McGaw Swim Team Finishes Strong at Wis. Meet

More than 60 swimmers from the McGaw Y Swim Team (MYST) participated in the Schroeder YMCA Finalist Meet with 17 other teams this past weekend in Brown Deer, Wis.

Marlee Nork took first in the Girls 9-10 100 IM; Wesley Marberry clocked a winning time in the Boys 13-14 400 IM; and Sharon Wu placed first in the Girls 11-12 50 backstroke. Marberry and Wu also set new team records in those events.

Nork's other top eight finishes included second in the 50 breast, 40.85; second, 100 IM; third, 100 breast; fifth, 100 back; and eighth, 50 back.

Marberry had six other top-eight finishes with a second in the 200 back; third,100 back; third, 100 breast; fourth, 200 breast; fifth, 100 free; and eighth, 200 free.

Wu also placed second in the 100 back (another new team record), third in the 200 IM; and eighth, 50 breast.

Additional top eight finishers in individual events include the following:
• Daniel Managlia, Boys 8 and under, fifth, 25 fly; sixth; and seventh, 25 breast
• Walter Haracz, Boys 9-10, sixth, 100 fly
• Kevin Klyman, Boys 9-10. third, 200 IM; sixth, 50 fly; eighth, 100 free
• Joe Bricker, Boys 9-10, sixth, 200 IM
• Constance Reynolds, Girls 8 and Under, fourth, 25 back; seventh, 25 free; seventh, 100 IM; seventh, 25 fly
• Honore Collins, Girls 9-10, second, 50 back; second, 100 back; fifth, 100 free; fifth, 200 IM; seventh, 100 fly
• Paige Hayden, Girls 9-10, seventh, 100 back
• Julia Fiorino, Girls 9-10, eighth, 100 back
• Madeline Managlia, Girls 9-10, fifth, 50 fly; eighth, 200 IM
• Kayla McCoy, Girls 11-12, fourth, 200 IM; seventh, 50 breast; seventh, 100 breast; eighth, 50 fly
• Susannah Mulhern, Girls 11-12, sixth, 200 IM; eighth, 100 fly
• Evan Swenson, Girls 13-14, sixth, 100 breast; seventh, 100 free; eighth, 50 free; eighth, 200 breast
• Ashley Fourkas, Girls 13-14, fourth, 100 free
• Annika Schick, Girls 13-14, sixth 200 fly; seventh, 200 IM
• Allison Siegel, Women, 4rh, 50 free; fourth, 100 free; seventh, 100 fly
The MYST relay teams also did well; top eight finishes include the following:

Boys 8 and Under 100 medley, third, 1:33.82: Kiel McBride, Peter Caan, Managlia, Henry Haracz
• Boys 9-10 200 Medley, second:Adrian LaFont-Mueller, Bricker, Kevin Klyman, Walter Haracz
• Boys 9-10 200 Free, second: Klyman, Walter Haracz, Bricker, Lafont-Mueller
• Boys 11-12 200 Medley, fifth: Nicholas Rex, Justin Hadley, Thomas Haracz, Charlie Aragon
• Boys 13-14 200 Medley, fourth: Aaron Mohrenweiser, Marberry, Nathan Urban, Jonathan Hadley
• Boys 13-14 200 Free, fourth: Mohrenweiser, Marberry, Urban, Hadley
• Girls 8 and Under 100 Free, fourth: Katie Donati, Nancy Hollingsworth, Reynolds, Sydney Hollingsworth
• Girls 9-10 200 Medley, second: Collins, Nork, Managlia, Paige Hayden
• Girls 9-10 200 Free, second: Nork, Megan Trick, Hayden, Collins
• Girls 11-12 200 Medley, third: Wu, McCoy, Mulhern, Sara White
• Girls 11-12 200 Free, second: McCoy, Mulhern, Wu, White
• Girls 13-14 200 Medley, fifth: Arica Heyd, Swenson, Schick, Robyn Bastain
• Women 200 Free, fourth: Schick, Siegel, Swenson, Fourkas

The MYST head coach is Craig Strong.

