Here are the 10 Peoria-area high school volleyball teams that won Illinois High School **** ociation regional championships on Thursday, Oct. 29, plus where they play next in the sectionals.
Local teams won regional plaques across each of the three smallest classes, seeing Brimfield, Illini Bluffs and Tremont win in Class 1A. Illinois Valley Central, Eureka and Kewanee claimed Class 2A **** les, while Washington, Dunlap, Morton and Limestone won in Class 3A.
How they won: Brimfield beat host ROWVA/Williamsfield, 25-18, 25-20 for a third consecutive regional plaque. This was the second time the Indians had beaten R/W, opening the regular season with a two-set victory.
What's next: Brimfield (21-10-1) plays Fulton (31-5) in the Wethersfield Sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3.
How they won: Illini Bluffs rallied from down a set to beat host Heyworth 23-25, 25-11, 25-23. IB has now won a regional **** le for the third time since 2023 highlighted by a 2024 Class 1A Elite Eight appearance.

#illinois

Kate Douglass tied a world record, while Katharine Berkoff and Van Mathias broke their first individual world records at USA Swimming's World Short Course Championships Trials in Westmont, Illinois, on Thursday.
Douglass tied training partner Gretchen Walsh's world record in the 50m freestyle. Berkoff broke the 50m backstroke record, and then Mathias swam the fastest short course 100m **** troke in history.
They made the team for the World Short Course Championships in Beijing's Water Cube from Dec. 1-6.
Short course meets are held in 25-meter pools rather than 50-meter pools (long course) used at the Olympics and other major meets in the summer.
SWIMMING: Full Results | Broadcast Schedule

#World #course #tied

More than 30 counties have already approved the non-binding measure to leave Illinois
Momentum is building in Illinois to form a new state, with more counties ready to vote on leaving because of Chicago’s influence.

#illinois #momentum #Chicago #approved

The 2026 Illinois high school football season just wrapped up the regular-season with plenty of Peoria-area players having put together a great nine-game stretch.
Now is your chance to let us know which player was the most valuable during the regular-season. So, who will it be?
Here are 13 Peoria-area regular-season MVP candidates during the 2026 campaign, listed in alphabetical order. Information about each candidate is below. Vote from now until noon Friday, Oct. 23 at pjstar.com.
This vote has no bearing on who will be selected as the Journal Star Player of the Year or will make the annual All-Area team, which are scheduled to be announced after the season.
MVP moment: The 6-foot-2, 180-pound all-state senior quarterback completed 71.4% (10-for-14) of his passes for 229 yards and found four different receivers for touchdowns in a 43-0 win over Colfax Ridgeview/Lexington in Week 3.

#here #Friday

She's done everything right: raised four kids, largely as a single mother, has no debt and a fully funded emergency savings account. Her retirement savings are about $1 million split between a "Roth and 401(k)," and her paid-off home in Illinois is worth around $350,000.
By almost any measure, this woman has won. So why does she want to give it all up and rent?
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 reasons why retirees can't afford to waste time
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one

#savings #illinois #americans #asap

McDonald's is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges its AI-enhanced pricing tool violates antitrust laws because it shares nonpublic data with franchisees who might be competing in the same market.
The lawsuit, which was filed Friday in Illinois, said McDonald's pricing tool uses artificial intelligence to collect data that competing franchises wouldn't normally share, like store-level sales. The Chicago-based burger giant has said it makes the tool available to U.S. franchisees to help them set prices at their individual restaurants.
The lawsuit also blames the pricing system for raising McDonald's U.S. prices.
"McDonald's has built and for years deployed its own information-sharing pricing platform, which draws on data from its millions of daily transactions to set menu prices across thousands of U.S. restaurants," the lawsuit states. "The result is algorithmic price-fixing aimed at customers who are already stretched thin."
McDonald's said Tuesday that the lawsuit is "filled with inaccuracies" and it would vigorously defend itself.

