The Chicago Bears’ bye week is officially over and they are on to the Baltimore Ravens. This week is going to be a challenging one, as the Bears defense has to take on one of the most dynamic players in all of football, Lamar Jackson. Not only do they have to try and contain Jackson, […] Chicago Bears: 4 biggest regrets from first half of season – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

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Westinghouse’s Martell Webb (32) shoots the ball over Lincoln Park. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

These seven teams are going to be playing and competing at a much higher level than last season.

The goal of every team is to show improvement from the year before. That improvement can come in all different forms and be measured in a variety of ways.

The following seven teams are going to be playing and competing at a much higher level as the most improved teams from a year ago.

Batavia

Last season’s record: 9-8

New outlook: With a core group returning that includes four returning starters, Batavia enters the season as the favorite in the DuKane Conference after hovering around the .500 mark last season.

Trent Tousana is a compact and explosive 5-10 three-year starter and a bundle of energy with the ball in his hands. He will team up with returning guard AJ Sanders in the backcourt. Then there is the size opponents will have to deal with as 6-9 Austin Ambrose and 6-7 Ethan Ivan, who are both headed to Division II Wisconsin-Parkside, complement one another nicely.

There are a host of other seniors coach Jim Nazos can lean on as the Bulldogs look for their first 20-plus win season since 2017-18.

Bloom

Last year’s record: 5-5

New outlook: Regardless of the circumstances and how few games were played, a .500 season at Bloom is not a normal year. When you consider that in the last 25 seasons only two Bloom teams have been .500 or below, last year was an anomaly.

Bloom had to replace all five starters a year ago. But this year coach Dante Maddox welcomes back a wealth of experience, including five players who either started or played significant minutes.

There is a difference-making defender in 6-8 Emondrek Erkins, one of the better uncommitted prospects remaining in the senior class. Erkins blocked five shots a game last season and will be an improved scoring option this season.

The guard trio of 6-2 Jordan Brown, 6-4 Raeshom Harris and 6-1 Kimarion Cobb are all returning starters. Brown is a versatile scorer, Harris a mulit-dimensional talent and weapon in the open floor and Cobb is the team’s leading returning scorer.

There is size, depth and more scoring in senior Ivan Mitchell, a valuable role-playing veteran, 6-7 junior Michael Garner and up-and-coming sophomore Gianni Cobb, a talented 5-10 guard ready to emerge.

De La Salle

Last season’s record: 1-4

New outlook: If there is a team that wants to just throw away a season, it’s De La Salle. The Meteors won just a single game. But maybe worse was just the five games played. That’s a forgettable year.

Coach Gary DeCesare, who helped raise the profile of St. Rita basketball during his time there, returns to the Chicago area and takes over for longtime coach Tom White. The Meteors have a nice blend of returning backcourt talent and size on the frontline.

Look for senior guard DaJuan Bates to put up numbers and be an offensive force while senior Jalen Brown is an overlooked point guard. There is size and length in 6-7 Jamil Wilson, 6-8 Marcelius Cohen, 6-6 Caleb Jenkins, a vastly improved wing, and 6-6 junior Evan Jackson, a promising transfer from St. Rita who DeCesare feels will have a breakout season.

Marian Catholic

Last year’s record: 6-7

New outlook: Although under .500 a year ago, this year the Spartans are a legitimate contender to win the East Suburban Catholic Conference.

The defensive pressure Marian Catholic can apply with its speed and quickness must not only be disruptive, but it will need to lead to some easy offense at the other end — at least until coach Mike Taylor can get all the pieces to fit and some perimeter shooting develops.

Senior Jeremiah Jones is the catalyst. As the leading returning scorer, the 6-3 guard is an underrated player due to the impact he makes on the defensive end. The length, quickness and instincts he plays with at the defensive end are not what you typically find in a high school player.

Then there are a surplus of perimeter players with a variety of attributes, starting with a pair of juniors: 5-9 point guard Tre Davis and 6-3 wing Quentin Jones.

