Unity placed sixth, led by Claire Zorns’ 99, their first conference golf tournament. Monticello set a school record to win the IPC Girls Golf Tournament at Wolf Creek with a 330.
PONTIAC - The Unity Rockets girls golf team showed determination and grit at the Illini Prairie Conference Tournament on Tuesday at Wolf Creek Golf Course. Facing the league's toughest competition in their first conference meet appearance with 31 players ready to make their mark on the links, Unity finished sixth with a team score of 445.
Leading the Rockets was Claire Zorns, who carded a 99 to place 17th overall. Teammates Olivia Witheft and Olivia Styan each shot 113, with Haley Ennis (120), Ellery Merkle (122) and Addison Mohr (124) contributing to the team’s total. Each player gained valuable experience competing against some of the top golfers in the small school division.
While Monticello captured the team championship with a record-breaking 330 and junior Cate Sanders earned individual medalist honors with a 75, Unity’s focus remained on the progress of its own roster. St. Thomas More and Bloomington Central Catholic rounded out the top three teams, demonstrating the depth of the Illini Prairie Conference.
Final Team Standings
1. Monticello 330
2. Bloomington Central Catholic 333
3. St. Thomas More 376
4. Prairie Central 403
5. Pontiac 408
6. Unity 445
7. Rantoul 349
Top 10 Individual Finishers
1. Cate Sanders, Monticello 75
2. Caroline Braucht, Central Catholic 76
3. Sydney Braucht, Central Catholic 82
3. Maddie Bradbury, Central Catholic 82
5. Rachel Ross, Monticello 84
6. Isabella Beery, Monticello 85
7. Taylor Wells, St. Thomas More 86
8. Claire Foster, Monticello 86
9. Jenika Biggs, St. Thomas More 90
10. Ella Farrell, Prairie Central 92
St. Joseph-Ogden rolled past Unity 7-0 for its 17th straight win, extending its shutout dominance so far this season.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Hunter Cler settles the ball during the Spartans' home match on Saturday against IVC. Cler delivered two goals in St. Joseph-Ogden's game against Unity on Tuesday.
ST. JOSEPH - The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team rumbled to a 5-0 first half start against visiting Unity on Tuesday. Adding two more goals in the second frame, the Spartans defeated the Rockets 7-0 in Illini Prairie Conference play at Dick Duval Field.
Hunter Cler opened the scoring with a finish off a Lucas Stevens pass, and the goals came quickly after that. Tyler Hess buried one, Cler struck again—again with Stevens providing the setup—and Stevens himself joined the party with a goal of his own. Before halftime, Zach Harper dished an assist to Skyler Graham, who closed the first-half scoring with the Spartans up 5-0.
The second half played out much the same way. Harper found the net and later turned provider again, assisting Waylon Jones to close out SJO’s seven-goal shutout win.
The victory only added to a remarkable run under head coach Chris Stevens, who has led the Spartans to 55 wins against just 11 losses in his two and a half seasons at the helm. Ranked by both the Associated Press and MaxPreps, the Spartans are a perfect 17-0 this fall. For context, the Illinois high school record for consecutive wins belongs to New Trier, which strung together 88 victories between 2002 and 2005. While SJO isn’t there yet, the streak has put them in rare company.
Even more eye-catching than the win-loss column is the team’s defensive dominance. Tuesday’s clean sheet was their 12th of the season, and between August 29 and September 18 they stacked nine straight to enter the IHSA’s consecutive shutouts list. The Spartans have scored 98 goals so far this season while surrendering just seven—yes, you can still count them all on two hands.
SJO’s schedule doesn’t slow down. They’ll host Georgetown-Ridge Farm-Westville on Sept. 27, face Danville in a non-conference match on Sept. 29, and return to league play Oct. 1 at St. Thomas More. Four more regular season games remain before the Spartans turn their focus toward postseason play.
