photos by CHRIS KAYS

The story of Greg and Thelma Vaupel is a true love story – a love story that centers around sickness and health, better or worse and ‘til death do us part and all blended together with a good dose of humor. And of course since Greg is a well-known southern Illinois referee and umpire, there is a definite sports angle involved.

Vaupel, a native of Hamilton County and a 1974 graduate of McLeansboro High School, began his officiating career 13 years ago and worked primarily girls’ and junior varsity basketball along with baseball and softball.

“It’s just something that I love to do and it keeps me close to sports,” said Vaupel. “I’ve always loved being around sports so it was a great fit and it provided good exercise and it helped to keep me healthy.”

And the fact that health was a focus for Vaupel only heightened concern when he started feeling poorly back in 2009.

“I just didn’t feel good,” Vaupel recalls. “I started feeling real tired and I just didn’t have my usual energy. I thought that maybe I was just getting old and that was the reason. Then my legs and feet started swelling —particularly my right foot. My wife thought I had a broken foot it was swollen so badly. I finally gave in and went to the doctor.  At first they first thought I had a thyroid problem.”

A trip to a thyroid doctor did not help as Vaupel continued to feel weak.

“The longer I went, the weaker I got and everything I ate had a ‘metal’ taste to it,” said Vaupel. “I couldn’t eat and I started losing weight at a rapid pace.”

At the insistence of his wife, Vaupel reluctantly agreed to go to another specialist in Evansville where the initial prognosis might best be described as bad or worse.

“After the initial tests the doctor told me that he thought I either had liver failure or pancreatic cancer,” said Vaupel. “That was about 4:30 on a Friday afternoon and the next morning he came in and told me that I had cirrhosis of the liver. Of the two options he gave me, and as bad as cirrhosis of the liver sounded, it was still the better of the two. After some more tests they told me I was in full-blown cirrhosis and liver failure and the only way I was going to get better was to have a transplant.”

Vaupel said that to this day doctors cannot say why his liver failed.

“I didn’t fit the characteristics of people that have liver failure,” he said. “I never drank alcohol and I never did drugs and I never had Hepatitis C,” said Vaupel. “There was no reason for it to fail and my doctors still can’t explain why.”

Vaupel received that difficult prognosis in March 2008 and struggled for more than three years before finally having a liver transplant on April 22, 2011. While much of that time frame seems like a vague blur to Greg, his wife Thelma lived and wrote about the experience on a daily basis.

“Greg almost died three different times,” said Thelma. “I was trying to finish my last year of teaching so I could take early retirement. On two different occasions I found him totally incoherent, didn’t know who I was or who he was. If I hadn’t gone home at lunch to check on him he would have died. Another time he almost died in intensive care. We held on to our faith that he was going to make it but on those three occasions I wasn’t sure.”

It was during those bleak days that Thelma devised a game plan that she believed would sustain the family through Greg’s life-threatening illness. She said she began a journal even though there were days when she “felt there was no hope.”

Thelma said the point of the journal was two-fold— focus on something good everyday and find something to laugh about.

“And no matter how bad things got, and they got bad, we found that one good thing to focus on and thank God for every day,” Thelma said. “And we found something to laugh about every day. There were days we cried but we basically laughed and joked ourselves through every day.”

Thelma recalled one particular night when Greg was suffering and she was by his hospital bed. She said she was just trying to find some way to “keep him with me.” She said the couple started playing word games like they did with their children. She said they went through music groups starting at ‘A’ and naming a group that starts with that letter and then moving on through the alphabet. She said when they exhausted music groups they went to animals which provided a moment that still brings laughter to this day.

“I was on a ‘pallet’ on the floor beside his hospital bed and we went through the alphabet doing animals. Everything was going pretty good until we got to the letter ‘Q’ and it was Greg’s turn,” said Thelma. “And there he was so sick, and he thought for a minute and then he said, ‘I got it, I got it.’ I asked him what his answer was and he said, ‘quirrel’ – and we both just died laughing. To this day we still call them ‘quirrels and our grandkids call them ‘quirrels.’

Thelma said even getting on the transplant list to receive an organ is “quite an ordeal.”