#restaurants

Google and Constellation Energy announced a 20-year power purchase agreement on Tuesday to bring 890 megawatts of new nuclear capacity onto the PJM Interconnection grid, with Constellation committing more than $4.3 billion to fund the build-out.
The capacity will be generated through turbine, steam generator, and digital control system upgrades at 11 Constellation nuclear units in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the companies said. The first uprate is expected to be delivered by 2028. The agreement is expected to sustain roughly 4,400 existing jobs and create approximately 7,200 new construction jobs during the building period.
Alongside the power purchase agreement, the companies entered into a separate 15-year energy supply agreement covering an additional 2,700 megawatts from Constellation's existing fleet in the PJM market, the company said.
"We're committed to meeting our growth responsibly by actively investing in clean, reliable power that brings new capacity to our nation's grids," Amanda Peterson Corio, global head of energy and power at Google, said in a statement. "Our agreement with Constellation to fund nuclear reactor uprates will strengthen the PJM grid, which serves 67 million people, all while protecting energy affordability and supporting local union jobs."
Joe Dominguez, chairman, president and CEO of Constellation, said in a statement that the collaboration "can serve as a model for how technology companies and the energy industry can work together to responsibly develop the digital economy."

#energy #capacity #Jobs

The Illinois governor called for federal regulation of AI.
With calls to regulate AI growing, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker urged Congress to pass federal guardrails on the technology.
“You can't do this state by state. This needs to be a national effort as well as an international endeavor, especially together with our allies, because AI is not going to go away,” Pritzker told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl in an exclusive interview that aired Sunday.
Pritzker touted legislation he signed in Illinois in July requiring AI companies to conduct annual third-party audits of their safety plans and disclose safety incidents to the state. He urged Congress to make federal regulations a top priority, calling the technology “dangerous on the level of nuclear weapons.”
President Donald Trump has called AI fears a “hoax” and announced he is forming an “AI Force” to accelerate growth in the industry. Pritzker said that approach is a mistake.

#federal #urged #safety

President Donald Trump's administration says it has approved the sale of nearly 50 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a policy shift for the US that has raised concerns from some members of Congress.
Saudi Arabia has sought for years to buy the world's most advanced warplane, equipped with stealth technology that allows it to evade enemy detection.
Washington had resisted, partly because it supplies F-35s to its ally Israel, which is guaranteed under US law to receive top-of-the-range American weapons compared with those its regional neighbours can access.
Congress has 30 days to scrutinise or attempt to block the $24bn (£17.8bn) sale to Riyadh, which is the largest customer for US weapons.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, a Democrat, opposed the sale on Thursday.

#saudi

Generate Capital, a leading investor, owner and operator of critical infrastructure, on September 15 announced the closing of a $117-million term debt facility with MUFG to finance a portfolio of community solar projects. The transaction marks Generate's first community solar financing with MUFG and further expands the company's network of leading institutional financing partners.The facility supports Generate's Community Solar Fund 11, comprising 18 projects and 114-MWdc across Illinois and New York. The financing will support Generate's continued investment in community solar infrastructure that expands access to reliable and affordable power for communities and businesses."The closing of this facility with MUFG further expands our financing partner network and provides additional capital to support the continued growth of our community solar platform," said Ed Bossange, Chief Capital Formation Officer at Generate Capital. "Combined with the significant financing activity we completed during the first half of the year, this transaction reflects the strength of our platform and our ability to attract capital from leading institutions across a diverse range of infrastructure solutions.""We are pleased to partner with Generate on this financing and support the continued growth of its community solar platform," said Fred Zelaya, managing director at MUFG. "Generate has built a strong track record of developing and operating high-quality distributed energy ****** ets, and this transaction reflects our shared commitment to financing critical infrastructure that delivers reliable, affordable power to communities across the country."The transaction builds on significant capital formation momentum for Generate in 2026. During the first half of the year, the company closed approximately $1.4 billion of financing commitments across a diversified portfolio of infrastructure investments spanning community solar, battery energy storage systems and energy efficiency.First-half highlights included:
Closing of a 104-MW community solar portfolio alongside Monarch Private Capital, supporting more than 15 community solar projects expected to deliver approximately $200 million in investment tax credits.
A $61-million senior secured U.S. Private Placement to finance energy efficiency projects for a leading investment-grade industrial customer. The 15-year construction-to-term financing represents Generate's inaugural 4(a)2 U.S. Private Placement, further diversifying the firm's funding sources and financing partner base.

