Chicago Sports

The Bears finally agreed to sign a receiver on Thursday, adding former Notre Dame and Packers player Equanimeous St. Brown to a one-year deal, a source confirmed.

In his last three years with the Packers, St. Brown worked alongside Luke Getsy, who was the team’s quarterback coach and passing game coordinator. The Bears hired Getsy as their offensive coordinator in January.

He had only nine catches for 98 yards last year, one year after catching seven passes for 117 yards. He had 21 receptions for 328 yards as a rookie in 2018. He spent 2019 on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

St. Brown played in both 26 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps and 26 percent of their special teams downs last year.

St. Brown was Notre Dame’s offensive player of the year as a sophomore in 2016.

When the league season began Wednesday, the Bears were left with only two receivers on their roster who caught passes last year: Darnell Mooney and Dazz Newsome. They figure to add more pass-catchers in free agency — and maybe next month’s draft, too.

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Alex Vlasic was told to arrive at Fifth Third Arena for his first Blackhawks practice Thursday just before 9:00.

Not wanting to miss anything, he showed up a tad early — at 8:15.

“I came in [and] didn’t really know what to do with myself, to be honest,” he said. “I talked to the equipment guys, got all my gear. And then I was waiting around, walking around, killing time, waiting for people to show up. I was stressed a little bit. Then I had breakfast, introduced myself to some guys.”

Vlasic, who signed his entry-level contract with the Hawks on Tuesday after finishing his junior season at Boston University, is a significant addition to the Hawks’ defensive prospect pool looking ahead and a significant addition to their active NHL roster at the moment.

Interim coach Derek King said he’s hesitating to throw Vlasic directly into the fire Saturday against the Wild, but due to contract rules, Vlasic will remain in the NHL the rest of the season regardless.

“He closes well, he’s got a good reach [and] his first pass is hard,” King said after watching him practice Thursday. “He snaps that puck around pretty good. And when he did…the players were like, ‘I like this kid already.’ Then I’ve got to chime in and say, ‘It’s about time we got a defenseman who can make a pass around here.’

“Good for the kid. It’s got to be an exciting time for him. I always like seeing guys like that when they get their first game, whenever it is: the excitement, the nerves, seeing how they react.”

He grew up in Wilmette frequently attending Hawks games as a fan, but not as a Hawks fan. His cousin, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, is a 16-year staple on the Sharks, and that allegiance won over his heart as a kid.

“We would always go when they played the Hawks, wear the Sharks jerseys, get booed,” he said, laughing.

Not too many years later, Vlasic is wearing a No. 43 red-and-white Hawks sweater himself, collecting a paycheck from the team and mingling with the likes of Patrick Kane in the locker room.

“It doesn’t feel real,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like I’m on the team; it just feels like I’m just practicing. To everybody I was just like, ‘Wow, I’ve been watching you on TV for a number of years now.’ It was definitely surreal.”

He learned at BU this season how to play with the physicality and strength to match his 6-6 frame, while also receiving pointers about important pro-hockey habits from former Devils forward-turned-BU assistant coach Jay Pandolfo. And this week, with Vlasic weighing whether to sign with the Hawks or return for his senior year, Pandolfo told him he was ready to move up levels — so he did.

Despite his physical maturation, though, he still possesses more offensive and puck-moving skills than one might expect — thus King’s compliments about his passing. That confidence with the puck helped him adjust quickly on Day 1 of practice.

“Sometimes it’s easier at the NHL level, because you find guys are smarter and faster, and when you have the puck on your stick, they’re just in the right spots,” he said. “That’s what I found today, honestly. Playing the five-on-five ‘O’-zone drill, with the puck on my stick, guys were getting open. Obviously playing defense, [though], guys are a lot stronger and faster, so that was a lot harder.”

Note: Tyler Johnson (concussion protocol) briefly skated by himself on the second ice rink Thursday, demonstrating some progress since suffering his latest injury Saturday.

“Gradually you’ll see him, and finally you’ll probably see, eventually, [Connor Murphy], too, start skating and going through the protocol stages,” King said.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — Michael Kopech had COVID in late February, which slowed his offseason throwing plan, and he’s still feeling a bit congested. But the White Sox’ reliever turned starter said he’ll be ready to go when the season opens on April 12.

“I’m on track,” Kopech said. “We’re kind of in this weird limbo where we are being patient but urgent and I think I’m right there in the middle of that. There are some things I want to fine-tune right now, but I have to be patient with myself realizing that we just got to camp. But I feel like I’ll be ready by the start of the season.”