“It took almost two years to even get Greg on the list,” said Thelma. “But, after he got on the list it only took nine days before he received the transplant. They match the organ based on blood type and body size and the degree of illness. The fact that he got a liver in nine days is an indication about the degree of illness.”

The Vaupels have attempted to contact the family of the donor to thank them for their life-saving gift but have not heard anything back. They don’t know the gender or age of the person or even where the donor lived.

“When things looked the darkest and the gloomiest and Greg wanted to give up I would tell him that God is in control of this and that he knows when that liver will be available,” said Thelma. “I told him that when it’s time the right liver will become available and until then God is going to hold you in the palm of his hand until that time comes.”

Thelma said following the transplant, which went off without a hitch, she believes she watched a miracle in Greg’s recovery.

“It was miraculous, that’s the only way I know to describe it,” she said. “Two weeks to the day—two weeks to the day after the transplant—he was back home full-time. And he has had no complications and only had to go back two times for blood work. During the year before the transplant he was in the hospital more than he was home.”

Thelma said seeing Greg healthy again is the miracle she prayed about and seeing him back officiating games and doing what he loves is “icing on the cake.”

“The fact that he is alive is a miracle,” said Thelma. “The fact that he is able to referee again, well—that’s a gift from God beyond the miracle of life.”

The Vaupels said the lengthy medical crisis and near-death experience has changed their perspective about life.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff,” said Thelma. “And cherish the big stuff—your faith in God, family and friends. We got through this by laughing, loving each other and believing in God. There’s nothing that can happen in our day-to-day life that can get us down.”

Greg said his transplant and recovery prompted doctors to let him try and referee again.

“I thought my days as a referee were done,” said Greg. “My doctors were even apprehensive but I did so well and I just kept asking and they finally said I could try. I had to promise them that if I felt tired or weak I would stop on the spot.”

After the long layoff from officiating Greg said he had no schedule of games but received a call from Carmi Junior High and he accepted the job.

“I have to tell you that I was nervous and scared but when I walked back out on that floor it was like I had been living a dream for the past three years,” he said. “I promised the Lord that if He would allow me to officiate again I would tell my story everywhere I go. I was healed and now I’m back with my friends, the coaches and the players. It’s an answer to prayer and it’s just wonderful, that’s the only way I can describe it.”

Greg said he often smiles to himself when he sees fans, coaches and sometimes even players upset and sometimes furious about a sporting event—a game.

“After what I’ve lived through there is nothing in a basketball or baseball game that can upset me, because after all it is just a game,” said Greg. “There were nights when I didn’t think I would wake up the next morning but I knew that whichever way this turned out I was going to be okay. If I could get well I wanted to get well but if I didn’t I know where I was going. And I was at peace with that. The fact that I’m back with my family and doing what I love to do—well, I’m a blessed man.”

photos by CHRIS KAYS

What a January for Jessica Hirsch.

Not only did the Du Quoin senior point guard help her team set the school record for wins, but she also became the Lady Indians’ all-time leading scorer on the same weekend she signed to play softball and basketball at John A. Logan College.

So how could she possibly top January? By making noise in February’s postseason, she says.

“You don’t understand how awesome it would be to win our regional,” Hirsch explained. But she sure understands. Hirsch was a freshman when the Lady Indians struggled through a 1-22 season. She has been front and center during Du Quoin’s gradual turnaround, and has enjoyed the reward of her dedication.

“It’s really surreal to me that I am a senior and I am almost done, and that we have accomplished so much,” Hirsch said. “We worked hard the summer after winning one game, working out and lifting weights to improve. This year we broke the school record. It shows that hard work really pays off.”

The 5-foot-6 Hirsch handles the ball for the Lady Indians and takes great pride in setting up her teammates. That’s what makes her 14.5 points per game and 1,300-plus career points all the more impressive to Du Quoin coach Shawn File.

“She is one of the best ball-handlers I have ever been around,” File said. “But she’s our all-time leading scorer for a reason. She has a great shot and can step back and hit the three-pointer. She does it all.”

Hirsch was a big reason why Du Quoin didn’t suffer its first loss this season until after Christmas – a Dec. 28 defeat to Herrin at the Lady Tigers holiday hoops tournament that dropped the Lady Indians to 14-1. About one month later, Du Quoin knocked off Sesser-Valier, 52-51, to become the first Lady Indians team to reach the 20-win mark.

