Mac On Sports

         I knew the good-natured kidding was coming and it did, quickly, from whom I expected would be the first. Mark Pieske wrote to advise that a friend (who shall remain anonymous) was asking if I wanted to change my prediction of six wins for the Illini and a bowl appearance after last Saturday…

         Former St. Teresa running back and Kansas State freshman, Jacardia Wright, saw considerable action in KState’s 53-0 rout of Bowling Green.      He carried the ball 14 times for 59 yards with a long one of 17 yards.      Wright also drew praise from the coaches for his play, saying they wanted to see what…

Redshirt freshman Beau Branyan started at right tackle for SIU against Southeast Missouri last weekend. Branyan is a former St. Teresa offensive and defensive lineman and basketball player. SIU Head coach Nick Hill said, “Beau has had an excellent fall camp and consistently proved that he needed to be out there with the first-team guys.…

  Jameson Cluver…      Numerous Decatur, Forsyth, Maroa and other Macon County residents, may remember him and his sister, Beatha, when Chad and Sherry Cluver brought them to the United States from Haiti. Jameson and Beatha are the adopted son and daughter of the Cluvers, who now reside in Watseka after years of teaching in the…

         Few, if any, knew Jim Pownall as well as Norm Lienemann.      Here’s a few thoughts Lienemann shared on the passing of his lifetime friend. “Went to Woodrow Wilson and Decatur High School with me,” remembered Lienemann about their friendship.      “(We) played softball and baseball together for number of years,” continued he about their…

By J. Thomas McNamara      A week ago we asked in this space what these four quarterbacks—Jack Hogan,Brylan Phillips, Nate Hayes and Deyon Jackson have in common.      This week it’s the same question with four different quarterbacks—Ashton Summers, Jacob Jones, Josh Williams and Connor Heaton.      The answer will appear in the Aug. 28 Irish Stew.      Remember…

         As 11-man prep football prepares to kick off one week from Friday night, there is another game in town that is affecting how Illinois High School Association members and their administrators think about 8-man football and the effects it may have long-term on the 11-man game and the playoff structure. The 8-man game…

By J. Thomas McNamara, Sports Editor She’s already in one Hall of Fame, and she’s a couple of months away from being enshrined in a second. Paula (Keller) Holtman was inducted in 1993 into the Millikin University Athletic Hall of Fame for all her Big Blue softball and basketball achievements. She graduated in 1988. Now,…

       The Decatur Tribune will publish its annual prep football preview edition Aug. 28.      Sports Editor J. Thomas McNamara whets readers appetites with this question what do Jack Hogan, Brylan Phillips, Deyon Jackson and Nate Hayes have in common.      Answer in the Aug. 28 Irish Stew.      I’ll ask another question next week about Decatur and…

         Two  legendary Bears and professional football Hall of Famers, Walter Payton and George Halas, are being set in bronze between now and Sept. 3.      The Bears announced Wednesday (today, Aug. 7th) that they will unveil statues of Payton, the team’s all-time leading rusher, and Halas, the franchise founder and long-time coach,…