Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
From The Southern Illinois Miners
Wiener Wednesday is BACK on Wednesday, July 30th presented by Withers Broadcasting! Come out to see the Miners take on the Schaumburg Boomers and grab a hotdog for ONLY one dollar! What’s better than watching a Miners game and getting hot dogs for only one dollar each!
For more information on Wiener Wednesday or to bring out your group to Rent One Park, contact the Miners Box Office at 618-998-8499!
by Steve Dunford
Lavar Ball, clutchpoints.com
Lavar Ball has become a household name. He is known for talking it up for his son Lonzo Ball, who left UCLA after one season. He was a first round draft pick for the Lakers.
In the NBA Summer league, the Lakers won and Lonzo was named MVP. In his first game, he was held to two points, Lavar had a positive spin. He said that he is there to change the culture of the Lakers.
When DeAaron Fox had 38 points, and Lonzo had 10 in the 86-75 win for Kentucky over UCLA, Lavar called out Lonzo’s teammates. In an post game interview, all Lavar talked about was his Big Baller Brand. Lonzo immediately said he was going pro. He rambled on about the BBB, adorned in the company that Ball has established clothes.
Lonzo is the oldest of three kids. His brother LiAngelo is a 6″ 6′ forward who will likely play the three spot for UCLA next year.
Here is what inspired me to write this. In a AAU the Big Ballers (of course the name of the team that Ball Coaches.) ,was up by ten points in a playoff game. There was a foul called on his third son LeMelo, who is a 6′ 3″ point guard like Lonzo. LeMelo will be a senior at Chino Hills high school.
Lavar received a technical after a tirade, after that, he pulled his team off the floor. It went viral immediately. Here is the link below.
Most of the media has a negative view, in fact I only seen one story on the CBS Morning News that had the family in a positive light.
Lavar played one year of Basketball at Washington State. He averaged 2.2 points a game. He brags he can beat Michael Jordan in a game of one-on-one. If they ever play, I am sure the game will get national attention.
Saying he can be Jordan is absurd. His stats from Washington State proves he was a scrub, or gave valuable minutes off the bench.
Ball family picture a few years ago. massappeal.com
He met his wife Tina at Washington State who was a basketball and softball player. He has said in interviews that they are superior athletes and when they came out of her womb, they were destined to be ball players.
Here is a positive thing about Lavar. He cherishes his wife. He refers to her as his smoking hot baby. Loving his wife shows he is not that bad of quy.
One brag that Lavar has made, that Lonzo will have the first billion dollar shoe deal. So far, Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor has turned him down. It looks like the he will be wearing his dads BBB shoes. There is already Big Baller Brand shoes that goes for $500 in mail order only. The shoes will be shipped in a glass box.
Lavar is a guest on a lot of talk shows, and the hosts are not gracious. He is either the most obnoxious helicopter parent on the earth, or he is a brilliant promoter. If it is all about promotion he is the best since boxing legend Don King. Lavar can act like a clown, and I do not mean that as a positive statement.
When I am flipping through the channels, I will stop if he is on a talk show if he is on. He grates on my nerves, but I turn in. I will watch however. I was on YouTube yesterday, and after I heard he pulled his team off the floor, I was looking for the video.
I have never seen a video where he is not wearing Big Baller Brand clothes. I have heard a lot of people gripe about his $500 shoes. We are talking, however.
There are about four reality shows I like. I watched about ten minutes of the Kardasians. It is ten minutes of my life that I can not get back. There are people that compare the Ball family to them. Here is a link to the story by Gabrielle McMillen from the Sporting News where Lavar rebuttles the claim.
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/lavar-ball-compared-to-kardashians-kris-jenner-lonzo-ball-lakers/1m4bdm80i4qm11ed3auaa4qvql
How to you feel about Lavar Ball? I will ask this question on the Facebook page as well. I stated watching the NBA in the finals again. Lonzo has great potential, but will dad leave him alone. Will Lavar and Magic Johnson butt heads? If they have their differences one day, maybe they can settle it with a game of one-on-one.
Press Release from the Missouri Valley Football Conference
ST. LOUIS – Southern Illinois offensive lineman Austin Olsen was named to the preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference team, the league announced Monday morning. Hans Carmien, Jeremy Chinn, D.J. Davis, Connor Iwema and Craig James were all named to the honorable mention preseason All-MVFC team.
