Hyde Park’s Camron Williford (2) floats in the lane for a layup as the Thunderbirds play Homewood-Flossmoor. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

The pecking order of the top area conferences generally always starts in the city, especially once the Public League formed its power conferences several years back.

The pecking order of the top area conferences generally always starts in the city, especially once the Public League formed its power conferences several years back. That’s the case once again this season.

The Red South-Central is enjoying its perch on top and ranking as the No. 1 high school basketball conference.

Here is a ranking of the top 10 basketball conferences in the area.

1. Red South-Central

Favorite: Kenwood

Top contenders: Simeon and Curie

Keep an eye on: Hyde Park

Storyline to follow: Can upstart Kenwood with all its young talent keep the perennial powers, Simeon and Curie, at bay and make a December-to-February run in the city? The talent is there, the experience isn’t.

Conference outlook: This is the best conference in the state with three legit top 10 teams and a Hyde Park team set to make noise. Expect a wild race — with losses handed down — and each of these teams to be fully prepared for the rigors of the Public League playoffs and state tournament action in March.

But with all the attention Kenwood and its individual players have received, you better believe the traditional powers, Simeon and Curie, will be primed and ready. Plus, Davontae Hall for Hyde Park can be a one-man wrecking crew at times.

2. Catholic League Blue

Favorite: St. Rita

Top contenders: Brother Rice, DePaul Prep, Mount Carmel

Keep an eye on: Loyola

Storyline to follow: The hype surrounding St. Rita, whether fair or not, is there and everyone has heard it. Though no fault of their own — the Mustangs simply have high-profile talent, albeit young talent — there is a target on their back. Can the young kids rise to the occasion and win one of the state’s toughest conferences?

Conference outlook: This conference has it all. There is a lot of depth, parity, quality coaching and some teams with game-changing stars, so expect this league to beat up on each other. St. Rita is clearly the draw. And while St. Rita does have the most talent, there are enough quality teams in this league to make it interesting.

Replacing an entire starting five, especially one with a bonafide star like TY Johnson, is never easy. But coach Tom Kleinschmidt now has a program at DePaul Prep that does groom players and reloads talent. Thus, the Rams are in good shape to not only stay relevant but to push St. Rita.

Brother Rice is a year away from being a legit top 10 team, but don’t take the Crusaders and junior point guard Ahmad Henderson lightly. Mount Carmel’s Deandre Craig has shown he put a team on his back and carry it.

3. Central Suburban League South

Favorites: Glenbrook South and New Trier

Top contenders: Evanston

Keep an eye on: Maine South and Glenbrook North

Storyline to follow: A monumental showdown is brewing in the north suburbs — and in the overall landscape of high school basketball — in the CSL South. Glenbrook South and New Trier are that good, both potentially being legit top five teams over the course of the season.

Conference outlook: Although on paper it appears to be a two-team race, Evanston will be lurking and a scary two games for both of the favorites. The Wildkits aren’t just going to go away after a five-year run of high-level play a big-time success.

Maine South can still muck things up with its funky style and Glenbrook North, led by underrated junior guard Ryan Cohen, gives this conference quality depth.

4. Red North-West

Favorite: Young

Top contender: Orr

Keep an eye on: Clark and North Lawndale

Storyline to follow: The conference race will be an afterthought if the top two teams, Young and Orr, can make it to Champaign in March and win state titles in their respective classes — Young in Class 4A and Orr in Class 2Al. That’s very realistic.

Conference outlook: This is clearly Young’s title to lose, though the Dolphins, with their high-profile national schedule, haven’t always been ultra-motivated with conference championships. But if Young is locked in on winning the Red-West/North, it will be surprising if it doesn’t.

Orr coach Lou Adams is in his final season, set to retire after quite a run at the West Side power. Can the Spartans send him out with a bang?

5. West Suburban Silver

Favorite: Glenbard West

Top contenders: Oak Park and Lyons

Keep an eye on: Hinsdale Central

Storyline to follow: Take Glenbard West out of this league and it’s still a solid conference. But will Glenbard West, the state’s No. 1 ranked team, run the table? Likely. But Glenbard West will get everyone’s best shot each night out.

