Derrick flies to top spot
Neuqua Valley senior Chris Derrick, the reigning Class 3A boys cross country champ, has moved up to No. 1 on the national Foot Locker Favorites list in advance of the Foot Locker Midwest regional Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha.
Derrick, No. 4 preseason on the Favorites list, scooted to the top after his blistering 13-minute, 52-second time at Detweiller Park for the Illinois prep title and his victorious, course-record run at the Nike Team Nationals Midwest Championships in Terre Haute on Nov. 10.
At the Foot Locker regional Derrick will take aim at the 2000 record of 14:35. York's Tom Achtien, who finished third at the NTN Midwest, will also compete Saturday at the Foot Locker event.
The "Knee-Kwuh" team and the "Elmhurst Cross Country Club" finished 1-2 at the NTN Midwest. They'll compete at the NTN Finals in Portland, Ore., on Dec. 1.
Football quick hits
It's always fun to unearth a term from your own high school and college days. Thus, it's bogus that the IHSA is not welcoming with open arms Tim O'Halloran -- better known as "Edgy Tim," publisher of the Edgytim.com Illinois Prep Spotlight Web site, part of the national Rivals.com group -- to the state football championships.
In a crackdown on non-broadcast or print media -- namely Internet sites -- O'Halloran was lucky to get one media pass, which he will give to staff photographer Kevin Smith. The IHSA's rationale was that Edgytim.com does not provide game coverage.
On the other hand, as anyone who follows Illinois prep football knows, it's a huge resource on the sport, one of the main sources of football info in the state.
Edgy will be in Champaign this weekend, no doubt -- he's on the WJOL radio team for the Class 6A game -- but not on the sidelines or press box where he belongs…
Addison Trail football coach Paul Parpet will take time out from coaching Blazers bowling, his winter sport, to serve as a studio analyst for Saturday's Class 5-8A football state championship games on WPWR-TV Channel 50. Former Glenbard West coach Jim Covert returns this year as color man for the 5A and 7A games, while Hall of Fame Downers South assistant Jack McInerney will do the color for the Class 6A and 8A games…
Players, parents and coaches who were part of Immaculate Conception's 2002 Class 3A state football champions will enjoy a fifth anniversary of the landmark event Saturday at, appropriately, the Knights of Columbus Hall in Elmhurst…
Montini all-state offensive and defensive tackle Garrett Goebel is one of three finalists for the first IHSA-FoxHilites "Football Player of the Year" award. Mt. Carmel linebacker Steve Filer and Marian Central lineman Sean Cwynar are also in the running for the award that will be announced Saturday.
Redemption
Let's hear it for Tom Schweer, Waubonsie Valley girls swimming coach, for leading the Warriors to ninth place last weekend at the Girls State Swimming & Diving Meet. It was Waubonsie Valley's best state finish since taking seventh in 2000.
Schweer, heading another state-caliber swim program after his prior stint at Hinsdale Central, never said one detrimental word after he resigned his athletic director position at Hinsdale Central.
It didn't seem deserved that Schweer was part of the District 86 house cleaning following problems in the Red Devils' boys basketball and football programs.
Those programs have recovered nicely. Good to see Schweer has, too.