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Maine South’s Cole Cichowski (5) reacts with Tommy Locascio (3) during the game against Warren. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

Maine South wins another big one, legendary coach Rich Zinanni retires, Lake Forest’s thriller and the last Public League team is eliminated.

Maine South, one of the state’s most storied football programs, has somehow flown under the radar a bit this season.

The Hawks have been highly-ranked in the Super 25 since beating Warren on the road way back in early September. But a loss to Palatine two weeks later knocked Maine South out of the ranks of the elite according to some observers.

Dave Inserra’s squad passed its biggest test of the season in the quarterfinals, defeating Neuqua Valley 14-13 on the road.

Next up for Maine South is a tough matchup at Marist in the semifinals, but the Hawks may be the area’s best road team so far this season.

Phillips eliminated

Richmond-Burton, winners of 32 consecutive games, beat Phillips 27-26 in the Class 4A quarterfinals on Saturday.

The Rockets led 14-0 early but Phillips had a big second quarter, led briefly and trailed 21-20 at halftime. The Wildcats fell short on a pair of two-point conversions in the game, but had a chance to win it on the final play.

Richmond-Burton picked off Tyler Turner’s pass at the goal line. Turner connected with Avante Savage on two touchdown passes in the game, including an 84-yarder.

Phillips was the last Public League team alive in the playoffs.

Rich Zinanni’s run ends

Undefeated Wilmington beat Bishop McNamara 45-25 in a Class 2A quarterfinal on Saturday. The Wildcats didn’t attempt a pass and ran for 427 yards and six touchdowns.

A tip of the cap to Fighting Irish coach Rich Zinanni, who retires after a tremendous career. Zinanni has coached Bishop McNamara since 1975. He won nearly 400 games and five state titles.

Mason Schweizer of the Kankakee Daily Journal wrote a nine-part series on Zinanni this fall. It’s free to read and worth your time.

Lake Forest thriller

What a game on Saturday in the Class 6A quarterfinals. Lake Forest drove 92 yards and scored with 14 seconds left to beat Prairie Ridge 22-21.

The winning touchdown was a pass from Leo Scheidler to Jake Milliman. Next up for the Scouts is another Fox Valley power, Cary-Grove, in the semifinals.

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The Chicago Bears are on a bye this week. It is a week for them to reflect on the disaster that has been the first half of the season. At 3-6, they have been a disgrace from week one on. They had the Andy Dalton vs Justin Fields stuff early and now Fields is the […] Chicago Bears: Thursday Night Football result was horrific – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

Brother Rice celebrates during the game against Mount Carmel. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

The top five remains rock solid and three teams make season debuts in the rankings.

The quarterfinals delivered excellent games. There weren’t many blowouts in the area. Even though some of the final scores were slightly lopsided, the games were closer than they appeared.

Lemont even kept things respectable against mighty East St. Louis, losing 42-21.

This is kind of an awkward week for the rankings. I like to keep the teams that are still playing higher than the ones that aren’t, in general. But it’s impossible to ignore that squads like Batavia and Neuqua Valley would likely beat many teams still alive. So bear with me for a week or two. Everything will iron out in the final rankings.

It’s been a long while since the top five changed, hasn’t it? There hasn’t been an earth-shattering upset yet in the playoffs.

IC Catholic, Wilmington and Sycamore are still playing for state titles so they’ve made season debuts in the rankings.

In case you don’t follow things on Twitter religiously, Kaleb Brown is back scoring touchdowns for St. Rita. All of a sudden the preseason No. 1 team is looking very dangerous again.