#community #generate #leading #projects

A company that specializes in autonomous power deployment said it has raised $31.8 million to scale its operations, with investments from major groups including Google and Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV). California-based Planted said the new capital expands its robotic fleet. The company said the funding also supports the launch of Sage, its next-generation robot, as demand outpaces the company's current capacity.Planted on September 15 said the funding round was led by Piva Capital and RA Capital Management Planetary Health, with participation from Gigascale Capital and Open AI-backer Khosla Ventures, along with Google and BEV. Gigascale Capital was founded by former Meta executive Mike Schroepfer."Globally, solar needs to be deployed about five times faster than it is today to hit the scale experts project we'll need by 2050, and the gap is growing as the industry confronts constraints involving supply chains, land, interconnection, and skilled labor," said Eric Brown, CEO of Planted. "The way to close that gap is to turn the construction of a power plant into a manufacturing problem: building robots and deployment systems, not just projects. We have robots in the field proving the model works today. This round is how we scale it."
Brown's group on Tuesday said a record 664 GW of solar photovoltaic power was installed worldwide last year, but noted terawatts of new generation capacity are needed to meet projected demand. The company said it combines planning software, high-density terrain-following solar arrays, storage, and field robotics into one system, which enables Planted to build on parcels of land that legacy trackers cannot use. The company said its system also delivers twice the energy per acre, resulting in smaller project footprints and a lower profile on the landscape.Planted said its array "is simplified, designed for automation, and defined in software," and thus can deliver new power generation capacity in months rather than years. Planted's most recent build, a 28-MW behind-the-meter project serving a neocloud data center, went from first call to power in 10 months, with field construction completed in under three months.Planted on Tuesday said the company's development model "is proven and bankable," and noted its projects carry independent engineering validation and project financing. The company completed Bowes Solar, an 11-MW project in Illinois for Cultivate Power, and will next build Aligned Climate Capital's Armoracia project on 16 acres, 10 fewer than the original design required. The denser redesign moved the project through local review after the initial layout was rejected, according to the company. Planted, which deployed more than 10 MW in 2025, is on track for 100 MW in 2026, a 10x jump in a single year, with a project pipeline of more than 20 GW.The company said Sage, the next-generation robot, will be deployed later this year.

#Solar

Dover Corporation (DOV) is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider based in Downers Grove, Illinois. It produces equipment, components, consumables, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions across five operating segments, serving customers worldwide. The company has a market capitalization of approximately $25.5 billion.
Companies worth between $10 billion and $200 billion are generally classified as "large-cap stocks," and Dover comfortably fits this category. Dover's market leadership comes from making specialized industrial products that serve a wide range of markets worldwide. Its diversified portfolio reduces dependence on any single market, while strategic acquisitions and divestitures sharpen its focus on profitable businesses. Its growing exposure to clean energy and fueling technologies adds further growth potential.
Goldman Sachs Expects Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to Raise Rates This Week — But Not Because of Oil Prices.
Morgan Stanley Doubles Down on Apple Stock as New Offerings Become 'More Exciting'
The EV Bubble Has Burst. How to Play Rivian Stock Now.

#market #worldwide #downers #grove

Vivmark Residential (VMRK) is a multifamily real estate investment trust (REIT) with a market capitalization of approximately $24.6 billion. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the company focuses on developing, redeveloping, acquiring, and managing apartment communities across select U.S. markets, providing high-quality rental housing and customer-focused living experiences.
Companies valued between $10 billion and $200 billion are generally classified as "large-cap stocks," and AvalonBay Communities comfortably fits this category. Its market capitalization reflects its substantial size, influence, and established position within the residential REIT industry. It benefits from its large portfolio of high-quality apartment communities in major U.S. markets.
Goldman Sachs Expects Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to Raise Rates This Week — But Not Because of Oil Prices.
Morgan Stanley Doubles Down on Apple Stock as New Offerings Become 'More Exciting'
The EV Bubble Has Burst. How to Play Rivian Stock Now.

