Chicago Sports

Babanifesimi Opadele figured he knew what he was getting into when he moved to the United States from Nigeria as a 10-year-old.

“At firstI thought I was going to fit in because I used to watch a lot of Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network,” said Opadele, who’s now 17 and a junior football player at Young. “I thoughtit was going to be exactly like that, but it was not.”

What took some gettingused to was American English vernacular.

“It was a culture shock at first because it was so many things, like slang words I wasn’t used to and I didn’t know what it was, and it would be awkward.”

Any uneasiness is long past, though. The outgoing Opadele has found a home at Young, both on and off thefootball field.

“He’s been branching out a lot more,” Young coach Dan Finger said. “Last year at the homecoming dance was a big one. The guys came back and were like, ‘He’s thelife of the party. He’s doing back flips on the dance floor and stufflike that.'”

Opadele, a solid 5-5 and 200 pounds, has been opening eyes on the football field as well after coming to the sport almost by accident.

“My mom originally thought it was soccer,” he said, rather than American football. “I was like, a little fat kid. This was summer [after] my eighth-grade year and my mom wanted me out of the house.”

In the Dolphins football program, Opadele found some kindred spirits.

“I started talking with some new kids and I got along really well with them,” he said. “They were all funny and they were all caring people … so I was like, I might as well stick to this.”

Opadele started lifting weights and transformed his body. He was second in a state powerlifting competition, a remarkable result considering where he started.

“The summer camp of my freshman year we would go into lift and I remember not being able to pick up anything,” he said, laughing. “It was a struggle.

“People think I just woke up and overnight I was very strong. Uh, no. I saw how the seniors were way stronger than me and [thought], ‘I can get better at this.'”

He did. His personal bests are 300 pounds for the bench press, 550 squat and 500 deadl-lift.

Opadele’s work ethic and enthusiasm made him a quick study when it came to football and he’s turned himself into a key cog for the Dolphins. Playing offensive guard on the varsity last season, he had 24 pancake blocks. This fall, he’s added defensive line duties and is starting both ways.

“He’s just a really aggressive guy and he’s built himself into that,” Finger said. “He picks up everything so quickly.”

Though he just started his junior season, Opadele has shown the potential to play beyond high school.

“His height is going to be a limiting factor, but D-III schools are going to love him,” Finger said. “His grades are good. He’s going to have opportunities to get into schools he might not otherwise have gotten into because of football.

“We’re working with him on the whole Twitter thing, helping him promote himself because that’s not who he is naturally.”

Who Opadele is, is a kid who’s found his niche in a new sport in a new country. And he can’t wait to see what comes next.

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Please send corrections or additions to [email protected].

Thursday, September 8

RED CENTRAL

Woodlawn vs. Pritzker at Lane, 4:15

BLUE CENTRAL

Muchin vs. Golder at Lane, 7:15

BLUE SOUTHEAST

Fenger vs. Chicago Military at Gately, 4:15

Washington vs. DuSable at Gately, 7:15

NONCONFERENCE

Minooka at Romeoville, 7

Oswego at Joliet Central, 6:30

Oswego East at Plainfield East, 6

Plainfield North at Joliet West, 6:30

West Aurora at Plainfield Central, 7

Yorkville at Plainfield South, 7

Friday, September 9

RED CENTRAL

Hansberry at Speer, 7:15

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Amundsen at Steinmetz, 4:15

Senn vs. Schurz at Lane, 7:15

Von Steuben vs. Mather at Winnemac, 4:15

RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Dunbar vs. Chicago Richards at Stagg, 4:15