Week 13’s Super 25

With record and last week’s ranking

1. Loyola (12-0) 1

8A: vs. No. 8 Lockport

2. Joliet Catholic (12-0) 2

4A: at No. 20 Richmond-Burton

3. Brother Rice (10-2) 3

7A: at No. 6 Wheaton North

4. Maine South (11-1) 4

8A: at No. 10 Marist

5. Cary-Grove (12-0) 5

6A: vs. No. 18 Lake Forest

6. Wheaton North (11-1) 6

7A: vs. No. 3 Brother Rice

7. St. Rita (10-2) 10

7A: vs. No. 17 Prospect

8. Lockport (11-1) 12

8A: at No. 1 Loyola

9. Fenwick (10-2) 9

5A: vs. No. 19 Sycamore

10. Marist (9-3) 18

8A: vs. No. 4 Maine South

11. Neuqua Valley (10-2) 7

Season complete

12. Lincoln-Way East (9-3) 11

Season complete

13. Mount Carmel (8-4) 8

Season complete

14. Glenbard North (8-4) 14

Season complete

15. Kankakee (12-0) 15

5A: vs. Morton, IL

16. Crete-Monee (9-3) 16

6A: vs. East St. Louis

17. Prospect (10-2) 20

7A: at No. 7 St. Rita

18. Lake Forest (10-2) 23

6A: at No. 5 Cary-Grove

19. Sycamore (9-3) NR

5A: at No. 9 Fenwick

20. Richmond-Burton (12-0) 24

4A: vs. No. 2 Joliet Catholic

21. IC Catholic (11-2) NR

3A: vs. Byron

22. Wilmington (12-0) NR

2A: vs. Tri-Valley

23. Lemont (11-1) 13

Season complete

24. Batavia (10-1) NR

Season complete

25. Warren (9-2) NR

Season complete

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Rookie quarterback Justin Fields (1) has a 72.1 passer rating (four touchdowns, seven interceptions) in his seven starts in place of Andy Dalton. | Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

With Justin Fields in place as the starting QB, the Bears’ arrow should be pointing up heading into 2022. But they need more than hope, they need performance. Here’s what they need to show:

The most significant play of the Bears’ first half was tinged with irony. Andy Dalton was injured making a Justin Fields play.

On first-and-20 early in the second quarter against the Bengals in Week 2 at Soldier Field, Dalton dropped back, escaped pressure, found a swath of running room to his right and scooted toward the sideline for a 14-yard gain. But Dalton hopped awkwardly as he stepped out of bounds and suffered a knee injury.

Dalton went to the medical tent for observation as Fields finished out the drive. Dalton gamely returned for the next series. But he came up limping after being sacked for an eight-yard loss by Bengals defensive tackle D.J. Reader on his third play back. And after a Bears punt, he did not return.

Dalton had suffered a bone bruise that put him out indefinitely. Coach Matt Nagy said Dalton would be the starter when he returned, but the winds of change already were kicking up. When Fields followed up a disastrous nine-sack game against the Browns with a more promising performance against the Lions on Oct. 3, Nagy awkwardly relented.

On the following Monday, Nagy stuck to the original script and insisted Dalton was the starter whenever he became healthy. Two days later, Nagy had a change of heart that Bears fans seemed to will out of him. Fields was the Bears’ full-time starting quarterback.

With Fields playing like a talented rookie — failing, succeeding and learning — the Bears are 3-6 at their bye week, ostensibly the mid-way point of their 17-game season. But Fields’ promotion to the starting job puts the Bears in better shape than they were at the midway point last season, when they were 5-3 with Nick Foles playing ahead of Mitch Trubisky. The Bears had no direction at that point. They at least have hope now.

But, especially with Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace presumably on the hot seat, that low bar gets raised after the bye. The Bears need more than just having Fields in place — and healthy — at the end of the 2021 season. They need to more than hope. They need performance.

With that in mind, here are five things the Bears need to show in the “second half,” which begins Sunday against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens at Soldier Field:

1. The offense score 30 points against a quality team.

The Bears need more than a quarterback. They need an offense. In back-to-back games that were considered a breakthrough of sorts for Fields — 103 rushing yards and an exhilarating 22-yard touchdown run against the 49ers; 291 passing yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown rally against the Steelers — the Bears’ offense still produced just 22 and 20 points.

In four seasons under Nagy, in fact, the Bears’ offense has scored 30 or more points against a team that finished with a winning record once — in a 38-31 loss to the Patriots at Soldier Field in 2018. (And even that was a bit of a fluke. The Patriots were 24th in the league in scoring defense at that point of the 2018 season. In the final 10 weeks, they were first. The Bears just caught the Patriots at the right time.)

The Bears are 9-18 vs. teams with winning records (including this season), but their offense has scored more than 20 points in just one of them — a 24-10 victory over the 8-7-1 Vikings in the 2018 season finale.

2. A signature game for Justin Fields.

The celebration of Fields’ accomplishments to this point have been the equivalent of having a Grant Park celebration for winning the NFC North — a dazzling touchdown run; a pinpoint downfield pass; a spin move to avoid a tackler; a fourth-quarter drive to take the lead.

At some point — preferably this season — Fields needs to do more than flash. In seven starts, his passer rating is 72.1 (four touchdowns, seven interceptions). That’s 29th in the NFL among quarterbacks with four or more starts in that seven-week span, including three rookies — the Patriots’ Mac Jones (87.7), the Texans’ Davis Mills (82.3) and the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence (80.1). Fields’ career-best passer rating of 91.1 against the Raiders is below the league average of 93.3.

With Fields gaining comfort with the offense and the coaching staff gaining comfort with him, Fields is trending toward that signature game. His four plays of 25 yards or more against the Steelers went to four different receivers — Marquise Goodwin (50), Allen Robinson (39), Jimmy Graham (28) and Cole Kmet (25). Next up on his checklist — a big pass play to a running back. His longest so far is 20 yards to Khalil Herbert in garbage time against the Buccaneers, trailing 35-3.