Who among the group of 6-2 Eddie Barret, 6-3 Jeremiah Smith, 6-5 James Bullock, 6-1 Donavon Juzang and 6-1 Josh Lawson can step up their productivity and earn their minutes?

Oak Park

Last year’s record: 3-3

New outlook: There were just six games last season which resulted in a ho-hum 3-3 record, and there hasn’t been a 20-win season since 2017-18. But there is enough promise and optimism to think the Huskies can reach that win total.

Even in a very shortened season, it was enough time for Justin Mullins to open eyes. The 6-5 guard emerged out of nowhere, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds a game and continued to blossom in the offseason. He attracted Division I interest and ultimately signed with Denver.

Now it’s Sam Lewis, a gifted 6-5 junior, who is set to have a breakout campaign. He has a plethora of Division I interest, including from high-major programs, after averaging 11 points a game last season as a sophomore.

Together, Mullins and Lewis give coach Phil Gary quite a 1-2 punch to play with. These are multifaceted players who can play different roles and impact on both offense and defense. Plus, senior John Vincent Carter is a lively big man who brings a dimension at 6-9 that could be even more impactful this season after averaging five points and seven rebounds a game.

Tinley Park

Last year’s record: 5-8

New outlook: Current Young senior AJ Casey transferred out of Tinley Park after a monster sophomore season two years ago, dealing the program a significant blow. That team won 18 games.

Although less heralded, coach DJ Brown now welcomes a pair of transfers that should help immensely.

The addition of Brother Rice transfer Nick Harrell and Westinghouse transfer Martel Webb are a big reason why the Titans should be one of the more improved teams in the south suburbs. Harrell is an athletic talent with tremendous physical attributes as a versatile 6-5 wing, while Webb is a big 6-7 body who takes up space defensively, blocks shots with his wingspan and shows surprising skill and touch offensively.

There are a pair of stat-sheet-stuffing senior veterans set for their third varsity season: 5-10 Keon Richardson (12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.2 steals a game) and 5-11 Malachi Haythorne (11.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2 steals a game). These two have been a mainstay for this program and offer a ton of experience.

This is a team that could threaten perennial power Hillcrest for the top spot and make the South Suburban Blue an interesting race, along with upstart Lemont and Robbie Avila-led Oak Forest.

West Aurora

Last year’s record: 1-15

New outlook: There is nowhere to go but up after an uncharacteristic West Aurora basketball season a year ago. The Blackhawks finished a tough Covid-shortened season with just one win and went winless in the Southwest Prairie West.

But with the return of three returning starters, including double-figure scorers Ty Rogers and Isaiah Siler, along with the addition of St. Rita transfer Josh Pickett, don’t be surprised if West Aurora goes from 1-15 to a winning record in 2021-22.

Rogers is a long, lanky, run-the-floor 4-man with some shooting range who averaged 12.7 points a game. Siler is a three-point shooting threat who averaged 10.6 points a game. Kenyon Weekley is a 6-5 big man and returning starter who averaged 8.3 points and five rebounds a game.

But the 6-4 Pickett, who played varsity at St. Rita as part of the heralded freshman class a year ago, is a huge addition for coach Brian Johnson. Pickett is a big guard with size and strength who will prove to another double-figure scorer.

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Simeon’s Jalen Griffith shoots during a pre-season practice. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

Despite not having a superstar, Robert Smith’s squad is talented

This is not the typical Simeon basketball team. The Wolverines don’t have a superstar and Robert Smith’s squad wasn’t a contender for the top spot in the preseason Super 25.

“I really like this team, maybe because of those reasons,” Smith said. “Everyone is coming in and working hard and respecting each other’s game. I like not being the hunted like we normally are. We can just cruise along and see what happens at the end.”

