Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
CHICAGO — Eight days after winning re-election as state comptroller, Susana Mendoza announced her bid for Chicago mayor on today to help shape “the next generation, not just the next four years.”
Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.
Cody Parkey is hitting the road in an effort to break out of his slump of knocking kicks off the uprights.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
A Carterville woman has been charged with repeated harassment of Illinois’s senators in U.S. District Court in Benton.
Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.
Francesca “Frankie” Kokkines is a native of Lombard, Ill. and plays for Montini Catholic, who has advanced to the final four of the Illinois Class 4A state tournament in back-to-back seasons. This past year, Motini went 34-3 and finished the season ranked No. 22 nationally by Blue Star after it placed second in the state. Kokkines averaged 5.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Broncos. Following the runner-up finish at the state tournament, the 5-foot-10 guard was named the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) Frank Kladis Memorial Outstanding Athlete of the Year.
One Saluki that Kokkines won’t need an introduction to is Makenzie Silvey. The two squared off several times in high school, most notably in the 2017 Class 4A state semifinals. Silvey hit a go-ahead jumper with :27 seconds to play to secure Edwardsville’s trip to the state title game. Kokkines and Montini got their revenge last season, as the Broncos defeated the Tigers, 37-30 to advance to the 2018 state title game.
“Frankie is a scrapper, defender, rebounder and always going to hit the open shot,” Stein said. “She can play any of the guard spots and can handle the ball, attack the basket or hit the three-point shot. She is a natural leader and fits in well with our style of play. She is from one of the top programs in the state and has been extremely well-coached throughout her career.”
An inside/outside threat that can guard all five positions on the floor, Alyson Potter is a four-time all-conference and a three-time all-state selection from El Dorado, Kansas. Potter began her prep career at Neodesha playing for her father, Don, where she averaged 17.5 points per game as a freshman and was named all-state honorable mention. The following season, Potter averaged 19.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game during an injury-shortened sophomore campaign.
Prior to her junior season, Potter transferred to Circle High School and averaged 10.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game to again earn All-State honorable mention honors. The 6-foot-2 forward was ranked 31st at her position in the 2019 class by ESPN Hoop Gurlz. An exceptional student, Potter maintains a 3.96 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society.
“Allea (pronounced “Al ee”) gives us great length at the wing and forward position,” Stein said. “Allea can out-smart you on the floor and is very fundamental, has three-point range and an extremely high work ethic and drive. She is a very mature and intelligent young lady that is sure to be a success within our system. We are excited to have someone of her caliber join our team.”
Awa Keita is coming off a season in which she was chosen as the ACCAC Division I Player of the Year after she averaged 13.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 1.7 blocks per game for Cochise College in Sierra Vista, Nev. The 6-foot-1 guard/forward helped Cochise go 29-3, including a 21-1 record in league play. The Apaches advanced to the second round of the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.
Keita was born and raised in Bamako, Mali, which is also the hometown of Saluki men’s basketball’s Sekou Dembele. The 2017 NJCAA Second Team All-American will arrive in Carbondale with extensive international playing experience,having played for the Mali National Team at numerous tournaments including the FIBA U19 World Championships. She will become the first student-athlete from another continent on the Saluki women’s basketball roster and just the second international player in Saluki women’s basketball history.
“Awa can change the game defensively with her great length and quickness,” Stein said. “Another young lady that can play wing or forward and can defend any spot on the floor. Her athleticism is top-notch and she works her butt off every day to get better. Awa will be a threat offensively anywhere on the floor. Her playing experience will come in handy as well in our pursuit of championships.”
CARBONDALE, Ill.- Southern Illinois head coach Kerri Blaylock has announced the addition of five student-athletes that have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Saluki softball program in the fall of 2019.
Signing NLIs with the Salukis are pitcher Carlee Jo Clark (Carol Stream, Ill.), pitcher Sarah Harness (Bowling Green, Mo.), outfielder Aubree DePron (Blanchard, Okla.), catcher/infielder Kerrigan Gamm (Ulman, Mo.) and utility player Tori Schullian (Herrin, Ill.).
“We are so excited to sign these five student athletes,” Blaylock said. “We needed to focus on pitching, speed, power and versatility and we feel that we accomplished all of those traits. We are getting five young ladies that have played at the highest level of club ball and have succeeded greatly. We also got five great students and people. Our culture is so important to us here at Southern and these five fit in perfectly.”