UP-Bronzeville at Perspectives, 7:30

RED SOUTHEAST

Comer vs. Corliss at Gately, 7:15

Vocational vs. Carver at Gately, 4:15

BLUE NORTH

Chicago Academy vs. Clemente at Lane, 4:15

Foreman at Marine, 4:15

DUKANE

Batavia at Wheaton North, 7

Glenbard North at Geneva, 7

Lake Park at St. Charles East, 7

Wheaton-Warrenville South at St. Charles North, 7

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at Dundee-Crown, 7

Cary-Grove at Crystal Lake Central, 7

Hampshire at Crystal Lake South, 7

Huntley at Prairie Ridge, 7

Jacobs at McHenry, 7

ILLINOIS CENTRAL EIGHT

Coal City at Wilmington, 7

Peotone at Manteno, 7

Reed-Custer at Lisle, 7

Streator at Herscher, 7

KISHWAUKEE BLUE

Marengo at Richmond-Burton, 7

Rochelle at Johnsburg, 7

KISHWAUKEE WHITE

Kaneland at Morris, 7

LaSalle-Peru at Woodstock North, 7

Sycamore at Woodstock, 7

METRO SUBURBAN BLUE

Aurora Central at Wheaton Academy, 7:30

Elmwood Park at IC Catholic, 7

Ridgewood at Bishop McNamara, 7

METRO SUBURBAN RED

Chicago Christian at Riverside-Brookfield, 7

St. Francis at St. Edward, 7:30

NORTH SUBURBAN

Stevenson at Lake Zurich, 7

Warren at Libertyville, 7

Waukegan at Lake Forest, 7:15

Zion-Benton at Mundelein, 7

NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY

Grayslake North at Grant, 7

Lakes at Antioch, 7

North Chicago at Grayslake Central, 7

Round Lake at Wauconda, 7

SOUTH SUBURBAN BLUE

Bremen at Tinley Park, 6

Oak Forest at Lemont, 7

TF North at TF South, 7

SOUTH SUBURBAN RED

Oak Lawn at Evergreen Park, 7

Reavis at Argo, 7

Richards at Eisenhower, 7

SOUTHLAND

Kankakee at Thornridge, 6

Rich Township at Thornwood, 6

UPSTATE EIGHT

East Aurora at Bartlett, 7

Larkin at Glenbard South, 7

South Elgin at Fenton, 7

Streamwood at Elgin, 7:30

West Chicago at Glenbard East, 7

WEST SUBURBAN GOLD

Addison Trail at Morton, 7:30

Leyden at Hinsdale South, 7:30

Willowbrook at Proviso East, 7:30

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

Hinsdale Central at Lyons, 7

Proviso West at York, 7:30

NONCONFERENCE

Andrew at Sandburg, 7

Belleville East at Metea Valley, 7

Bismarck-Henning at Watseka, 7

Bolingbrook at Lincoln-Way West, 7:30

Brother Rice at Benet, 7:30

Christ the King at Aurora Christian, 7:30

Deer Creek-Mackinaw at Ottawa Marquette, 7

Deerfield at Hersey, 7

DeKalb at Belleville West, 6

Downers Grove South at Downers Grove North, 7

Evanston at Prospect, 7:30

Glenbrook North at Conant, 7:30

Glenbrook South at Fremd, 7:30

Highland Park at Buffalo Grove, 7

Homewood-Flossmoor at Lincoln-Way Central, 7:30

Iroquois West at Georgetown, 7

Joliet Catholic at De La Salle, 7:30

Kenwood at Taft, 7:30

Lincoln-Way East at Stagg, 7

Lockport at Bradley-Bourbonnais, 7

Loyola at St. Rita, 7:30

Maine East at Wheeling, 7

Maine South at Barrington, 7:30

Maine West at Hoffman Estates, 7:30

Marist at Nazareth, 7

Milwaukee Riverside, Wis. at Naperville Central, 7

Momence at Hoopeston, 7

Montini at Marmion, 7:30

Mount Carmel at Notre Dame, 7:30

New Trier at Palatine, 7:30

Niles North at Elk Grove, 7:30

Niles West at Schaumburg, 7

O’Fallon at Waubonsie Valley, 6

Oakwood at Clifton Central, 7

Ottawa at Harvard, 7

Providence at Fenwick, 7:30

Shepard at Hillcrest, 6

St. Laurence at St. Ignatius, 7:30

St. Louis St. Mary’s, Mo. at Neuqua Valley, 7

St. Patrick at Marian Central, 7:30

St. Viator at DePaul Prep, 7:30

Vernon Hills at Rolling Meadows, 7

Westmont at Plano, 7

Westville at Dwight, 7

Saturday, September 10

RED CENTRAL

Catalyst-Maria vs. UIC Prep at Eckersall, 10 a.m.

