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Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Kaneland's Jake Buckley, who grew up as a West Aurora fan, turns heads at Battle of the Big Butts. ‘He's a beast.'
Kaneland's Jake Buckley, a two-way lineman, looked and felt right at home Thursday afternoon walking around the grounds of West Aurora's Ormond Stadium. And why not? The Blackhawks' athletic facilities are like a second home to the Knights' three-sport athlete. His dad, Jason, has been the athletic director at West Aurora since 2012. A bevy of young fans checked out hundreds of competitors in the Battle of the Big Butts, greeting the gregarious Jake with a fist bump or high five as linemen moved between seven event stations. 'I was a pretty fanatic West Aurora fan,' he said. 'I loved to dance when I was younger and I'd do it to hype up the crowd. I grew up rooting for both teams and still can since we're not in the same league and never see each other. 'It's fun being around here, seeing the culture this district has. It's similar to Kaneland culture.' Jake Buckley, a chiseled 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, is easily recognizable, too. 'He's a beast,' Oswego assistant coach Marc Kersting said. 'He's definitely a good one.' A two-way starter for Kaneland coach Mike Thorgesen, Buckley plays left tackle on offense and rotates between nose guard and tackle on defense. 'With Jake, the secret is there is no secret,' Thorgesen said. 'He's the hardest working kid on the team in the weight room, plays three sports, tough as nails. I don't know that we instilled it in him. 'He's a natural. We're just high on him, and I'm going to enjoy having him this senior season.' Buckley, who also plays basketball and does throws in track, comes from an athletic family. His dad and mom, Jennifer Gabel Buckley, both played basketball at Aurora University. Jennifer coached the AU women's team from 1999 to 2005 and Jason started Oswego East's boys program, coaching varsity from 2005 to 2012 before moving into administration. Jake's older sister, Maddie, is a senior right-hitter for Ball State in volleyball. 'It has impacted me,' Jake said. 'I've wanted to push myself more, coming from a family who is sports happy and athletic. It's my job to carry the torch for the next family member. 'It's fun being one of the only football players in the family. I'm proud of myself for doing that.' He's drawing recruiting interest with offers from FCS Division I Drake along with McKendree, Roosevelt and Olivet Nazarene and a roster spot offer from North Central College. Walking past Buckley, West Aurora coach Nate Eimer chimed in. 'You can quote me — this kid needs more D-I offers,' Eimer said. 'What a joke. I'll tweet it tomorrow.' Thorgesen isn't sure what to think, figuring lower interest for some high school players is being driven by the growth and influence of the transfer portal on college recruiting. 'Jake is definitely getting attention with texts from other D-I schools,' Thorgesen said. 'I think he'll be impactful next level, but it's hard to compete with a 22-year-old adult.' Buckley, who does weights year-round, led a group of 20 players for Kaneland lifting before school four times a week last winter and spring to improve the team's strength. He doesn't seem worried. 'I had to battle because I didn't start playing collision football until eighth grade,' he said. 'I understand people want to go high Division I or a Power Four school. But do I want to go play good minutes right away or have to redshirt and sit for two years? 'I'm going to a place where I can play. That's what I want to do, and I feel like North Central, for instance, is a place I could do it.' This season comes first, however. It's his finale for Kaneland. 'We were young last year, starting seven sophomores,' Buckley said. 'We've gotten stronger and don't want to be a 5-5 first-round exit like last year. We want to be better and make a good run. 'Hopefully, we'll be disciplined and ready to go Week 1.'
Chicago Tribune
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
‘Pretty remarkable': West Aurora's Zach Toma is the 2025 Beacon-News/Courier-News Baseball Player of the Year
One day can change your life. West Aurora pitcher Zach Toma found that out on April 3. When he woke up that sunny morning, the junior left-hander knew that he would be on the mound. But he had no idea what was in store for him — and what was in store for his opponent. Toma ended up with 20 strikeouts in a stunning no-hitter for a 9-0 win over Joliet Central, and suddenly, people outside of the Blackhawks' program were talking about the talk of the town. 'It got posted on Prep Baseball Report, I was the player of the week, and after that, things started to roll in for me,' Toma said. 'They invited me to all-state games and that will do a lot for me.' Especially after Toma, the 2025 Beacon-News/Courier-News Baseball Player of the Year, struck out the first 15 batters of the game. That performance shocked everyone in attendance. The only thing preventing Toma's effort from being a perfect game was a dropped third strike on the second-to-last batter. It even prompted a phone call to former coach Dave Rowell. 'Pretty remarkable,' West Aurora coach John Reeves said. 'I called (Rowell) and said, 'Did you ever see anything like that?' He had some pitchers that were drafted, but that's pretty remarkable. '(Toma) was like, 'Why aren't they hitting the ball?' I said, 'Just keep executing your pitches.' He got noticed then. We knew what kind of player he was. At that point, people knew who he was.' But Toma still was taken aback as the game unfolded. 'I've had games like that where I'll strike out the first six guys,' Toma said. 'It got to a point where it kept going. Everything was working for me. It almost felt like it was fake for a little bit.' Toma rolled that momentum into a dominant season, both on the mound and with the bat. Besides going 7-2 with 99 strikeouts and a 1.07 ERA in 65 1/3 innings for West Aurora (27-7). Toma also was a force in the middle of the order, batting .459 with six homers and 46 RBIs. As a pitcher, he only allowed 35 hits and 16 walks. At the plate, he also scored 33 runs and added 10 doubles. His RBI total came up only two shy of the program's single-season record. 'He put in the hard work in the offseason,' Reeves said of Toma. 'He played football, which I think playing another sport is helpful. When he came back over the summer, he got taller and thicker. Once football was done, he was in the weight room. 'We even thought he could have been better. For us, we're excited about next year, what he can bring to the table as a senior, learning the game more, understanding how to pitch better and just maturing as a player.' Bartlett coach Alex Coan has been on the other end of Toma's game and came away impressed. 'He's by far one of the best pitchers in the state,' Coan said. 'I will go to war for that on. Locates well, mixes it up really well.' College interest started to ramp up for Toma after the no-hitter, with several schools making contact. The only question now remains — hitting or pitching? 'I would love to go to college and hit,' he said. 'I love hitting. I've always been a good pitcher. I worked hard and it showed with the bat. If I could go two-way, that would be the dream.' The attention only figures to increase this summer with his new travel team, Top Tier West. An extensive travel schedule and a star-studded roster figure to bring plenty of attention his way. 'It's a lot of driving, but I think it's worth the amount of attention we're getting,' Toma said. 'The nerves are there. They've always been there. I'm very excited, especially with the new team. 'I have to work harder to get seen more. It's that feeling of I have to be better and I have to work hard to make myself look good in front of these college coaches.'
