and St. Louis’ powerful outfield, and Chicago’s potential could make for a very exciting race… in 2003.

[Brandt Wilson]

[Click here if you are thinking, "I’d like to read more of Brandt’s thoughts."]

[SEPT. 16, 2002]  The Cardinals did what they had to do, by taking two of the four against those pesky Astros. Hopefully, they will take care of business in the next several days and stave off Houston!

•  •  •

The Railers looked a bit sluggish versus Lanphier. The Lions have good overall team speed and quickness, and at times that seemed to be the difference between the two. We’re sure that we all hoped for a better showing, but we still have a good feeling about the possibilities for this team.

•  •  •

Lady Railers volleyball continues to roll!

•  •  •

The Chicago Bears held on for a 14-13 squeaker over the improved Atlanta Falcons. The Bears defense totally dominated the second half, and that was the difference!

•  •  •

The Illinois Fighting Illini finally got into the win column with a 59-7 drubbing of the Arkansas State Indians. The Indians started strong but faded fast. Illini QB Jon Beutjer, in his first start for the Illini, looked pretty good to us. However, the Orange and Blue will have to play a lot better to beat teams like Michigan and Ohio State. Heck, they could even find themselves in a dogfight with San Jose State!  Click here for Illini photos.

[Photo by Tom Seggelke]
[A young Mayfield:  Fan-in-Training]

•  •  •

"Fandamonium" tonight at 6. Join Greg Taylor and myself for sports talk just the way you like it! See you tonight!

[Jeff Mayfield]

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