Rauner vs. Rowe-Clark at Orr, 4

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Lake View vs. Sullivan at Winnemac, 4

RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Bogan vs. Hyde Park at Eckersall, 4

King vs. Ag. Science at Gately, 1

RED SOUTHEAST

Dyett vs. South Shore at Gately, 4

Julian at Goode, 2

RED WEST

Lincoln Park vs. Kennedy at Westinghouse, 10 a.m.

North Lawndale vs. Bulls Prep at Winnemac, 10 a.m.

Payton vs. Crane at Westinghouse, 4

Raby vs. Little Village at Orr, 1

BLUE CENTRAL

Johnson vs. Noble Street at Winnemac, 1

Noble Academy vs. Longwood at Gately, 10 a.m.

BLUE NORTH

Roosevelt vs. Prosser at Lane, 4

BLUE SOUTHEAST

Harlan vs. Bowen at Eckersall, 1

BLUE SOUTHWEST

Back of the Yards vs. Lindblom at Stagg, 1

Englewood STEM vs. Gage Park at Stagg, 10 a.m.

Solorio vs. Tilden at Stagg, 4

BLUE WEST

Collins at Kelly, 11 a.m.

Marshall at Orr, 10 a.m.

SOUTHLAND

Crete-Monee at Thornton, 1

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

Oak Park-River Forest at Glenbard West, 1:30

NONCONFERENCE

Carmel vs. Leo at St. Rita, 7

Clark at Brooks, 4

Curie at Westinghouse, 1

Detroit St. Mary’s, Mich. at Naperville North, 1

Hope Academy at Quincy Notre Dame, 1

Hubbard at Lane, noon

Marian Catholic at Bloom, noon

Morgan Park vs. Phillips at Gately, 7

Seneca at Salt Fork, 1

Simeon vs. Young at Lane, 7:15

Walther Christian at Red Hill, 1

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gabriel Slonina made a career-high nine saves, some of them fantastic, helping the Fire salvage a 0-0 draw with the Crew on Saturday.

Slonina earned his 12th shutout of the season, and the Fire (8-13-8, 32 points) are unbeaten in their last two games with only five left in the regular season.

“He came up with another great performance,” coach Ezra Hendrickson said. “We know that he’s a good goalkeeper and has been good all year for us. So we’re happy to have him.”

“He’s always been a confident goalkeeper. He’s always been a good ‘keeper. Hence, he signed a contract with Chelsea.”

The Fire are six points out of the seventh and last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, held by Cincinnati (9-8-11, 38 points). The Crew (9-6-13, 40 points) are sixth.

“At the end of the season, at the end of the day, we want to make the playoffs,” Slonina said. “So I’m happy for [the career high in saves], but it would be better if I made three saves and we got the win.

“The clean sheet is nice, but obviously,we want to get as much points as possible. So going for the win is the most important.”

In a first half that saw the Crew utilize high pressure, the Fire were forced to make a substitution in the 33rd minute when midfielder Brian Gutierrez was replaced by Jhon Duran after going down with an injury.

The team shifted into a 4-4-2 formation for the first time this season, with Kacper Przybylko and Duran leading the charge on the attack.

Slonina was called into action during the second minute of first-half stoppage time when Derrick Etienne Jr. took advantage of a wall created by his teammates at the top of the Fire’s box, curling a shot around to the second post that Slonina did well to dive to his right to make the save.