For Unity, the night was another tough outing. The Rockets fell to 1-5-2 overall and 0-2 in the Illini Prairie. They’ll travel to Rantoul on Sept. 25 and then host Illinois Valley Central Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
Box Score
Scoring Summary
St. Joseph-Ogden 7, Unity 0
First Half
SJO – Hunter Cler (assist Lucas Stevens)
SJO – Tyler Hess
SJO – Hunter Cler (assist Lucas Stevens)
SJO – Lucas Stevens
SJO – Skyler Graham (assist Zach Harper)
Second Half
SJO – Zach Harper
SJO – Waylon Jones (assist Zach Harper)
Team Records
St. Joseph-Ogden: 17-0 (2-0 IPC)
Unity: 1-5-2 (0-2 IPC)
TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden soccer 2025 season, Unity Rockets vs SJO soccer recap, Illini Prairie Conference boys soccer scores, Illinois high school soccer shutouts, unbeaten high school soccer teams Illinois
Opponents say repealing the Roadless Rule would harm pristine forests, worsen climate change and endanger Midwest water supplies.
Photo: Tienko Dima/Unsplash
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Public News Service CHICAGO - Environmental advocates are urging residents in Illinois and across the Midwest to oppose the Trump administration's proposal to repeal the Roadless Rule. The conservation policy safeguards more than half a million acres of undeveloped land in National Forests across the Midwest from road construction and logging.
Kelly Thayer, senior policy advocate with the Environmental Law and Policy Center, said these lands have remained untouched for decades and represent some of America's most pristine wilderness. He stressed that cutting them down to allow logging, mining and roads would accelerate climate change and threaten the water source for many communities.
"So, ironically, the rule is preventing fires," he explained. "The Trump administration wants to repeal it in the name of fighting fires. The truth is that roads and people who use them are the greatest cause of forest fires."
Thayer added that the law includes flexibility for things like fire management, making the proposed repeal unnecessary. He emphasizes how critical it is for people to voice their concerns now given the U.S. Department of Agriculture only provided a 21-day public comment period which ends Friday. People can submit comments online at Regulations.gov.
The Roadless Rule was established in 2001. Thayer said after more than 600 public meetings and a record 1.6 million public comments, an overwhelming majority of people supported the protection of these natural lands. So far, more than 133,000 comments have been submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in response to the proposed repeal.
"We have some fantastic wild gems right in our midst," he said. "These areas are in our backyard and they can be lost, and lost forever if we don't stand up and take action now."
Those include Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest and the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin. Thayer stressed these wildlands would be at risk should the Department of Agriculture move forward with ending the Roadless Rule. Supporters of the rollback say more roads will help firefighters reach hard-to-access areas and provide economic opportunities through logging.
More stories ~
Bloomington 31, Normal West 27
Champaign Centennial 14, Danville 7
Peoria 76, Manual 6
Peoria Notre Dame 42, Richwoods 6
Champaign Central 46, Urbana 0
Normal Community 17, Kankakee 28
ST. JOSEPH - SJO's Logan Umbarger tries to pick up a first down during fourth quarter action against Unity. The Spartans dropped to 3-1, leaving Bloomington Central Catholic in the number one spot on the conference ladder. St. Joseph-Ogden looks to bounce back on Friday in their road game against the Rantoul Eagles. The Rockets will celebrate homecoming this week with their conference matchup against visiting Pontiac.
Do you know Illini Prairie football?
Submit your picks for this week's Friday Night Forecast and see how your calls stack up against other Illini Prairie Conference football fans. Drop back by OurSentinel.com Friday morning to see which teams are predicted to win as they work to qualify for this year's state football playoffs.
Week 4 Scores
Monticello 39, St. Teresa 20
Paxton-Buckley-Loda 24, Prairie Central 14
Pontiac 28, IVC 7
Central Catholic 51, Rantoul 6
Unity 40, St. Joseph-Ogden 10
Unity Rockets finish ninth in debut Illini Prairie golf tournament. Keely Carter leads squad, shooting a 90 at Wolf Creek.