Kopech went 4-3 with a 3.50 ERA in 40 relief appearances and four starts in 2021. A starter throughout his minor league career, the transition to the rotation has been mapped out, and Kopech can’t wait.

“It’s always been my dream job to be a starter,” he said.

With Carlos Rodon lost in free agency to the Giants, a big loss for the rotation, the Sox have more than a passing need for Kopech, who figures to expand on the fastball-slider mix that was his primary arsenal as a reliever, showing more curveballs and changeups. It’s a necessity for going through a lineup multiple times, although, to that end, Kopech’s innings will be monitored. Kopech’s career high is 141 between Triple-A Charlotte and the Sox, and that was four seasons ago.

“I want to throw as many as I can,” Kopech said. “I don’t know what that’s necessarily going to mean for the season, I’m sure they are going to try to be patient with me and limit me a little bit, but I’m going to go out there and aim for as many as anyone else.”

While Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn and Dallas Keuchel have thrown three innings of live batting practice Kopech hasn’t thrown one yet but should soon. Being behind the others, it seems reasonable to assume his first start of the season won’t go deep into the game.

“You watch, you see where he is,” manager La Russa said. “You may pencil in a plan for him. But if he’s ahead, you move it ahead. If he’s behind, you let him catch up. I think you’ve just got to be really careful and look at what you see that time. And then you stick with your plan. But we’re going to err on the side of caution, in terms of building up his pitches.”

Former Sox Pete Ward dies

Former White Sox third baseman Pete Ward died Tuesday of complications due to Alzheimer’s Disease. He was 84.

Ward was the runner-up for AL Rookie of the Year in 1963 (second to Sox lefty Gary Peters) and was top ten in MVP voting in 1963 and ’64.

Ward was surrounded by family, including wife Margaret, in Oswego, Oregon when he died.

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MESA, Ariz. – Cubs lefty Brad Wieck was gearing up to return to the mound to start the season, after undergoing a heart procedure in the fall, his second in as many years.

Because of a left elbow strain, that return will have to wait.

The Cubs placed Wieck on the 60-day injured list Thursday. He felt discomfort in his throwing arm during a bullpen earlier this week. The move made room on the 40-man roster for the Cubs to make official their one-year deal with free agent right-hander Chris Martin.

Before the Major League Baseball lockout ended, Wieck joined several teammates – including Justin Steele, Nico Hoerner and Patrick Wisdom – at Bell Bank Park, where the MLB players association reserved fields and facilities for players to work out.

“I’m feeling really good,” Wieck told the Sun-Times last week after a bullpen session. “After that scare last year, that sucked. … I got incredibly blessed with good doctors, and the big man up top took care of me. So, I’m happy to just be doing this, honestly.”

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MESA, Ariz. — The Cubs demonstrated an emphasis on versatility with their latest addition.

Infielder Jonathan Villar has agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract with the Cubs, multiple outlets reported.

The signing adds another player to the Cubs’ infield mix who can play multiple positions. Villar has experience at shortstop, second and third base. The switch hitter slashed .249/.322/.416 with the Mets last year.

“Rest is important in 162 [games], especially in this season with a shortened spring training,” Cubs manager David Ross said of the value of positional versatility. “Making sure we take care of the young guys, the [injury] history of some of our guys, keeping them on the field is really important to me. We’re going be the best version of us if we keep everybody healthy and are able to keep that flexibility.”

Ross declined to talk specifically about any signing that was not yet official.

In the middle infield, the Cubs also have Nico Hoerner, Nick Madrigal and Andrelton Simmons. Patrick Wisdom is penciled in as the everyday third baseman.

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PHOENIX — There are times when Billy Donovan gets wordy with his responses to the media, making sure he doesn’t skip the details.

But the essence of what the Bulls coach is saying is usually very straightforward.

Maybe it’s a mentality that was instilled growing up in Rockville Centre on Long Island, or maybe it was acquired from all those years of running an elite Florida Gators program where the endgame was always a national championship.

Either way, his approach is very black and white, sink or swim.

That was his message to his players after yet another disappointing loss to a playoff-bound squad, and there was no dancing around it.

With 13 games left in the regular season and still having to maneuver through arguably one of the toughest schedules of any Eastern Conference team, this Bulls roster needs to learn to swim or come playoff time be prepared to drown.

“I don’t think this is an experienced group in those situations where there’s been those [crucial] games, and unfortunately some of these guys have to learn,” Donovan said after the 15-point loss in Utah on Wednesday. “As much as DeMar [DeRozan], Alex [Caruso] and Tristan [Thompson] talk about their experience, it’s nothing like when you go through your own personal experience. There’s ebbs and flows, but these games can change in a possession. A missed block-out, a miscommunication, a foul, someone jumping through the air on a shot fake … it’s so hard to get easy baskets in games like this, but the reality looking in our face is how we have to respond to it.