Slonina and the Fire defense were again put on high alert in the 63rd minute by -Columbus forward Cucho Hernandez, who took a shot that Slonina reacted well to save. Both players quickly went after the rebound, with Slonina blocking the shot and Fire defender Carlos Teran then clearing the ball out of danger.

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After making three consecutive starts following a return from a left knee strain, Yasmani Grandal said he’s ready and determined to catch as much as possible for the White Sox’ stretch drive.

“Yeah, that’s what I want to do,” said Grandal, who has made only 46 starts at catcher due to back spasms and a knee injury. “I’ve maybe DH’d more than I’ve caught this year. I’ve never done that in my life, nor am I looking forward to doing that. So, hopefully I’ll be able to finish strong, be able to finish catching as much as I can, and we’ll see where it takes me.”

Actually, Grandal has started at designated hitter 24 times and first base three times. He didn’t start Saturday night after making three consecutive starts at catcher — marking the first time he made at least three consecutive starts behind the plate since June 8-11. He left the June 11 game at Texas after three innings because of spasms that ran down his left leg and sidelined him for 35 games.

But Grandal reported that he felt OK after catching all nine innings of Friday’s dramatic 4-3 victory over the Twins in which he hit an RBI single and a game-tying home run to lift his batting average to .207.

“Quite frankly, I thought I was going to feel worse than I did just because I didn’t really get that much sleep the night before,” Grandal said. “I got a 16-month old that’s sick at the house so it’s like getting up every other hour.

“But the funny thing as soon as the game gets here, it’s go time, so all of a sudden that adrenaline picks up. As soon as that picks up, it kind of takes you to the game. I actually felt way better than I thought I was going to feel.”

Acting manager Miguel Cairo understands Grandal’s desire to catch as much as possible and said he would start in Sunday’s series finale.

“The main thing is the communication,” Cairo said. “That’s what I preach. You communicate, you talk. You might disagree or agree, stuff like that. At the end of the day everything has been working fine.”

Grandal would seem likely to start Monday against the Mariners and left-hander Marco Gonzales. Grandal is batting .321 with a .931 OPS against lefties, compared to a .178 average and .493 OPS against right-handers.

This and that

Outfielder Luis Robert was expected to return Sunday and will have his wrist examined with the possibility he could be reinstated from the Paternity List.

o Pitcher Michael Kopech (left knee soreness) could be activated on the Sox’s upcoming trip to Seattle and Oakland, Cairo said. Kopech hasn’t pitched since Aug. 22.

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ST. LOUIS — Every baseball writer with hotdog on his or her breath is certain catcher Willson Contreras won’t be back with the Cubs next season. Then again, everyone just knew Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer would trade Contreras at the deadline, but Hoyer couldn’t get it done.

What do we know, right?

Scratch that. You can trust us on this one: Contreras is an offseason goner.

And one of the teams that might be interested in his services is the Cardinals, who are counting down to an emotional farewell to retiring star catcher Yadier Molina. What would Cubs manager David Ross think of seeing Contreras wearing the Bird on the Bat?

“Then we’ll try to kick his butt every time we come here,” Ross said Saturday before the Cubs lost 8-4 to the Cardinals in the middle game of a weekend series.

Contreras hasn’t played since he left Tuesday’s game in Toronto with a sore left ankle. Depending how he feels Sunday morning, he might be in the lineup for the series finale.

A reporter wanted to know if Ross is voicing to his bosses that he’d prefer to show up to work next season and find a three-time All-Star in a Cubs uniform squatting behind the plate.

“I’ll let Jed take care of all that stuff. The budget and how they make up the roster, I leave up to them,” Ross said. “When they ask my opinion, I give it. I think Willson has proven he’s a very good player, he’s a winning player, a World Series champion. … Any team he’s on is going to be better for it.”

Ross compared himself to one of his children in a candy store, wanting Dad to say yes to “four Snickers and three Reese’s.”

“I want all the toys,” he said, “as many as we can get.”

