SPORTS
SPORTS ROUNDUP Polo falls for first time in 8-Man football with loss to West Central
Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, April 9, 2021
OGLE COUNTY NEWS
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Defending 8-man state champion Polo lost for the first time in its history as an 8-man team, falling 42-6 to West Central on a rare Thursday night game on April 1, Polo got a touchdown in the first quarter, but trailed 20-6 at halftime and got no closer in the second half. Parker Wolber had a one-handed TD catch for the Marcos’ lone score. March 30 Boys soccer Dixon 1, Oregon 0: One goal was all the Dixon soccer team needed in a Big Northern Conference match against Oregon on Tuesday in Rockford. Logan Etheridge served up an assist on a Boston Glessner goal for a 1-0 Dukes victory. Ethan Fox, Tristen Smith and Owen Grot at the back did not allow a shot from Oregon. The Hawks’ Owen Ketter made 11 saves.
Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media
Polo’s Cole Faivre wraps up a West Central player in first quarter action on April 1 in Polo. Faivre did not play in the second half due to an injury. The Marcos suffered their first loss in 8-man football 42-6.
Volleyball Eastland def. Polo 25-21, 25-19: The Cougars captured a pair of sets in a road NUIC win. Karlie Krogman had seven kills for Eastland. Addie Burkholder had six kills and 17 digs, Madison Cropper See SPORTS ROUNDUP, Page x
SPORTS COLUMN
Internet is one way to stay connected with sports I
have been out of town this week and didn’t get a chance to keep up with local sports much, but appreciative for the Internet in keeping tabs on what is going on. As a 62-year old who grew up without it, I am still amazed how it works and the wealth of information it presents. I was reminded of the difference in generations reading a newspaper article about the death of 74-year old Tom Konchalski of New York, who devoted his life to an east coast high school basketball-recruiting service. He did this for 55 years without a cell phone, computer or car. Reports were filed on a typewriter and mailed to college coaches, who paid him a yearly subscription fee. After giving up his lifelong passion due to health reason in 2020, he finally put away his Swintec 1146 typewriter and was given a iPhone by a friend. As he lay dying, even Tom admitted the Internet on his new-fangled phone was handy for staying connected to the world of sports. Here’s another cool story fro the 70-year old age group and one that was featured on 60 Minutes a couple weeks ago. Sportswriter Dave Kindred, who hails from the tiny berg of Atlanta, Illinois recently retired after an award-winning career covering events such as the Super Bowl, World Series and the Masters. Coming back home to central Illinois, he decided to begin covering girls basketball for Morton.
COMMENTARY Andy Colbert
Why would someone who used to hang out with Muhammad Ali and basked in the glory of sports at the highest level, become a simple beat reporter for a high-school team? “I felt I owed something to Title IX,” Kindred said, in reference to the legislation that enabled girls to equal access to sports. What a humble statement from someone who grew up in a generation that relegated girls to roles in cheerleading or pom poms. I can remember when Title IX was enacted in the early 70s and instead of the subservient roles of cheering for the boys, the girls could begin playing. On a quick side note, there still remains prejudices against women in sports, as evidenced by the disparity in training facilities for the college basketball tournament. The NCAA was exposed for giving the men far greater workout areas than the women. Getting back to Kindred, the other reason for diving into sports again was because it filled a void in his life, as family death and illness mount-
ed up. It was a type of spiritual release for him and one that provided mutual support. The girls from Morton were ecstatic to have someone of Kindred’s stature interview them after games and provide expert analysis. The online articles, filed on the team’s website immediately afterwards in deadline type fashion became must-read by the players and its supporters. His payment? Each game, the coach would give him a box of milk duds. According to Kindred, a much bigger rewards is the one he gets from being around the Morton Potters. “This team saved me,” said Kindred, who lost a grandson and mother upon returning home, along with his wife suffering a debilitating stroke. Folks like Tom Konchalski and Dave Kindred devoted their lives to sports. Konchalski, who never married, admitted that basketball had been his mistress. Kindred wanted to be a sportswriter since high school in Atlanta. As a senior, he got a taste of how enticing sports can be playing on a 29-1 basketball squad that won an IHSA regional, a huge deal in a 1-class system. But, what happens all those decades later when the last touchdown is over or the game-ending buzzer sounds? The answer to that might make for an interesting column at another time.