Austin Olsen, a senior, has started 22-consecutive games for SIU at left tackle. With Olsen anchoring the offensive line, Southern Illinois has led the league in passing offense each of the last two years. The Salukis also led the league in total offense, points per game and fewest sacks allowed in 2015. Last year, Southern set single-season program records for passing completions, attempts and yards. Olsen was an MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week once in 2015 and was an honorable mention All-MVFC pick last season.
Hans Carmien, a senior fullback, has played in 32 games and started 10 for SIU. Last year, he caught four passes for 37 yards and a TD. He has 11 career receptions for 53 yards and four touchdowns while also paving the way for Southern’s rushing attack. Carmien was an honorable mention All-MVFC choice in 2014. He earned the MVFC President’s Council Academic Award this year, which is the highest academic honor given by the league. He is also a two-time recipient of the MVFC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.
Jeremy Chinn, a sophomore safety, earned freshman All-American honors last year as a true freshman. He started six MVFC games and earned a spot on the MVFC All-Newcomer team after the season. Chinn picked off three passes in eight games to lead the team, and he was second on the team in tackles per game. He was named the MVFC Newcomer of the Week after posting seven tackles and an interception in the win over South Dakota.
D.J. Davis, a sophomore, earned honorable mention All-MVFC at return specialist. He led the league in kick return average by 2.5 yards per return. He was an honorable mention Freshman All-American and a member of the MVFC All-Newcomer team after his true freshman season in 2016. He was honorable mention All-MVFC as a return specialist last year, and he also earned the team’s Special Teams Top Dawg. His 98-yard kick return touchdown against Murray State was the second-longest kick return in school history. He ranked second nationally among all freshmen in kick return average.
Connor Iwema, a senior receiver, was second on the team in receptions (44) and third in receiving yards (557) in 2016. He ranked 10th in the MVFC in both categories, and he led the Salukis with five receiving touchdowns. He had two 100-yard games (103 at Florida Atlantic and 107 vs. South Dakota State).
Craig James, a senior cornerback, was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer team after the 2016 season. The Minnesota transfer was second in the MVFC in passes defended per game and returned an interception for a touchdown vs. Missouri State. Along with Chinn, James led the team with three interceptions. Twenty-four of his 30 tackles were solo stops, and he started eight games at corner for the Salukis.
With six total honorees, the Salukis had the fourth-most honorees in the MVFC. Voting was conducted by a league panel consisting of coaches, media and sports information directors. The MVFC will announce its pre-season poll Tuesday, July 25, at 9 am CT.
from the Southern Illinois Miners
JOLIET, IL – The Southern Illinois Miners nearly crawled out of a 6-0 first-inning deficit, scoring five unanswered runs to make it a one-run game in the fifth inning, but the Joliet Slammers added on late runs and defeated the Miners 12-7 to claim the weekend series two games to one.
Miners starter Matt Parish (1-1) ran into trouble in the first, hitting the leadoff batter and surrendering the game’s first run after a single put Ridge Hoopii-Haslam at third base on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Navin that made the score 1-0. After a walk to Edwin Gomez, Danny Zardon hit a three-run homer to make the score 4-0. Melvin Rodriguez added a solo shot in the next at-bat to extend the lead to 5-0, and it was 6-0 later in the frame on Luis Diaz’s RBI double.
Southern Illinois got one back immediately when Ryan Lashley extended his hitting streak to 10 games in a row with a solo home run, his tenth of the season, to make it 6-1 in the top of the second inning. Thanks to outstanding relief pitching by Corey Sessions, who tossed three innings with one baserunner allowed, and Damon Proctor, the Miners were able to hold the Slammers’ offense down, with the Miners’ bats rallying in the top of the fifth.
Lashley led off with a double and after Anthony Critelli singled him to third base, Zach Taylor drove Lashley in with a single to make it 6-2. London Lindley then hit another single to bring Critelli home and make the score 6-3, forcing a Joliet pitching change. After a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning, Romeo Cortina‘s RBI single made the score 6-4, and Craig Massey followed with a single to load the bases for Nolan Earley, who drew a walk from Joe Ortiz (4-2) to extend his on-base streak to 23 games in a row and make the score 6-5.
But the Slammers would rally late to add on to their lead. In the bottom of the seventh, after a hit batter and a walk, Zardon hit a two-run double to left-center field to make the score 8-5, and in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and two outs, Gomez hit a grand slam home run to push the advantage out to 12-5. In the ninth, the Miners got two runs back on RBI singles by Cortina and Massey, but got no closer.