But if Ross really believes there’s a chance Contreras will remain a Cub, he didn’t give it away.

“If it’s here, we’re all going to be happy,” he said. “If it’s not, another team is going to benefit from how good a player he is.”

Goldy knocks

The Cubs will not be devastated to be finished with Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt after the weekend. The runaway favorite for National League MVP hit an opposite-field homer off Drew Smyly in the first inning for his seventh long ball of the season against the North Siders. That’s one off the Cardinals record shared by Matt Carpenter (2018), Jim Edmonds (2004), Albert Pujols (2004), Stan Musial (1950) and Rogers Hornsby (1925).

Goodness, St. Louis sure has seen its share of pretty good players. But enough about that.

So much for that

Smyly’s rough night — which included surrendering back-to-back homers to Tommy Edman and Tyler O’Neill before he was yanked in the third inning — ended one of the best brief stretches of his career. The lefty posted a 0.90 ERA over 30 innings in his previous five starts.

First of all …

With a three-run first inning, the Cubs scored first for the 78th time this season, an almost impossible-to-believe numbers considering (1) they’re going to finish a few miles short of .500 and (2) only two teams in all of baseball have scored first more often. The Mets and Astros (81 each)? They’re actually pretty dang good.

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ST. LOUIS — When Cubs rookie Christopher Morel was a boy in the Dominican Republic, he often stood at the plate and imitated a superstar and countryman he deeply admired.

Feet spread extra-wide, rear end down low, hands and bat up high — that was how the great Albert Pujols did it.

Morel even imitated Pujols’ stance when playing “vitilla,” a baseball-like game played with the large, plastic cap of a gallon water jug in place of a ball and a broomstick in place of a bat.

“In the Dominican, I think Pujols is the one who sits at the top with the numbers that he’s put up,” Morel said through a translator Saturday before the Cubs lost 8-4 to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

Maybe during Sunday’s series finale — as the first-place Cardinals go for a three-game sweep and a 13-6 finish in the season series against the Cubs — Morel can imitate Pujols one more time. It’ll be the Cubs’ final game against the first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, who, along with catcher Yadier Molina, will call it a career at season’s end.

“Since I’ve gotten to this level, it’s a privilege to be able to meet him or talk to him,” Morel said. “He tells me respect the game, love what I do and keep playing hard.”

Cubs teammate and fellow Dominican Franmil Reyes — recent recipient of yet another big, warm Pujols hug — calls the 42-year-old “the Machine.”

“We all, as Dominicans, admire him and want to be like him,” Reyes said, “not just to get to play like he [does] but get to be the professional on and off the field like he is. We’re always going to want to be like him. You can see a lot of players have success out there, but nobody respects them how they respect the Machine. That means a lot to all of us.”

Expect Pujols to be in the lineup or at least get an at-bat or two Sunday. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol regretted not getting Pujols to the plate during his final game at Wrigley Field on Aug. 25. The Cardinals — running away with the division and 10-1-1 in their last 12 series — have far bigger fish to fry than the Cubs, but Sunday still has real symbolic and sentimental appeal.

Pujols has 58 career homers against the Cubs, more than he has against any other National League team. He would have 59 if his first-inning shot off Drew Smyly on Saturday didn’t die in left fielder Ian Happ’s glove with Happ’s back pressing against the outfield wall. It was so close to No. 695, but Pujols remained two homers shy of Alex Rodriguez’s 696 and six away from joining Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the 700 club.

It will take something special for Pujols to equal the night Molina had in what almost certainly was his own final game against the North Siders. Molina singled off Smyly in the second inning and cleared the bases with a three-run double off reliever Jeremiah Estrada in the fourth, pumping his hands in the air above his head after chugging — ever so slowly — into second.

Then — come on, you kind of have to love it — the 40-year-old thorn in the Cubs’ sides went ahead and stole third base, just his second bag swiped this season. One couldn’t have scripted that maneuver.

