Purdominating downstate

Immaculate Conception graduate and University of Illinois student Mallory Purdom informs us that this weekend three of her football-playing cousins will crash her turf.

Matt Purdom, Mallory's brother, is the senior all-state lineman from Immaculate Conception, playing Casey-Westfield in Friday's Class 2A title game at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

Scott Purdom is a sophomore receiver-defensive back called up to St. Francis' squad, which takes on Metamora in the 5A championship Saturday.

Purdom cousin Chris Kiser of Hinsdale Central will take snaps as a wide receiver in the Red Devils' 8A game Saturday night against Maine South.

The family tree goes like this: Scott Purdom's father, John, is the brother of Matt Purdom's dad, Mike. The former lives in Glen Ellyn, the latter in Elmhurst. Chris Kiser's mother, Mary of Hinsdale, is Mike and John Purdom's sister.

"They're over at our house every year at Thanksgiving," Matt Purdom said. "We usually play some football in the back yard, but this year our plans might be changed a little."

No reason to chance a sprained wing or snapped drumstick right before the state championship.

Whatta year

Benet senior Jessica Jendryk - also headed for the University of Illinois but not till next fall and on a volleyball scholarship - was just named to a national all-star squad.

Jendryk was one of 24 players selected to the third annual Under Armour All-American High School Volleyball Team. As a first-team choice she's invited to play in the inaugural Under Armour match and skill competition at the Qwest Center in Omaha on Dec. 21.

Jendryk has been a busy little 6-foot-1 middle blocker. The Daily Herald all-area player helped take the Redwings to the Class 4A championship match and was named to a pair of all-state squads.

Listed among prepvolleyball.com's top seniors in the country, Jendryk was the MVP of the East Suburban Catholic Conference and was an all-conference pick for a third straight year. Her bounty of blocks this season has her in the top five all-time in Illinois High School Association history.

Lee Watch 2008

After coaching football in Wisconsin, Lee Maciejewski is back helping Hinsdale Central boys basketball coach Ed Lynch as a varsity assistant.

Last year in Wisconsin, Maciejewski's first away from Glenbard West after more than a decade, he coached underclass football and returned to coach Hinsdale Central's sophomore boys basketball team and varsity softball.

This fall was Maciejewski's 100th season as a high school coach, achieving a longtime goal. Having done that he has a new goal: to coach as long as York boys cross country coach Joe Newton.

"Not as well as," Maciejewski noted while watching a recent Hinsdale Central football game, "as long as."

Maciejewski said he has a lot left. He also has a new catchphrase based on his lifetime in athletics: "Winning doesn't create character; character creates winning."

A new Classic

The Wheaton Classic boys basketball tournament - featuring Wheaton Warrenville South, Wheaton Academy, Wheaton North and St. Francis - was disbanded this year after just a two-year run.

While Wheaton Academy will eventually fit all three teams on its schedule, WW South and Wheaton North bring the excitement in the WCHS Heritage Classic on Jan. 31.

"WCHS" is the acronym for Wheaton Central High School, the old building on the corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Road in Wheaton. Opened in 1924, it is the forebear of Wheaton Warrenville South.

Now it's known as Hubble Middle School. One day it'll be the Hubble Mixed-Use Development, or something like that, after the new middle school at Orchard and Warrenville roads is built and the old building is leveled.

For the time being, Hubble will host the one-time affair that counts in the DuPage Valley Conference standings. Along with a sophomore boys game the Heritage Classic will offer girls and boys varsity games in the Hubble gym, which saw its heyday in Wheaton Central coach Don McGee's 1980-81 fourth-place boys team.

Hopefully, we'll see former Tigers and Falcons coaches like McGee, Barry Brennan and Bob Hoppenstedt in the old gym one last time.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com