SPORTS
Page C2 • Saturday, October 26, 2013
Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com
Overhaul of defense needed in offseason It’s been fairly well documented that Jay Cutler, Matt Slauson, Roberto Garza, Devin Hester, Robbie Gould, Henry Melton, Corey Wootton, D.J. Williams, James Anderson, Tim Jennings, Major Wright and Charles “Peanut” Tillman, all Week 1 starters this year, will be free agents at the end of the season. What is a general manager to do? Phil Emery can’t re-sign them all and realistically shouldn’t want to. But what if they’re all allowed to hit the open market and none come back? Can the Bears do a quick rebuild around Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett, Jermon Bushrod, Kyle Long, Jordan Mills, Julius Peppers, Stephen Paea, Shea McClellin, Lance Briggs, Chris Conte, Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene? No. Offensively, you’d have some interesting parts to work with, but without the quarterback in today’s NFL, you have nothing. If Jay Cutler is allowed to leave after delivering nothing, it will be 28 years since the Bears last had a championship quarterback in Jim McMahon, and it took them 19 years after the nondescript Billy Wade to find him. On just what might you base the hope and belief that Emery will find the next one immediately? The good news is Cutler isn’t going anywhere unless Emery and coach Marc Trestman say good riddance. It’s impossible to imagine Cutler signing a new deal for anything less than $100 million over six or seven years with at least $45 million to $50 million guaranteed. If Joe Flacco, Matt Stafford and Tony Romo are worth that money, Cutler is too, and I don’t blame him for waiting. I don’t think any of them are worth it, but particularly Cutler based on what he’s accomplished. So you franchise Cutler. There’s certainly no one else on your list you’d use the tag on, and you continue to build around him, hoping he’ll force you to eventually “show him the money” based on his play next year. Now Trestman can continue to bring the Bears’ offense
8INSIDE CROSS COUNTRY
BEARS INSIDER Hub Arkush into the 21st century and all is right in Bears Nation? Maybe not. Defensively, we have no idea whether Paea, McClellin and Conte can even play, and the early returns aren’t real promising. We know even less about Bostic and Greene. Based on the ages and injuries to the remaining group, the Bears could need a brand new defense – ALL 11 spots. So what can Emery do right now? Ah, there’s the other rub. The Bears are believed to have somewhere between $2.5 million and $3 million of cap space left. If they reserve enough for emergencies like quarterback Jordan Palmer and possibly more linebackers and defensive linemen, they really can’t afford to do much of anything. But enough gloom, let’s pretend it’s a perfect world and they can sign whoever they want. The two priority free agents on that long list to me are Gould and Tillman. Kickers are not a dime a dozen when you have one of the best, and Robbie is that. And I think re-signing Peanut for two years or even three, if I have to, is worth it whether he stays at cornerback or moves to safety as so many great corners have near the end. Other than that, I let everybody else hit the market and see who comes back when they learn the grass is not always greener elsewhere. Whether Bears fans like it or not, it’s time to pay the piper on defense. Rebuilding is the only option. With Cutler and his weapons together again with Trestman for at least one more year, there’s another year of hope and possibly excitement on that side of the ball. Then, instead of spending all their time worrying about free agents for next year, Bears fans can spend it praying Emery knows what he’s doing in the draft, as that is an open question for now as well. • Hub Arkush covers the Bears for Shaw Media and HubArkush.com. Write to him at harkush@shawmedia.com.
Athlete of the week
AP photo
Grounds crew workers prepare the field Friday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, where the Cardinals and Boston Red Sox are set to play Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday.
