Rosary shows good sportsmanship

Sportsmanship went on holiday then was quickly reinstated Tuesday night at the Class 3A volleyball sectional semifinal at Rosary.

Daily Herald correspondent Darryl Mellema was there in Aurora, enjoying what he called an “electric” atmosphere.

The proceedings took a brief, bitter turn when St. Francis' lineup was announced. Student supporters of the Rosary Royals turned away from the court, the equivalent of fans opening newspapers to “ignore” the opponent.

At that point, Mellema reported, Rosary athletic director Mary Lou Kunold interrupted the introductions and told the offending fans to turn back toward the court.

“I thought it was unbelievably classy,” Mellema said. “We get so accustomed to the put-downs of opponents usually after sportsmanship announcements are read. This was a nice change.”

Pink hankies

On Oct. 7 we wrote of efforts various footballers were making to raise awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The piece included mention of Teri Jordan grandmother of Geneva defensive back Kyle Bender making pink referee flags to be sold for charity.

Her son-in-law, football official Montez Holmes, sold 45 flags to Chicagoland American Youth Football, and then donated the proceeds to the American Cancer Society.

Officials get work here, there and everywhere, and Holmes heard of the pink flags being thrown at Geneva's final home game, against Larkin.

“There's only one way they got those flags,” said Holmes, whose own crew used them in October games at Prairie Ridge, Hinsdale South, Kirkland-Hiawatha and Maine West.

He said he just got a call to send out two more pink penalty flags, but he's hoping to make Ms. Jordan much busier next year.

“The way I look at it,” Holmes said, “is if two people out of the hundreds there (in the stands) think about it and do something about it, who knows what could happen with curing the disease?”

Next hurdle

Batavia senior track athlete Rob Mohr is one of 20 Illinois finalists for the Wendy's High School Heisman, an annual award honoring athleticism, academics and community service.

Last year, St. Charles East track athlete Tim Johnson made Illinois' final 20. In 2006, St. Charles North swimmer and track star Kaylee Jamison won the national award.

On Friday, Wendy's will announce the one male and one female winner for each state. Between Nov. 8-22, 12 national finalists will be named for a shot at the 17th annual Wendy's High School Heisman, presented Dec. 10 in New York City.

Mohr is good at clearing hurdles. As a sophomore he qualified for the 2009 Class 3A state meet in the 110-meter highs, and in 2010 qualified for both the 110's and 300 intermediates. Mohr holds Batavia records for both outdoor events (14.44 seconds, and 38.78) as well as the Bulldogs' indoor high hurdles mark of 7.5 seconds.

Old school

On the Illinois High School Glory Days website, Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Committee member Bruce Firchau recently posted a message seeking all sorts of vintage articles.

His main thrust is letter jackets and sweaters from schools that no longer exist. The goal is to have one item representing each letter of the alphabet, and specifically letter jackets with state, conference or county patches on them.

Soliciting items for the future IBCA Hall of Fame building in Danville, Firchau also is looking for a variety of old round ball memorabilia, from megaphones to mascot outfits, banners, ancient balls, uniforms, pennants, cheerleader outfits, trophies. He's looking for state tournament books before 1971, old tourney game film... You get the picture.

“The older the better,” Firchau wrote.

If you're willing to unload any old prizes (can't part with the Wheaton Central lettermen's jacket, thank you), contact the most pleasant Jeanie Cooke, executive director of the Danville Convention and Visitors Bureau, at (800) 383-4386.

Make it a point to also visit the Glory Days website. From Adair to Ziegler Christian Academy, there's a dearly departed school you've probably visited.

Catching up with...

Ryan Senci

St. Charles North senior Ryan Senci once played basketball, but discovered distance running was more his cup of tea. Now he's headed to the Class 3A boys state cross country meet with the North Stars after finishing fourth at the St. Charles East sectional. Senci, who won St. Charles North's own regional meet, is a two-time All-Upstate Eight Conference runner and was the UEC frosh-soph champion in both the 1,600 and 3,200 in track. His personal-best in cross country is 15 minutes, 8 seconds at Palatine's 3-mile course. Senci has a grade-point average of 5.108 on a 5-point scale, the chops necessary to apply for stringent Washington University as well as Illinois, Marquette and Wisconsin. He intends to major in computer science. Senci lives in South Elgin just off the boundary separating St. Charles North and South Elgin turf. He said his surname was shortened after his grandparents emigrated from Hungary in 1956. Senci will join Saturday's field at Detweiller Park “in the best shape I've ever been in.”

Q: Last year you had Achilles tendinitis and, as a freshman, shin splints. What's the different between shin splints and a stress fracture?

A: Shin splints, they're just a dull ache that's spread over your shin, and if you run on it long enough you end up with a stress fracture. It's a localized pain. From what I've been told, you can tell exactly where the fracture has happened.

Q: At 6-foot-1 and 150 pounds you seem pretty sturdy, but what's it like to run in bad weather?

A: We love bad weather. It makes us tougher, that's the way we look at it. ... It's more like mental toughness. Most people won't go out there and run if it's too cold. We go out there and run and practice, we don't let it get in our heads.

Q: Do you have any pre-race superstitions?

A: I always have to eat the same thing before every meet, so I guess that counts. I have to eat a banana and a bagel with peanut butter.

Q: What's on your mind during a race?

A: During a race my mind's actually very clear. I think about the race at hand, I think about running with my teammates. If I have to make a move, I'm picking out people that I have to pass. I'm setting a goal for myself during the race.

Q: How many miles do you run a week?

A: This summer I peaked at 55 miles a week.

Q: Did you go out on Halloween?

A: No, I did not. I sat home and worked on college applications.

Q: Fun. What's your favorite athletic team?

A: The Chicago Bears.

Q: How do you think they'll do the rest of the season?

A: I'm optimistic. I'll leave it at that.

Q: Do your parents attend your meets?

A: Yeah, my parents (Ronald and Gayle) come to pretty much every meet. They're very vocal.

Q: What's a trait you admire in others?

A: Dedication. I think if you're not dedicated to something you'll never do it to your fullest ability. And if I'm going to do something, I do it the right way, always.

Q: Defending 3A cross country champion Lukas Verzbicas of Sandburg won last year's race by 21 seconds. Can anyone dethrone him?

A: I'm really rooting for Jack Driggs of York to beat him. It'll be an interesting race, to see him do that. If anyone can give (Verzbicas) a run for his money, that'd be great.

Q: What's the main challenge in cross country?

A: Probably just the mental toughness. If you're not mentally prepared for a race you're not going to run well. You have to be confident and know that your abilities are going to let you do whatever you want to do.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com