Lindley led the Miners’ 13-hit attack offensively with three hits to tie a season-high, while Brett Wiley, Cortina and Lashley all had two hits apiece. Every player except one in the Miners’ starting lineup finished with at least one hit, with Wiley and Lashley also scoring multiple runs in the defeat.
The Miners return home on Tuesday night to begin a nine-game home stand with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch against the Schaumburg Boomers at Rent One Park.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
Press Release from the St. Louis Cardinals
ESPN Monday Night Baseball National Broadcast
Gates open at 5:35 p.m.
From the Southern Illinois Miners
JOLIET, IL – The Southern Illinois Miners came back from a late deficit, then rallied in extras to beat the Joliet Slammers 5-4 in eight innings on Ryan Lashley‘s go-ahead double with two outs, splitting a doubleheader with the Slammers who won the first game, suspended due to rain in the third inning on Friday, by a final score of 7-6 at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
Joliet scored on an Edwin Gomez groundout in the bottom of the first inning of game two to take a 1-0 lead, and the Miners could not break through against Slammers starter Andrew Zellner until the fourth. Craig Massey and Nolan Earley led off the frame with singles and moved up one base each on a groundout. Massey then scored on an RBI groundout by Lashley to knot the score at 1-1. Joliet would then get a two-out RBI single by Ridge Hoopii-Haslam to get the run back in the bottom of the fourth, making the score 2-1 Slammers.
In the sixth inning, Romeo Cortina led off with a walk and moved to second base on Massey’s infield single, then to third on a fielder’s choice before Craig Massoni‘s sacrifice fly scored him and tied the game at 2-2. In the top of the seventh, the Miners grabbed their first lead of the game when Ben Moore homered to right field for a 3-2 lead. An RBI single by Brett Wiley later in the frame put the Miners up 4-2, but Joliet would again rally to tie the score at 4-4 against John Werner (3-0) in the bottom of the seventh on three walks, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.
The game went to extra innings, and after Massoni singled with two outs in the eighth off Danny Concepcion (1-4) and Lashley doubled down the right field line to score him all the way from first base to put the Miners in front again 5-4. Kyle Tinius then worked a scoreless bottom half, getting Hoopii-Haslam to fly out to center field to end the game with the tying run at second base for his first career save.
In the first game, resumed from the top of the third inning due to heavy rain on Friday night, the Slammers scored three runs in the third to take a 4-2 lead. Massoni would club his first Miners home run, a two-run shot to center field, in the fourth to tie the game, but Joliet would score the go-ahead run in the bottom half on an RBI single by Hoopii-Haslam at 5-4. After back-to-back solo homers by Travis Bolin and Rock Shoulders extended the lead to 7-4 in the sixth inning for the Slammers, the Miners scored a pair of unearned runs in the seventh on a pair of Joliet errors and a sacrifice fly by Cortina to get back within a run at 7-6. The Miners would the get the tying run on base in the ninth inning, but could not equalize in falling before bouncing back in the second game.
The Miners will go for a series win in a rubber match against the Slammers at 1:05 p.m. Matt Parish will make his second start for the Miners against Joliet left-hander Tyler House.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
From the Southern Illinois Miners
The Southern Illinois Miners got three runs in the bottom of the third inning to rally back from a 4-0 deficit and make it 4-3 on a home run by Nolan Earley, but the Washington Wild Things scored four times in the top of the fifth inning to break the game open in a 10-6 loss at Rent One Park on Thursday night to take the series two games to one.
In the second inning, Mike Hill hit a solo home run off of Chris Washington to make the score 1-0 Wild Things, and in the top of the third inning, the Wild Things would get back-to-back home runs by Bralin Jackson and Hector Roa to push the advantage out to 4-0 before Southern Illinois mounted a comeback. Brett Wiley singled leading off the bottom of the third and went to third base on an errant pickoff throw by Cameron Stanton (2-2) before Ryan Lashley drove him in on an RBI single to make it 4-1 Washington. Two batters later, with one on base, Earley launched a deep, two-run homer to right field to pull the Miners within one run at 4-3.