WORLD SERIES GAME 3: BOSTON AT ST. LOUIS, 7 P.M. SATURDAY, FOX
Series scene shifts; Cards feel at home St. Louis went 54-27 at Busch this season By BEN WALKER The Associated Press ST. LOUIS – From the Green Monster to the Gateway Arch. From the Charles River to the mighty Mississippi. From clam chowder to toasted ravioli. The World Series scene is shifting, and St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright couldn’t be happier. “We love Cardinal country,” he said Friday. For good reason, too. After Boston split the first two games at Fenway Park, now Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and the rest of the Red Sox will get to see what makes this place so special. Especially in October. “Well, we love playing here at Busch Stadium. Like I said, it’s a sea of red,” pitcher Joe Kelly said. The free-spirited Kelly was set to start Game 3 on Saturday night against Jake Peavy. “This is what I’ve lived for my whole life – my whole baseball career, I should say,” Peavy said. “I’m as prepared as I’ll ever be – physically, mentally.” Also warmed up: a team of eight Clydesdales, ready to pull a red beer wagon around the warning track before the
first pitch. It’s also a tradition for fans to gather early at the Musial statue – there are two honoring Stan the Man, actually. Red Sox closer Koji Uehara took a moment to soak it all in. As he walked onto the field for a workout, the first-time visitor looked at the gleaming Arch hovering high beyond the center-field fence. The Cardinals rely on a lot more than pomp when they play in their own park. They led the NL in scoring while going 54-27 at Busch, and then let pitching take over in the postseason. St. Louis is 5-1 at home in the playoffs – in those five wins, opponents scored five runs. Boston has hit just .188 so far in the Series, with David Ortiz providing the biggest bop. He’s homered in both games and is 4 for 6 overall with five RBIs. With no designated hitter in the National League park, Ortiz will switch to first base. Manager John Farrell wouldn’t say whether Ortiz would start there for every game in St. Louis, but it’s a good guess regular first baseman Mike Napoli will be on the bench for a while. Farrell also said lefty-swinging Daniel Nava
8SPORTS SHORTS Rams-Panthers draws $47,250 in fines from NFL NEW YORK – The St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers drew a total of $47,250 in fines from the NFL for their chippy game last Sunday. Rams defensive lineman Chris Long received the biggest fine Friday, $15,750 for unnecessary roughness for throwing a punch during a skirmish in the third quarter of St. Louis’ 30-15 loss. Long was penalized and ejected after he was caught swinging his right hand at Panthers guard
PREP ROUNDUP Chris Scott as players from both sides were pushing and shoving. A pair of receivers – Carolina’s Steve Smith and St. Louis’ Brian Quick – were fined $7,875 for striking an opponent in the face. Also docked $7,875 were Rams guard Harvey Dahl for a late hit and Panthers safety Mike Mitchell for taunting. Four players were fined $15,750 for roughing the passer: Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo, Miami linebacker Jelani Jenkins, Houston defensive end Jared Crick and Tennessee
linebacker Akeem Ayers.
Wizards acquire Gortat from Suns for Okafor, pick WASHINGTON – Adding a front-court piece in hopes of finally returning to the playoffs, the Washington Wizards acquired center Marcin Gortat from the Phoenix Suns in a multiplayer trade Friday. Phoenix got injured center Emeka Okafor and a top-12-protected first-round draft pick in 2014 – giving the rebuilding Suns potentially four choices in
the opening round. The Suns also sent guards Kendall Marshall, Shannon Brown and Malcolm Lee to Washington so the deal will work financially. The Wizards are expected to waive all three. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound Gortat averaged 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds last season. He is entering his eighth NBA season, and has averaged 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds while playing for Orlando, Toronto and Phoenix. – Wire reports
Thunder rally from 2-goal deficit, fall short • SOCCER Continued from page C1 “Again Liam’s come into the game and made a huge impact,” Colvin said. Woodstock North (11-121) struggled to create against the Hurricanes’ defense in the first half, though it had two corner kick opportunities. With 20:39 remaining in the first half, Marian put together a counterattack off
sophomore goalkeeper Jake Higgins’ save off Woodstock North’s corner. Higgins threw the ball ahead to Labas, who dribbled past midfield before finding Gries. Gries beat the Thunder’s defense, and his goal gave Marian a 2-0 lead, which it took into halftime. Gries has scored four total goals in Marian’s past two playoff matches. “I’ve been working hard, just kept at it,” Gries said.
“With the help of my teammates I’ve been able to get open.” The Thunder came out of the half playing more aggressive offensively and put pressure on the Hurricanes’ defense. They finally broke through off a long sideline throw in by Niese. Junior forward Julio Campos gathered possession of the ball at the net, but his shot was deflected. However, teammate
Luis Balleno scored off the rebound as the ball snuck inside the right post to cut Marian’s lead to 2-1. “It sums up [our season],” Thunder coach Lauren Farley said. “We were down 2-0 at half and they just fought and fought and fought. That’s all you can ask your team to do, not get down on themselves and that is something I’m so proud they kept fighting through.”