PONTIAC – The Unity Rockets made their golf debut at the 2025 Illini Prairie Conference Golf Tournament on Monday at Wolf Creek Golf Course, navigating the par-72 layout for the first time in school history. Unity finished ninth as a team with a total of 383 strokes, 21 shots behind eighth-place Bloomington Central Catholic and 51 strokes behind champions Prairie Central, who captured the conference title with 332 strokes.
The top three teams were Prairie Central, St. Thomas More in second, and Monticello in third.
Individual honors went to Bloomington Central Catholic’s Vaughn Oakey, who fired an even-par 72. Monticello’s Max Henrard and Prairie Central’s Easton Friedman tied for second with 73, while St. Thomas More’s Wyatt Kirby carded 75 for fourth place.
Unity was led by Keely Carter, who finished 29th overall with a 90. Charlie Watson (96), Ashton Wolf (98), and Cole Zorns (99) also contributed, while Bryan Kleiss (109) and Adam Wolken (129) rounded out the roster. Despite the team’s ninth-place finish, the Rockets showed promise in their inaugural season and gained valuable experience competing against established conference programs.
Top 10 Individual Finishers
1. Vaughn Oakey, Bloomington Central Catholic 72
2. Max Henrard, Monticello 73
2. Easton Friedman, Prairie Central 73
4. Wyatt Kirby, St. Thomas More 75
5. Cayden Masching, Pontiac 77
6. Tyler Clarkson, St. Thomas More 79
7. Kaleb Hendrix, Monticello 81
8. Keller Schrock, Illinois Valley Central 82
8. Tucker Stoller, Prairie Central 82
10. Spencer Stockwill, Rantoul 83
Unity Golf Team Scores
Keely Carter 90
Charlie Watson 96
Ashton Wolf 98
Cole Zorns 99
Bryan Kleiss 109
Adam Wolken 129
Team Total: 383 (9th place)
Final Team Standings (Top 9)
1. Prairie Central
2. St. Thomas More
3. Monticello
4. St. Joseph-Ogden
5. Rantoul
5. Pontiac
7. Illinois Valley Central
8. Bloomington Central Catholic
9. Unity
Unity Rockets first golf season, Illini Prairie Conference golf results 2025, Prairie Central conference golf champions, Wolf Creek Pontiac high school golf, Illinois high school golf team standings
Crewe Eckstein (left) and Tre Hoggard (left) celebrate with Josh Heath in the end zone at Dick Duval Field after piling points on the scoreboard against St. Joseph-Ogden. The Rockets won the regular season contest 40-10, tying for second with SJO in Illini Prairie Conference with three wins and one loss. Next up, Unity hosts Pontiac for their 2025 homecoming game next Friday at Hicks Field.
Strong finish for SJO — Spartans take 4th at Illini Prairie tourney with 343 strokes. Pruemer leads SJO with 11th-place finish 11 over par.
PONTIAC - St. Joseph-Ogden turned in a steady team performance to finish fourth at the 2025 Illini Prairie Conference Golf Tournament on Monday at Wolf Creek Golf Course. The Spartans posted a team score of 343, just behind third-place Bloomington Central Catholic at 332 and runner-up Monticello at 327. Prairie Central captured the conference championship with a team total of 322 strokes.
Saints' Vaughn Oakey led the field with an even-par 72, claiming the individual title. Sages’s Max Henrard and Prairie Central’s Easton Friedman tied for second with rounds of 73. St. Thomas More’s Wyatt Kirby carded a 75 to finish fourth overall.
SJO was paced by senior Asher Pruemer, who fired an 83 to finish in a four-way tie for 10th place, dropping to 11th thanks to a tie-breaker. Teammate Trevor Ames followed with an 84, while Garrett Loschen and Devan Swisher each shot 88. Graham Ray (94) and Nathan Daly (103) rounded out the Spartan lineup.