“We had the goal before the season to win 20 games,” Hirsch said. “We have a very talented team. Coach File told us when we were about five wins away and that just really motivated us to get there.”

Du Quoin’s early-season success paved the way for its record-breaking campaign. Hirsch earned MVP honors at the mid-November Lady Indians Tip-Off Classic, which Du Quoin won for the first time in five years. Hirsch actually scored the Lady Indians’ first 10 points of the season in their tourney-opening 51-8 win over Elverado. It was a sign of things to come for the resurgent Lady Indians. Hirsch and forward Rebekah Maddox made the all-tournament team at the Herrin Holiday Tournament, leading the Lady Indians to three wins against tough competition.

Two weeks later on Jan. 14, Hirsch entered a game against Trico within reaching distance of the school’s all-time scoring mark. She led the Lady Indians that night with 20 points to eclipse Brittany Jenkins’ career total of 1,288 points.

“I knew I was close,” Hirsch said. “I wasn’t sure how close I was but when I made the shot to get the record the crowd went crazy. It was such a neat moment. It was a big crowd and it was amazing to have that many people supporting me.”

Hirsch says she is surprised to see her name at the top of Du Quoin’s scoring list.

“It was never my goal,” she said. “As the point guard, my job really is not to score. It’s all about being unselfish with the ball. You have to keep moving the ball and good things will happen.”

Hirsch’s passing abilities have benefited Maddox the most this season. The 6-feet-1-inch forward has become a “monster” down low, according to Hirsch. “She has really stepped up her post game,” Hirsch said. “If I feed her the ball, I know she will finish for us.”

Maddox appreciates the confidence. “It’s really fun playing with her,” she said. “She keeps you up. I’ve seen her get more and more confidence each year. She puts in the work and knows what her duties are.”

Hirsch also relies on her team’s other upperclassmen – Shelby Presley, Alexis Kohrs, Cassidy Rice, Taylor King and Kelsey Robinson. Hirsch feels comfortable directing the group on the floor.

“I wouldn’t say I get into people’s faces but I will speak my mind,” Hirsch said. “I feel bad about it sometimes, but I just want to get through. Sometimes people don’t want to hear what you have to say, but as a leader, it’s up to you to say those certain things.”

“She leads by example but she has yelled at me once or twice,” Maddox said. “She’s not being mean, she just gets in your head and is trying to teach you.”

Hirsch and her teammates have cultivated a passion for winning to make up for their experience with losing. File credits his team’s resiliency and focus for its bounce-back from last season’s 12-17 finish.

“It makes you respect things when you finally get them,” File said. “When you start winning, you just want to win more. It makes you understand and appreciate all the hard work you have been putting in.”

The Lady Indians’ remarkable season hasn’t been without a few tough losses. They fell to perennial powerhouse Nashville, 59-16, on Jan. 4. Hirsch was held to six points in that game, but was quick to turn the page and focus on improving through the adversity.

“The little stuff has brought us together,” Hirsch said. “We don’t fight about stuff. I know it’s cliché but we are like a big family.”

Hirsch will join her new family this fall when she moves to John A. Logan’s campus. The Lady Vols’ coaching and national status are what drew her to Carterville. Choosing between softball and basketball was impossible for this three-sport standout (Hirsch also thrives in volleyball).

“They go hand in hand,” she said. “That’s why I’m playing both. I couldn’t decide which one I wanted to play. It’s going to be a lot of work, but it will be worth it.”

File will be following Hirsch’s collegiate career closely. He will be rooting for his school’s all-time leading scorer as she works to accomplish new goals at the next level. “We knew she was going to be special for us when she walked in the door,” File said.

In true point guard fashion, Hirsch will be sure to leave that door open for someone else to pick up where she left off.

photos by CHRIS KAYS

By one particular standard Adam Cross is not your typical basketball referee.

Certainly, Cross does a good job with the mechanics and during a full schedule of games during the 2011-12 basketball season the McLeansboro native has shown excellent knowledge about the game and also the ability to keep a level and cool head in tense game-situations.

The single thing that separates Cross from some of his counterparts can be found by studying his youthful face. In short – he is still just a kid.