Superstar or not, underestimating this group would be a mistake. Simeon has three talented, experienced guards. Seniors Jaylen Drane, Avyion Morris and junior Jalen Griffith were key players on the team that won the city title in 2020.

That’s an incredible base for any team to start with. Drane is one of the state’s elite passers. He’s a dependable point guard that can dictate the pace of the game. Morris is a disruptor on defense and Griffith is a scorer.

“Those guys have all played a lot since they were freshmen and they’ve been through the wars,” Smith said.

Senior JayQuan Adams, a 6-5 wing, has been one of the most improved players so far in practice.

The Wolverines have a ton of size. Lance Rodgers, a 6-7 senior and Steve Turner, a 6-8 junior, both return. Twins Miles and Wes Rubin, 6-8 juniors, have transferred in from Homewood-Flossmoor.

“I’ve seen a lot of improvement in them,” Smith said. “They still have a ways to go but they have come in and soaked it all up.”

Smith has three sophomores on the varsity right now: David Thomas, Rashaud McKinney and Kenric Mosby. He isn’t sure if they will stay up or not.

“Thomas is a tough kid,” Smith said. “McKinney can really shoot it and Mosby is an athletic wing, he’s 6-7.”

So there might not be a senior signed with a Divison I school yet, but there is plenty of talent on hand.

“We have the same expectations as ever,” Smith said. “We want to win a city and state championship. There are some good teams out there but if we continue to grow and improve I don’t think there is anyone that much better than us.”

The Wolverines will be in Class 3A this season. It’s the first time they have dropped below Class 4A since 2007-08, when they lost to Marshall in the state title game.

“At first I was going to petition to go up but then I thought more about it,” Smith said. “[Young and Simeon] have been knocking each other out for so long. Why keep doing it if we don’t have to?”

Simeon will open the season at King on Nov. 23 and then begin a schedule that takes them to Memphis, South Dakota and Massachusetts.

“There is definitely less pressure on us this year,” Drane said. “That’s been nice. I think it is a good thing. This is going to be a great year for us.

The Wolverines’ final regular season game is against highly-regarded Sierra Canyon, CA on Feb. 5 at the Credit Union 1 Arena. The Trailblazers are the top-ranked team in the country, led by Chicago native Amari Bailey and LeBron James’ son Bronny.

“We have a chance to be one of the best teams in the country,” Morris said. “A lot of people are doubting us, thinking we aren’t as good as we used to be. I think we’re better than a lot of old Simeon teams.”

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Phil Collins, seated out front, performs with Genesis during the The Last Domino? tour on Monday night at the United Center. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

The ailing Collins has revealed that this tour will be his last with Genesis, with no plans to record new music with his bandmates.

Genesis were progressive rock trendsetters in the 1970s, becoming pop-rock hitmakers in the 1980s. Both stylistic forays earned the British band a devoted following, leading to brisk ticket sales for its 2021 North American, the group’s first since 2007. After rescheduling twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Monday’s concert was the first of two nights at United Center and the kickoff for the trek. The evening’s generous set list largely mirrored the newly released “The Last Domino?,” a retrospective of Genesis’ influential career.

The elephant in the room was the condition of singer and former drummer Phil Collins. Physical challenges including nerve dysfunction and diabetes forced the 70-year-old frontman to retire from drumming long ago. At the United Center, a visibly frail Collins performed seated at center stage. He nonetheless mustered enthusiasm and good humor, dispensing witty banter throughout the evening. “Please sing along, because that way you’ll make me sound better,” Collins said cheekily before launching “That’s All.”

Collins couldn’t belt from his seated position, but he delivered melodies with tone and character. He performed the creepy “Mama” bathed in eerie red light, delivering the chorus with maniacal laughter. A pair of background singers helped with held high notes, and the audience’s enthusiastic assistance was enlisted on songs like “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” and “The Carpet Crawlers.” Collins coaxed a ghostly wail from the crowd while singing the haunted house story “Home by the Sea.”