But even bigger and better for Molina than all that: He was in the starting lineup as 41-year-old righty Adam Wainwright’s batterymate for the 323rd time, one shy of the major league record set together by the Tigers’ Mickey Lolich and Bill Freeham. Molina and Wainwright — who beat the Cubs for the 19th time in his career and, many suspect, will be back again in 2023 to try to add to that total — are projected to set the record on Sept. 14 against the Brewers at Busch. Molina also started a game at catcher for the 2,097th time, tying Carlton Fisk for second behind all-time leader Pudge Rodriguez.

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Dylan Cease pitched an absolute gem earning his 13th win of the season as the White Sox won their fourth in a row in a key series against the Twins.

Dylan Cease was one pitch away from history when he lost a no-hitter on the last batter of the bottom of the 9th inning.

You have to wonder if the Sox scoring six runs in the eighth inning led to the Twins getting the final hit off of Dylan Cease. But all that matters is the win.

The White Sox won 13-0 as Dylan Cease threw a one-hit shutout in a masterful performance for the White Sox who have won four straight and now find themselves 2.5 games out of first place in the AL Central.

The White Sox winning streak comes with manager Tony La Russa being out indefinitely with health issues.  let the speculation build on the team responding to La Russa’s health issues because they play better without him, or whether they’re playing for him.

The White Sox will look to close out the Twins with a sweep tomorrow at 1:10 pm with Lucas Giolito getting the start.  

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Specialization may be the rule in high school sports in general, but not at Westinghouse.

Askia Bullie and Tyler Randall are making a difference in multiple sports for the Warriors. On Saturday, they played starring roles as Westinghouse rolled by neighborhood rival Raby 44-6 to retain the Jackson Classic trophy.

The event is named for former Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson, who served as principal at both schools. The Warriors had never won in the series before last year, when they pulled out a victory in the closing seconds.

They dominated this one behind the dual-threat efforts of Bullie, a junior quarterback, and the running of Randall, a senior back.

Bullie completed 11 of 15 passes with one interception for 149 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran 12 times for 81 yards and two TDs. Randall had 12 carries for 79 yards and two scores for the Warriors, who led 26-0 at halftime.

“This means everything,” Bullie said. “This is the heart and soul of the West Side. So whatever we could do to get the win, we do.”

Bullie did plenty and is a quarterback to watch. He threw for around 260 yards in Westinghouse’s season-opening loss to Oak Forest and is already over 400 yards for the season.

“Sky’s the limit for ‘Ski,'” Westinghouse coach Julius Carter said of Bullie. “I think he’s probably one of the best two-sport athletes in the city that nobody knows about. He’s also the starting point guard [in basketball], all-conference.”

But Bullie is a long way from satisfied.

“I want to get better at my pocket passing and I want to be a more disciplined quarterback,” he said. “My receivers were helping me out today. I want to give all the credit to them, and to my line.”

Matthew Sims had three catches for 56 yards and a TD, and Leavell Windfield Jr. had three catches for 53 yards and a score.

Randall’s running was another key for the Warriors. He’s another two-sport standout, having won Public League and sectional titles as a hurdler last spring.

He’s now 2-1 vs. Raby (the game wasn’t played during the abbreviated pandemic season in spring 2021).

“It’s always been a rivalry between us, the Dr. Jackson Classic,” Randall said. “It’s definitely bragging rights.”

The rivalry winning streak isn’t the only reason for optimism at Westinghouse (1-1), The Warriors had more players than helmets (67) when the season began, forcing Carter to scrounge for extras to solve what he calls “a good problem.”

“The kids worked hard over the offseason, we had a great summer,” Carter said. “They wanted [the rivalry win]. And I thought we still left a lot on the field, so I’m proud of my team.”

Raby (1-1) scored on a pass from Dorian Perry to Jajuan Folks, two senior basketball players who were recruited to rebuild a football program hard-hit by the pandemic.

“We’re just growing to get this program back to where it was a couple years back,” Raiders coach Eric Harris said.

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