“Do I think we’ve figured all those things out? Absolutely not. I think we have a long, long way to go in these moments, but this is what we have to go through.”

It wasn’t all doom and gloom coming out of the Jazz performance.

According to Donovan, there were improvements made in boxing out on rebounds, staying on the ground on shot fakes, and a certain amount of urgency from the tip-off.

Baby steps that would normally be applauded in October or November. However, this is now mid-March, and time is not on the side of this roster. They have gone from the top seed in the conference a few months ago to now sitting in the No. 5 spot, and out of home-court advantage in the first round.

“There’s an attention to detail and a concentration … it’s being able to, ‘I’m at the free-throw line and I’m not thinking about the last play, I’ve gotta block out. Then when the ball is out of bounds, who do I got? Let’s get matched up.’ ” Donovan said. “That ability to shift from the next thing to the next thing quickly, we’ve gotta get better.”

Especially when the next three games are at Phoenix, home to a red-hot Toronto team, and then off to Milwaukee for the back-to-back.

“We’re competing, we’re close, but we’re not getting the win,” guard Zach LaVine said of the poor performances against the league’s elite this season. “That’s what matters the most, so we have to figure out what that factor is to help us get over the hump because until then it’s all for nothing.”

And as far as the idea of help on the way? Sure, Patrick Williams (left wrist surgery) was close, but he’s a second-year player that hasn’t played since late October. Then there’s point guard Lonzo Ball, who is still dealing with pain in the left knee, as well as uncertainty for a return.

As Donovan pointed out, the games won’t be waiting for anyone.

“I know this is something we have to go through,” Donovan added, “and as tough as it is we have to lean into it and take it on.”

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Chicago will be the site of the inaugural Sacred Rose cross-genre music festival, it was announced Thursday.

Collectiv Presents will be producing the festival, scheduled to run Aug. 26-28 on three genre-specific stages at Seatgeek Stadium Campus in Bridgeview.

Headliners include Phil Lesh & Friends, Khruangbin, The War on Drugs, Black Pumas, Umphrey’s McGee, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Goose, STS9 and more.

The entire lineup (see below) was released ahead of the ticket onsale date.

“Attendees will have the opportunity to choose their own musical adventure. Psych-rock purists, jam fanatics or Americana devotees can buy single-day tickets to their preferred genre’s stage, while those seeking sonic discovery can spend the weekend experiencing a spectrum of sounds and stages,” festival organizers said in the official announcement.

Three-day passes (starting at $199) and single-day tickets (starting at $99) go on sale at noon March 21 at www.sacredrosefest.com.

The festival’s full lineup:

Phil Lesh & Friends

Khruangbin

The War On Drugs

Black Pumas

Umphrey’s McGee

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

Goose

STS9

Greensky Bluegrass

The Disco Biscuits

Kamasi

Washington St.

Paul & The Broken Bones

Punch Brothers

Dawes Animal Collective

Hiatus Kaiyote

The Wood Brothers

City and Colour

Yves Tumor

Lettuce

Moon Taxi

Cory Wong

Lotus T

The Infamous Stringdusters Feat. Molly Tuttle

Special Guest: Margo Price (artist at large)

Andy Frasco and the U.N.

Blu DeTiger

Circles Around The Sun

Gone Gone Beyond

Holly Bowling

Karina Rykman

Kitchen Dwellers

lespecial

Liz Cooper

Luke Mitrani

Maggie Rose

Midnight North

Nicole Atkins

Sierra Hull

SunSquabi featuring Kanika Moore (artist at large)

Syzygal

The Dip

White Denim

For more information, visit www.sacredrosefest.com.

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St. Charles North football coach Rob Pomazak is a first-generation American.

His dad grew up in France and his mom is from Italy. But his father’s family is from Ukraine, giving him a unique perspective and an intense interest in the events unfolding in that country.

“I’ve been wrapped up into it a lot more than I would like to be,” Pomazak said of the daily updates on the Russian invasion of his homeland. “[But] I feel like it’s necessary to be more involved and try to understand this.”

The story, from Pomazak’s perspective, goes back to the early days of World War II, when his relatives “were caught between the Russians and the Germans.”

He said the males in his family resisted pressure to join the Russian army.

“My great-uncle was killed by the Russians and left in the middle of the town square as an example,” Pomazak said.

The rest of the family scattered. One member wound up in Siberia, while Pomazak’s grandfather and uncle went to Poland. “My grandfather went to work in an internment camp,” Pomazak said. “He was a farmer.”