Conference outlook: Despite some quality teams, even a ranked one here and there, this is not a wide open conference race. Nonetheless, the league is in the top conference list for more reasons than just mighty Glenbard West. Oak Park has the talented 1-2 punch of Justin Mullins and Sam Lewis.

Lyons has a dynamic star in Akron recruit Tavari Johnson at point guard. And although Hinsdale Central doesn’t have big names, the Red Devils are better than a lot of people think.

6. East Suburban Catholic

Favorite: Marian Catholic

Top contender: Benet and Notre Dame

Keep an eye on: St. Patrick and Carmel

Storyline to follow: For the first time there is an East Suburban Catholic Conference Tournament at the end of the season. What impact will that have on the regular-season race and what kind of reception will the tournament get when it’s played?

Conference outlook: This conference has been one of the best, usually deepest, basketball conferences for a long time. But generally there always seems to be a true favorite or dominant team within that depth. Not this year. So with a lot of good to very good but maybe not great, there should be plenty of week-to-week battles.

Marian Catholic, led by two-way star Jeremiah Jones, gets the edge with the most experience returning. Notre Dame graduated a ton but has a dangerous young group, while Benet is Benet and should be better than a year ago. Carmel, which has a Division I player in Niagara recruit Bryce Moore, and St. Patrick, which will lean heavily on three-year starter Timaris Brown, have the potential to sneak up on some teams.

7. South Suburban Blue

Favorite: Hillcrest

Top contender: Tinley Park

Keep an eye on: Lemont and Oak Forest

Storyline to follow: Hillcrest’s league domination. Yes, for the first time in decades the Hawks did not win a conference championship in 2016-17. But even with a revamped Tinley Park and star power leading both Lemont and Oak Forest, does Hillcrest maintain its conference mystique? Hillcrest has won an astonishing 32 of 33 conference championships over the last three-plus decades.

Conference outlook: Hillcrest’s fast start over Thanksgiving is cause for concern for a host of teams with realistic hopes of contending for a conference championship. The Hawks have forever been the favorite in every conference they play in. Nonetheless, it’s a conference with a little more depth than usual and, as mentioned, two of the better players in the state in Oak Forest’s Robbie Avila and Lemont sophomore Nojus Indrusaitis.

8. Southwest Suburban Blue

Favorite: Bolingbrook

Top contender: Homewood-Flossmoor

Keep an eye on: Lockport

Storyline to follow: The continued domination of Bolingbrook and Homewood-Flossmoor. You have to go all the way back to the 2009-10 season to find the last time one of these two didn’t win this conference. It’s probably apropos that H-F and Bolingbrook have shared the conference title each of the last three seasons.

Conference outlook: It’s always the ‘Brook and H-F. They will again go at it as always, but the Raiders are the team to beat as H-F retools a bit. Can Lockport surprise and get in the mix? The Porters, led by guard Anthony Munson, appear to be your classic blue-collar team with depth, balance and experience to be an intriguing darkhorse.

9. Southland

Favorite: Thornton

Top contender: Bloom

Keep an eye on: Kankakee

Storyline to follow: The buzz around this league right now is Ty Rodgers, the transfer from Michigan who should lift Thornton to new heights. The impact of the athletic 6-6 Rodgers at Thornton will be significant. Will it be enough to claim a conference championship? Regardless, adding a talent like Rodgers, who is headed to Illinois, certainly is the story in the Southland and spices things up considerably.

Conference outlook: This is likely a two-horse race. It’s Thornton with the arrival of Rodgers and a Bloom team with multiple offensive weapons and a big man in Emondrek Erkins other teams don’t have.

However, defending conference champ Kankakee will be a tough out in time. The Kays return four key players who gained experience last year. However, coach Chris Pickett’s team is due for a slow start. There are seven key players who were part of Kankakee’s football playoff run that ended in a Class 5A state championship game loss last weekend.