Team Leaderboard (Top 5)
1. Prairie Central 322
2. Monticello 327
3. Bloomington Central Catholic 332
4. St. Joseph-Ogden 343
5. St. Thomas More 348
Top 10 Individual Finishers
1. Vaughn Oakey, Bloomington Central Catholic 72
2. Max Henrard, Monticello 73
2. Easton Friedman, Prairie Central 73
4. Wyatt Kirby, St. Thomas More 75
5. Cayden Masching, Pontiac 77
6. Tyler Clarkson, St. Thomas More 79
7. Kaleb Hendrix, Monticello 81
8. Keller Schrock, Illinois Valley Central 82
8. Tucker Stoller, Prairie Central 82
10. Spencer Stockwill, Rantoul 83
11. Asher Pruemer, St. Joseph-Ogden 83
St. Joseph-Ogden Scores
Asher Pruemer 83
Trevor Ames 84
Garrett Loschen 88
Devan Swisher 88
Graham Ray 94
Nathan Daly 103
Team Total: 343 (4th place)
Illini Prairie Conference golf results, St. Joseph-Ogden golf tournament finish, Prairie Central golf team 2025, Wolf Creek Pontiac golf IHSA, Illinois high school golf conference championship
Illinois Supreme Court suspends Tom DeVore’s law license for 60 days over ethics violations tied to his romantic and professional relationship with a client.
SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Supreme Court has ordered former Illinois attorney general Republican nominee Tom DeVore’s law license suspended for 60 days, following a yearslong public feud involving his client-turned-girlfriend and the state’s attorney discipline board.
The court’s order affirms a recommendation this spring by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, which found “clear and convincing evidence” that DeVore’s actions related to Riley Craig had broken several Illinois Supreme Court ethics rules.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jerry Norwicki
Former Republican Illinois attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore is pictured at the Illinois State Fair in 2022.
Craig, a Springfield salon owner, was one of the hundreds of clients DeVore represented in dozens of lawsuits after gaining notoriety for representing then-state Rep. Darren Bailey in an April 2020 lawsuit challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Two years later, DeVore joined Bailey on an unsuccessful statewide GOP ticket to unseat Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
DeVore, a lawyer from rural Greenville in the Metro East, began a romantic relationship with Craig after filing a pandemic-related lawsuit on her behalf in May 2020, according to ARDC documents. Though Craig’s litigation against the Pritzker administration was unsuccessful, their relationship continued for nearly three years.
In mounting a defense to the ARDC’s case, DeVore claimed that his work as Riley’s attorney in her effort to get her salon reopened had ended by the time their romantic involvement began in late May or June 2020. The ARDC disputed DeVore’s timeline, pointing to continued attorney behavior in that case.
But beyond that, DeVore went on to represent Riley in three other legal matters — including her divorce — that summer. That “demonstrated an unbroken continuation of his attorney-client relationship” with Craig, the ARDC ruled.
... consensual sexual activity between an attorney and a client constitutes an impermissible conflict of interest...
The disciplinary panel began looking into DeVore’s behavior in 2021, and during that initial investigation, Craig said she was not a client when their sexual relationship began. She repeated that claim on social media while DeVore was running for attorney general in 2022.
But in May 2023, a few months after Craig and DeVore broke up, Craig “threatened to change her story” to the disciplinary panel so that DeVore would “lose his law license,” according to the ARDC report.
The disciplinary panel also pointed out that “even consensual sexual activity between an attorney and a client constitutes an impermissible conflict of interest because the attorney’s emotional involvement with the client creates a significant risk that the attorney’s independent professional judgment will be impaired.”
DeVore also got involved in Craig’s business venture to launch a hair product business, for which the pair took out $600,000 in loans in 2021. But in doing so, the ARDC found DeVore failed to provide “required safeguards” for Craig.
... email also called Craig a “petulant child” ..."
The business was failing in the spring of 2023 when Craig made her threat to expose DeVore, according to ARDC documents. Following that May 2023 meeting, Craig filed her own complaint with the ARDC and filed for personal bankruptcy to avoid responsibility for the company’s debt.
