Rick Armstrong – Page 62

Chase Osborne (20) wraps up Lincoln-Way Central's Michael Kuehl (13) on a pass attempt during a Class 7A second-round playoff game in Batavia on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

In move from cornerback to safety, Chase Osborne sizes up competition for Batavia. ‘When he hits you, he pops.’

November 7, 2023 at 11:49 a.m.

Just look at Batavia's Chase Osborne now. Players come in all shapes and sizes, and football coaches — the good ones, anyway — know it's not wise to pigeonhole prospects...

Batavia's Ryan Boe (21) signals a play against Lincoln-Way Central during the third quarter of a Class 7A second-round playoff game in Batavia on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

Rick Armstrong’s Aurora-Elgin area football rankings and players of the week

November 7, 2023 at 10:01 a.m.

Sandwich zooms up the rankings topped by Batavia and Geneva, while Geneva's Nate Stempowski and Batavia's Ben Brown are the players of the week. Top 10 With records through Sunday...

Geneva's Rocco Dileonardi (33) talks with Connor Binzen during a Class 6A second-round playoff game in Lake Forest on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.

Rock on, Rocco. Geneva’s Rocco DiLeonardi returns blocked punt for his first TD. ‘We’ll never hear the end of it.’

November 4, 2023 at 1:03 a.m.

After having a day to remember, Geneva senior Rocco DiLeonardi decided to make a week of it. And the best might still be yet to come, although it's hard to...

Marmion athletic director Dan Thorpe, left, celebrates with the boys track team after the Cadets won the Class 2A state championship at O'Brien Stadium on Saturday, May 26, 2018.

Column: A quiet, fond farewell for Marmion football coach Dan Thorpe. The way he wants it. ‘It has been an honor.’

November 3, 2023 at 1:55 p.m.

Take a bow, Dan Thorpe. A well-deserved bow. It's fanfare like this Thorpe may have been trying to avoid last winter when he decided to retire from coaching football at...

Batavia's Luke Alwin (12) secures a Ryan Boe pass for a touchdown during the second quarter of a DuKane Conference game in Geneva on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.

Wide receiver Luke Alwin finds winning formula for Batavia. It includes playing defense. ‘He’s that quality.’

November 2, 2023 at 11:36 a.m.

Luke Alwin finds himself in good company these days for Batavia, part of an occasional story line in what has become the storied tradition of the school's football program. Alwin...

Kaneland quarterback Troyer Carlson (10) prepares to throw a pass against Geneva during the first quarter of a nonconference game on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022.

Catch Kaneland’s Dominick DeBlasio and Aric Johnson if you can. But there’s more to it than that. ‘Had to step up.’

November 1, 2023 at 11:15 a.m.

We're talking dynamic duo. Seniors Dominick DeBlasio and Aric Johnson give Kaneland a formidable one-two punch on offense from the wide receiver position but offer so much more. In their...

Batavia's Chase Osborne (20), Kameron McLeod (54) and Josh Kahley (23) bring down Wheaton North's Rich Schilling (4) during a DuKane Conference game in Batavia on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023.

Rick Armstrong’s Aurora-Elgin area football rankings and players of the week

October 31, 2023 at 7:50 p.m.

Sandwich and West Aurora enter rankings topped by Batavia, while Kaneland's Dominick DeBlasio and Plano's Logan Scheich are the players of the week. Top 10 With records through Sunday and...

Oswego's Riley Borrowman (3) celebrates after a point with teammate Mia Jurkovic (14) against Lockport during a Class 4A Oswego Sectional semifinal match on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023.

Battling an illness, Oswego’s Riley Borrowman didn’t blink. ‘I just wanted to play my heart out.’ And she did.

October 31, 2023 at 7:15 a.m.

Riley Borrowman may have been under the weather, but this girl was on fire. A 6-foot middle hitter and the only senior starter in Oswego coach Gary Mosley's lineup, Borrowman...

South Elgin's London Leflore (9) charges through Lane Tech's defense for a touchdown during a Class 8A first-round playoff game in South Elgin on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023.

Sixteen players ran the ball for South Elgin, but London Leflore was best. His message? ‘All of us are trusted.’

October 28, 2023 at 8:27 p.m.

All hands on deck. Junior London Leflore and his teammates in South Elgin's running backs room are firm believers of the philosophy continually espoused over the years by coach Dragan...

Batavia's Malachi Smith (8) battles against Brother Rice's Nicholas Baser (69) during a Class 7A first-round playoff game in Batavia on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

You don’t say. Nose guard Malachi Smith, who grew up in Texas, comes up big for Batavia’s defense. ‘This feels great.’

October 28, 2023 at 1:00 a.m.

Maybe it's true what they say about everything being bigger in Texas. Junior defensive lineman Malachi Smith appears to be living proof of that concept for Batavia. The coaches happily...

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