10. DuKane

Favorite: Batavia

Top contender: St. Charles North and Wheaton-Warrenville South

Keep an eye on: Geneva

Storyline to follow: Since the inception of the DuKane Conference, St. Charles North, Geneva, Wheaton South and St. Charles East have all either won or shared a league title in the first three years of the league. Is it Batavia’s turn? The Bulldogs haven’t won a conference championship since the 2015-16 season when they won their side of the Upstate Eight.

Conference outlook: This will be a fun few months in the DuKane, a conference with natural rivalries and a ton of parity in the top half of the league. We’ll call Batavia the favorite even though this is a wide open race with Batavia, St. Charles North and Wheaton-Warrenville South all right in the middle of the conference hunt.

Ethan Marlowe of St. Charles North may be on the verge of a breakout season after putting together an overall impressive stat line as a junior. The 6-8 big man is a difference-maker with his vast skill set and size.

With its more-than-methodical offensive approach and a slow-you-down ball press defense, no one wants to play Wheaton-Warrenville South. And the teams in this conference have to do it twice. The Tigers are flying under the radar in the Chicago area — just as players like Tyler Fawcett, Rourke Robinson and Danny Healy are — but it’s a team that’s very capable of claiming a conference championship.

Geneva isn’t what it’s been in recent years. However, the under-talked-about success of Geneva the past decade matters, because the Vikings know how to win and will remain very competitive.

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She & Him features “New Girl” actress Zooey Deschanel (She) and singer-songwriter M. Ward (Him). | Eliot Lee Hazel

Though actress Zooey Deschanel and singer-songwriter M. Ward have had three albums of original material, their holiday renditions are classics in their own right.

While Bing and Burl and Ol’ Blue Eyes have had a hold on the holiday music market for decades, one of the best gifts of the modern era is undoubtedly indie folk duo She & Him.

That is, “New Girl” actress Zooey Deschanel (She) and singer-songwriter M. Ward (Him). Though they’ve had three albums of original material, their holiday covers are classics in their own right.

If you’ve seen the movie “Elf,” you know the pipes Deschanel has as her character Jovie belts out a retro-chic take on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” during a scene with Buddy (Will Ferrell).

In real life, she and Ward bring that same vintage swagger to the covers they’ve taken on, including the aforementioned and controversial “Baby” (opting to switch the male-female parts of the song to make it a bit less cringe-worthy).

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is featured on the reissue of “A Very She & Him Christmas,” the duo’s third album for Merge Records and first holiday-themed offering, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, Deschanel and Ward are hitting the road for eight tour dates this month, including the Chicago Theatre Tuesday.

“We really missed being able to play live music, and also music was kind of what got us through the pandemic,” Deschanel said. “We want to bring that feeling to everybody now.”

Ward, who said one of She & Him’s “best shows ever” was at Millennium Park in 2010, added, “The disappointment of having to cancel so many shows has turned into the excitement of this tour we’re about to start, and we are ever so happy we will be able to visit Chicago. I just hope it’s snowy.”

Fans also can expect to hear a seven-piece ensemble deliver the material from “A Very She & Him Christmas,” such as the delicately sweet “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” paired with Ward’s soft guitar strumming, a ukulele-driven “Silver Bells” and an upbeat, ’60s-style duet on “Sleigh Ride.”

Here’s hoping they’ll also unwrap their latest tributes (added to the album’s anniversary reissue): Wham!’s “Last Christmas” and Madonna’s “Holiday.”

” ‘Holiday’ really happened by accident,” Ward said. “We didn’t have the idea to connect it with any of our Christmas records at all. But, if you dig into the lyrics of that song, I think it’s just asking to be turned up in December.”

A portion of proceeds from the limited-edition reissue will go to an organization close to their hearts, 826 National, a nonprofit that fuels creativity and writing skills in youth. And $1 from each presale ticket for their shows will be given to Baby2Baby, which provides necessities for children in poverty.