But the day after Craig filed for bankruptcy, DeVore sent an email to both Craig and a vendor that the company owed $30,000, which alerted the vendor to Craig’s filing — and the fact the vendor could still come after the company for its debt. The email also called Craig a “petulant child” and apologized for her “nasty character,” according to the ARDC report.
The disciplinary panel also found the email violated state ethics rules for attorneys.
DeVore declined to comment on the court’s order to Capitol News Illinois. His law license will be suspended for 60 days beginning Oct. 10.
But the attorney has been staying busy. Earlier this year, he formed a political action committee dubbed “Tom DeVore’s RINO Removal,” referring to the acronym for “Republicans in Name Only.” DeVore has been recruiting candidates to face GOP state legislators in primary races, including House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savana.
He’s also filed several lawsuits against fellow Republicans in the last year, including one accusing McCombie of censoring him by deleting his comments and barring him from posting on her Facebook page. On Monday, a federal judge granted McCombie’s motion to dismiss the suit.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Dear Editor,
Let’s talk about this fun-police-mandated word “allowed.” Allowed by whom? By the same paragons of virtue crowd that burned women alive for being “too smart”? By the ones who outlawed women from reading, voting, and owning property because it threatened, bruised, and fractured their fragile egos? The same people who still panic and experience a total neurological meltdown when a woman dares to sit at the head of a boardroom table? Oh, yes—thank you, mighty overlords, for your generous crumbs of liberty.
But here’s the delightful irony: women were ruling empires from golden thrones and commanding vast armies while men were still drawing stick figures in caves. Women birthed nations—literally—while men wrote laws deciding if those same women could even own their own bodies. Women ran revolutions, resisted oppression, and rebuilt entire societies while men stood around acting like referees of existence, blowing their whistle: “Okay, fine, you’re allowed now. Don’t get too cocky.”
Too cocky? Sweetheart, women don’t need cocky—they’ve got capable. And capable terrifies you. Let’s correct the narrative, shall we? Women have been running kingdoms, civilizations, households, revolutions, and movements long before anyone scribbled the word “allowed” onto their lips. Cleopatra didn’t wait for a consent slip or a committee’s approval. Joan of Arc didn’t ask if it was “okay” to lead an army. Rosa Parks didn’t sit on that bus thinking, “Gee, I hope the men let me do this.”
Hatshepsut declared herself Pharaoh and ruled Egypt with unparalleled prosperity. Boudicca led a massive rebellion against the Roman Empire. Tomoe Gozen was a legendary samurai warrior, respected for her skill and ferocity long before any man dared to diminish her glory.
Artemisia I of Caria, the brilliant naval commander who fought for Xerxes at Salamis, whose strategic advice was so valued by the Persian king that he reportedly said, “My men have become women, and my women, men.”
Yet somehow, today, in the year where we pretend to be “progressive,” the phrase “women are allowed” still gets thrown around like a consolation prize. Allowed to work. Allowed to inherit. Allowed to drive. Allowed to speak. Do you hear the ridiculousness? It’s like saying, “You’re allowed to eat, but only if we feel generous.”
The next time “allowed” is uttered, remember: women decide. They don’t negotiate for power. They take it.
Yumna Zahid Ali Karachi, Pakistan
TAGS: Women empowerment, feminism, gender equality, social commentary, Yumna Zahid Ali
McCaskill’s hat trick and strong defense fuel Unity soccer’s first victory, setting up conference play next week.
TOLONO - After six heart-breaking attempts, the Unity High School soccer team finally broke through Monday night, securing their first win of the season with a 4-1 home victory over Hoopeston.
The Rockets, who had struggled to find the back of the net all season, relied on a blend of veteran poise and youthful energy to finally get over the hump, improving to 1-4-2.