Cross, who has one full season of officiating under his belt is a junior at Hamilton County High School and is only a few months removed from his 17^th birthday, making him one of the youngest basketball officials in the state.

For the personable Cross donning the black and white striped shirt and hanging a whistle around his neck is nothing short of a life-goal realized and a dream come true.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was in junior high school,” Cross said. “I made it a goal that as soon as I turned 17 I would get my officiating license. I turned 17 on November 10 and only a few days later I was a licensed IHSA official.”

Cross said despite that fact that every call an official makes half the gym is in an uproar he has found the experience “very rewarding.”

“I really have enjoyed it a lot,” said Cross. “I missed out on some junior high games because I didn’t get my license until November but I still managed to work a nearly full schedule of games.

Cross played basketball all through his grade school years but decided to give the sport up when he reached high school. Cross serves as a manager for Hamilton County and his twin brother Tyler is a key reserve for the Foxes.

Cross said he has worked with a variety of crews but said he would have no qualms about working with officials that he didn’t know.

“I don’t think you can always work with the same guys and I believe working with new people is a great way to get better.”

Clint Winemiller, athletic director and girls’ basketball coach at Hamilton County, said he has known Adam since seventh grade and noted that his maturity level is far beyond his years.

“Adam is an honor student,” said Winemiller. “I met him in the 7th grade and he’s the kind of person that keeps everyone on their toes. He is very organized and has helped keep every coach organized. This year he ran the iPad to help keep stats and Coach Welch dropped the title as manager and calls him a special assistant.”

Winemiller said he wanted Adam as a manager for the girl’s but said current boy’s coach Keith Welch beat him to the punch.

“Adam is the type of kid that is never in a bad mood, he is positive all the time with a great work ethic and with tremendous people skills. He’s never met a stranger,” said Winemiller. “He has juggled work at 4R Equipment, in McLeansboro with helping with basketball and officiating. I’ve heard many positive things from several people that he has called games. His mechanics are good right now.”

Cross did virtually every level of basketball aside from varsity, picking up grade school, junior high, freshmen and even a handful of junior varsity games. Cross said the probable retirement of a large contingent of southern Illinois officials during the next few years might allow him to continue to climb the officiating ladder – something that he labels as a goal.

“I understand that as many as 15 area referees will be retiring in the next two years,” Cross said. “I think that might open the door for me to move up some and pick up more games. It’s really something I enjoy and I hope to get more involved and officiate for a long time.”

Winemiller said he paid close attention to the fact that Cross never turned anybody down for officiating jobs and said he pays close attention to veteran officials both on and off the court.

“Adam will work any level game and will never be late to a game,” said Winemiller. “He knows the rules and because he has a strong work ethic he will work hard to get better. I’ve heard refs talk about young people not staying around to listen to veteran officials, Adam will stick around and talk to them and take their constructive criticism which he knows will make him a better referee.”

Winemiller said Cross has qualities that set him apart as person, let alone as a high school junior.

“I think he has a great personality a strong work ethic, he’s very organized, and he has good people skills, which are great qualities for anyone,” said Winemiller. “But those are really awesome qualities for a student who is only 17 years old.”

photos by CHRIS KAYS

Benton junior forward Morgan Corn boasts a boatload of experience, the will to win and the confidence to take over a basketball game. Those intangibles mixed with her ability to dominate the paint – both as a scorer and tenacious rebounder – make her a match-up nightmare.

More importantly, they have helped inspire a winning attitude among her teammates and coaches who have endured plenty of growing pains in the not-so-distant past. Benton basketball is back on the map and Corn’s impact cannot be overstated.

“I’d have to say her athleticism is the best part of her game,” said Rangerettes coach Ryan Miller. “She is just so athletic. She jumps really well. She’s strong under the basket and she can get up and under other girls.”

“She has tremendous athletic skills. She is a warrior under the basket. She can rebound with anyone out there.”

Corn is a consistent double-double threat on a nightly basis. She recorded her 1,000th career point earlier this season and routinely grabs more than 10 boards per game. As a sophomore, she was named to the SIRR Ohio all-conference team and the IBCA All-South squad. Averaging 18.5 points and 12 rebounds per game will get you on those lists.

“She is deserving of every accolade,” Miller said. “She is one of the girls that her teammates can look to and follow. As she goes, we go.”