“We like to have that as a part of our Christmas holiday mission,” Deschanel said.

With so many seasonal covers already in the can — they also released a second collection called “Christmas Party” in 2016 — is anything off-limits in choosing the songs they’ll take on next?

“Nothing’s sacred,” Deschanel said.

She and Ward even did the unthinkable five years ago, opting to do a rendition of the Mariah Carey juggernaut “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and finding out the hard way what a strict publishing agreement Carey has, preventing any covers from being televised.

“It’s literally only Mariah that’s allowed to sing that,” Deschanel said.

Don’t expect any original Christmas songs from She & Him.

“I would have a hard time finding inspiration,” Deschanel said. “It’s a very narrow genre of music, and there are so many amazing songs already.”

She does point to the track “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year” that she co-authored with songstress Ingrid Michaelson this year as one example. “So you never know,” she said.

What will likely come next is an album of original material eight years after their lauded “Volume 3.” Deschanel and Ward recorded so much together during the pandemic that she said they have a “whole album’s worth” of material.

“Hopefully, it’ll be out next year,” Ward said.

When the concert run is over, there’s more festive cheer to look forward to at home.

“Music has always been my favorite holiday tradition,” Deschanel said. “I loved caroling growing up, whether singing at a party or actually going out caroling. And, of course, seeing my family and having everyone together this year,.”

“I just look forward to seeing happy faces,” Ward said.

No doubt they’ll get a lot of that on the road, too, as their shows spread much-needed cheer.

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Sun-Times file photo

Expressway shootings in Chicago have more than doubled over last year.

Two people were shot and wounded on the Dan Ryan Expressway early Friday — the 233rd shooting on Chicago area expressways this year.

The shooting happened around 2 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 94 near 75th Street, according to Illinois State Police.

The two were taken to hospitals and expected to survive, state police said. Northbound lanes were closed for two hours while troopers investigated.

Expressway shootings in Chicago have more than doubled over last year. The year-to-date total of 233 reported shootings or reports of gunfire this year already eclipses 2020’s year-end total of 128 shootings.

In late September, state police said they would increase overnight patrols in response to the rise in shootings.

Illinois State Police received $12.5 million earlier this year to install high-definition cameras to help investigate and deter expressway shootings.

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Joliet Catholic’s Jordan Anderson (23) runs up the middle against Sacred Heart-Griffin. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

The top players in the area for the 2021-22 season.

Offense

OL Zack Petko, Cary-Grove

Sr. 6-1, 214 pounds

Leader of the offensive line that keyed the upset of East St. Louis in the Class 6A state championship game. Also a force at linebacker, finishing with 40 solo tackles, 57 assists, three sacks, nine tackles for a loss, five pass deflections and a blocked punt.

OL Jimmy Liston, Fenwick

Sr., 6-4, 290 pounds

Purdue recruit. Four-year varsity starter, played the most football games in Fenwick history. Lineman of the year in the Chicago Catholic League and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State selection.

OL Deuce McGuire, Marist

Sr. 6-5, 290 pounds

Northwestern recruit. Three-year starter, named All-Conference and Lineman of the Year in the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Blue Division. Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State selection.

OL Valen Erickson, St. Rita

Sr., 6-6, 315 pounds

Missouri recruit. Three-year starter that helped lead St. Rita to two state championship game appearances. Steady, dominant presence allowed Mustangs to succeed with two sophomore running backs after Kaleb Brown’s injury.

QB Jack Lausch, Brother Rice

Sr., 6-2, 195 pounds

Notre Dame preferred walk-on. Finished the season 164 of 269 passing (61%) for 2,447 yards with 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Was a deadly threat on the ground with 142 carries for 1,084 yards and 21 touchdowns. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry. Led Crusaders to a 10-3 season and the Class 7A state semifinals.

RB Jordan Anderson, Joliet Catholic

Sr. 6-3, 230 pounds

Illinois recruit. The area’s most dominant running back. Led Hilltoppers to an undefeated season and the Class 4A state championship. Ran for more than 1,500 yards and 34 touchdowns despite missing some games with an injury. Scored five touchdowns and gained 306 rushing yards in the state title game.

