Darren Day – Page 5 –

Zion-Benton's Rmoni Beals takes a jump shot during a game against Waukegan in Zion on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023.

Zion-Benton’s Rmoni Beals plays through the ‘hurt’ of loss after loss — for the present. He’s the future.

February 2, 2023 at 1:58 p.m.

Rmoni Beals was among the Zion-Benton players who fell to their gym floor with exhaustion and disappointment when the final buzzer sounded at the end of overtime. There have been...

Antioch's Gavin Hanrahan tries to escape from the grasp of teammate Logan Perez during a practice on campus on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023.

Gavin Hanrahan keeps it ‘funky,’ at least for now. But the Antioch sophomore knows he has work to do.

January 27, 2023 at 1:39 p.m.

There's plenty of time for Gavin Hanrahan to grow a few inches and hit the weights during his Antioch career. In the meantime, the 113-pound sophomore is doing his own...

Antioch's Kyle Glassman (5) moves the ball during a Northern Lake County Conference game in Lake Villa on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023.

Unbreakable Glassman: That would be Antioch’s Kyle Glassman, right at home on a rival’s home court. ‘My kind of game.’

January 25, 2023 at 12:52 p.m.

Antioch's Kyle Glassman spent plenty of time on the floor of Lakes' basketball court on Tuesday, diving for loose balls, taking charges and drawing fouls against bigger players. All in...

Libertyville's Austin Gomez, left, finished second in the 182-pound weight class at Barrington's Moore-Prettyman Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.

Call Austin Gomez’s style what you will. The Libertyville senior wins with it, and people notice. ‘I’m the hunted now.’

January 20, 2023 at 2:02 p.m.

Austin Gomez's coach, Dale Eggert, calls it "scrambling." The Libertyville senior likes the phrase "pushing the pace." Whatever it's called, Gomez's style on the mat has served him well. It...

Waukegan's Rayshaun Aaron, left, tries to get past North Chicago's Ellis Usher during a game in Waukegan on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.

Rayshaun Aaron ‘shows his heart’ — and versatility — once again as Waukegan picks up another win in turnaround season

January 18, 2023 at 12:21 p.m.

Waukegan's Rayshaun Aaron was told by coach Ron Ashlaw that he needed to be versatile this season. For the Bulldogs to be successful, the senior forward had to use his...

Warren's Evan Onstad, right, practices with teammate Aaron Stewart at the school's Almond Campus in Gurnee on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023.

Evan Onstad won’t look back. The Warren senior had too little time and has too little left. ‘He works with a purpose.’

January 13, 2023 at 2:18 p.m.

Many seniors get reflective or nostalgic when facing the final weeks of their high school careers. Warren's Evan Onstad is not like most. "I'm making up for lost time," he...

Libertyville's Jack Huber (22) gets past Zion-Benton's Jayden Delk (1) during a game in Libertyville on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

Where there’s a Will: Buchert drives Libertyville’s 11-game win streak, spurred on by memory of loss that ‘really hurt’

January 11, 2023 at 11:03 a.m.

Will Buchert can't shake the memory of Libertyville's loss to Barrington in the Class 4A sectional championship game last year. The 6-foot senior point guard and his teammates want a...

Lakes' Will Steen, top, wrestles teammate Connor Sylves during a practice on campus in Lake Villa on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.

Lakes senior Will Steen learns to manage Crohn’s disease — and how to win: ‘He gets out there and gives it all he can.’

January 6, 2023 at 2:07 p.m.

Lakes senior Will Steen can remember when stomach pains and lack of energy hampered him on the mat. Lakes coach Devin Tortorice has even more alarming memories. "There have been...

Waukegan's Simereon Carter, left, puts up a shot over Zion-Benton's Jared Dawkins during a game in Waukegan on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

Waukegan freshman Simereon Carter averages 20 points but is just getting up to speed: ‘I don’t want to stop now’

January 4, 2023 at 12:33 p.m.

Waukegan's Simereon Carter is getting his legs under him heading into the second half of his freshman season. Knee surgery kept Carter from playing competitive basketball for most of eighth...

Zion-Benton's Rachel Williams-Henry smiles between drills during a practice on campus on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022.

Things are looking up for Zion-Benton’s Rachel Williams-Henry. That could mean fewer smiles among her opponents.

December 20, 2022 at 11:43 a.m.

Rachel Williams-Henry is hungry for more matches. Other 140-pounders might not be so eager for that. The Zion-Benton senior has been limited by injuries so far this season but is...

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