A native of Carol Stream, Ill., Carlee Jo Clark currently attends St. Francis High School where she has been named all-state three times in her career. She hit .506 as a junior with 12 home runs and 49 runs batted in and posted a 1.28 earned run average with 108 strikeouts over 71 innings of work. As a sophomore, Clark earned All-State First Team honors after she hit .380 with 14 home runs and 45 runs batted in to go along with a 14-1 record on the bump and a 1.01 earned run average.
She has spent the past three seasons playing for the Illinois Chill in Northbrook, Ill. under the direction of Gerry Quinn. This summer, Clark helped Illinois Chill Gold 16U take fifth at the prestigious Boulder IDT, which was the best finish of any Midwest program. Clark is an exceptional student as well, as she currently maintains a 3.98 grade point average at SFHS.
“I saw Carlee for the first time when she was 14 years old,” Blaylock said. “She did a great job on the mound and also with her bat. She is such a hard worker and has improved herself every year by adding another pitch or just gaining strength, etc. She is a versatile athlete that will be able to pitch and hit for us.”
Sarah Harness is a senior pitcher at Bowling Green High School where she helped the Lady Cats win back-to-back Missouri State Championships. The Bowling Green, Mo. native is a four-time All-District and All-Region honoree who has amassed a 59-9 career record in the circle with a microscopic .83 career earned run average. She struck out more than one-third of the batters she faced during her four seasons, as she struck out 623 of the 1628 batters she faced with a nearly 6:1 strikeouts-to-walk ratio. During one game last fall, Harness struck out all 21 batters she faced.
Harness has been named to three-straight All-State teams, including back-to-back turns on the All-State First Team. During the summer, she has played for the Illinois Force travel team. A solid student, Harness has maintained a 3.9 grade point average.
“We are so excited that Sarah chose SIU,” Blaylock said. “She has such a great presence on the mound. She has good speed and movement and commands the game. She is a two-time state champion that knows how to win and that is such an important factor at the Division 1 level. She gets better and better every time I see her throw.”
A native of Blanchard, Okla., Aubree DePron led Bridge Creek High School to the 4A Regionals in 2018. A versatile athlete with top of the lineup speed, DePron ran the anchor leg of the 4×400 relay for Bridge Creek’s track team and took second in the long jump at the Oklahoma 4A state meet. On the diamond, she hit .627 as a junior with 51 runs batted in and swiped 71 bases. A two-time Little All-City First Team selection, DePron was picked as a starter on the 2018 Middle West All-State team after she hit .563 and stole 46 bases during her senior campaign.
On the travel ball circuit, DePron played for the Oklahoma Ultimate.
“Aubree will be the fastest athlete that we have ever had here at SIU,” Blaylock said. “She can fly but also can hit the gaps. She is a great athlete that competes extremely hard. We felt we needed more speed in our lineup and she will give us that.”
Kerrigan Gamm attends Osage High School in Ulman, Mo., where she rewrote the school record books and will leave the program as it’s all-time leader in nearly every offensive statistical category including career batting average (.483), on-base percentage (.535), slugging percentage (.866), hits (149), doubles (34), triples (7), home runs (21), runs scored (113) and stolen bases (17). Gamm also pitched for the Indians and posted a 19-6 career record with a 1.73 earned run average. During her sophomore campaign she led all Missouri hitters with a .609 batting average.
A three-sport athlete, Gamm is also a standout on Osage’s basketball and track and field teams. A three-time state qualifier in the javelin, the Ulman, Mo. native finished third in the state in the event in 2018. She was also named as one of Missouri RoundBall Magazine’s “Elite 30” girls basketball players and is a two-time all-conference player on the hardwood.
She has played travel ball for the past four seasons for the KC Zephyrs under the direction of Justin Corona. In addition to her athletic success, Gamm is a tremendous student and has earned three Academic All-State honors.
“Kerrigan is such a strong and versatile athlete,” Blaylock said. “She can literally play every position but pitcher. She hits for tremendous power and has an elite arm. Her versatility will allow her to play all over the field when needed.”
Tori Schullian is a senior at nearby Herrin High School where she led the Tigers to three-straight regional appearances. A starter since her freshman season, Schullian delivered big hit after big hit for the Tigers, including a go-ahead double in the sectional championship game as a sophomore that advanced Herrin to the state quarterfinals. She has been named to the All-Conference, All-South and All-State teams in each of her three seasons, including a turn on the All-State first team after a junior season in which she hit .505 with a .550 on-base percentage to go along with four home runs and 21 runs batted in.
Schullian has played travel ball for the Illinois Force, which has produced several notable Saluki alumnae including the school record holder in career on-base and slugging percentage Shaye Harre. Current Salukis Bailee Pulley and Nicole Johnson both played for the Force. The Herrin, Ill native is an exceptional student and holds a 4.2 grade point average.