After the war ended, that branch of the family moved to France, where Pomazak’s father was born. Now they’re in the United States.

Pomazak’s uncle is now in his mid 80s and, like his nephew, lives in the Midwest.

“My uncle … has been sending us stories of what he went through and how similar an experience he had as a child,” Pomazak said.

Watching the hardships being suffered by the Ukrainian people now is hard enough. Hearing how history is repeating itself decades later is even worse.

“For me as a 43-year-old man and father of two, it changes your perspective,” Pomazak said.

It makes him think more about his roots, of which he always was aware but maybe not to the point of his elders. Though his uncle has returned to their homeland, Pomazak has not visited Ukraine on two trips to Europe.

But he has tried to use these as teachable moments with the North Stars, whom he has led for nine seasons, winning 61 games and a state runner-up trophy in 2018.

“I’ve definitely shared with my players my impressions, especially being a first-generation American and watching it through my eyes,” he said.

Pomazak has been heartened to see the world rallying to Ukraine’s cause, whether it be governments sending military aid and sanctioning Russia or ordinary people organizing humanitarian assistance.

He’s also heard from people reacting to his tweets about his Ukrainian heritage and his views of the current situation.

“I’ve had a lot of people showing support for it,” he said.

And he feels like he’s learned more about himself and his family too.

“Sometimes you don’t know where you came from,” Pomazak said. “You try to understand who you are as a person.

“This makes so much more sense now.”

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After two years of indescribable emotions and wrecked seasons as a result of Covid, we welcomed back high school basketball in full force over the past four months. The return didn’t disappoint.

Here is a look back at the biggest and best of the 2021-2022 season.

Biggest story: Glenbard West

What else is left to be said?

A once-in-a-lifetime team from Glen Ellyn emerged as a likable heavy favorite, energizing a fan base that became a side story of its own. The Hilltoppers played anyone and everyone en route to winning a Class 4A state championship and did so in convincing fashion.

Biggest postseason story: Lemont

Yes, Glenbard West was the biggest story of the season. The Hilltoppers then had to deal with the pressure of everyone expecting them to win a state championship.

But Lemont’s run to a supersectional showdown with Simeon at UIC — and then coming from behind and nearly pulling off another upset once there — was the biggest postseason story.

The story evolved over the course of two-plus weeks. It first got legs with a regional title.

Lemont began the postseason as the No. 4 seed in a tough Marian Catholic Sectional. Coach Rick Runaas’ young team beat a tough Marian Catholic, the No. 5 seed that was fresh off winning the East Suburban Catholic Conference Tournament championship, in the regional final.

That win over Marian Catholic put itself in position to win the first sectional championship since 1975.

Lemont then upset top-seed Hillcrest, which Lemont had lost to just weeks earlier, and beat No. 2 seed Thornton and Ty Rodgers in the sectional championship.

As a result, Lemont, which began the season unranked, finished just outside the top 10 at No. 11 — and returns the bulk of its team next year.

Most surprising team: Barrington

There were plenty of north suburban teams receiving preseason praise and who were ranked all season, starting with Glenbrook South and New Trier. But it was Barrington that stole the headlines when it mattered most.

First, Barrington upset Rolling Meadows in the Mid-Suburban League title game to close out the regular season. Then Will Grudzinski, Daniel Hong and the Broncos won their first sectional title in 20 years and stunned heavily favored Glenbrook South in the supersectional.

After playing Young tough in a state semifinal loss, Barrington beat Bolingbrook to finish third in the state with a school record 29 wins after being unranked in the preseason.

Runner-Up: Wheaton Warrenville South

Coach Mike Healy’s Tigers did it again; they snuck up on just about everyone.

When the season began Wheaton South was expected to “challenge” a couple of DuKane Conference teams, St. Charles North and Batavia, for the top spot in the league.

Unranked in the preseason, the Tigers ran roughshod over the league, finishing 14-0 and finishing 32-3 overall and ranked No. 10 in the final rankings. Wheaton South also beat Rolling Meadows, Brother Rice, Metamora, Benet, Orr and St. Francis in the regular season.

Yes, the season ended with a thud in a sectional championship blowout loss. But running into Glenbard West will do that to a team.

Biggest Class 4A upset: Barrington over Glenbrook South

Yes, some more love for Barrington.

The Broncos were a No. 1 seed in their own sectional. But everyone fully expected — and had already written in their bracket — the Glenbrook South Sectional winner to be playing in Champaign.

The Glenbrook South Sectional had three highly-ranked teams, including top 10 teams New Trier and Glenbrook South. The Barrington Sectional didn’t have a ranked team in it.