Fields has more experience and confidence. The league has more on tape. It’ll be interesting to see if Nagy & Co. can win that battle and push the rookie to another level.

3. Khalil Mack and Eddie Jackson finish strong

With Fields’ improvement, the Bears’ defense has suffered (currently 13th in yards, 20th in yards per play and 22nd in points allowed), lending credence to the fear that once the offense arrives, the defense will be over the hill.

Mack’s availability and effectiveness bears watching as wear-and-tear at 30 becomes a bigger factor. He had six sacks in the first six games as he played through a sprained foot. But he was ineffective against the Buccaneers and did not play against the 49ers or Steelers.

Mack could return after the bye, but it remains to be seen how effective he’ll be coming off the injury and how well he holds up. Mack at 80% is still a good player. But the Bears aren’t paying for good. They need him to be great.

The same goes for Jackson, who has missed all but two snaps of the last two games with a hamstring injury. No matter how well he’s technically playing — a difficult thing to quantify for a safety — Jackson still has not found the play-making groove of his first two NFL seasons in 2017-18. It’s hard to see this defense regaining its bite in 2022 without Mack and Jackson being consistent playmakers.

4. Teven Jenkins start at left tackle when he’s healthy.

The notion of Jenkins playing this season seemed far-fetched when he underwent back surgery in August. But he’s been making strides in recent weeks and worked out on the field prior to the Bears-Steelers game last week.

It’s could be a bit of a quandary for Nagy and offensive line coach Juan Castillo. While rookie right tackle Larry Borom was an easy plug-in when he returned from a high ankle sprain against the 49ers, Jenkins has future Hall of Fame Jason Peters in front of him.

It would be difficult for the Bears to bench Peters to get Jenkins experience that might pay dividends in 2022 — especially if the Bears have any chance at a playoff spot in the final weeks of the regular season. Then again, if Borom and Jenkins are actually effective, having two young bookend tackles and a franchise quarterback in place heading into next season could — right or wrong — end up being a selling point for Nagy to stick around.

5. The Bears play with discipline.

The Bears need to get their act together. They were called for 16 penalties against the Steelers (four were declined), including an illegal formation out of a time out. Even on Fields’ 22-yard scramble for a touchdown on fourth-and-one against the 49ers, the Bears lined up wrong.

In 2018, the Bears had the fourth-fewest penalties called against them. This year they are tied for the third-most. The bad calls on James Daniels (a low block) and Cassius Marsh (taunting) against the Steelers likely cost the Bears seven points. But that overshadowed a lot of guilty-as-charged penalties that also were costly.

Nagy made his mark in that glorious 2018 rookie season as a coach who impressively engendered a healthy respect from his players on both sides of the ball. With his job on the line, they have to get back to that 2018 mode. It’s not enough to like him, they have to play for him.

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Melvin Potash. | Provided

The longtime Lincolnwood resident was one of three brothers who founded the 71-year-old chain of Potash grocery stores, for which he worked from 1950 to 2017.

Melvin Potash knew families and businesses are stronger when everyone pulls together.

He taught his children that lesson with a story about a team of two horses that never got anywhere until they stopped pulling in opposite directions.

“He put it in terms we could understand,” his son Art Potash said, by using South Shore landmarks the Potash kids knew from their childhood. “He said one horse wanted to go to the JCC [Jewish Community Center] at 91st and Jeffery, and the other wanted to go to Kim’s drugstore at 87th and Bennett.”

Mr. Potash told his children the horses made no progress until they agreed: “We’ll go to Kim’s first, and then we’ll go to the JCC.”

Later in life, when differences of opinion cropped up, Art Potash said, “All he had to say was: ‘Remember the two horses.’ “

Mr. Potash, one of three brothers who founded the 71-year-old chain of Potash grocery stores, died Nov. 1 at Vi at the Glen, a senior community in Glenview. The longtime Lincolnwood resident worked for the family business from 1950 to 2017.

Young Melvin was captain of the basketball team at Hyde Park High School, which also bolstered his belief in teamwork, his son said.

“I was not the best player,” Mr. Potash told his family. “I was the captain because I was the biggest cheerleader for my teammates.”

Provided
Melvin Potash (on phone) and his brother David Potash at the cash register in the early days at the Potash grocery store at 1525 N. Clark St.

The three Potash stores are at 875 N. State St., 1525 N. Clark St. and Potash Gourmet 44 on the 44th floor of 175 E. Delaware Pl., the former John Hancock Center.