Unity struck first at the end of the opening half, with seasoned forward Caden McCaskill converting a precise pass into the goal. Hoopeston answered in the second half when Beckett Moran found the net, briefly tying the match at 1-1. But the Rockets refused to let momentum slip away. McCaskill, feeding off another well-placed setup from teammates, scored again to put Unity ahead 2-1, then completed his first hat trick of the season for a 3-1 lead. Logan Wells added the finishing touch late in the game, pushing the final tally to 4-1.
Goalkeeper Carter Cromwell was a key factor in the win, turning away 14 Hoopeston shots and keeping the Rockets in control throughout.
Next up, Unity heads into conference play, beginning with a Thursday matchup against undefeated St. Joseph-Ogden (16-0) at Dick Duval Field. Following that, the Rockets travel to Rantoul (4-7, IPC 0-1) and conclude the week at home against Illinois Valley Central (7-6-2, IPC 0-2).
TAGS: Unity High School soccer first win, Caden McCaskill hat trick, Hoopeston vs Unity soccer, Carter Cromwell 14 saves, Unity soccer 2025 season recap
Illinois and national policies sending minors to adult court do not improve safety, according to a new report.
Photo: Emma Ou/Unsplash
by Judith Ruiz-Branch Public News ServiceCHICAGO - A new report highlighted how trying juveniles in adult court, in Illinois and across the country, does not make the public any safer and can even lead to more repeat offenses.
The report is part of a series by the Juvenile Justice Initiative of Illinois, which pointed to profound racial bias in prosecuting children in adult court.
Elizabeth Clarke, director of the initiative, said laws permitting the automatic transfer of kids to adult court, and others allowing kids over age 15 to be interrogated without legal counsel, all contribute to what she calls a "failed policy" of trying juveniles in adult court. Clarke noted most kids waive their Miranda Rights during custodial interrogation.
Every state in the U.S. and almost every nation has a separate court for children because not only are children's brains not fully developed but children are more capable of change
"Then unfortunately, based upon a statement, where they've never consulted with a lawyer, they can be charged in the adult court," Clarke explained. "They simply can't understand the ramifications of what they are signing."
Clark emphasized juvenile courts are more effective at reducing repeat offenses, addressing individual needs and holding children accountable. She argued the juvenile justice system has become incredibly complex, with multiple pathways for trying minors in adult court. Her organization advocates for simplifying the system.
Illinois established the first juvenile court more than 100 years ago but Clarke said in the 1990s, the state began implementing tougher policies to bypass juvenile court and automatically transfer certain minors to adult court. Clarke noted Illinois has been gradually dismantling these transfer provisions. The report mentioned a reform in 2015 which examined about 200 children’s cases in adult court and determined 90% should be in juvenile court.
"Every state in the U.S. and almost every nation has a separate court for children because not only are children's brains not fully developed but children are more capable of change," Clarke stressed.
The report recommended ending automatic transfer entirely, and requiring an attorney be present throughout interrogations in cases when a child could be transferred to adult court or receive an adult sentence. It also pinpointed the need for better data collection to understand where the practices are most common and where alternative resources might be more effective.
A bill which would have required legal representation for all Illinois children during interrogations failed in the Legislature last year.
More stories ~
After sweeping four sectional matches, Champaign-Urbana mixed doubles squad will represent Illinois at the USTA Nationals in Florida.
by Clark Brooks
Sentinel Sports
INDIANAPOLIS - Kai Wang’s 18-and-over 7.0 mixed doubles tennis team is headed to Orlando after a commanding performance at the Midwest USTA sectional tournament in Indianapolis. The Champaign-Urbana squad swept through four matches over the weekend, dropping only five sets out of 26 played, to punch its ticket to the national championships set for Oct. 31–Nov. 2 at the USTA National Campus.
Mixed doubles competition pairs one male and one female player, combining their strengths on the court. The combined rating of both partners can’t exceed 7.0, and their individual numbers usually can’t differ by more than one point. Common pairings include a 3.5 player with another 3.5, or a 4.0 with a 3.0.
