Sports

Oregon finishes 10th in final race of the 2020 COVID season

BY ERIC INGLES eingles@shawmedia.com

The Rock Falls girls cross country team followed up last week’s regional title by closing out the season with a second-place run at Saturday’s Class 1A Seneca Sectional.

That would have qualified the Rockets for the state meet for the fourth year in a row had the state meet not been canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rock Falls scored 109 points, second only to Big Northern Conference rival Winnebago’s 15. Winnebago also boasted the individual champion, Natalia Martino, whose 19:01.2 run beat East Dubuque’s Hailey Heiar by 14 seconds. Winnebago also had runners in third, fourth, fifth and sixth.

Calin Gaulrapp, running in the same phase as Martino and Heiar in the event run in four phases due to COVID protocols, had the top time for Rock Falls, finishing 17th in 21:11.0.

Martino went out quickly and built what proved to be an insurmountable lead, and Heiar was closest to chasing her down but could not quite chip away. A pack of three runners were slightly behind Heiar, and Gaulrapp was not far behind them.

“My plan was either to stay on their shoulder or to make sure I could see their backs in the distance,” Gaulrapp said. “If they got too far away, I knew I wasn’t doing good.”

Gaulrapp found herself in a sprint to the finish, but was able to hold off Mercer County’s Eden Mueller.

“II was using the people screaming,” Gaulrapp said. “I knew they were saying her name, so I knew she was pretty close to me.”

Rock Falls also had Gracie Rippy

Scott Anderson/Shaw Media

Oregon’s Katlyn Ramirez (left) and Faith Marquardt (right) run in the girls Class 1A Sectional Cross Country meet at the FFA Ag Land Lab in Seneca. Marquardt had the best time for Oregon with a time of 21:38.3 for a 28th place finish.

take 19th with a time of 21:15.3. Tayli Hultin was 23rd with a time of 21:24.8, running in the third phase in which she was the third finisher behind a pair of Winnebago runners.

“I was just completely ignoring them,” Hultin said. “If I went out with them, I would have died.”

Bryahna Ganther was 27th in 21:38.3. If there were a state meet this year, the Rockets senior would have been able to cap it off with her fourth trip to Peoria in four years.

Ganther was in the same phase as Rippy, the second, and the two planned to go out at a slower pace after seeing Gaulrapp fade near the end of her race.

“Gracie has been in front of me every race, so I was just pacing off her,” Ganther said. “In the second mile, we were getting into the woods and it was hurting my legs, but all I knew was we had two laps of the woods and we’re out, and all I could think was ‘chill out and keep running and the second [lap] try to get people’ which I did. A lot of people were struggling up the huge hill, and that benefited me a lot.”

Another Rock Falls senior, Sydney Reyes, finished 38th in 22:08.3

Oregon notched 221 points to finish 10th.

Faith Marquardt was the Hawks’ top runner, taking 28th overall with a time of 21:38.3

“It was kind of difficult, because the course is difficult because of all the hills, but it felt pretty good,” she said.

The Hawks had Leah Watters in 41st, Katlyn Ramirez in 45th, Jennica Ciesiel in 66th and Katelyn Bowers in 83rd.

Eastland was 13th with 295 points. Mara Schmieder was the top Cougar, taking 58th place in 22:59.9 to beat teammate Delaney Wilhelms by one-tenth of a second. Addison Burkholder was 69th, Jenica Stoner took 75th and Kennedy Burkholder was 96th.

Amboy was 14th with 316 points. Lauren Althaus was the top Clipper, finishing in 22:28.2 for 47th place. Elly Jones was in 50th, Madelyn McLaughlin took 70th, Bailey Crouch was 100th and Brooklyn Whelchel was 111th.

Erie-Prophetstown’s Dylan Chandler finished 26th with a time of 22:03.5.

“It was pretty difficult, so it’s good I had such a good time for a difficult course like this,” she said.