Taking the drum throne was 20-year-old Nic Collins, a seasoned professional despite his youth. In 2017, the younger Collins at age 16 drummed for his father’s Not Dead Yet tour. The father gamely grabbed a tambourine on Monday to join his son during “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe),” punctuating the beat with a jangling smack to his own head — and comically milking the audience for applause afterward.

The concert carefully interleaved the band’s unusual breadth. Selections skewed toward the arena-packing ’80s pop of the band’s biggest successes, but nuggets of the ’70s progressive rock favored by Genesis’ most ardent fans were strewn throughout the evening. The earliest selections were drawn from 1973’s prog touchstone “Selling England by the Pound,” released during Peter Gabriel’s tenure as vocalist. Instrumental movements from “The Cinema Show” and “Firth of Fifth” allowed keyboardist Tony Banks to perform thrilling and complex passages.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Tony Banks (from left), Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford of Genesis perform Monday night on the opening date of their “The Last Domino?” tour at the United Center. The band returns Tuesday night for a second show.

Honeyed soft-rock ballads including “Throwing it All Away” blurred the lines between Genesis, guitarist Mike Rutherford’s side band Mike and the Mechanics, and Phil Collins’ chart-topping solo material.

Genesis’ rare foray into political protest “Land of Confusion” was originally aimed at leadership during the Reagan/Thatcher era. “The last couple of years have given it new meaning,” said Collins. The song’s relevance was re-primed with images of masked marchers and raining rolls of toilet paper. The bluesy grind of “I Can’t Dance” criticized commercialization and shallow glamor.

The lanky Rutherford earned ovations for the appearance of his signature double-necked guitar and bass instrument. He struck heroic poses under dazzling lights while playing the slashing power chords of “Domino,” propelled by galloping drums. Longtime sideman Daryl Stuermer played elemental parts and solos, swapping guitar and bass with Rutherford frequently.

Crowd-pleaser “Misunderstanding” was performed for the first time in decades. Although Monday’s concert ran beyond two hours, other favorites were inevitably absent. The urgent “Abacab” and horn-spiked “No Reply at All” were notable omissions.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Genesis frontman Phil Collins performs alongside his son and drummer Nic, at the United Center on Monday night.

The evening was nonetheless satisfying, aside from infrequent missteps like stripping Gabriel-era prog anthem “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” of its complexities and intrigue during a brief acoustic set. The format proved better-suited to the romantic “Follow You Follow Me,” during which United Center was illuminated by twinkling cell phone lights. The main set concluded with euphoric No. 1 single “Invisible Touch.”

Collins has revealed that this tour will be his last with Genesis, with no plans to record new music with his bandmates. “Fading Lights” was a song that came to be identified as Collins’ original goodbye to Genesis fans, closing 1991’s “We Can’t Dance” album. Performed three decades later at United Center, the bittersweet song underscored the special opportunity offered by Monday night’s performance. Chicago-based fans have one more chance to witness their heroes on Tuesday. Afterward, the faithful will bid farewell as Genesis does the shuffling “I Can’t Dance” dance into pop music history.

SET LIST:

1. “Duke’s End”

2. “Turn It On Again”

3. “Mama”

4. “Land of Confusion”

5. “Home by the Sea”

6. “Second Home by the Sea”

7. “Fading Lights”

8. “The Cinema Show”

9. “Afterglow”

10. “That’s All” (acoustic)

11. “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” (acoustic)

12. “Follow You Follow Me” (acoustic)

13. “No Son of Mine”

14. “Misunderstanding”

15. “Firth of Fifth”

16 “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)”

17. “Domino”

18. “Throwing It All Away”

19. “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight”

20. “Invisible Touch”

Encore:

21 .”I Can’t Dance”

22. “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight”

23. “The Carpet Crawlers”

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Josh Bubinas arrowed his biggest buck to date to earn Buck of the Week. | Provided

Josh Bubinas arrowed his biggest buck to date in Will County to earn Buck of the Week honors.

