Weekly Sportscast: Play Ball! Regionals Begin This Week

A weekly video roundup of sports in the south suburbs.

The Sox and Cubs might not be worth the price of admission this season, but there's a lot of good ball being played in the south suburbs. Playoffs began this week, and the Southland is packed with talented team, whether it's Providence Catholic and Lincoln-Way North baseball or Richards and Sandburgh softball. For a rundown of the top sports coverage from this week, click on the links below. Baseball Rankings: Wetzel Wets Providence Appetite for Postseason Party Softball Rankings: Unbeaten No More, Richards Can Relax and Play Ball Boys Water Polo: Gintautas, Sandburg Place Fourth in State Tourney Brown, L-W East Girls Bring Home First State Track Trophy in School History Ehimwenman Claims Two State Titles--Heartbreak in Team Race for H-F …

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Local Sports Notebook

Sandburg Boys Grab Water Polo Title

Eagles take care of business against Lincoln-Way Central, Homewood-Flossmoor.

In the final week of the regular season, the Sandburg boys water polo team needed just one more conference win to wrap up the SWSC Blue title. And the Eagles did one better than that. Sandburg notched a 14-4 victory over Lincoln-Way Central on Monday that clinched a share of the crown for the Eagles. But there was still one team standing between Sandburg and sole possession of some new hardware. Homewood-Flossmoor came in on Wednesday with a chance to gain a share of the conference title, as the teams each had one conference loss going in, but the Eagle attack put them away 10-4. Sandburg wrapped up the week with a non-conference match against Naperville Central, which Naperville Central took 8-4. The Eagles head into sectional play with a…

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In The Rear View: Fire Hires and Essential Wigs

We look back at a week of additions to the fire district, marijuana arrests, wigs for women, water polo, prom etiquette and new board members for D230.

MONDAY Residents from around the south suburbs gave state politicians an earful about the impending redistricting, following the 2010 census. Residents say there’s no reason for suburbs to be in the same districts as parts of Chicago. Eva Ziel spent her 90th birthday at work, and that’s how she preferred it to be. After years of treating everyone with a friendly smile and demeanor, dozens of students and staff at High Point Elementary treated her to singing, compliments and cake. TUESDAY Bisi Nwokenkwo found a need to wear wigs when a salon treatment left her with thinning hair. She turned it into a boutique for women who need medical wigs. Speaking of strong women, check out our video of the Eagles putting the hurt on L-Way East in water …

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PatchCast: A Daily Video Report

Daily PatchCast: Helicopter Chase, New School Board and Water Polo

A daily video recap of the Southland's top stories

Timeless Fresco Murals Connect Classrooms and Careers: Bloom Archives New Board and New Leadership for D230 Boys Water Polo: Stagg Mounts Zach Attack, Wraps Up Conference Title Eye in the Sky Tracks Down Man on the Fly

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Local Sports Notebook

Verzbicas Running in Footsteps of Greats

Sandburg distance ace took a trip to Boston for a pre-marathon race and turned in another strong showing.

This past Monday was the 115th running of the Boston Marathon, and while Sandburg's Lukas Verzbicas wasn't in the field of 26,000, he was in Boston last Sunday to compete in one of several pre-marathon races. Verzbicas ran in the Boston Athletic Association Invitational Mile. He finished in second, just one-tenth of a second behind the British pro Andrew Baddeley. The Boston Globe was on hand to cover the race. After a dominant victory over Stagg on Monday, top-rated Sandburg followed up with a straight-sets win over Andrew. In the match against the T-Bolts, Kevin Groeper, Bill Siroky and Tom Carmody each had four kills. Nick Bendell tacked on 22 assists as the Eagles won by scores 25-19 and 25-21.  Sandburg finished the week with a record…

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Gimme 5: Sandburg's Corridino, Veldman Intent on Taking the Plunge

When it comes to boys water polo, Cody Corridino and Matt Veldman are out to prove Eagles are the team to beat.

Win or go home. That's the way Sandburg senior wing Cody Corridino and junior hole Matt Veldman are looking at their season with the Eagles boys water polo team. "I want us to play hard every game," Corridino said. "I want us to prove that we can beat anybody." Veldman's goals include a long postseason run for the Eagles. "I want to win as many games as possible," he said. "I want to get as far as possible in the state series." Veldman started playing water polo in freshmen year at Sandburg. As a member of the Eagles' swim team, he said it was the "natural progression" to get involved in water polo, too. And although he enjoys both sports, if he had to chose, he said he would pick water polo over swimming. "They (swimming and water polo) …

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Gimme 5: Sandburg Boys Water Polo Standouts Know Where They Come From

Seniors Erik Niemeier and Tony Rogina value the lessons they learned from their families.

Sandburg's Erik Niemeier and Tony Rogina have just begun their senior water polo season--and they are giving credit to those who helped them climb to the top of the heap. Rogina began playing water polo in gym class last year. He said his PE teacher told him that he should join the Eagles' team. And he has been in love with the sport since that first day. He is also a swimmer, but he said he prefers playing water polo. "I like the game aspect of it better," he said. "Swimming is a lot more tiring." Niemeier, like Rogina, is also a member of the Eagles' swim team and he said Sandburg's coaches encourage their swimmers to try water polo. Even though he loves swimming, he said water polo beats it hands down. "It's just the team atmosphere," …

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Hot Shot: Sandburg's Niemeier Honored as Athlete of the Week

Senior captain Erik Niemeier erupted for eight goals as the Eagles opened their boys water polo season with a 19-1 victory over the District 228 co-op team.

Sandburg's Erik Niemeier made a splash in the boys water polo season opener as he helped the Eagles dominate the District 228 co-op team 19-1. Now, he is being recognized as the Patch Athlete of the Week, too. Niemeier scored eight goals in Tuesday night's victory to help the Eagles start their season off on the right foot. "We got off to a slow start last season," he said. "This year, we just wanted to come out and show what we're here to do." Sandburg coach James Caliendo said Niemeier's electric game did more than just rack up points for the Eagles. Caliendo said Niemeier's play helped the rest of his team gain confidence, too. "In our first game, I think a lot of our younger players were a little bit confused," Caliendo said. "Erik …

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