Pro football
THOMAS HELPS SAINTS REMAIN UNBEATEN: T.F. South grad Pierre Thomas had a 22-yard touchdown run and a 1-yard touchdown reception as the Saints improved to 7-0 after a 35-27 victory over the Falcons on Monday in New Orleans. Thomas rushed for a team-high 91 yards on 14 carries, and he caught a pair of passes for 9 yards.
Courtney Roby, whose family has Gary roots, returned three kicks for 87 yards, including a 35-yard return.
BEARS KNOW THEY NEED TO IMPROVE: Jay Cutler was on the run and bleeding for much of the game, yet he insisted afterward he was fine. No reason to worry.
Even so, the Bears did little to calm their anxious fans in a 30-6 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Lopsided score aside, it was far from a perfect performance by a team that had dropped two straight and was coming off a 45-10 beating at Cincinnati that ranked among its worst in years.
But the Bears weren't about to be picky. Not after what happened the previous week.
Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer was quick to acknowledge Monday the Bears' confidence was "definitely" shaken after that blowout by the Bengals.
"Even though Cleveland's struggling on offense, it felt good to go out there and execute defensively," Hillenmeyer said. "I'm sure when we watch the tape, we'll realize that we didn't play perfect football, but especially with some of the teams we've got coming up in the next month, we need something to build on. This is definitely a good start."
Defensive end Alex Brown insisted the team's confidence never wavered.
"We don't lose confidence whether it's one play or one game," he said. "If we had a stretch of playing like we did earlier in my career where we'd lose eight or nine games in a row, then I guess your confidence can be shaken, but not from one game. So it's just like your confidence isn't built overnight, either. So you don't just regain your confidence after one game, either."
Cutler again was running for his life behind a struggling line and got sacked a season-high four times while absorbing several big hits, including one in the second quarter that left him with a bloody mouth. He said afterward he felt fine and added: "I'll be ready to go."
On Monday, coach Lovie Smith said, "Each game, you have 22 guys that get roughed up."
Don't forget to participate in Sunday's Bears-Cardinals chat with Times columnist Al Hamnik at nwitimes.com/app/BearsChat.
College football
CRETE-MONEE PLAYER COMMITS: Crete-Monee's Greg Barksdale has committed to Wyoming. The senior linebacker is the second Warrior to commit to Wyoming as Dylan McElveen committed last month. In August, offensive lineman Matt Finnin committed to Western Michigan.
College basketball
DOWNING TO RECEIVE PUC ALUMNI AWARD: Calumet High School girls basketball coach and former Purdue University Calumet player Dori Downing will receive the Purdue University Calumet's athletic alumni award Saturday during homecoming festivities on campus.
Downing, a 1988 Purdue Calumet alumna, will be presented the Purdue Alumni Calumet's annual Bob Hayes Athletic Alumni Award during halftime of the 4 p.m. Purdue Calumet vs. IU Northwest men's basketball game. The award recognizes distinguished alumni achievement in the field of athletics.
Downing, a Munster grad, played four seasons for Purdue Calumet (1983-87), while earning a degree in behavioral sciences (1988). She also returned to Purdue Calumet to complete study for teacher licensure (2008).
College soccer
NINE PRAIRIE STATE PLAYERS RECEIVE POSTSEASON AWARDS: Sophomore forward Guy Shabtay headed up a list of nine Prairie State players who received honors. Shabtay was voted to both the NJCAA All-Region IV and All-Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference first teams. Shabtay is also an NJCAA All-America nominee.
Sophomore defender Lior Avisror and freshman midfielder Ruben Ortega were each selected to the All-ISCC first team and All-Region IV second team. Freshman forward Tomer Sirma, freshman forward Josh Techeira, sophomore midfielder Seth Arriaga, freshman midfielder Armando Lopez (Homewood-Flossmoor), freshman defender Peter Tamale (Bloom) and freshman goalkeeper Mick Goulding were each named honorable mention all-region and all-conference.
Youth sports
DUNES PRESENTS COLLEGE RECRUITING SEMINAR: The National Collegiate Scouting Association has partnered with the Dunes Volleyball Club to hold a "College Recruiting Simplified" seminar at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Dunes Operation Center in Rolling Prairie. Charlie Adams will discuss the importance of goals and setting realistic expectations for college recruiting.
For more information, contact Rick Ashmore at dunesvbc@comcast.net or for directions visit www.dunes.org.