RB Nick Hissong, Cary-Grove

Sr. 6-1, 221 pounds

Rushed for 1,713 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. Led Trojans’ option attack that upset East St. Louis in the Class 6A state championship game. Finished with 32 carries for 224 yards and two touchdowns in the title game.

RB Maurice Edwards, Warren

Sr. 6-1, 221 pounds

Vanderbilt recruit. Scored 22 touchdowns in 11 games and averaged 9.2 yards per carry. Had 1,629 rushing yards and 11 receptions for 68 yards. “Maurice is the best running back I have coached in my time at Warren and we have had some really good ones,” Blue Devils coach Bryan McNulty said.

WR Quentrell Harris, Nazareth

Sr. 6-1, 185 pounds

Game-breaking force for the Roadrunners. Had 53 catches for 865 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games. Averaged 49 yards per kickoff return with three kickoffs and two punts returned for touchdowns.

WR Max Reese, Fenwick

Sr. 6-3, 215 pounds

Eastern Michigan recruit. Teamed with quarterback Kaden Cobb to help lead the Friars to an 11-2 record and the Class 5A state championship. Finished with 70 receptions for 1,140 yards and 15 total touchdowns.

WR Reggie Fleurima, Naperville Central

Sr. 6-2, 200 pounds

Northwestern recruit. Co-offensive player of the year in the DuPage Valley conference. Four-year varsity player. Drew double teams that allowed Redhawks to run the ball effectively. Had 60 receptions for 849 yards and 10 touchdowns. Also returned two punts for touchdowns and averaged 15.2 yards per return.

ATH Mike Sajenko, Maine South

Sr. 5-11, 197 pounds

Led Maine South to 12-2 season and the Class 8A state championship game. Scored 30 touchdowns, including 15 in the playoffs. Rushed for 1,370 yards on 188 carries this season and had 50 receptions for 507 yards. Finished with 2,107 all-purpose yards.

Defense

DL Teddy Gianaris, Maine South

Sr. 6-2, 237 pounds

Led Maine South with nine sacks and 17 tackles for a loss while playing with passion, intelligence and energy. Scored a 1450 on his SAT. Central Suburban League defensive player of the year and two-time All-Conference selection. Deciding between Penn, Princeton, Dartmouth and Cornell.

DL Djabril McNabb, St. Rita

Sr. 6-0, 230 pounds

Led Mustangs defense that shut out three opponents and held eight teams to fewer than 10 points. Had a knack for recovering fumbles and even scored a touchdown on a one-yard run against Providence.

DL Andrew Blackburn-Forst, Lockport

Sr. 6-3, 235 pounds

Anchor of the state’s most impressive unit that dominated multiple opponents on the way to the Class 8A state championship. Finished with 46 solo tackles, 26 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks and 14 quarterback hurries.

DL TJ McMillen, St. Francis

Jr. 6-3, 270 pounds

One of the most dominant two-way linemen in the state. Played almost every snap on both sides of the ball. Drew double and triple teams while finishing with 55 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, two sacks and 12 quarterback hurries. Had 41 pancakes as an offensive linemen. Holds offers from 11 FBS schools.

LB James Kreutz, Loyola

Sr. 6-1, 210 pounds

A disruptive force on defense and Loyola’s top running threat in goal line situations. “He’s probably the best pure football player I’ve ever coached,” Loyola coach John Holecek said. “He’s an animal. He’s all go, all the time. Even in practice.”

LB Jimmy Rolder, Marist

Sr. 6-3, 225 pounds

Michigan recruit. Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Blue Division. Finished with 70 solo tackles and 45 assists. Had 13 tackles for a loss, four sacks and three interceptions. Returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

LB Tyler Jansey, Batavia

Jr., 6-1 215 pounds

Had 66 solo tackles and 22 assists. Finished with five sacks, one interception and 16 tackles for a loss. Two-year starter with more than a dozen offers from FBS colleges. Led defense that shutout three opponents and held five teams to fewer than 10 points.

