Neighbor Sports

Basketball

Hooked on Hoops: Hooked on Hoops, a youth basketball club, will hold its fall sessions from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 12 and 19 at Fremont Middle School on Fremont Center Road west of Mundelein. Boys and girls of all ages and all school districts are welcome to attend. The emphasis of this camp is skills development. Players will learn the fundamental and advanced skills of ball-handling, passing, dribbling and shooting.

The fee for the Wednesday sessions is $65. Sign-up is on the first day of camp. Players should bring their own basketball. For details, call the hotline at (847) 566-8562.

Basketball

Skills lessons: All the basics in speed and agility, such as ball handling, shooting, post moves, advanced guard skills, are covered in private lessons with an ex-European professional. Anyone interested in signing their child up can call Toron Clark at (847) 791-5033.

Football

Flames vs. Raiders: The Lake Zurich Flames, with a 6-3 record in the BIG 10-Middleweight Division, faced the Crystal Lake Raiders Oct. 27 and came away with an 18-6 victory against the Raiders who had a 7-2 record.

The first half ended with 6 points put on the board by Crystal Lake. In the third quarter, Lake Zurich's Camden Kuksa darted in front of a Raiders' receiver to intercept the ball and set up their first touchdown. Kuksa rushed for 20 yards with Jack Boliaux and Steve Demmert adding 4 yards rushing. With the ball on the 2-yard line, Kuksa dove into the end zone.

In the fourth quarter with the score tied 6-6 and 5:35 left on the clock, at first and goal off of Lake Zurich's 5-yard line, Crystal Lake was stopped by the Flames defense with the final drive inches from the end zone, and Jack Boliaux recovered a fumble on the 2-yard line. Unable to get out of their backfield, and in a 4th and 10 situation, Camden Kuksa dropped back to punt out of the end zone. Seeing an open a fumble, Kuksa ran up the field, dodged the defense and ran 107 yards to score. Michael Hagan put up a block against the final defender between Kuksa and the end zone.

With 1:00 left, Crystal Lake attempted a pass that was picked off by Kuksa who ran it in for a 55-yard touchdown -- the first defensive touchdown of the season. Defensive players James DeGeorge, Brett Blum, Charlie Spatoulas, Tony Anagnostopoulos, Colton Wagner, Brandon Arteaga, Mitchell Zovnic, Hagan, Kuksa, Demmert and Boliaux shut down Crystal Lake's offense in the second half. Boliaux also credited a recovered fumble off a Lake Zurich punt.

Lake Zurich's offense gained 157 yards (26 passing). Offensive players Noah Allgood, Noah Ezsak, Luke Yankoe, A.J. Trittschuh, Hagan, DeGeorge, Boliaux, Spatoulas, Demmert, Kuksa and Zovnic combined strengths for the win.

The team is led by Head Coach Guy Boliaux, Offensive Coordinator Dan Kuksa and assistants, Marc Allgood, Jon Wagner and Ron Ezsak.

Miscellaneous

Clinics/performances: The Vernon Hills High School Varsity Poms Squad will conduct its Junior Cougar Poms Clinic on Dec. 8 for first- through sixth-grade girls, with the showcase performances taking place later that evening at the VHHS boys basketball games.

The Junior Cougars will learn and perform routines choreographed by members of the VHHS Poms Squad. First- through third-graders will participate in an 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. clinic and perform during halftime of the sophomore game. Fourth- through sixth-graders will participate in a 1 to 3 p.m. clinic and perform during halftime of the varsity game.

Each Junior Cougar will receive instruction, a T-shirt and a ribbon for a registration fee of $25. Registration is due by Nov. 30. Registration information and forms can be obtained from a VHHS pom squad member or the poms page on the athletics pages of the VHHS Web site at www.vhhscougars.org.

For details, contact Judy Barack at (847) 951-3733 or barackjm@comcast.net, or Coach Henley (847) 932-2000, ext. 8084.

Softball

One-day clinic: Fastball USA will host a one-day softball clinic Nov. 17 for coaches and players at 137 Diversey, Elmhurst. The UIC Flames coaching staff, Tom Grey, Sarah O'Malley and Allison Aguilar, along with UIC Flames players will be on hand. The division I softball program will hold a coaches clinic from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and a players clinic from noon to 3 p.m. The clinic will cover the fundamentals of softball in several skill areas including infield and outfield defensive, plus offensive skills of hitting, bunting and slapping.

Register at (630) 532-5107 or fastballusa@hotmail.com. For more information go to www.fastballusa.com.