Corn isn’t only experienced – she is a proven winner. She was a main component of Benton’s record-setting volleyball campaign last fall, finishing all-conference and making the all-tournament teams at the Benton, Flora and SIRR tourneys. She finished with 244 kills and 53 blocks on the squad that finished 37-2. The Rangerettes lost in the sectional final to Columbia, but not before tying the school record for victories, winning four tournaments and claiming the conference title.

Corn has brought her desire to win to a Benton basketball team that finished 9-20 her freshman year and 2-26 the year before that. Corn helped right the ship last season, as the Rangerettes compiled a 15-13 record.

“You just learn during those times that you have got to make yourself better,” Corn said. “It’s not always about winning. That will come with the hard work.”

Benton entered the 2A regional earlier this month with another winning record, matching a team goal of building off last season’s plus-.500 mark.

“We were really excited coming into this season,” Corn said. “We have all been playing with each other for a while, since we were really young. We were excited about the season and we really want to do well in regionals.”

Defense has been the main reason for the Rangerettes’ winning ways, and Corn is their defensive dictator. Her quick hands and floor presence make her an invaluable piece of her team’s strategy – to turn defense into offense. “Defensively, she is so athletic and reads the floor so well that she knows exactly where the ball is going to go,” Miller said. “She knocks down a lot of balls and disrupts a lot of plays.”

Corn is a defensive natural, it’s her offense that she worked to fine-tune over the offseason. She improved her post moves and tightened up her shot to boost her scoring numbers. “This summer I spent a lot of time in the gym shooting and working on my game,” Corn said. “I play other sports so I really didn’t get to get anything in during those seasons.

“The other sports definitely help with basketball. Track helps with conditioning and, obviously, we do a lot of jumping in volleyball. I try to put the work in for basketball when I can.”

Her teammates have taken notice. “Just in general her footwork has gotten better and her shot down low has improved, too,” said senior guard Sara Miller.

Corn’s season has been full of scoring highlights. She reached her 1,000^th career point on Jan. 3 in a 30-point victory over Harrisburg. She entered the game with 992 points and reached the milestone in the opening period.

Her dynamic scoring ability just opens things up for Benton’s outside attack. In a victory over West Frankfort on Jan. 26, senior guard Sara Miller led the Rangerettes with 20 points – 12 of which came off 3-pointers. “Some teams play it normal but a lot of the teams double down on her or even put three players on her,” Sara Miller said. “I think she trusts our outside shooters to come through.”

Corn isn’t shy about showing her faith in her teammates.

“My teammates are why I love to play the game,” she said. “We all get along so great and are really good friends. That helps a lot on the basketball court.”

If Benton has transitioned from youthful to experienced, it is due not only to Corn. Junior guard Evelyn Mendez was also named to the all-conference and All-South teams last year. She averaged 11.2 points and six assists per game. Add junior forward Makala Carney and the senior Sara Miller, and Benton is a team laden with plenty of game-time experience.

“Basically, we have learned to keep from getting down on ourselves,” Sara Miller said. “You could tell before that if one person got down about missing a shot, then other people would get down, too. Now we try to stay together and keep everybody up.”

Corn may not be the most vocal leader on the Rangerettes – coach Miller says “She’s not a real rah-rah kind of player” – but she has taken it upon herself to lead her teammates by example. Her dedicated work ethic and positive attitude are contagious on a team that is focused on re-establishing itself on the court.

“She keeps everybody motivated,” Sara Miller said. “In a game when she knows we need a point, she is either going to score it for us or put us in the best situation to get it. She knows how to get things done.”

John A. Logan College sophomore Shakera Bennett writhed in pain on the hardwood after injuring her right leg at a recent home basketball game.

Although the pain was unbearable at first, it had to comfort Bennett somewhat to know that she was receiving immediate medical attention from a veteran athletic trainer in Brad Brush with Sportsology, the agency formerly known as Rehab Unlimited.

Sportsology staffs all John A. Logan College, Carterville, Herrin, Crab Orchard and Carbondale athletic events.

In this instance, Brush hustled out to test Bennett’s leg stability and flexibility. He eventually helped the guard to her feet, and with the assistance of Vols head coach Marty Hawkins, escorted the young woman to the sideline for a closer examination.