DB Josh Franklin, Crete-Monee

Jr. 6-0, 187 pounds

Played quarterback, receiver, defensive back and returned kicks for the Warriors. Had one of the most dominant performances in recent memory against Thornwood, a playoff team. He had 469 total yards and accounted for eight touchdowns — 340 passing yards and six touchdown passes, 129 rushing yards and two touchdown runs.

DB Jyaire Hill, Kankakee

Jr. 6-2, 180 pounds

Illinois High School Football Coaches Association First Team All-State selection. Helped lead Kankakee to the Class 5A state championship game. Two-time all-conference pick that scored 16 touchdowns on offense and had 62 tackles and nine interceptions on defense.

DB Jashawn Johnson, Hoffman Estates

Sr. 5-11, 170 pounds

Western Michigan recruit. A force on both sides of the ball. Finished with 54 tackles and four interceptions on defense, scored two defensive touchdowns. As a receiver had 77 catches for 1,432 yards and 20 touchdowns.

P/K Palmer Domschke, Neuqua Valley

Sr. 5-10, 175 pounds

Punted, kicked, played safety and ran the ball for the Wildcats. Converted six field goals and was 38 of 41 on extra points. Averaged 36 yards as a punter and 47 of his 49 kickoffs went for touchbacks. Also scored five rushing touchdowns, including the winner in double-overtime against Naperville Central. Had more than 60 tackles.

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Brother Rice’s Jack Lausch (8) runs the ball against Mount Carmel. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

Jack Lausch wasn’t on the shortlist of Player of the Year candidates in the preseason. His excellence took most of the area by surprise. That wasn’t the case at Brother Rice.

Jack Lausch will always be a hero to the throngs of grade school kids that lined the field at Brother Rice football games this season.

The gifted, exciting athlete that lives in your community, that you watch up close every week is a special thing for young sports fans. It’s more tangible and accessible than any star on television.

Lausch, the Sun-Times Player of the Year, was once one of those kids. He’s a Beverly resident that attended St. Barnabas School.

“I remember going to games and watching [Brother Rice quarterback] Dino Borelli,” Lausch said. “He’s a coach here now, I remember all those guys and how good they were.”

Lausch’s numbers this season were eye-popping. He was 164 for 269 passing (61%) for 2,447 yards with 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Lausch was a deadly threat on the ground with 142 carries for 1,084 yards and 21 touchdowns. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry.

Lausch asked that his offensive line be mentioned by name.

“Zak Bowden, Carter McAlilly, Jackson Judeh, Jack O’Connell, Pat Galeher, Jack Mallon,” Lausch said. “Nothing is possible without those guys.”

As usual, the statistics don’t tell the whole story. It was the thrills Lausch provided that made him special. The 70-yard touchdown run to open the third quarter of The Battle of Pulaski against Marist was electric, a true rarity for a quarterback in a high-level CCL/ESCC Blue game.

Lausch wasn’t on the shortlist of Player of the Year candidates in the preseason. His excellence took most of the area by surprise. That wasn’t the case at Brother Rice.

“I had high expectations for Jack,” Brother Rice coach Brian Badke said. “When kids that are true leaders work hard they are going to be successful. It did not surprise me one bit that he’s Player of the Year. It didn’t surprise me that he threw for 20 touchdowns and ran for 21.”

Lausch also racked up impressive numbers off the field in two key areas. He’s number two in his class academically and he was the student that the most kids requested to follow on Brother Rice’s shadow days with junior high kids. The school doesn’t keep track of that stat, but multiple sources say Lausch may be the most requested ever.

“There was definitely someone every week,” Lausch said. “But that’s cool. It’s fun to help the younger kids see what Rice is all about and helping the next classes be strong. It was fun to give those kids a good day.”

Lausch’s dad John played football at Joliet Catholic and Harvard. His mother, Mary, played volleyball at Mother McAuley and Wright State. Lausch currently plans to head to Notre Dame as a preferred walk-on for football and baseball.

