Jackson pacing Boys’ Basketball at midseason

The Boys’ Basketball team is continuing to have a successful season thus far, charging out to a 12-4 record. Ryan Jackson has steadily paced the team all season long, dropping over 30 points several times and recently scoring 40 in a win over Illiana Christian. Jackson also recently became a member of the 1,000 point club at RB, just the 9^th player to do so.

The Dogs are still undefeated in conference play, and aim to run the table in their remaining conference games leading up to the state playoffs. Last year the Bulldogs’ season ended in heartbreaking fashion after a buzzer beater sent the game into overtime against the eventual victors Marshall Commandos.

The Bulldogs have also received solid play from seniors Charlie Morrissey, Alex Dziagwa, Nate Hanley, Jake Johnson, Watoris Slater, and Mike LeBeau. In addition, one of their biggest contributors this season is sophomore Damonta Henry, who led the sophomore team last year as a freshman. Junior Luke Nortier has also been solid off the bench thus far, and is earning more and more minutes each game.

Friday, the Bulldogs will welcome the Ridgewood Rebels and also feature the Alumni Game. The senior guard Morrissey is not taking Ridgewood lightly. However, he feels that there’s a few important ways to beat the Rebels, “The Rebels have 12 or 13 guards on their team, so I think if we can stop their three-point shooting and protect against the drive and kick-out offense we should be able to win.”

The team has lost quite a bit of depth from last season, but they feel that they still have the talent to recapture last season’s success and build on it. Coach Tom McCloskey has his kids playing at a high level, something that he feels confident in. They have nine games left on their regular season schedule and seven of them are conference games.

They will have the tough task of traveling to North Park University on Saturday to play Farragut Career Academy, ranked #3 in the state. They also host Morton on Tuesday, February 22^nd, which is Senior Night at RB. In all likelihood the Dogs will be in a good position to receive a higher seed come playoff time, most likely receiving a #5 or #6 seed in their Sectional.

A championship to Chicago?

The goal of every team and every player in sports is to win a championship. A team’s success is defined by how many championships they have won, and a player’s legacy is not complete until he has led his team to a championship. The Blackhawks achieved this goal by winning the 2010 Stanley Cup, their first since 1961. The parade that followed was evident that the city greatly appreciated what this team had done. But with their early struggles and the loss of key players like Dustin Byfuglien and Kris Versteeg, they are not looking like the Stanley Cup favorite.

So I ask, which Chicago professional sports team has the best chance of winning a championship in 2011?

First, we visit the Bulls. With the addition of Carlos Boozer this offseason, the Bulls believed that they could compete with the best of the Eastern Conference with a lineup featuring Boozer, Derrick Rose, and Joakim Noah. But the injury to Boozer has left the Bulls without big-time scoring threat out of the post, and the team has gotten off to a 5-3 start. The season is very long and with Boozer expected to come back in a month, the Bulls will inevitably begin to click with all-star candidate Rose and Boozer.

Senior Jake Johnson believes the Bulls have the best chance of the Chicago teams. “The Bulls (have the best chance). They have the best young talent in the nation,” said Johnson who believes the Bulls have a best chance of all Chicago teams to win a championship in the future.

But can they compete for a championship in 2011? I don’t think so, though it’s not because they lack talent. It is because of the talent of other teams. The Bulls cannot compete with the Celtics, Magic, and Heat, who are without doubt the class of the East. The Bulls could make run to the second round, and possibly to the conference finals, but a championship is probably out of the question.

The Cubs or White Sox? Not in 2011.

At the halfway point of the NFL season, the Bears are 6-3 and they are a half game behind the Packers in the NFC north. They have not played that great in spite of the start, and at times have looked worse than the lowly Lions. But if the offense begins to start clicking along with the solid defense, the Bears could make the playoffs. They still have to play the Packers again and the Vikings twice, so if they play well in the division they could make the playoffs. I think they will find a way into the playoffs, but no more than that. The NFC is not that strong this year, so that will give the Bears room to sneak into the playoffs.

That leaves us with the Blackhawks again. Sure, they are not looking like last year’s squad which never seemed to struggle. They have obvious flaws like the inconsistency of the defense and a few offensive players (Patrick Kane).

But the question I asked was which team has the best chance of winning a championship in 2011. And the answer to that question is the Blackhawks, regardless of their play thus far. They have the best chance because they will make the playoffs, and in the NHL more than any other professional leagues, once a team gets in the playoffs they can make a run. Rarely does an 8-seed beat a one seed in the NBA, but last year in hockey, the 8-seed Canadians beat the top-seed and went all the way to the eastern conference finals behind a hot goaltender. If the Hawks can get some momentum going forward, they could make a push similar to two years ago when they got off to a slow start, but reached the conference finals.

So in 2011, it looks like the Blackhawks have the best chance of all of the Chicago teams of winning a championship, and it would be a historic championship if they would have to repeat.

College essay drop-in center eases senior burdens

The Student Services Department has been offering a College Essay Drop-In Center for all seniors.  The center provides an opportunity for students to receive help with their college essays.  The center began Tuesday, September 21^st during all lunches and runs every Tuesday during lunch through November 23^rd in Student Services.  English teachers and guidance counselors provide assistance to students with their essays. 

College essays tend to be difficult to write.  The College Essay Drop-In Center is able to help students make their essays easier to write.  The teachers and counselors give ideas and revisions to these students’ essays.  For students applying to colleges, the essays they write can determine if they get in or not.  A student will write a college essay once to a school, so the essay needs to be checked over by a professional.   

Senior Jake Johnson, who has attended the Drop-In Center, said, “It was the fastest way for me to get my essay checked.  Compared to giving it to a teacher, it was more efficient.  I recommend it because it’s the fastest way, especially if you’re in a hurry or want to get your essay out of the way.”

Giving your essay to a certain teacher can take a couple of days or weeks for the teacher to completely review an essay.  The College Essay Drop-In Center is an easy, quick way for seniors to get their essays corrected.

Renee Thomas is in charge of the College Essay Drop-In Center.  Wendy Cassens and Tom Fuller are English teachers who help students complete their college essays during Tuesday lunches. 

Cassens reflected on the College Essay Drop-In Center by saying, “I wish more students will use it because I think they will see how quick it is to get feedback.  Then they(students) never have to question did I do everything possible to get accepted?”

Be sure to stop by until November 23^rd on a Tuesday during lunch if you need your college essay proofread.