SJO seniors Jenna Albrecht and Kennedi Burnett form a defensive wall above the net during their team's home match against Hoopeston Area on September 16. The Spartans, who later finished third in the state at the Illinois Class 2A state finals, easily swept the Cornjerkers 25-5 in both sets.
Illustrious - Showcases and the stories behind Illinois’ most iconic high school gyms
CHICAGO - On a quiet Saturday afternoon in January 2012, at the Oak Park-River Forest field house, a simple thought refused to leave Vincent Johnson alone.
Covering a girls basketball game for the Oak Leaves, Johnson found himself looking beyond the box score and into the bones of the building itself. The space was overwhelming in the best way. Big. Empty. Striking. The field house - massive, architectural, overwhelming in character - was alive with echoes. The gym itself demanded his attention.
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