But after a scoreless fourth inning, the Wild Things took advantage of a key error in the top of the fifth and ended up scoring four unearned runs in the frame on RBI hits by Kenny Peoples-Walls, Justin Bohn and John Fidanza, with Bohn’s two-run triple representing the big blow of the inning as Washington took an 8-3 advantage. Austin Dubsky took over for Washington (1-2) in the sixth inning and would end up finishing the game, permitting two runs in the eighth inning that made the score 10-3, but also striking out four over four innings of work.
The Miners would rally in the late innings against reliever Aaron Burns for three runs, including an RBI single by Romeo Cortina capping a three-hit night in the bottom of the eighth and an RBI single by Earley in the ninth, but could not get closer than four runs in suffering the loss. Wiley and Cortina each had three hits in the game, with Earley and Lashley combining for four hits and four RBIs offensively for Southern Illinois.
The Miners next head to Joliet to begin a series with the Slammers on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Zach Cooper will pitch in the series opener for Southern Illinois.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
Press release from the Chicago Cubs
Following the homestand, Under Armour will host the country’s top high school baseball players at Wrigley Field for the Under Armour All-America Game Saturday, July 29. The game will start at 7:05 p.m. CDT. Complimentary tickets are available beginning July 20 at the Cubs Store in the Park at Wrigley with a limit of six per person. More information on the game can be found at www.cubs.com/allamericagame.
A limited number of tickets for this homestand remain available at www.cubs.com or 800-THE-CUBS (800-843-2827). Highlights of the homestand follow.
Guests and Entertainment:
On Friday, July 21, Chicago Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith will throw a first pitch, while Umphrey’s McGee will sing the national anthem.
In partnership with the “Play Sun Safe” initiative sponsored by the Pediatric Sun Protection Foundation, Mott 50 and Advocate Children’s Hospital, a member of the Los Angeles pop/rock ensemble R5 will throw a first pitch Saturday, July 22. The initiative aims to raise awareness about sun protection and skin cancer prevention.
On Sunday, July 23, recently retired Chicago Blackhawk Bryan Bickell will throw a ceremonial first pitch. University of Illinois head football coach Lovie Smith will present the lineup card pregame.
On Monday, July 24, Jonathan Kirkland, Chris Lee, Colby Lewis and Wallace Smith from the Chicago company of “Hamilton: An American Musical” will sing the national anthem. Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg will throw a first pitch and lead the stretch.
Former Cubs pitcher and 1984 NL Cy Young winner Rick Sutcliffe will throw a first pitch and lead the stretch Tuesday, July 25.
Promotional Items:
Bud Fridays continue July 21, with up to the first 5,000 Budweiser Bleacher fans age 21-and-older receiving Cubs Sunglasses presented by Budweiser.
On Saturday, July 22, up to 5,000 early arriving fans age 13-and-younger will receive a Cubs Youth Sun Protection Shirt presented by Advocate Children’s Hospital, Mott 50 and the Pediatric Sun Protection Foundation. Up to 20,000 early arriving fans will receive sunscreen samples.
On Sunday, July 23, up to the first 5,000 fans age 13-and-younger will receive a Clark the Cub Pocket T-shirt presented by Mastercard.
Food and Beverage Offerings:
Jeff Mauro, host of Food Network’s “The Kitchen” and Pork & Mindy’s executive chef and partner, will bring his creative BBQ chops and sandwich prowess to the Chef Series at Wrigley Field presented by Maker’s Mark. The following menu items will be served July 21-25 at the Sheffield Counter (formerly Decade Diner) near Gate D:
Hot Doug’s continues its rotating selections from Platform 14, located behind the center field scoreboard in the Budweiser Bleachers. Served this homestand are the Bill Caudill, an Argentinian pork and bacon sausage with chimichurri and Swiss cheese; the Sergio Mitre, a gyro sausage with tzatziki, feta cheese and chopped tomatoes; and the Rick Reuschel, a jalapeño-cheddar beef sausage with jalapeño mustard, pepper jack cheese and crispy fried onions.
To commemorate National Hot Dog Month, Levy will serve a specialty pizza Monday and Tuesday, July 24-25, at the Giordano’s concession stand located near Gate K. “The Wrigley Stuffed Smokie” presented by Giordano’s and Vienna Beef is Giordano’s famous stuffed deep dish pizza filled with Vienna Beef’s Wrigley Field Smokies, roasted onions, mozzarella cheese and topped with Giordano’s signature pizza sauce, served only at Wrigley Field.
For more information on the Wrigley Field Chef Series or other concession items in the ballpark, fans can visit www.cubs.com/food.