#apartment

A company that specializes in autonomous power deployment said it has raised $31.8 million to scale its operations, with investments from major groups including Google and Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV). California-based Planted said the new capital expands its robotic fleet. The company said the funding also supports the launch of Sage, its next-generation robot, as demand outpaces the company's current capacity.Planted on September 15 said the funding round was led by Piva Capital and RA Capital Management Planetary Health, with participation from Gigascale Capital and Open AI-backer Khosla Ventures, along with Google and BEV. Gigascale Capital was founded by former Meta executive Mike Schroepfer."Globally, solar needs to be deployed about five times faster than it is today to hit the scale experts project we'll need by 2050, and the gap is growing as the industry confronts constraints involving supply chains, land, interconnection, and skilled labor," said Eric Brown, CEO of Planted. "The way to close that gap is to turn the construction of a power plant into a manufacturing problem: building robots and deployment systems, not just projects. We have robots in the field proving the model works today. This round is how we scale it."
Brown's group on Tuesday said a record 664 GW of solar photovoltaic power was installed worldwide last year, but noted terawatts of new generation capacity are needed to meet projected demand. The company said it combines planning software, high-density terrain-following solar arrays, storage, and field robotics into one system, which enables Planted to build on parcels of land that legacy trackers cannot use. The company said its system also delivers twice the energy per acre, resulting in smaller project footprints and a lower profile on the landscape.Planted said its array "is simplified, designed for automation, and defined in software," and thus can deliver new power generation capacity in months rather than years. Planted's most recent build, a 28-MW behind-the-meter project serving a neocloud data center, went from first call to power in 10 months, with field construction completed in under three months.Planted on Tuesday said the company's development model "is proven and bankable," and noted its projects carry independent engineering validation and project financing. The company completed Bowes Solar, an 11-MW project in Illinois for Cultivate Power, and will next build Aligned Climate Capital's Armoracia project on 16 acres, 10 fewer than the original design required. The denser redesign moved the project through local review after the initial layout was rejected, according to the company. Planted, which deployed more than 10 MW in 2025, is on track for 100 MW in 2026, a 10x jump in a single year, with a project pipeline of more than 20 GW.The company said Sage, the next-generation robot, will be deployed later this year.

#project #next

Dover Corporation (DOV) is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider based in Downers Grove, Illinois. It produces equipment, components, consumables, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions across five operating segments, serving customers worldwide. The company has a market capitalization of approximately $25.5 billion.
Companies worth between $10 billion and $200 billion are generally classified as "large-cap stocks," and Dover comfortably fits this category. Dover's market leadership comes from making specialized industrial products that serve a wide range of markets worldwide. Its diversified portfolio reduces dependence on any single market, while strategic acquisitions and divestitures sharpen its focus on profitable businesses. Its growing exposure to clean energy and fueling technologies adds further growth potential.
Goldman Sachs Expects Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to Raise Rates This Week — But Not Because of Oil Prices.
Morgan Stanley Doubles Down on Apple Stock as New Offerings Become 'More Exciting'
The EV Bubble Has Burst. How to Play Rivian Stock Now.

#corporation #downers #grove

Vivmark Residential (VMRK) is a multifamily real estate investment trust (REIT) with a market capitalization of approximately $24.6 billion. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the company focuses on developing, redeveloping, acquiring, and managing apartment communities across select U.S. markets, providing high-quality rental housing and customer-focused living experiences.
Companies valued between $10 billion and $200 billion are generally classified as "large-cap stocks," and AvalonBay Communities comfortably fits this category. Its market capitalization reflects its substantial size, influence, and established position within the residential REIT industry. It benefits from its large portfolio of high-quality apartment communities in major U.S. markets.
Goldman Sachs Expects Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to Raise Rates This Week — But Not Because of Oil Prices.
Morgan Stanley Doubles Down on Apple Stock as New Offerings Become 'More Exciting'
The EV Bubble Has Burst. How to Play Rivian Stock Now.