Youel, Wallace in consolation quarterfinals • TENNIS Continued from page C1 And when they did get to the net, New Trier was able to pass them a number of times down the line. Those passing shots not only resulted in points but prevented Youel and Wallace from cheating to the middle of the
would start in left field instead of Jonny Gomes, who is 0 for 7 so far. “Obviously David’s bat, at all costs, needs to be in the lineup,” Peavy said. “David is a game-changer. He’s as clutch as anybody I can remember playing with or against.” “It just seems like he has a flair for the dramatic. When the situation is the biggest, he’s at his best,” he said. Ortiz hit a two-run homer off rookie sensation Michael Wacha in Game 2 that put Boston ahead 2-1 in the sixth inning, but St. Louis rallied in the seventh for a 4-2 win. The Red Sox will spend this weekend at the stadium a few blocks from the Mississippi River. “I believe our ballpark is very fair. I don’t think there’s one thing that would make our team any more effective in this park than any other,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “It’s not like there’s the oddities, like a Green Monster or deep corners and gaps.” “But you can’t help but buy into the atmosphere, especially when you’re at home and every single thing you do gets such a positive response,” he said.
court. “They went down the alley a lot so we couldn’t roam,” Lashbrook said. Youel and Wallace will play Highland Park’s Nicole Berkman and Janine Cooper in the consolation quarterfinals and could potentially place fifth. Lashbrook said one of the things she loves
about her team is that they will not let the loss affect how they play the rest of the tournament. “The beauty of these two is they will come back [Saturday] and be 100 percent,” Lashbrook said. In the fourth round, Youel and Wallace defeated Maine South’s Kamila Czosnyka
and Marti Wind, 6-2, 6-2. Also Friday, Crystal Lake South’s Julia Thome in singles and Kelsey Laktash and Rachel Rasmussen in doubles lost in the fourth consolation round. Prairie Ridge’s Anna Kuechenberg and Mikaela McNally also lost in the fourth consolation round in doubles.
Marian starts 3-0 NORTHWEST HERALD Marian Central went 3-0 in pool play Friday at the Lyons Township girls volleyball invitational in La Grange with wins against Prospect, 16-25, 25-23, 15-9, New Trier, 2519, 23-25, 15-11, and Hinsdale Central, 25-12, 25-23. Frankie Taylor led the Hurricanes (19-14) with 29 kills and 24 digs.
Lake Park Tournament: At Roselle, Breanna Novak had 15 kills for Dundee-Crown (15-17) in a 25-14, 25-12 win against Addison Trail and a 25-18, 25-23 loss against Hersey.
BOYS SOCCER Class 2A Belvidere Regional: Hampshire lost in the regional final, 8-1, to the host Bucs.
Boys JESSE REISER McHenry, jr. Reiser won his first Fox Valley Conference Invitational title in 15:30.5 Saturday at Emricson Park in Woodstock. Reiser, who has been beaten once this season, finished 4.3 seconds ahead of Crystal Lake Central’s Ryan Pitner. It was a big day for Reiser, who left Woodstock and headed for Champaign to visit the University of Illinois, his first college visit. He stayed with former Belvidere North runner Garrett Lee and also saw former Prairie Ridge runner Joe Cowlin on Saturday night. Girls LAUREN VAN VLIERBERGEN Jacobs, jr. Van Vlierbergen won her second consecutive title at the Fox Valley Conference Invitational at Emricson Park in 17:53.3 seconds. Van Vlierbergen’s summer training was limited with an issue with her right hip. On Saturday, she looked very strong as she beat Woodstock’s Maura Beattie by 22 seconds. Beattie had not lost this season.
This week’s top meets Class 1A Aurora Christian Regional 10 a.m. Saturday Local team competing: Faith Lutheran Class 1A Winnebago Regional 10 a.m. Saturday, Fuller Forest Preserve Local teams competing: Harvard, Marian Central In Class 1A, the first seven teams and first five individuals not on those teams advance to the sectional meet. Class 2A Burlington Central Regional 10 a.m. Saturday, Burlington Central High School Local teams competing: Crystal Lake Central, Hampshire and Prairie Ridge Class 2A Woodstock North Regional 10 a.m. Saturday, Emricson Park Local teams competing: Johnsburg, Richmond-Burton, Woodstock and Woodstock North Class 2A Sterling Regional 10 a.m. Saturday, Hoover Park Local team competing: Marengo In Class 2A, the first six teams and first five individuals not on those teams advance to the sectional meet. Class 3A Palatine Regional 10 a.m. Saturday, Deer Grove Forest Preserve Local teams competing: Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South, Dundee-Crown and McHenry Class 3A Hononegah Regional 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Olson Forest Preserve in Roscoe. Local teams competing: Huntley and Jacobs In Class 3A, the first six teams and first five individuals not on those teams advance to the sectional meet. – Joe Stevenson
joestevenson@shawmedia.com
Meat Raffle
Fundraiser for
U10 Boys Soccer Team
Sunday, October 27th Ticket sales start at 1 pm Raffle drawing at 3 pm
Sunnyside Tavern 4206 Johnsburg Rd.