Upon further evaluation, it was determined that abnormal swelling would make it difficult for Bennett to continue playing. And while Bennett gave it the “old college try,” she couldn’t last more than another minute in the game. A few days later, scans revealed a knee ligament tear, prematurely ending her promising career at Logan.

Although there wasn’t anything Brush could do to repair such a traumatic injury, having a skilled medical person like him on site is a welcome relief to coaches, athletes and their families.

“Sportsology has been a tremendous asset for all of our coaches and student-athletes,” said JALC Athletic Director Jerry Halstead. “It’s great to have them at home games and not have to worry about caring for your kids. That allows coaches to focus our mind on the game at hand. Sportsology trainers do a great job of identifying injuries and rehabilitating our student-athletes from those injuries. We appreciate the work that they do.”

Athletic trainers at Sportsology provide far more assistance to teams than wrapping ankles and knees with tape before the game or applying ice bags after the game. They are trained professionals who can spot potential injuries before they ever happen through exercise evaluations. They also identify injuries and treat them when they do occur and then follow up with proper rehabilitation after repair to the injured part of the body has been made.

In addition to Brush, athletic trainers on staff at Sportsology include Mike Stroud, Sarai Yates, Robyn Adams, Sarah Brumley and Trent Kessler. All are certified through the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

“As athletic trainers, I think we help bridge the gap between rehabilitation and the return to athletic competition,” said Stroud, a Carterville native, who began working for SIH in 1998. “We treat everything from ankle, knee and hamstring to shoulder, elbow and head injuries. We can put together a strength and conditioning program for the athletes in the weight room and even offer nutritional advice. We’re also pretty much accessible to the coaches 24/7 by phone.”

Adams, who was quite an accomplished athlete herself at Herrin, said she has been practicing as an athletic trainer for the last 10 years through SIH.

“I enjoy being around the kids. I think I’m still an athlete at heart,” she said. “The biggest difference this year for me is that I am spending much more time in an administrative capacity, which keeps me in the office a lot. Sarai (Yates) and I tag-team a lot here at the Herrin facility. We do our evaluations here.”

Yates said she has been with the company for about 12 years now, the last 10 years have been full-time.

“I now serve as administrator of the Sportsology program,” she said. “So that’s allowed me to scale back a little on the number of times I’m out in the field. What’s funny, though, is that the kids who I served in Herrin these last eight years got used to seeing me at all the games. You kind of feel like they’re your own kids after a while. That’s a rewarding aspect of the job. I truly enjoy watching them perform. So if I can help them get stronger and back in the game, it’s that much more rewarding to me.”

Kessler, who has been with the firm for a little more than three years, said “it’s a real joy to see young athletes come back and compete after an injury.

“It’s my job to do what I can to help that athlete perform at the highest level,” he said.

Brumley is a newcomer to Sportsology. She began working for the company a little over a year ago.

“I just like working with the kids,” she said. “I’m just part of the process of getting them back on the court or playing field after an injury.”

Instead of breaking down each individual regional, I shall just do the sectionals.  Here is how we will play: I will place who I think will win their respective Regionals in their respective slots, then so on and so forth.  First, 1A:

Junction (Gallatin County) Sectional

Tue., Feb. 28

Game 1 at 7:30 pm: Winner Norris City (N.C.-Omaha-Enfield) Regional Gallatin County vs. Winner Mounds (Meridian) Regional Mounds Meridian

Wed., Feb. 29

Game 2 at 7:30 pm: [Winner Marion (Crab Orchard) Regional] Goreville vs. [Winner Steeleville Regional] Sesser-Valier

Fri., Mar. 2

Game 3 at 7:30 pm: Mounds Meridian vs  Sesser-Valier.  That’s right, I’m predicting a rematch of the 2010 Eldorado Sectional Championship, but with a different outcome.  Mounds Meridian will not fall to the Red Devils this time around. Over the past two years, the Bobcats have made it a step further, going to the Sweet 16 in 2010, the Elite 8 in 2011, and in my opinion (and many others), the Final 4 this year.