#Stock #capitalization #apartment #high

The Trump administration has cut or frozen up to $177 billion in federal grants since the president took office for his second term, according to a tracking tool released Wednesday by a pro-democracy nonprofit and a group of researchers and scientists.
The cuts affected all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with health, nutrition, the environment and disaster relief making up the largest share of cuts, the States United Democracy Center and Grant Witness organization found.
Among the grants that were eliminated, frozen or delayed were ones related to maternal health in Michigan, education research in Mississippi and ***** istance to minority farmers in Iowa, the researchers found. California, Texas, New York, Illinois and North Carolina saw the highest amounts of interrupted grant money. The tracking tool is called Lost Funds.
"By bringing thousands of funding disruptions from the Trump administration together in a publicly accessible, verified database, Lost Funds puts the magnitude of their impact on full display," Scott Delaney, co-founder of Grant Witness, said in a statement.
The $177 billion finding represents nearly 10% of federal discretionary spending, the groups said.

#administration

Zane Smith escaped with no serious injuries following a violent crash in Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The driver of the No. 38 suffered a brake failure in the closing laps of Stage 2, causing him to spin out and slam driver's side first into the outside retaining wall in turn 1.
As Smith climbed from his car, it was evident he was in pain. The 27-year-old was slow to get out of his battered Front Row Motorsports Ford and was leaning on two NASCAR safety workers as they helped him into the ambulance to take him to the infield care center.
Thankfully, Smith took to social media on Monday with a positive update on his condition.
Immediately after Smith careened with the outside wall following the brake failure, his spotter, Ryan Blanchard, tried to summon his driver over the radio to check on his condition.
"We lost brakes here. Let me know if you're OK. Really big hit. Talk to me when you can, please. Let me know if you're OK," he said.

#brake #failure #wall

While Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard received the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday, Indiana State quarterback Elijah Owens was listed among others for honorable mention.
Brungard, a fifth-year senior, accounted for a touchdown in all eight of the Penguins' series possessions, with him at QB, in YSU's 70-13 rout of Duquesne on Saturday. He completed 20 of 23 passes for 290 yards and six TDs, while also running for two touchdowns.
Five other players received honorable mention for the weekly award, including Owens, former Sycamore running back Plez Lawrence (now at North Carolina Central), Montana running back Eli Gillman, Stonehill quarterback Jack O'Connell, and Alcorn State quarterback Jaylon Tolbert.
Owens delivered his best performance as a Sycamore in Indiana State's 42-35 win at Eastern Illinois on Saturday night. The redshirt junior quarterback threw for 284 yards, ran for 98 yards, and scored five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). Overall, Owens was 21-of-33 through the air for 284 yards and three passing touchdowns, while adding 18 carries for 98 yards and two additional scores.
Meanwhile, Lawrence — who played at ISU from 2023-25 and rushed for 1,164 total yards in 270 carries — ran for 210 yards and three touchdowns in North Carolina Central's 30-22 win against North Carolina A&T on Saturday in Durham. Lawrence also had a 200-plus-yard game as a Sycamore, gaining 203 yards in 29 carries at Murray State on Sept. 30, 2023.

#state #owens #sycamore #carolina

It was difficult for Alex Bowman to hold back his emotions after Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The driver of the No. 48 turned in his best performance of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, placing runner-up to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.
The strong run at Gateway meant a little more to Bowman. Just prior to Sunday's race, Bowman revealed that his dog, Finn, who he called his best friend, sadly passed away. As the Arizona native reflected on his top-five performance at Gateway, he fought back tears in what has been an emotional weekend.
One day prior to Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway, Bowman took to social media to announce the heartbreaking passing of his dog.
"I don't know how to say this out loud, but last night I lost my best friend. You only get a dog like Finn once in a lifetime. He was just the best," he wrote.
As Bowman spoke to USA Network's Dave Burns, he tried to keep himself together as he expressed appreciation for his No. 48 HMS team for helping him through the devastating loss.

#illinois #back #performance

The WNBA learned in early September that commissioner Cathy Engelbert has decided to step down and retire from her position following this season. Engelbert has overseen a successful tenure that has helped elevate the WNBA's profile and grow the league's brand.
Now, the league will need to find Engelbert's successor. Several names have already been suggested as potential candidates. However, some of the WNBA's biggest stars may also have a voice in who should succeed Engelbert.
MORE: Sophie Cunningham showered with gifts at NASCAR race
One star has already offered her thoughts on the type of person who should take over. Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham was asked what kind of person she expects to be named the next WNBA commissioner.
Aug 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts while warming up prior to a game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#WNBA #Chicago