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times
Brother Rice’s Jack Lausch (8) gets ready to face Wheaton-Warrenville South in the first round of the Class 8A state playoffs.

Brian Kelly’s departure from Notre Dame was a shock to Lausch.

“It’s still Notre Dame though,” Lausch said. “The program will be fine. I’m excited for the future.”

Lausch is still open to other college opportunities.

“If there is a school that comes and says ‘we need a quarterback’ And it is a high academic school with a great program he’s going to consider that,” Badke said. “Obviously, Notre Dame is Notre Dame. But if someone says we have a football scholarship. He’s going to listen. It has to be the right fit though.”

Lausch plays centerfield and pitches on the baseball team and he plans to join the basketball team as soon as an injury he picked up against Mount Carmel in the quarterfinals.

“I loved [Brother Rice] growing up and coming to games,” Laush said. “It was so exciting. I felt like this was the place where I could be myself and succeed the most. I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent here and I’m excited for the rest of the year.”

Brother Rice finished the season 10-3. The Crusaders were favored to win Class 7A but were upset by eventual champs Wheaton North in the semifinals. Lausch was unable to run against the Falcons due to his thigh injury. That severely limited Brother Rice’s offense.

Lausch says he didn’t watch the state championship games. Things were still a little too raw.

Unlike some high-level high school athletes, Lausch has a clear plan for when his playing days end. He wants to join the front office of a pro sports team and eventually become a general manager.

“Jack is a special young man,” Badke said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg for him. He’s going to go on and do great things after Brother Rice.”

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Grace Byers (from left), Shoniqua Shandai, Jerrie Johnson and Meagan Good play the close-knit friends in “Harlem.” | Prime Video

As the prof sizing up herself and her inner circle, Meagan Good leads a knockout cast playing charismatic New York women.

The “Sex and the City” revival titled “And Just Like That” is just around the corner, but in the meantime, we have the Amazon Original series “Harlem,” which has obvious parallels to “SATC” but carves its own unique, hilarious, smart, sexy way as we follow four Black women living in Harlem and leaning on each other as they navigate their respective personal and professional paths.

Created by Tracy Oliver (“Girls Trip”) and with Pharrell Williams and Amy Poehler among the executive producers, this is a celebration of Black culture in America and specifically in Harlem, as the longtime friends have reached that point in their lives when traditional society expects them to have attained certain career achievements and perhaps even romantic commitments, but let’s just say life is still a Work in Progress (to name-drop another terrific series) for all four. This is a beautifully photographed, crisply written, tightly edited series, with crackling good performances from the four beautiful leads and some wonderful guest-star supporting turns from comedic legends Whoopi Goldberg and Andrea Martin. (It also contains more than a sprinkling of frank and raunchy dialogue and explicit sex scenes.)

Throughout Meagan Good’s career, she often has risen above some not-great material, but she’s given a great vehicle here and delivers the performance of her career as Camille, a promising and well-liked anthropology professor at Columbia who serves as our narrator and tour guide, often drawing upon her vast knowledge of the dating practices of various cultures to add texture to her love life as well as the romantic and sexual escapades of her three closest friends:

Tye (a screen-commanding Jerrie Johnson), a pioneering queer businesswoman who has created a successful dating app but insists on always being control of her short-lived relationships, as she prefers hooking up and moving on over true and lasting intimacy.
Quinn (the endearingly vulnerable Grace Byers), a trust-fund fashion designer and hopeless romantic whose business is struggling, in large part because she wants to save the world and give back nearly all of her profits.
Angie (a hilarious and confident Shoniqua Shandai), a larger-than-life presence and aspiring singer-actor who has no social filters and is living rent-free with Quinn and takes full advantage of the situation — but Angie is the first to admit that, so that somehow makes it OK with Quinn. (Angie is also a fiercely protective friend who WILL be there when Quinn needs her, and that also goes a long way.)