Cubs Charities and Community Events:
On Friday, July 21, Cubs manager Joe Maddon will continue his support of Chicago nonprofit organizations through his “Respect Community” T-shirt initiative. After every Friday home game, Maddon represents a different Chicago nonprofit by wearing the organization’s T-shirt during his postgame press conference.
This week, Maddon will represent Chicago Scholars, an organization committed to transforming the leadership landscape in Chicago by resolving the fundamental barriers to success for academically driven, first generation college students from under-resourced communities. Chicago Scholars is the largest college access and success program in Chicago serving more than 2,400 scholars annually in a seven-year college access, mentoring and career support program.
On Wednesday, July 26, the Cubs leadership team and front office associates will host a signing ceremony for the 2017 Cubs Scholars class and celebrate college selections of the 2016 class. The 2017 class includes five Chicago high school seniors selected based on the Cubs Scholars criteria. The students will collectively receive $100,000 in scholarships and a Cubs College Prep program where they will be paired with a Cubs associate who serves as a mentor as they prepare for college. In addition to Cubs College Prep, Cubs Charities will sponsor each of the five Cubs Scholars in a five-year college preparation and persistence program offered by Chicago Scholars.
Homestand Recap, July 21-25:
Friday, July 21, Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 1:20 p.m.
Saturday, July 22, Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 3:05 p.m.
Sunday, July 23, Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 7:05 p.m.
Monday, July 24, Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox, 1:20 p.m.
Tuesday, July 25, Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox, 1:20 p.m.
Saturday, July 29, Under Armour All-America Game, 7:05 p.m.
by Steve Dunford
The Benton Rangers lose to Kewanee in the first round of the IHSA state tournament to Kewanee 12-11 in 1932.
They won the Johnston City Sectional by beating the Galatia Bearcats 23-18. With the next post there will be district scores involved as well.
Johnston City Sectional
Metropolis 23-19 East. St. Louis
Benton 8-4 Galatia
Dupo 33-27 Marissa
Galatia 30-28 Cairo
Galatia 36-27 Metropolis
Benton 43-11 Dupo
Benton 23-18 Galatia
BENTON (23): Henry 13, L. Smith 4, Lawson 3, Rector 2, Rhodes 1.
GALATIA (18): Hall 9, J. Jones 5, O. Jones 3, Wiggins 1.
1931-32 State Tournament
Quarterfinals
Canton 19, Springfield (H.S.) 12
Lawrenceville 31, Rantoul 21
Kewanee (H.S.) 12, Benton 11
Berwyn-Cicero (Morton) 29, Hillsboro 12
Semifinals
Canton 24, Lawrenceville 20
Berwyn-Cicero (Morton) 28, Kewanee (H.S.) 20
Third Place
Lawrenceville 27, Kewanee (H.S.) 19
Championship
Berwyn-Cicero (Morton) 30, Canton 16
by Steve Dunford
Thank you all for the positive response as I have been looking back into the archives of some of the postseasons in the past.
For the rest of the month of July we will be focusing on High School Basketball and talk to area coaches about their summer.
I will be changing to High School football and the other fall sports mode on August 1st.
In 1930, there was not a Franklin County school that made it to the sectionals. Carbondale beat Mt. Vernon for the sectional finals and fell in the quarterfinals at state.
In 1931, the Rangers fell to the Johnston City Indians in the semi-finals of the Carbondale Sectional. JC Beat Simpson in the Championship game. The Indians took the fourth place trophy back to Williamson County as they fell to Chicago Harrison in overtime.
Here is the sectional and state tournament scores from 1931.
Carbondale
Murphysboro 22-12 Cobden
Simpson 19-17 Pinckneyville
Benton 47-15 Chester
Johnston City 17-7 Equality
Simpson 12-10 Murphysboro (OT)
Johnston City 17-15 Benton
Johnston City 14-12 Simpson (OT)
1930-31 State Finals
Quarterfinals
Chicago (Harrison) 44, Mt. Vernon (H.S.) 33
Decatur (H.S.) 24, Collinsville 23
Galesburg (H.S.) 30, Peoria (Manual) 22
Johnston City 23, Rantoul 14
Semifinals
Decatur (H.S.) 27, Chicago (Harrison) 20
Galesburg (H.S.) 28, Johnston City 27
Third Place
Chicago (Harrison) 28, Johnston City 26 (OT)
Championship
Decatur (H.S.) 30, Galesburg (H.S.) 26
