This time, the sequel should be even better.
Event officials announced Thursday the lineup for next year’s Powerade City-Suburban Showdown, which drew more than 7,000 basketball fans to Welsh-Ryan Arena at last week’s inaugural.
It will be Deerfield against Fenwick in the opener followed by Thornton vs. King.
Finally, Public League power King will get its chance to tangle with this season’s current No. 1 team. King’s young front line of 6-foot-8-inch sophomore Michael Stewart and two freshmen–6-8 Demetrius Williams and 6-9 Leon Smith–will bring another year of experience into a collision with Thornton’s 6-10 Melvin Ely, 6-4 Napoleon Harris and 6-4 Erik Herring.
The opener will feature two of the most talented underclassmen this year–Deerfield’s 6-3, do-everything guard Ryan Hogan against Fenwick’s talented trio of sophomores–6-6 Corey Maggette, 6-4 Mark Treadwell and 6-2 Chris Williams.
Clinics: The Suburban Football Coaches Association, headed by former Oak Park coach Jack McInerney, will conduct monthly coaching clinics over the next three months at Hinsdale South, 7401 Clarendon Hills Rd. in Darien. Coaches from Miami of Ohio will speak at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Feb. 21. The guest speaker at the March 20 session is new Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak. The coaches association is lining up another college coach for the April 17 clinic. Membership is $15. For information, contact McInerney at 708-383-0700.
Spring watch: Keep an eye on Stagg All-State softball player Jessica Lilja this season. The hard-hitting third baseman, who has already signed with Drake, could wind up her career setting 18 batting records at the school. Stagg has advanced to the Elite Eight the last two years, finishing fourth last spring with a 34-5 record. The Chargers also return standouts Laurie Markatos, Abby Booth, Krista Carlson and Jenny DiGiacomo.
Transactions: Dan Webster has resigned as head football coach at Shepard High School. Applications for the position can be sent to Athletic Director Todd Shafer at the school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, Ill. 60463.
