Northern Illinois, Michigan Rosters Boast Orland Park Talent Leading Up to Bowls

Graduates from Sandburg, Providence, and Joliet Catholic are among the athletes from Chicago suburbs—and Patch towns—on some of the best teams in college football this season.

The BCS bowl season has begun, but two area schools will wait until after the new year to play in some of the most prestigious bowl games—and their rosters feature lots of area talent from Chicago suburbs and Patch towns.  Notre Dame, the No. 1 team in the country, plays Alabama in the BCS National Championship game Jan. 7. And No. 15 Northern Illinois, a surprise BCS team, heads to the Orange Bowl to play No. 12 Florida State on New Year's Day. A number of athletes from Patch towns are on the rosters of these teams, as well as others playing in bowl games over the next few weeks. Many are underclassmen probably yet to see game action, but their names are among some of the most powerful rosters in college football. If we've missed out on …

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Glory Days

Record Shattered: Brother Rice's Billy Savarino Happy for Crete-Monee Soccer Star

Former Crusaders' standout Billy Savarino enjoyed the soccer scoring record while it lasted, but not surprised Crete-Monee's Carlos Posada broke his IHSA career goals mark.

When Crete-Monee’s Carlos Posada broke the Illinois record for most career goals Oct. 11, no one knew what the experience was like more than Billy Savarino. The 1993 Brother Rice graduate was the previous record holder. “As he was inching closer to the record, I reached out to (Crete-Monee) coach (Julian Lagunas) and wished him and (Posada) luck,” Savarino said. “I told him I knew exactly what he was going through. "I felt a lot of pressure when I was getting closer. It was always on my mind and I felt a lot of weight on my shoulders. I told him to just play his game because that kind of pressure can take away from what you do best, scoring goals and playing as a team.” Posada scored six goals in a 10-0 win over Rich Central to increase …

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Glory Days

Determination Helped Brother Rice Standout Savarino Enjoy Record-Setting Career

Reliving the Glory Days: Billy Savarino established an IHSA record for career goals and led the Crusaders to a fourth-place state finish in boys soccer in 1993.

Even before Billy Savarino stepped on the soccer field at Brother Rice for the first time, he was determined to be the most prolific goal scorer in Illinois history. He had Hinckley-Big Rock standout John Thurow’s record 142 career goals etched in his mind. “It was a personal goal of mine to break that record going into my freshman year,” said Savarino, a 1993 Brother Rice graduate. “Growing up, I played at a high level and I worked hard to break it. I used to take 500 shots a day and was always working to get better.” Longtime Brother Rice coach Nick Markulin never discounted the lofty goal when it was broached to him, but knew it would be extremely difficult to achieve. Markulin inserted Savarino into the starting lineup as a freshman …

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Don Labriola

12:06 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Congratulations Bill. The only thing missing from the article is the fact that you've grown up to be a fine gentleman and a great businessman.   more ›

Glory Days

Richards Graduate Mike Jones Has Perfect Role Model for Football Career Path

What is he doing now? Jones hopes to use lessons learned from Gary Korhonen in football coaching job at Bolingbrook.

When 2002 Richards graduate Mike Jones first got into coaching, there was no doubt who he wanted to emulate. He couldn’t think of a better person to mold his career after than Gary Korhonen, who coached the Bulldogs from 1972 until 2007 and is Illinois’ all-time leader in career football victories with 315. “I try to be like him and try and make a difference in kids’ lives,” Jones said. “He knew how to run a program with discipline and accountability. He was old school and no one did it better than him. "A lot of players were fortunate to have Gary Korhonen as their coach. There’s a reason he’s the winningest coach in Illinois and sends so many kids to college. I’ve heard so many kids say they wouldn’t have even graduated high school …

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