Until four years ago, Mr. Potash was still going to work at the Clark Street store, where he’d stock the shelves and smile and wave at his regulars, many who became friends, his son said. When customers had children, Mr. Potash’s wife Phyllis made personalized baby books for them, with her delicate calligraphy and newspaper headlines from the day the infants were born.

Mr. Potash believed in personalized service, taking phone orders for delivery, stocking special requests and modifying inventory to reflect changing tastes. He expanded prepared deli items and meal choices that didn’t focus on meat. Customers could always found a Potash in their stores, including his sister Marian Schuman, who worked for the business for 60 years.

One time, in the days before cell phones, a woman was robbed in front of the Clark Street store.

“My dad made sure she was O.K. and called her family in Pontiac, Illinois” to help, Art Potash said.

“He was always looking out for the small guy,” said Brian Jordan, director of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

Mr. Potash headed a predecessor of the group, the Illinois Food Retailers Association, from 1999 to 2001.

He had a diplomatic touch with employees, his son said. He said that when one kept coming in late, “He bought him an alarm clock.”

In addition to his two brothers who were his business partners, he grew up with six sisters. Their Russia-born parents were the former Sarah Goldstein and Max Potashnick, who shortened the family name to Potash after settling in the United States.

Max Potash was involved in real estate, but the Great Depression hit the family hard. For a time, they were homeless, and some of the younger children were temporarily placed in the care of Jewish social services, Art Potash said.

“They all believed in family; that’s what got them through,” he said.

In the early 1950s, Mr. Potash served stateside in the Army. When he was on leave, he’d come home and spell his brother Herbert — who operated a North Side store, Plee-Zing market — so he could take a vacation. Eventually, Mr. Potash and a third brother, David, followed Herbert into the grocery business.

In the 1960s, two of their North Clark Street stores were twice displaced by the construction of Carl Sandburg Village, his son said. In 1967, Mr. Potash negotiated with developer Arthur Rubloff to establish the Sandburg Supermart at 1525 N. Clark St., which operates today as Potash Market. In 1962, they opened Potash Bros., also now known as Potash Market, at 875 N. State St. The Delaware Place location opened in 2007.

When Mr. Potash met Phyllis Winer, his redheaded future wife, “He pointed to the freckles on her arm,” their son said, “and he said, ‘You know what they are?’ “

“Freckles,” she replied.

“They’re kisses from angels,” he told her.

They were married for 67 years.

Services have been held. Mr. Potash is also survived by his daughter Debbie Dobkin, sons Ed Potash and Mark Potash, a Chicago Sun-Times sports reporter, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

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When the Chicago Bears’ schedule first came out before the season, it looked as though the team had the perfect bye week. If optimistic thinking was in play, these Bears could be hovering around .500 and use the bye week to prep for a late season push. Instead, Chicago’s bye came and went with the […] Chicago Bears: Burning questions as Bears work through bye week – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

At least three people were killed and 18 others wounded in citywide shootings since Friday evening. | Sun-times file

Two of the fatal attacks occurred in Austin on the West Side.

At least three people were killed and 18 others wounded in shootings in Chicago since 5 p.m. Friday.

A man was killed and woman wounded Sunday morning at a gathering in North Austin on the Northwest Side. About 12:05 a.m., a 27-year-old man was fatally shot multiple times in his torso and a 30-year-old woman shot in her leg in the 5900 block of West North Avenue, police said. The man was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where he died, police said. His name hasn’t been released yet. The woman was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was in good condition, police said.
A man was found fatally shot Saturday morning in East Garfield Park on the West Side. About 7:25 a.m., the 33-year-old was in the 700 block of North Ridgeway Avenue, when a vehicle pulled up to him and fired several shots in his direction, police said. He was found laying on the sidewalk and rushed to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He was identified as Stephen Boyd by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Darrell Russell was found fatally shot Saturday evening in Austin on the West Side. The 28-year-old was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his chest about 7:10 p.m. in the 5000 block of West Washington Boulevard, police and the medical examiner’s office said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
In nonfatal attacks, three men were shot Saturday in East Garfield Park on the West Side. About 11:50 a.m. they were standing in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand Street, when they heard shots and felt pain, police said. A 22-year-old was struck in the face, and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said. A 19-year-old man was struck in the leg, and taken to the same hospital, where his condition was stabilized. The third man, 24, was struck in the chest, and taken to Stroger in critical condition, police said.
About five minutes earlier, a 17-year-old boy was shot Saturday afternoon in Lawndale on the West Side. He was in the 2200 block of South Kolin Avenue, when someone in a passing gray vehicle fired shots, police said. He was taken to Mt. Sinai, where he is in good condition, police said.

At least 13 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago since Friday evening.

At least 10 people were killed and 42 others — including a 4-year-old boy — were wounded by gunfire in Chicago last weekend.

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