The week 1 game between Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers produced a 59-37 game in which Bears dominated the Panthers defense. In the high-scoring game, Bears quarterback did something interesting after the game while he was shaking hands with the Panthers head coach Dave Canales.
Interestingly the conversation was covered as the fields were mic'd up. The brief exchange of words now went viral and made headlines.
In the record-breaking 59-37 Week 1 blowout of the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams delivered one of the most talked-about postgame moments of the early 2026 NFL season. During the handshake line after the Bears' historic 96-point combined scoring, the mics on the field caught his exact words in Dave Canales' face. "Y'all are a great defense man," Caleb Williams said.
Feb 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams watches in the second half of the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Southern California Trojans at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
It's a short, deadpan six-word line. No sarcasm in tone, no raised voice. It was a calm, straightforward compliment delivered right after Carolina's defense surrendered 59 points, 552 total yards, and multiple explosive plays.

#bears #Chicago #caleb

Mike Vrabel used his weekly Monday appearance on The Greg Hill Show on Sportsradio 93.7 WEEI to work back through New England's 13-10 loss in Seattle, and the players he chose to talk about were three rookies who had never taken an NFL snap before Sept. 9: tight end Eli Raridon, edge rusher Gabe Jacas and linebacker Namdi Obiazor.
Raridon, the third-round pick out of Notre Dame, caught a two-yard touchdown from Drake Maye that produced the first points of the 2026 NFL season. He played 38 offensive snaps, 54 percent of New England's total, working as the second tight end behind Hunter Henry.
Jacas, taken 55th overall out of Illinois after the Patriots sent three picks to the Los Angeles Chargers to move up, came off a double team for his first career sack and later added a tackle for loss.
Obiazor, a sixth-round pick from TCU, opened the game with a hit on the kickoff and played 20 special teams snaps without seeing a defensive one.
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel holds a press conference before the start of practices at the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

#jacas #obiazor #Patriots #taken

Gigi Chasco of Wisconsin Lutheran girls volleyball was the winner of last week's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel high school athlete of the week poll for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 5.
Vikings head coach Megan Mache described the Florida Gulf Coast commit as the "glue" for Wisco in its five-set thriller over New Berlin West on Thursday, Sept. 3. Chasco tallied 26 ******* ists, 14 digs, 12 kills, four blocks and a pair of aces in a 25-17, 23-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-8 nailbiter in the all-Vikings battle.
Chasco received 11,462 out of a possible 21,352 total votes cast.
Claire Baldwin of Sussex Hamilton girls volleyball was the runner-up in last week's poll. The Chargers bounced back in a massive way during the previous week with a 6-0 record, including a tournament victory at the Summers End event in Winnetka, Illinois. The sophomore Baldwin had a huge week for the Chargers, tallying 54 digs and 52 kills on the week, which also included a win over Greater Metro Conference foe Wauwatosa West in a 3-0 sweep.
Other nominees in the poll included Ethan Potthast of Brookfield Academy football, Bear Bonk of Marquette football and Noah Gailey of Hartford boys cross-country.

#Vikings

Gigi Chasco of Wisconsin Lutheran girls volleyball was the winner of last week's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel high school athlete of the week poll for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 5.
Vikings head coach Megan Mache described the Florida Gulf Coast commit as the "glue" for Wisco in its five-set thriller over New Berlin West on Thursday, Sept. 3. Chasco tallied 26 **** ists, 14 digs, 12 kills, four blocks and a pair of aces in a 25-17, 23-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-8 nailbiter in the all-Vikings battle.
Chasco received 11,462 out of a possible 21,352 total votes cast.
Claire Baldwin of Sussex Hamilton girls volleyball was the runner-up in last week's poll. The Chargers bounced back in a massive way during the previous week with a 6-0 record, including a tournament victory at the Summers End event in Winnetka, Illinois. The sophomore Baldwin had a huge week for the Chargers, tallying 54 digs and 52 kills on the week, which also included a win over Greater Metro Conference foe Wauwatosa West in a 3-0 sweep.
Other nominees in the poll included Ethan Potthast of Brookfield Academy football, Bear Bonk of Marquette football and Noah Gailey of Hartford boys cross-country.