"Everyone is super excited about going to nationals," Wang said. A three-year veteran USTA team captain, he has led three other teams to sectional competition this year. In addition to his four team, a software developer by day, also plays on two other tennis teams. "It has always been challenging for a Champaign team to get out of sectionals. This year's sectional was very strange."
Wang said the top perrenial top team from Michigan did make it out of the state this year and the Wisconsin team was without some of their best female players due the timing of the sectional championship on the calendar.
Teams typically compete on three doubles courts, with the strongest pairing on Court 1 and the weakest on Court 3. Captains sometimes shift strategy, placing stronger teams on the No. 2 or No. 3 court. To win a team match, a squad must secure victories on at least two courts.
The victory is a glowing mark for the twin-city tennis community. Wang’s team is the first Champaign-Urbana squad to reach a national USTA event since 2014, when Dee Deschler guided a women’s 55-and-over team to Nationals. This year’s group qualified for sectionals after capturing the Illinois state crown on Sept. 13 with a hard-fought 2-1 decision.
Competing at the West Indy Racquet Club, the Champaign-Urbana squad opened with a 2-1 victory Friday against Wisconsin’s state champions, Team Putti. Saturday brought back-to-back sweeps as Wang’s side rolled past Indiana’s Team Inselberg and Michigan’s Team Armante, both by 3-0 margins. On Sunday, with a trip to Florida at stake, they sealed the deal in a 2-1 triumph over Ohio’s state titleholders, Team Ung.
Strong performances carried the weekend, including undefeated 3-0 runs by doubles pairs Chris Sarol and Kyo Nakanishi, and Minsun Kim and Angad Mehta. Their consistency proved to be a key factor in the team’s sectional success.
Wang said Nakanishi was a great addition to the team this year. The Japan native has won nine of her 12 matches since starting USTA competition this summer.
"Chris has really improved this year," he added. Sarol, a former Champaign Centennial standout, is one of the top 4.0-rated USTA players in the Mid-South Illinois region. Having played 36 matches this year, he secured victories in 31 of them. "They are really good together."
Wang highlighted Mehta and Kim as his top doubles pairing.
"Angad and M.K. are our strongest team," he said. "Angad is one of the strongest 3.5 players in our area. M.K. will probably get bumped up [to the next USTA level] next year."
Mehta, an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois, said he was proud of the team’s accomplishment and grateful for the opportunity to be part of this season’s journey.
"I can’t stop thinking about this - our little team from rural Illinois, based in the middle of cornfields, becomes a state champion, then goes on to beat every other state champion at sectionals, and is now on our way to nationals," he said. Thanking his teammates, he added, "What an incredible story this is. To assemble a group like this is quite incredible."
Mehta said he is looking forward to competing on the nation’s biggest stage against teams and players from across the country.
"It should be really cool."
The roster of the advancing Champaign-Urbana team includes: Kym Man, Angad Mehta, Su A Lee, Kai Wang, Kyo Nakanishi, Jooyen Kim, Paul Cheung, Chris Sarol, Lisa Ainsworth, Ben Lee, Minsun Kim, Sung Min Moon, Teri Scaggs, Noel Castro, Patrick Hammie, and Karolyn Smith.