But Barrington pulled off the upset, beating a Glenbrook South team in the supersectional that had put together a sensational season while playing high-profile opponents.

The Titans beat Simeon and Yorkville Christian, knocked off New Trier and Rolling Meadows, took apart Curie and won the Wheeling Hardwood Classic and the tough CSL South. Back in early December the Titans were a handful for No. 1 Glenbard West in a 57-54 defeat.

Barrington’s schedule or rep didn’t match Glenbrook South’s, but the Broncos headed to Champaign and the State Finals with a 52-50 supersectional stunner.

Runner-up: Naperville North over Lake Park

The only low-seeded team in Class 4A to make a real dent in the state playoffs was Naperville North, thanks to the 12th-seeded Huskies winning a regional title.

After knocking off rival Naperville Central, the No. 5 seed, in the regional semifinals, Naperville North then upset fourth-seeded and 22-win Lake Park in the regional title game.

Naperville North, which entered the postseason with a 15-15 record, were the lowest-seeded team to advance to a sectional in the state.

Biggest Class 3A upset: Quincy over Normal

The tradition-rich Quincy program did feature senior Jeremiah Talton, a Division I recruit headed to New Orleans, but it was a team full of youth and just the third seed in its own sub-sectional.

Both O’Fallon and Collinsville were seeded ahead of Quincy. The Blue Devils beat them both.

Then Quincy squared off Normal. The Ironmen were 33-1 on the year and had not lost since early in December. Normal was ranked No. 4 in the final AP state rankings.

Quincy pulled off the upset, beating heavily favored Normal 56-51 before falling to Bolingbrook in the supersectional.

Best game: Glenbard West vs. Sierra Canyon

The most hyped game of the season — and one of the biggest in the Chicago area in recent memory — absolutely lived up to the hype and more. There was drama, excitement and energy.

A pair of nationally-ranked teams sold out Wintrust Arena and put on a show. Sierra Canyon, featuring Chicago native Amari Bailey and Bronny James, ended Glenbard West’s hope of a perfect season with a buzzer-beating win.

Runner-Up: Glenbrook South vs. Simeon

This one earned runner-up status due to the high-level, clean, crisp basketball that was played in a back-and-forth battle.

A packed gym and undercard to the Glenbard West-Young showdown that would follow at the When Sides Collide Shootout at Benet, Glenbrook South came from behind to beat Simeon 57-54.

Nick Martinelli was a show-stopper to start the game with 14 points and eight rebounds in the opening quarter. He finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Honorable mention: Kenwood vs. Simeon

This one had it all, particularly in terms of the immense intensity between teams that were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 at the time.

The January Public League showdown filled the raucous small Kenwood gym and brought out the best in two talented teams. Simeon came in and nabbed a 85-79 win behind Jaylen Drane’s 27 points.

Best moment: Glenbard West vs. Sierra Canyon

The aforementioned “Best Game” was quite the moment for high school basketball. It was the most highly anticipated game in the Chicago area in years.

This was a must-see high school basketball event that sold out a college arena in minutes and was watched on an ESPN stream.

The game had it all: star players, huge crowd, television audience and plenty of hype. The fact the game lived up to all the hoopla made it a moment to remember from this 2021-2022 season.

Runner-Up: IHSA state finals crowd

It’s been a long, long time since the IHSA state finals had a buzz of any kind. And in order to have a buzz, a large crowd is needed.

With all that has transpired over the past two seasons, to see close to 10,000 fans in the State Farm Center on the final night of the high school basketball season was refreshing.

That was the scene as the Class 3A double overtime thriller between Metamora and Sacred Heart-Griffin ended and Glenbard West and Young took the floor for the Class 4A state title game.

While the IHSA did not release official attendance figures, the 15,500-seat arena had the look and feel of a championship game. The IHSA did respond saying the “estimate” is there were 9,000 to 10,000 fans for the final session Saturday night.

While the IHSA is still awaiting official and final totals, the IHSA stated preliminary numbers indicate attendance for the three-day event being between 35,000 to 36,000 fans. That’s an average, per session, of approximately 4,500 fans.

By comparison, over the last five years the tournament was played in Peoria, the IHSA states the average attendance, per session, was 2,700 for the Class 1A/2A tournament weekend and 3,300 for the Class 3A/4A tournament weekend.

But some of the lowest attendance totals came in recent years in Peoria. The 2019 Class 1A/2A weekend averaged just 2,300 fans per session. The Class 3A/4A weekend numbers were a paltry average of just 2,500 per session in 2018.

Overall, the state finals weekend was a win for the IHSA and high school basketball.

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