Polo’s Bekah Zeigler capped off her first year of cross country with an 85th-place run in 24:00.2.

“I had absolutely no expectations coming into sectionals. I was just happy to get here,” she said. “It’s a nice end to this season. Obviously not my greatest race, but for my first cross country season, I enjoyed it a lot.”

• Oregon Republican Reporter • Mt. Morris Times •Tri-County Press • Forreston Journal

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‘In this craziness, to be recognized is a shot in the arm’

BY JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

For teachers in 2020, there’s no playbook for instruction during COVID-19.

People like Oregon High School English Teacher Aaron Sitze have had to improvise. His Changemaker programs involve interacting with the public. He’s spent five years developing the program. In months during the pandemic, his students have started delivery and mask businesses and created a federally-recognized census project.

Sitze has been named a finalist for teacher of the year by the Illinois State Board of Education.

“It’s a great honor,” Sitze said. “A lot of teachers this year are working like crazy and under pressure. In this craziness, to be recognized is a shot in the arm.”

Sitze has taught English at OHS for 18 years and was also a nominee during the 2012-2013 school year. He previously earned a teacher leadership award in the Illinois Principals Association’s Northwest Region in 2017.

Stize grew up in Wheaton and attended college at the University of Illinois, DePaul and graduated from NIU with my bachelor’s in history and as a master’s in curriculum and is currently working on his doctorate at NIU.

“Every teacher has the same story,” Sitze said. “They either had a phenomenal teacher that changed their life or one that was so bad. I had the former. Two made me feel I was capable and my strengths were valuable. It motivated me.”

Sitze believes the success of his Changemaker programs has drawn attention and thinks it shows what can be accomplished at a small

English teacher Aaron Sitze stands in front of the Oregon High School.

school like Oregon.

The program consists of three project-based classes that begins with immersing sophomores in self-discovery and reflection before the social entrepreneurship program as juniors, which teaches kids to start a business with a positive social impact.

In their final year, students complete a senior capstone that merges everything from the past two years into a culminating project that showcases their research, social impact and growth.

“Social entrepreneurship, I created that from scratch,” Sitze said. “It’s the only class where kids run a business in the state. I haven’t seen anyone else doing it, maybe in the country. No others have social benefits asking how the market can solve problems.”

The social entrepreneurship students started the census program last year and educated the community as well as themselves. Sitze was proud of how his kids threw themselves at the objective, even during the pandemic.

The students that created businesses during the spring had to either fold or pivot their businesses due to COVID-19.

“They evolved and didn’t give up,” Sitze said. “One girl took old t-shirts and started making face masks after it hit and she made hundreds. For Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@shawmedia.com

every one she sold, she gave one away. Others changed their business practices to be COVID-19-safe. They just pivoted.”

Those with businesses that had to fold created District Delivery, which collaborated with Ogle County organizations to deliver groceries safely to those that couldn’t or didn’t want to go out.

When summer came, the students kept at the delivery service, even without grades or payment for it.

“When we empower kids to create change, they’re good assets,” Sitze said. “The adults had their plates full. I was floored by their creativity and commitment.”

BERTOLET LIBRARY

Holiday Hours

Bertolet Memorial Library will be closing at 5 p.m. on Nov. 25 and will be closed all day Thursday, November 26. We will resume normal hours on Saturday, Nov. 28.

Wednesday WhoDunIt

This book discussion group will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 10:30 a.m. The book to read is Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz and can be picked up at the library’s circulation desk. The discussion will be held, socially-distanced, in the library meeting room. Masks will be required…and bring a friend. No registration is necessary.

Family Story Time

You only have a couple more weeks to enjoy Family Story Time this fall Nov. 19 will be the last day for in person Family Story Time until after the holidays. Each week will include a story and an art project. Registration is required by 5 p.m. the Wednesday before to reserve your time slot each week. Register through the Sign Up Genius link on our website, bertoletmemoriallibrary.org or call 815-738-2742.