The winner of this Sectional will play the winner of the Sectional at Red Hill.  Here are my predictions for the Red Hill Sectional:

Tue., Feb. 28

Game 1 at 7:30 pm: [Winner Strasburg (Stewardson-S.) Regional] Dieterich vs. [Winner Hutsonville Regional] Hutsonville

Wed., Feb. 29

Game 2 at 7:30 pm: [Winner Altamont Regional] Altamont vs. [Winner Wayne City Regional] Woodlawn

Fri., Mar. 2

Game 3 at 7:30 pm: Dieterich vs. Woodlawn

I am saying that for a fourth year in a row, the Woodlawn Cardinals will be going to the Elite Eight.

IHSA Class 1A Super-Sectional @ SIU Arena

Tue., Mar. 6 @ 6:30 PM

Mounds Meridian vs. Woodlawn

This game will be a rematch of last years deep south Super held at Salem.  Since this rematch will be on a college floor, which is larger than a high school floor, this match-up favors the Bobcats.  I foresee the Bobcats heading to the State Finals for the first time since 1972 when they were the state runners-up.

I will be posting the 2A breakdowns and predictions later!

Bucket Hat OUT!

In our area (the deep, non-Metro East part of the 618), we have three Sectionals going on this week, here is the break down of those mentioned Sectionals.

1A

Gallatin County Sectional

Mon., Feb. 13

Game 1 at 7:30 pm: Louisville (North Clay) vs. Goreville

Tue., Feb. 14

Game 2 at 7:30 pm: Golconda (Pope County) vs. Centralia (Christ Our Rock Lutheran)

Thu., Feb. 16

Game 3 at 7:30 pm: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

The winner of this sectional (Goreville is HIGHLY favored to win this sectional without blinking) will play the winner of the Hume (Shiloh) Sectional Monday night at B.E. Gum Gymnasium in Salem in the Super-Sectional.

2A

Sesser-Valier Sectional

Mon., Feb. 13

Game 1 at 7:30 pm: Nashville vs. Sesser-Valier-Waltonville Coop.

Tue., Feb. 14

Game 2 at 7:30 pm: Breese (Central) vs. Metropolis (Massac County)

Thu., Feb. 16

Game 3 at 7:30 pm: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

The winner of this Sectional will meet the winner of the Fairfield Sectional, which includes the following match-ups:

Fairfield Sectional

Mon., Feb. 13

Game 1 at 7:30 pm: Pana vs. Newton

Tue., Feb. 14

Game 2 at 7:30 pm: Mt. Carmel vs. Teutopolis

Thu., Feb. 16

Game 3 at 7:30 pm: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Needless to say, if you aren’t doing anything on the night of Monday the 20th, go to Salem.  You’ll be able to take in two great basketball games for much cheaper than the price of a movie ticket.

I will just lay it out there, Goreville will win the 1A Super, and Nashville will win the 2A Super.  Both of these teams are extremely good, and their records (as well as their coaching) reflect that.

Later today, I will go in depth with the boys 1A/2A (with a bit of 3A) state series and break down the regional pairings and sites.

Yes, the name of my blog is clearly aimed towards golf, but I’m not JUST a golf fan, but a fan of most all sports at all levels.  So, everyday, sometimes multiple times a day, I will be talking about various sports at various levels; but mostly prep sports and here is why: If you want to read about the Blues, Cardinals, the Illini, or the Salukis, where are you going to go? Most likely the people and the organizations that get paid to cover them, and them only.

So please, check back here often for the latest updates on things going on in the world of sports, mainly Illinois Prep sports and if you have anything to say, comment and let your opinion be heard!

Bucket Hat

The days of sneaking up on opponents are long gone for Jerry Johnson, Jr. Meridian’s standout senior swingman is now a focal point of opposing defenses, which scheme game plans to squelch his improved scoring skills.

The added attention hasn’t slowed Johnson down a bit. “I work a lot,” he said. “I practice a lot on my own and really worked on my offense over the summer. I’m stronger on defense but not really too good on offense.”

Johnson may be underselling his skills with the basketball, possibly still trying to sell that underdog role. Meridian Athletic Director Mitch Haskins, who helps with the basketball program, has seen Johnson improve his offensive game by leaps and bounds.

“This summer, he worked really hard on his ball-handling and extending his shooting range,” Haskins said. “You can see obvious skill improvements over the course of the season so far. He’s a threat to shoot the ball, much more than he was a year ago.”