Josh Bubinas emailed, “I took my biggest buck to date in the suburbs of Homer Glen with my crossbow November 1st.”

That’s the beauty of bowhunting in the suburbs.

It green-scored at 137 inches, high enough that it should qualify as a typical whitetail deer for the record book of the Pope and Young Club, keepers of archery records.

More than 220,000 hunters–some looking for trophy bucks, some looking to fill the freezer–take to the field Friday through Sunday during the first firearm deer season in Illinois. Opening-day stories would be much appreciated.

Buck of the Week, the celebration of big bucks and their stories (the stories matter, as this one shows) from around Chicago outdoors, runs Wednesdays in the paper Sun-Times when time is right. The online posting here at https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors goes up at varied days of the week, depending on what is going on the wide world of the outdoors.

To make submissions, email ([email protected]) or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

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Gifts for every type of person on your list (that they’ll actually love).Read More

The Chicago Blackhawks have won three straight since firing Jeremy Colliton. They are playing a much better game under Derek King and everybody involved deserves credit. With that said, even though the season is just over a month old, the Chicago Blackhawks appear to be in a hole that is too much to overcome. They […] Chicago Blackhawks: Trading Marc-Andre Fleury might be smart – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

Protesters attend a Downers Grove North High School Board meeting Monday. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Hundreds of people packed a Downers Grove District 99 High School board meeting Monday where some parents demanded the book, “Gender Queer,” be removed from library shelves — but students asked the board to keep it.

Attacks on literature about race and gender that have spread throughout the country in recent weeks made their way to a west suburban high school board meeting Monday night as conservative protesters and some parents objected to the availability of a book on sexual orientation and gender identity in the school library.

The graphic novel they targeted, “Gender Queer,” is one of several works that have come under fire nationwide as part of a larger movement by conservative politicians, activists, commentators and small networks of parents to denounce and ban progressive teachings in schools.

Some critics have claimed children were being exposed to “homoerotic” or “pornographic” language and images. “Gender Queer” is an autobiography about author Maia Kobabe’s journey of gender identity as a teenager and young adult. A few pages that include illustrations of sexual acts have drawn the bulk of the ire, while other students, parents and community members see the book as a vital tool for youth discovering their identity and any efforts to ban it as censorship.

The opposition has turned school boards into battlegrounds for social fallout, from books to COVID-19 protocols such as masking and vaccination, to more recently mental and emotional health programs. In some cases, school board members have been threatened and needed police protection.

The Chicago area had largely avoided those dust-ups until Monday, when about 200 people packed into an auditorium with police officers and security at Downers Grove North High School for the Community High School District 99 board’s monthly meeting.

About a third of the crowd held “NO PORN” signs and posters showing illustrations and excerpts from “Gender Queer.” The first grumbling came at the very start of the meeting — and another few times over the next couple hours — when board president Nancy Kupka repeatedly asked attendees to put on masks. Groans and shouts also came when people realized an American flag wasn’t on display for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Members of the Proud Boys — a far-right neo-fascist group which has recently latched onto school board protests around the country — promoted the meeting on a messaging app commonly used by far-right activists and urged each other to attend, according to screenshots posted to social media. It’s unclear whether any members of the group showed up.

The school board did not plan to discuss or vote on any items regarding “Gender Queer” — the book was solely brought up during the public speaker portion of the meeting. Supt. Hank Thiele, addressing the topic before people shared their views, said “Gender Queer” met the district’s requirements for inclusion in its library, and it was not part of any class’ required reading. Only one copy of the book is available for check-out at each library at Downers North and Downers South high schools, which combined serve nearly 5,000 students.

But administrators will review the book once again since two formal challenges have been filed, he said.

In the public speaker portion of the meeting, Thiele called those who were Downers Grove residents first, before outsiders. Among that initial group, which included several students, all but three speakers showed support for “Gender Queer.”