The storylines in “Harlem” aren’t particularly groundbreaking, but they’re relatable and real. Camille talks the talk about being an independent, socially committed, stand-alone force — but when she sees her dreamy ex-boyfriend Ian (Tyler Lepley) on the street after a year, she practically melts and essentially turns into a rom-com character from the 1990s. Quinn feels guilty about her privileged upbringing and really wants to make a go of it on her own, but she’s constantly turning to her mother (Jasmine Guy) to replenish her funds. Meanwhile, Tye is stunned by a visitor from her past in a plot turn straight out of a soap opera.

Still, even when “Harlem” is relatively predictable, the dialogue is sharp, and the performances are excellent. There’s also plenty of social commentary, but it’s often served in hilariously absurd (yet somehow plausible) circumstances. The great Andrea Martin of “SCTV” fame does a brilliant comedic turn as Camille’s mentor, an esteemed and ultra-liberal educator who speaks at a rally and says one thing that is deemed offensive by a certain segment of the crowd, which leads to her saying ANOTHER thing and then ANOTHER thing, and just like that, she’s canceled. We also get a greatly amusing subplot about Angie getting cast in “Get Out!” the musical, which is as ridiculous as it sounds and wasn’t exactly sanctioned by Jordan Peele.

The best part about “Harlem” is that cast. Within a handful of episodes, we find Camille, Tye, Quinn and Angie to be every bit as likable and potentially as enduring as Carrie Bradshaw and friends.

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Marcus Freeman has been named the new head coach at Notre Dame. | Paul Sancya/AP Photo

Freeman replaces Brian Kelly, who recently left South Bend to take the job at LSU.

Notre Dame will promote defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman as the program’s next head coach, moving quickly to fill the spot left vacant by Brian Kelly’s abrupt departure for LSU on the eve of the final weekend of the regular season.

Freeman, 35, is completing his first season as coordinator after holding the same role at Purdue and Cincinnati.

The former Ohio State linebacker led a defense that rebounded from a sluggish start to the regular season to pace Notre Dame’s charge toward the College Football Playoff. The Irish outscored four opponents 162-23 in November and were ranked sixth in this week’s playoff rankings.

“It is an honor to be named the head coach of Notre Dame Football,” Freeman said. “I am eternally grateful to both Father John Jenkins and Jack Swarbrick for giving me the opportunity to lead the exceptional men who make this program what it is. Notre Dame is a very special place and I look forward to pursuing a national championship with the most outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff in college football.”

Promoting from within the existing staff speaks to the administration’s faith in the direction of the program even without Kelly, who left this week as the winningest coach in program history. Earlier this week, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees announced that he would not be following Kelly to LSU and would remain with the Irish.

Known as a very effective recruiter, a defense-minded coach able to relay and implement complex schemes and a strong communicator with the ability to connect with recruits and players, Freeman has been widely viewed as one of the rising stars in the profession.

He now takes over one of the premier coaching jobs in college sports.

There will be questions about his lack of experience. He is the youngest Notre Dame coach since 25-year-old Terry Brennan was hired in 1954; only one other coach, Ara Parseghian in 1964, was younger than 40 when arriving in South Bend.

He is also only now completing a decade as a full-time assistant coach, having quickly transitioned from a brief NFL career into a role as a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes in 2010. Freeman then spent two years as the linebackers coach at Kent State, four years at Purdue and four years at Cincinnati.

But he received loud and vocal support from the current roster, who posted support on social media for a coach who while new to the program made a clear impact for a team battling for a playoff berth.

Promoting from within the staff might play a role in Notre Dame’s playoff odds. Those seemed to take a hit on Tuesday evening, when playoff committee chairman Gary Barta implied that a team without a permanent coach might be viewed differently by the committee.

But the Irish could again be considered a contender for a spot in the semifinals should a path open, with both coordinators under Kelly still holding major roles.

Freeman is the second Black head coach in program history, following Ty Willingham, who went 21-15 from 2002-04 before being fired.

Read more at usatoday.com.

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