Numbers Game 

The proof is in the numbers for Johnson. He averages 15 points and seven rebounds per game for the up-tempo Bobcats, who routinely put 70 points on the scoreboard.

His Eldorado Holiday Tournament statistics were even better – 17 points and eight rebounds per game – as Meridian defeated three 2A River to River Conference schools on its way to a third-place finish. He was named to the all-tournament team for the third straight season and reached 1,000 career points during the tourney.

As Johnson’s scoring stats continue to pile up, he is most proud of his 4.5 steals per game this season. “I really have worked on my timing,” Johnson said. “I try to anticipate what the other guy will do with the ball to help get steals. We do a lot of little drills in practice to help with that.”

“He’s a real defensive presence,” said longtime Meridian coach Jeff Mandrell. “He blocks a lot of shots and can intimidate with his aggressiveness and rebounding. It seems like whenever you need a key rebound, you look up and he’s got the ball.”

Meridian starting point guard Cameron Ballard says the Bobcats aren’t worried about getting burned by whoever Johnson is covering on game night. “He blocks a lot of shots,”

Ballard said. “You can see that a lot of players are discouraged about brining it inside against him. A lot of players stay away from him.”

Shooting for State 

Johnson’s dependable rebounding and defense, coupled with a new emphasis on shooting accuracy, might give the Bobcats a boost in the postseason. Meridian is certainly battle-tested after last year’s surprise run to the 1A super-sectional championship game, which it lost, 50-41, to Woodlawn.

It was the Bobcats’ upset of Trico a game prior that really gave the squad momentum heading into this season. Meridian grabbed an early lead over Pioneers – then ranked fourth in the state – and used its length and full-court pressure to earn a spot in the title game.

Johnson scored 11 points in the win over Trico to help end Meridian’s nearly four-decade absence from the Elite Eight. The Bobcats are now focused on trying to make the state tournament for the first time since 1972. Meridian finished second that year under coach Jim Byassee, ending their 30-2 season with a 63-57 loss to Lawrenceville in the title game.

The Bobcats started this season by ripping off wins in 13 of their first 15 games, and were ranked fifth in the state in mid-January. They were well on their way to securing their seventh straight 20-win season.

“We’re trying to go as far as we can,” Johnson said. “I think we have more depth than in recent years and that pays off.”

Always a Bobcat 

Johnson was destined to succeed as a Bobcat. His father, Jerry Johnson, Sr., played for Meridian and has now been an assistant for the team for more than a decade. His older brother, Marland, was a standout 6-foot-6 forward for the Bobcats who finished with more than 1,500 points in his career. He also served up plenty of growing pains for his younger sibling during many backyard brother battles.

“Oh, man. Playing against him helped me learn what it would take to guard bigger guys,” the younger Johnson said. “Marland is still a huge influence. He helps me a lot. He’s always calling with advice from things that he’s hearing about the way I’m playing.”

Johnson said he rarely hears comparisons to his older brother anymore, mainly because of their size difference.

There is one common trait that Meridian fans have surely recognized. “Aggressiveness. No matter what, he always played aggressively,” Johnson said of his older brother. “I really never had that part in my game but I’ve always tried to imitate the way he played. I try to take little pieces of him and his style and put them into me.”

Johnson has formed his own legacy at Meridian by shifting into a premier shooter. He has scored more than 20 points in a game multiple times this season.

“He will step out and hit the 3,” Mandrell said. “He’s not the primary ball-handler for us, but he is capable of scoring if he gets the ball on a fastbreak.”

Mandrell, who has coached at Meridian since 1998, says student-athletes like Johnson are what make his job so enjoyable. “He’s just a great kid to coach,” he said. “He shows up every day to work and does the best he possibly can. He’s one of those players that you feel fortunate to get the chance to coach.”

Haskins, who has been at Meridian for 20 years himself, calls Johnson a model student and ballplayer.

“Jerry is an outstanding individual with very high morals,” he said. “He works very hard at his game and is a very good student…he doesn’t waste any opportunity to gain from educational or extra-curricular activities, whether that’s in the hallways, on the baseball field or in the basketball court.”

Joe Szynkowski is a freelance writer for SISC. He can be reached at joeszynkowski@hotmail.com.