“I have watched Tori since she was very young,” Blaylock said. “She is a very good athlete that will play both the infield and outfield. She can hit for power and average. Again, her versatility is what drew us to her.”
It has been long rumored that the Republican Party has a woman problem, so much so that a few years ago GOP congressmen sent aides to classes on how to talk to and about women.
Here’s a link to the editorial at the Southern Illinoisan.
CBS News reported Tuesday that special counsel Robert Mueller may soon issue new indictments. It’s not clear who will be charged, but there are indications of it. Some suggest that political consultant Roger Stone may be on the list.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.
A Prayer for When You Face Change
By Katy McCown
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)
The sound of my steps bounced off the walls as I moved from room to room. Though this place sat empty, my hopes and dreams seemed to saturate every corner.
This home would be my very first place with my husband, Luke. Just a few weeks before, two major life moments unfolded. First, my husband began his career in professional football. Second, Luke and I held hands and shared vows before God and each other.
So, with our dog and our dreams, we packed the trunk with wedding gifts and headed north.
The fall brought news of yet another change: We learned we’d be adding our first child to the family. By springtime, nursery prep was in full swing. After a long weekend of work, I plopped down in the rocking chair.
I envisioned raising my boy in this room. Oh, the stories we’d read and lullabies we would sing. The hugs and snuggles we’d share. I shut my eyes happy that night with a heart brimming with expectation.
If only I could press the pause button right there. But life doesn’t have a pause button, does it?
The next morning I opened my eyes to the news we’d be moving … effective immediately. Less than one year after our future felt so full, we packed all those expectations into boxes and sealed them with packing tape.
We scrambled to relocate and rebuild in a city on the other side of the country. But just as we hit our stride in this new city, we found ourselves facing the same reality again. A late-night phone call bore the news, You’re moving again … tomorrow.
Fourteen years, six teams and six kids later, it’s safe to say the road has been anything but predictable.
Those first years of football taught me how quickly a game can rise and fall. A score’s only exciting until a mistake positions the other team to tie the game. A mistake’s only disappointing until a score puts your team right back in the game.
At first, I watched Luke’s games on pins and needles. I soared with successes and fell apart at failures. Whether we won or lost, I left every game exhausted from the roller coaster ride of emotions I experienced.
I think life can be like a football game. Rises and falls, highs and lows, sometimes every day. In the midst of these uncertainties and surprises, we have two options. We can filter our view of God through our ever-changing circumstances, or we can filter our circumstances through the unchangeable character of Christ.
Today’s key verse reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
Our circumstances may rise and fall, but we don’t have to go with them. When we cling to the unchanging character of Christ, we can weather the winds of change.
I’ve started to watch games differently now. Sure, I celebrate the successes. But I don’t hang on the high points and assume it’s all smooth sailing from there. I also don’t dwell on the low moments. I might sigh. I might even scream. But I don’t let the low moments determine the next moment.
Let’s celebrate the highs in our lives, but not let them soften us to hard work and perseverance. Let’s learn from the low points, but not let them sour us to expectation and anticipation.
Most of all, let’s choose to fix our eyes on the One who never changes, the One who steadies our souls, no matter what we face.
Thank You, God, that You are sure. I can always count on You, because You will never change. Thank You for a safe place to fix my eyes when everything else seems unstable. Only You are my Rock and my Fortress. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
by Rick Warren — November 15, 2018
“In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 NIV).
Right after God reminds us not to worry in Philippians 4:6, he follows it up with this: “In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 NIV).
Don’t panic, Paul says, but pray!
If you stopped worrying, you’d have so much more free time on your hands. It would create a great vacuum, a void in your life. Pray during that time.
If everyone who says they don’t have time to pray would spend their time praying instead of worrying, they’d have a whole lot less to worry about.
Notice the Bible says to pray “In everything.” Some people think God is only interested in you praying about “religious” matters. But that’s just not true. God is interested in everything in your life.
Also note the word petition. It is a specific, detailed request. Get specific with God. Tell him exactly what you want and what you need. Most people pray too vaguely.
In 1 Peter 5:7 the Bible says, “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him” (CEV). God wants us to take our problems to him, to pray instead of worrying.
I remember a few years ago reading a study from a life insurance company that found people who attend church once a week live almost 6 years longer than the general public. Why? Perhaps people who attend church every week are more likely to pray than to worry.
No problem is too big for God’s power or too small for God’s concern.