Reminder: We are unable to collect soft plastics at this time. Also, we

Library Hours

The library is open with the following new hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2-7 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. We are closed on Friday and Sunday. Masks are required for everyone over the age of 2 and children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a responsible party. Curbside pickup is still available for anyone who wishes to use it.

Library Board Positions

Nominating petitions are now available for anyone interested in running for the Forreston Public Library Board. There will be three positions open and they are each 6 year terms. Call the library at 815-938-2624 or stop in for more information.

Read for a Lifetime

All high school students are encouraged to sign up for “Read for a Lifetime”, a state initiative designed to encourage a life-long interest in reading. Every year 25 books, including contemporary fiction, nonfiction, and some classics are chosen for the program. Students who read at least 4 of the books by April 15 receive a certificate of recognition from the state and a chance to win a gift card. Students must register by Nov. 15 to participate. Please call or message the library to sign up or for more information.

Like our Facebook page to stay up to date with the most current information on our plans and activities. Call 815-9382624 or email forrestonpubliclibrary@ gmail.com, or go to Facebook messaging for more information.

POLO LIBRARY

Library Hours

Polo Library is open 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, and closed Sunday.

The library building will be open for patrons to come in, browse, and check out items. We will continue to have Curbside Delivery available if you prefer to not enter the building or are unable to wear a mask.

You can place an order by calling 815946-2713, emailing library@pololibrary. org, or through your PrairieCat/Encore account.

• BERTOLET LIBRARY Continued from Page 16

Masks are required for patrons to come into the library. We have disposable masks available to purchase for $1 if you don’t have a mask or if you forgot yours at home.

Public Computer Use

We have two computers available for patron use that are over 6 feet away from each other and cleaned between uses. There is a one hour time limit for the use of either computer. If you’d like to make sure there is a computer available, please call 815-946-2713 to reserve a computer. You can also fax, copy and print as needed.

Returned Books

We ask that you continue to return

regretfully cannot accept book donations right now. We apologize for the inconvenience. We ask that you refrain from depositing your plastics and book donations unattended. Thank you for your cooperation.

Reminder: We are unable to collect soft plastics at this time. Also, we regretfully cannot accept book donations right now. We apologize for the inconvenience. We ask that you refrain from depositing your plastics and book donations unattended. Thank you for your cooperation.

New Releases

Adult Fiction: The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni; You Betrayed Me by Lisa Jackson; Truly, Madly, Deeply by Karen Kingsbury; The President’s Dossier by James A. Scott

Children’s Fiction: Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton; Our Favorite Day by Joowon Oh

Juvenile Fiction & Non-Fiction: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End by Jeff Kinney

Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford Nature’s Ninja: Animals with Spectacular Skills by Rebecca L. Johnson

“Chesty Puller” requests all Marines to be present at Chesty P’s Pub 104 E. Mason • Polo Tues. Nov.10th at 18:00 hr. (6:00pm) for the 245th USMC Birthday Party 815.677.3636

items, as you are done with them, through the book drop that will continue to be open 24/7. After items are returned, they will still appear on your account while they are quarantined, then they will be checked back in and backdated to when they were returned.

This means that you may receive courtesy notifications (phone calls, texts or emails) close to the due date of your item(s), or even a first overdue notice before your item(s) are checked back into our system even if you have already returned your items.

We are a fine-free library, so you do not need to worry about accruing fines during the quarantine period. However, materials that are not returned will result in a replacement bill. This bill is generated after materials are 21 days overdue. As long as the materials are returned with no damage you will not be charged the replacement fee. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 815-946-2713.

Library Cards

Any person of student age (4-18 years old) living in the Polo School District qualifies for a free Polo Library card, whether you attend Polo Schools, private school, or are homeschooled. Family cards, which parents can use

See POLO LIBRARY, Page 18

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