Indoor Tennis Registeration

E-Town Tennis and the Evanston Recreation Division will hold indoor second-session tennis programs beginning Jan. 7. All programs are held at the field house at Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave. Deadline for registration is Jan. 3. To register, call Chandler Newberger Center, 847-866-8490; for additional information call E-Town Tennis, 847-498-1360.

Hooked on Fishing

Reminiscing

As the year winds down and the weather is not exactly what anyone might call "fishing" weather, I find myself remembering warmer days and some great fishing from this past year.

This was an outstanding year for the kids at Lovelace Park. They caught lots of fish caught, and the kids and the families who participated on many Saturdays this year had great times.

It always amazes me that for the kids, the size of the fish doesn't matter very much. I guess that comes with age.

The fishing on Lake Michigan was really good this year, too. The bass were very cooperative and provided me with many hours of enjoyment, the perch were plentiful and tasty, and my son and I enjoyed our time on the big lake.

This was also a good year for proud fathers. I got to be with my son when he landed his biggest smallmouth bass (4+ lbs.) and watched him handle his first really big Northern Pike (35 inches) this summer.

Of course, in true fisherman style, both those fish have now become just under world-class in size as he tells the stories.

They were both really outstanding fish. Maybe he has been listening all this time we've spent together fishing.

I had a really good couple of days in Minnesota last summer, catching six walleye in two days. Each weighed more than seven pounds, and all were released alive and swimming because I practice C.P.R. - catch, photo, release.

I'm also looking forward to some fishing trips in the coming year. In early summer I have a trip planned to a private lake in upstate New York with a great population of largemouth bass of over five pounds. What a great week that should be.

The forecast for Lake Michigan fishing, if the weather will cooperate, should be for another great year for bass and perch.

Here's hoping your Christmas was merry and that the New Year will bring you health, happiness and tight lines.
hookedonfishing@comcast.net

Boys Basketball Team Heating Up

By Michael O'Sullivan

The Evanston Township High School Wildkits rolled over the Niles West Wolves on Dec. 14, winning by an impressive score of 97-42.

The Evanston victory marked their eighth straight win, improving their record to 8-1. According to the Chicago Tribune, they are ranked 10th in the state.

The Wildkits looked sharp on offense and defense the entire game. The team is playing their best basketball of the year as they head into the toughest stretch of the season.

"We are clicking at the right time right now. We are all playing well as a team and are doing the little things that help any team win," said senior guard Stephen Rudnicki.

"We know we need to keep playing well, especially now as our schedule gets much tougher. We are prepared to take on the challenges that will come our way and we will not be intimidated by anyone," he added.

Rudnicki struggled in the early part of the season to shoot the ball well, but now he and his teammates are scoring at will and their confidence is growing. "I never lost confidence in my shot, and I think we all knew we would start to shoot better after the first couple of games of the year," he said.

The team's confidence and shooting was on display at Niles West, especially in the first half when the Wildkits shot a jaw-dropping 70 percent from the field. Steadily improving sophomore Ryan Frazier posted a team-high 20 points and Evanston had four players in double figures.

The two big men, Travis Clark and Danny Far, continue to play well and have brought great energy to the team all year. "Danny and Travis have been the work horses down low for us all year long," said senior guard Zach Morten.

"They have been doing a great job of getting open and bringing great energy onto the floor, and we definitely feed off that energy," Morten added.

Over the holiday break, the team will compete in the Proviso West tournament. The annual holiday tournament is one of the most prestigious in the state and this year will feature four of the top 20 teams in Illinois.

If Evanston can defeat Morton High School tonight, it will set up a rematch with top-ranked Marshall, who ended the Kits season last year in the super-sectional playoffs. "We cannot look ahead right now," Rudnicki said.

"We need to stay focused and take things one game at a time. That is how we have won eight games in a row. We have not looked ahead, and we have kept our minds focused on playing the basketball that has been working for us lately. Marshall will be a tough team to beat, they are ranked number one for a reason, but we have to take care of business with Waukegan and Morton before we can even think about Marshall," he added.

The Proviso West tournament runs through Dec. 29.