Bloom Township players aren't scared of first-round foe Simeon

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Even David and his sling faced shorter odds.

Third time also a charm

LOCKPORT | The third time was the charm -- just as the first and second times had been.

Opening-round close call keeping Seton humble as it heads to Peoria

SOUTH HOLLAND | This moment nearly didn't arrive.

Blazing Trojans' defense leads to easy win over Thornton

LOCKPORT | This time, Bloom Township left no doubt.

H-F wards off Thornwood to win regional title

FLOSSMOOR | History repeated itself Friday night, so Thornwood's postseason stay became history as well.

T'birds strike early, close out Rebels

FLOSSMOOR | Classes weren't in session Tuesday night, but Thornwood players picked up some valuable knowledge anyway.

Thornwood downs Thornton, claims SWSC Red title outright

SOUTH HOLLAND | Thornwood made sure there was only enough room for one.

Thornridge's 1972 state title still stirs strong memories in those who saw it happen

Rocky Hill's teenage years are long gone, but almost every day he experiences a time-stands-still moment while walking the halls at Thornridge.

Thornwood secures SWSC Red title share

TINLEY PARK | Johnte Shannon needed just one shot to turn frustration into elation Tuesday night.

COLLEGE BASEBALL: SSC baseball coach Ruzich honored by ABCA

For a quarter-century, Steve Ruzich has given no quarter when it comes to preparing his South Suburban College baseball teams.

Bloom Township beats Crete for share of SAC title

CRETE | LJ was suddenly OK, and as a result, so was Bloom Township on Friday night.

Seton positions itself for another run at a Class 2A boys basketball title

SOUTH HOLLAND | Wearing the favorite's tag in athletics can be a risky proposition -- just ask any members of the 1969 Baltimore Orioles or 1968 Baltimore Colts.

Boys Basketball: Marist storms past Marian Catholic

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | This storm hit without warning.

Thornton applies soph touch to defeat Stagg

HARVEY | Senior Night comes later. Tuesday was Sophomore Night at Thornton.

Rebels score first basketball win over Meteors since 2000

CALUMET CITY | T.F. South's long nap is over.

Like his team, T.F. North's Nick Wood aims for consistency

CALUMET CITY | In the athletic world, bravado runs rampant.

Cold spell saddles Marian Catholic with loss

CHICAGO | There was no cure for this type of cold.

Pierce leads T.F. South to win over Titans

TINLEY PARK | The Boston Celtics aren't the only basketball team that relies heavily on contributions from Paul Pierce.

Illiana loses big lead, then game to Oak Forest

LANSING | Call it a four-gettable quarter.

Illiana uses strong second half to defeat Chicago Christian

LANSING | Before things went too sour, Illiana Christian put together a sweet 16 Friday night.

Crete needs three OTs to get past Thornwood

CRETE | The third overtime was the charm for Crete-Monee.

Seton speed, depth too much for St. Francis de Sales

SOUTH HOLLAND | Summer's long gone, but St. Francis de Sales still got stung Friday night.

Mendoza brothers lead T.F. swimmers

LANSING | The T.F. South-T.F. North rivalry burns hot in most activities, but a few Meteors have splashed some cool water on one of them.

Perry leads Crete past Rich Central

OLYMPIA FIELDS | The Big Three became a Fab Four on Tuesday night.

T.F. South has little trouble defeating Reavis

LANSING | On a day filled with images of the past, Thornton Fractional South basketball players made sure the present wasn't completely ignored.

Straightforward coaching approach has worked best for T.F. North's Artie Rogers

Artie Rogers would probably fail as a salesman in the retail world.

Illinois Boys Basketball Top 5

(Last week's ranking in parentheses; games through Wednesday)

2011-12 Illinois Boys Basketball Preseason All-Area

ALEX AUSTIN, Mount Carmel

SCOUTING 2011-12 ILLINOIS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS

BEECHER

The win total is massive, but that doesn't define Mount Carmel basketball coach Mike Flaherty

Numbers supposedly don't lie, but in this case they don't tell the whole story, either.

Illinois Boys Basketball Top 5

(Last year's record in parentheses)

Butkus leads Caravan past Brother Rice Rice in Catholic League playoffs

CHICAGO | His great-uncle Dick was best known for the savage hits he applied to ball carriers who dared venture into his territory.

After a nondescript start at Mt. Carmel, Derrick Bryant has risen to the top

This "B" definitely stung.

Fifth-year Butler senior Billy Bork making an impact away from the gridiron

Any football fan perusing a list of Butler University's 2011 statistical leaders won't find Billy Bork's name in any category.

Individual goals the main motivation as Beecher returns to state cross country

BEECHER | Forgive Grant Nykaza if he's a little more self-centered this year. The same goes for Mike Polzin and Aaron Borgman.

Swanson, Beecher cross country girls also head to Peoria

BEECHER | Tired of not being on the guest list, Larissa Swanson and her Beecher teammates invited themselves to the year's biggest cross country event.

Marian junior Noah Brim is making big strides as a runner

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Slow and steady hasn't yet won the race, but it's helped Noah Brim place himself among the leaders several times this season.

H-F powers its way past Marist in playoff opener

CHICAGO | Those who thought Friday night's Class 8A playoff opener between Homewood-Flossmoor and Marist would be a nonstop scoring fest were half-right.

One week after an injury, T.F. North's Monica Munoz made her regional mark

CALUMET CITY | Anyone scanning a list of finishers at the South Suburban Conference Blue girls cross country meet wouldn't have seen a T.F. North runner listed.