Box Scores:
Team Wang vs Putti, Wisconsin FINAL: 2-1
#1 - Prathap Palaniswamy/Megan Prahl def Jooyen Kim/Kai Wang - 6-3, 6-2
#2 - Kyo Nakanishi/Chris Sarol def Abtin Molavi/Molly Moritz - 6-4, 6-1
#3 - Paul Cheung/Minsun Kim def Amberlee Baugus/Hung Mahn Nguyen - 6-3, 6-3 Team Wang vs Inselberg, Indiana FINAL: 3-0
#1 - Sarol/Nakanishi def Shelby Ackerman/Alex Aukerman - 6-3, 4-6, 1-0
#2 - Angad Mehta/Minsun Kim def Ashley DeMello/Jacob Lewis - 6-2, 6-1
#3 - Noel Castro/Kym Man def Mallory Inselberg/Damon Grothe - 6-1, 6-1 Team Wang vs Amante, Michigan FINAL: 3-0
#1 - Mehta/Kim def Yvonne Boucher/Patrick van Tuinen - 6-1, 6-3
#2 - Castro/Man def Gary Arp/Pam Kloet - 6-0, 6-2
#3 - Teri Scaggs/Sung Min Moon def Joe Morris/Nicole Morris - 6-2, 6-1 Team Wang vs Ung, Ohio FINAL: 2-1
#1 - Denise Hwang/Phong Nguyen def Castro/Man - 6-3, 3-6, 1-0
#2 - Sarol/Nakanishi def Eileen Connell/Craig Nine - 6-1, 6-2
#3 - Mehta/Kim def David Blond/Marybeth Esposito - 6-2, 6-3 More stories ~
The First Amendment ensures speech, not paychecks. From TV hosts to pastors, free expression at work often collides with financial realities.
The first amendment protects our free speech but employers will protect their bottom line.
However, to some extent, there are some limitations and barriers for all of us. When he began his career, national radio personality Howard Stern couldn’t keep a job. His content was so raw and shocking that station owners and managers couldn’t afford to keep him on because advertisers couldn’t afford to risk supporting him. Things changed. He eventually became acceptable to enough listeners that he was hugely profitable. A massive contract with Sirius XM radio gave him a huge audience, allowed him to say whatever he wanted and paid him handsomely. Since 2004, they have paid him hundreds of millions of dollars. His employer found him to be profitable and accepted by many.
Stearns’ contract recently expired and his deal hasn’t been renewed. The renewal won’t be based on Stearns’ freedom of speech but it will be based on whether he will be profitable for Sirius XM radio which means he probably won’t be returning.
Glenn Mollette
Jimmy Kimmel is off the air, for now. He has been making a nice $15M a year salary from the Disney corporation who owns ABC and the ESPN network as well. He has had a nice job with them for 20 years and come out five nights a week saying whatever he wanted to say. After some recent comments made about Charlie Kirk that have been replayed numerous times on national TV, Disney decided to take his show down for a while, possibly forever.
Stations across the country let it be known to Disney they weren’t going to air Kimmel’s show after his remarks about Kirk and Disney listened. It was about money. Disney is in the business to make money, big money. The Stephen Colbert show was losing $40M a year and Colbert’s show had better ratings than Kimmel. The idea of losing millions of dollars on Kimmel was unacceptable to Disney. If TV station chains, cable companies and local stations around the country had applauded Kimmel, if ratings and profitability had soared, Disney would have kept Kimmel on.
No employer is going to keep you on the payroll if your mouth is bankrupting the business. You may have the right to speak but you may be speaking on the street corner somewhere without a paycheck if the employer doesn’t like what you are saying.
The minister of your local church may have the freedom to preach the Bible. Yet, he or she could find themselves unemployed if they ruffle enough feathers of the congregation’s leadership. A politician may speak freely but only has a job if he or she can sway enough voters. You can walk into wherever you work and say whatever you want about the company or your boss. Most likely, you’ll end up in the unemployment line. Plus, you will not be able to obtain a reference or recommendation for your next interview.
Yes, we have freedom of speech but it has limitations and consequences. Charlie Kirk was his own employer. That seems to be about the only way you can really pull off free speech. He said just about whatever he wanted and there wasn’t anyone to fire him, so someone killed him. Sadly, Charlie Kirk’s free speech cost him his life.
There is almost always a price to be paid for freedom of speech. It is important and it is American, but your employer doesn’t have to agree with you or keep you on the payroll.
About the author ~
Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.
The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Charlie Kirk assassination legacy, history of assassinated American leaders, free speech and violence in America, political debate versus violence, legacy of voices after tragedy
Taking on one of personal care's least-talked-about problems
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