Papa Diesel
@PapaDiesel4
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Former Tri-Valley A.D. Brian Knutson had the experience of a lifetime last week, witnessing Rory McIlroy's historic Masters win up close. He was 15 to 20 yards away when McIlroy made the winning putt in a playoff. Here is his story. Enjoy!
wglt.org
Brian Knutson of Bloomington was still processing it a few days later. Attending any Masters would have been a dream realized. Witnessing history from 15 to 20 yards away? Are you kidding?
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Jen Kuhn is a talented force not only on the softball field, but in everything she does. We need more like her. Here is her story. Enjoy!
wglt.org
Jen Kuhn is clearly still softball driven. But the Illinois Wesleyan student-athlete and U-High grad has a lot more to give than line drives and diving catches.
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Mia Smith's unique and caring approach has touched hearts and racked up 511 wins as Illinois Wesleyan's women's basketball coach. B-N is lucky to have her. Enjoy!
wglt.org
The numbers separate Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball coach Mia Smith from most, but she’s not the only coach to win big. She’s just the first to do it while fist-bumping fans during warmups and...
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Brody Walworth has done a remarkable job in building University High's football program into a state title contender in his fourth season. The Pioneers are in the semifinals for the first time. Here is how it has happened. Enjoy!
wglt.org
The U-High Pioneers are in the state semifinals for the first time. They take a 10-2 record into Saturday’s 7 p.m. game against Mount Zion at Hancock Stadium. A victory would earn them a spot in the...
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Dana Starkey wears many hats at Normal Community High School and has been told he bleeds orange and black. The longtime NCHS teacher and public address announcer also has some red and black in him as the new P.A. man for Illinois State football. Enjoy!
wglt.org
Dana Starkey is the "Voice of the Ironmen" as the public address announcer at Normal Community home football and boys basketball games. Now, he's adding a new role — the Hancock Stadium P.A. man for...
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Justin Endsley went to Southern Illinois because of a childhood fascination with aviation. The Normal West grad has instead taken flight as SIU's Director of Operations for basketball. He is a revelation with his organizational skills and maturity at 23.
wglt.org
At 23, Justin Endsley might be the country’s youngest Director of Operations in Division I basketball. And get this: he is in his second year of handling the full-time position at Southern Illinois.
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Bloomington has a talented female boxer in 14-year-old Analeigha Hernandez, who has progressed quickly in a year of training and has earned the respect of the boys at the Kingdom City-Fitness gym in Normal.
wglt.org
Analeigha Hernandez trains and compete at Kingdom City Boxing-Fitness in Normal. In a predominantly male sport, she has earned respect from the boys at the gym.
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Bloomington High School tennis players Rohan Darsi, Jack Oakey, Abhi Kumar and Hayden King have lived up to both ends of the term "student athlete." All are valedictorians, accounting for half of the eight valedictorians in BHS' senior class.
wglt.org
Hayden King, Jack Oakey, Rohan Darsi and Abhi Kumar have covered a lot of ground in four years together at Bloomington High School. Tennis requires that kind of physical investment, running from side...
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April Schermann is a huge asset to her school, students, players and our community. She is an award-winning teacher and recently earned her 500th win as Normal West softball coach. We need more like her. Congrats to April. Hope you enjoy her story.
wglt.org
In the past year, April Schermann has been honored with two national awards for her work as a math and computer science teacher at Normal West. On the softball field, she recently earned her 500th...
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Women's basketball is thriving like never before in a year in which Caitlin Clark has become the face of college basketball, male or female. No one can appreciate that more than former ISU coach Jill Hutchison.
wglt.org
You don’t have to be Jill Hutchison to understand what the Caitlin Clark craze has done for women’s college basketball this season. With Clark breaking records seemingly in every game, and her...
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Dave Ferrenburg set a high standard in every facet of life, doing it all with a warm smile, a level head and a passion for serving others. His death last week at age 60 was a loss not just for El Paso-Gridley, but all of us.
wglt.org
Dave Ferrenburg died unexpectedly on March 11. The beloved athletic director at El Paso-Gridley was 60 years old.
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Chloe Hoselton of Prairie Central recently joined her two brothers and a first cousin as state wrestling champions. The family legacy continues to thrive. Enjoy!!
wglt.org
Chloe Hoselton, a Prairie Central High School junior, won the 235-pound state championship in girls wrestling. She was the fourth member of her family to win a state wrestling title.
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Lincoln star Kloe Froebe grew up a very talented basketball family. Thanks to Kari and Kent Froebe for letting me share their family's story. Enjoy!
wglt.org
Kloe Froebe entered this week’s East Peoria Sectional with 3,135 career points, eighth-most in Illinois High School Association history. She has the type of well-rounded game that has made Caitlin...
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After 22 years of coaching basketball, former Tri-Valley head coach Jon Nelson is now officiating the sport. And he's loving it. Enjoy, and thanks for reading.
wglt.org
Jon Nelson was a boys basketball coach for many years at Tri-Valley. Now, Nelson is making a change that's pretty rare — becoming a referee. He loves the exercise and sees it as “a great way to stay...
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Seven years before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier, he played a basketball game for UCLA in Normal in 1940. Among Illinois State's starters was Larry Kindred, my father's cousin. Hope you enjoy .
wglt.org
WGLT correspondent Randy Kindred writes about a basketball game in 1940, when Jackie Robinson and the UCLA men tipped off against Illinois State in Normal.
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Lyle Day was the person our parents wished we all would be . kind, caring, humble and ever-so consistent. He never seemed to have a bad day. He didn't want you to have one, either. His death at age 88 leaves a huge void.
wglt.org
If you didn’t know Lyle Day, know this: if you were in his softball family, you were family. He cared about you unconditionally. His death last week at age 88 leaves a void in the softball community...
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No one loves Illinois State and the Missouri Valley Conference more than Tom Lamonica. His passion for helping others has led him to the MVC Hall of Fame. Congrats to a great guy who remains young at heart.
wglt.org
Tom Lamonica is being inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame. His passion for helping others is what made him this year’s choice for the Paul Morrison Award.
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BJ Zeleznik, LeRoy's head football coach for 21 years and counting, will be inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in March. His father, Jim, was LeRoy's coach for 22 seasons and was a 2003 inductee. Congrats!
wglt.org
A Zeleznik has been LeRoy’s high school football head coach for all but two seasons since 1979. While a young BJ didn’t see that coming, perhaps he should have.
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Horton Field House is one of a kind in terms of atmosphere, crowd noise and excitement. ISU's "Return to Horton" games have rekindled fond memories for former Redbird star Rickie Johnson and former radio "Voice of the Redbirds", Dick Luedke. Enjoy!
wglt.org
You had to hear Horton Field House, not hear about it. The noise generated was otherworldly, and not a single decibel could escape Horton’s clutches.
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Former Illinois Wesleyan and Dunlap High School pitcher Alex Tosi just completed his first season as a full-time Major League umpire. He has realized his dream after more than a decade in the minor leagues. Here is his story.
wglt.org
Alex Tosi will receive a paycheck this month. He’ll get one in December, too. This is new territory for Tosi, a former Illinois Wesleyan pitcher who just completed his first full season in the Major...
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