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Downers Grove North students Josiah Poynter (left), Lauren Pierret (middle) and Tabitha Irvin (right) were among those who spoke in favor of allowing the book “Gender Queer” to remain in the school’s library.

Lauren Pierret, a 17-year-old senior at Downers Grove North, said she didn’t know “Gender Queer” existed until last week.

“This isn’t being forced upon your kids, but it gives kids who would be interested in this story a choice to read it,” she said.

Pierret also questioned why other books that feature sex scenes such as “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Angela’s Ashes” were available in the library but not facing the same criticism.

“Let’s not present getting rid of ‘Gender Queer’ as censoring our children from sex,” she told the school board. “It’s homophobia.”

Josiah Poynter, an 18-year-old senior at Downers North, said he understands “this novel has scenes in it that are mature and sexual to say the least, [but] it’s not like we haven’t been given books with sex in them before.

“Inclusion matters to young people,” he told the school board. “This is why we must have this book in our school’s library. Inclusion brings an opportunity to grow in a safe environment. It brings comfort to people who feel unsolved and cast out.”

Tabitha Irvin, a junior at Downers North, said she felt it was “ironic” that people wearing American flag masks, hats and shirts were at the meeting calling for a book to be banned when, in her view, the issue was about free speech.

Linda Schranz, a longtime Downers Grove resident who said her daughter graduated from District 99, said “despite the noise in the community” she believes it’s a small minority who disagree with the board’s policies.

Schranz volunteers with Youth Outlook, a suburban-based nonprofit that supports LGBTQ youth, and said she sees “Gender Queer” and similar books “as an opportunity for a child who may be exploring or questioning [their identity] to take a look and look at more information.”

Terry Newsome, a Darien resident who said he has a son and daughter at Downers South, said his concerns about “Gender Queer” are not homophobic. If the book was only about LGBTQ students coming out, “parents wouldn’t have an issue with it,” he said.

“The problem is … this is liberal code for teaching children how to perform oral sex, anal sex, wear strap-on dildos,” he said. “These graphic images are totally unacceptable regardless of their gender or sexuality.

“It’s not your right to decide if our minor children should have access to pornography.”

Before the meeting, one dad, who asked not to be named, said in an interview he had watched YouTube videos about “Gender Queer” and said it was “sick” to have the book available for high schoolers, claiming it “teaches kids how to be gay.” A mother said she was there to protest “medical tyranny,” while another parent repeated a recent talking point in the Virginia gubernatorial race that parents don’t know enough about the curriculum their kids are taught.

The American Library Association recently honored “Gender Queer” as a text with “special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.” The book’s publisher says it is appropriate for high-school aged teenagers.

Virginia’s largest school district removed “Gender Queer” from its high school libraries earlier this fall while it considers parents’ concerns, while a Florida district banned it altogether and schools in New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington are among others that have heard challenges. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster told the state’s education department last week to investigate the book he deemed “sexually explicit” and “pornographic.” The banning of books in schools featured prominently in Virginia’s gubernatorial race.

Kobabe, the author of “Gender Queer,” wrote in a recent Washington Post op-ed addressing the backlash that the book was originally meant for Kobabe’s parents and extended family to help them understand what it meant to be nonbinary. Then it became clear queer teenagers could benefit from the relatable story.

“By high school, I had met multiple out gay, lesbian and bisexual people, but I didn’t meet an out trans or nonbinary person until I was in grad school,” Kobabe wrote. “The only place I had access to information and stories about transgender people was in media — mainly, in books.”

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Protesters hold signs with panels from “Gender Queer” at a Downers Grove North High School board meeting Monday. Read More

The Chicago Cubs didn’t have a lot to be proud of in 2021. They were a losing team that came in 4th place of the NL Central Division. They also traded away most of their core which was very tough to see as most of them were members of the 2016 World Series Champions. However, […] Chicago Cubs: 2 players receive Rookie of the Year votes – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More