#week #Vikings

The Wisconsin Badgers comfortably beat the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Saturday, but the score didn't capture the full picture, as it was an up-and-down game for the home team at Camp Randall Stadium.
There were a lot of questions about the defense for Wisconsin, as they struggled to contain the run at times against a team that lost 41-10 to Illinois State the week before.
Here are the snap counts and PFF grades for every player on defense for the Badgers against Western Illinois.
Hammond Russell IV – Snap Count: [23], Grade: 64.1
Michael Garner – Snap Count: [23], Grade: 62.8

#wisconsin #badgers #team #leathernecks

Sep. 14—The term sabermetrics was first coined by Bill James in 1980. It took quite a bit longer, however, for the idea to catch on with the baseball populace, but eventually acronyms like WAR, VORP and UZR caught on as a way to ****** yze the sport.
Analytics are equally as important these days in college basketball. It's why you hear Illinois coach Brad Underwood constantly referencing his team's adjusted offensive efficiency and offensive rebounding rate. Paid services like Synergy give coaching staffs an ****** ytical breakdown of their team to the finest detail.
Publicly available sites like , and , however, have broadened the usage and acceptance of a different way to follow and break down the sport. (KenPom and CBBAnalytics do have a subscription piece but are drastically cheaper than Synergy).
It's through those sites Illinois fans could track one of the most efficient offenses in the modern era during the 2025-26 season. The Illini eventually finished second in adjusted offensive efficiency behind Purdue last season. That particular metric was helped by the Illini not turning the ball over (eighth in turnover rate) and dominating the offensive glass (third in offensive rebounding rate).
One particular metric Illinois tracks is shot volume.

#like #rate #synergy

Sep. 14—It was an extraordinary football weekend that saw the two Big Ten favorites, Ohio State and Oregon, join the Illini in stunning disappointments. What follows are four burning takes from Saturday's scramble.
(1) Is the new UI defensive system unworkable at this level, or are the linemen simply lacking in NFL-level talent required of conference contenders?
Conclusion: It's equal proportions of both as the Illini permitted 43 first downs in two outings.
In the opener against UAB, the defense permitted 17 rushes of five yards or more, and gave up 194 ground yards while managing one sack. The Illini won with four huge plays, including a 65-yard punt return and a Hail Mary, avoiding early trouble because four UAB drives were chilled by Blazer penalties. Illinois tackling was already a major concern.
Against Duke on Saturday, the Illini again had a single sack amid surprisingly effective passes by Walker Eget (15 of 21 for 206 yards), and never got sensational Nate Sheppard under control. Sheppard bulled and darted for 147 yards, caught five passes for 41 and scored three touchdowns.

#four #level #sack

MADISON – Already in Week 2, the Wisconsin football team has been anything but immune to injuries at some key positions.
Wide receiver Malachi Coleman and linebacker Mason Posa both exited the Badgers' 36-9 win over Western Illinois with injuries. Posa could have returned if necessary, coach Luke Fickell said afterward, but Coleman could not.
Quarterback Colton Joseph, meanwhile, was "a little dinged up from last weekend," Fickell said in his postgame press conference. Fickell similarly said that running back Abu Sama III may have gotten "a little bit of a ding on the shoulder."
Those are in addition to first-team offensive lineman Emerson Mandell's continued absence as he recovers from an injury that he suffered in fall camp.
Fickell said that Joseph – the Old Dominion transfer who has been UW's presumed starter since January – was not ready to go in Tuesday's practice. (He took a significant hit in the Badgers' 41-13 loss to then-No. 5 Notre Dame.)

#coleman #posa #team #madison

MADISON — A motivated Justin Allgaier is a dangerous Justin Allgaier, and is he now motivated.
The Riverton native finished 13th in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Nu Way 225 at World Wide Technology Raceway Saturday evening on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, and lost his lead atop the points standings.
Jesse Love won the race and Sheldon Creed, who finished second, moved up into the lead for The Chase, leading Allgaier by three points, 2,175-2,172 with seven events remaining.
"As bad of a night as we had and all the stuff happening, three points back," Allgaier said. "I lost 70 points in one race one week. So, that three points to me is like, 'All right, whatever.'"
It was the first win this season for Love, who won the series points ***** le last year.

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