Chicago Tribune
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Michael Peregrine: A look back at the Blackhawks' streak when Chicago was a true championship city
A decade ago this month, the Chicago Blackhawks completed an amazing streak of three Stanley Cup victories in five years. A well-coached, well-constructed team dominated a sport. Chicago was once again a true championship city — and proud of it. Ten years later, it's fun to remember. The Blackhawks' extraordinary success captivated not only their fan base, but also the city. And while those emotions have laid dormant over the intervening years, Chicago's great spirit suggests that they can be readily rekindled. The 2010 championship was the byproduct of the maturing Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, strong goaltending from Antti Niemi and the acquisition of Marian Hossa — all of which propelled the Blackhawks to a second-place finish in the overall standings. The team cut through the playoffs to win the Stanley Cup finals over the Philadelphia Flyers in six breathtakingly exciting games. Three years later, the Blackhawks were back at it. In a strike-shortened season, stalwarts Kane and Toews combined with goalie Corey Crawford to lead the team to an overall first place finish. The Blackhawks prevailed through a brutal playoff schedule, including a full seven-game series against the Detroit Red Wings, to win the Stanley Cup in a six-game finals over the Boston Bruins. The band got back together one more time in 2015. A team led again by Toews, Hossa and Duncan Keith escaped a hard-fought Western Conference Finals with the Anaheim Ducks to win the championship in six games over the Tampa Bay Lightning. So with three Stanley Cup championships in five years, Chicago was justifiably the hockey capital of the world. That was vividly underscored by the amazing turnout for each of the Blackhawks victory parades, which proceeded through the Loop to end in Grant Park. Attendance at each of the three Blackhawks victory celebrations was estimated at 2 million. That's way more than the attendance at many of Chicago's most famous outdoor events. According to the Tribune, they rank in the top five highest-attended parades in Chicago, exceeded by the Apollo 11 rally, Gen. Douglas MacArthur's 1951 visit and, of course, the Cubs' 2016 World Series parade. That's pretty surprising, given the relatively low national profile of hockey. Yet the numbers — estimated as they were — tell a story about civic pride and support. Yes, Blackhawks fans have always been a rabid bunch — the Standbys Club being a perfect example. But as recently as the three years before the streak began, the team averaged fewer than 13,000 fans per game. So it's fair to ask where the 2 million parade attendees came from each year. That's a lot of people, and it's a safe bet that a large percentage of them weren't dyed-in-the-wool Blackhawks fans. It's a similarly safe bet that most of those in the parade crowds had never even been to a Blackhawks game (understandable, given the average ticket price). To many of them, the 'blue line' was the 'L' route to O'Hare airport, not a stripe separating the zones on a hockey rink. The 'crease' was the ridge in Dad's suit pants, not the semicircular zone in front the net. And the 'penalty box' was a Forest Park tavern, not the bench where players wait out their infractions. Sure, 'Kaner' was from Buffalo, New York, 'Tazer' was from Manitoba and 'Seabs' was from British Columbia. But to the 2 million, no matter; the Blackhawks were winners, and they were Chicago's own. And that's probably the real story of the championship streak. It sparked an explosive extension of that extraordinary local culture that summons Chicagoans to support their city in all of its activities. That includes a team composed of players from all over the globe, playing a sport subject to arcane rules that's super hard to watch on television. It's a unique spirit, reflecting the 'I will' attitude that arose from the determination to rebuild the city after the Great Chicago Fire. It's a spirit reflected in Daniel Burnham's 'make no small plans' ambitions. It's a spirit that leaps from Carl Sandburg's description of Chicago as a 'city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.' None of this is meant to ignore the ignominy of the 2010 off-ice scandal that still taints the team. There is individual pain that will last a lifetime. But it should be noted in fairness that some who were implicated have served a heavy penance and have earned their recent redemption. Chicagoans are proud, spirited and resolute. As Burnham observed, they 'make big plans and aim high in hope and work.' So Chicagoans can be excused when they celebrate — sometimes outrageously — the city's championship successes, whether they be athletic or academic, economic or engineering, scientific or social. It's the most fun to do so. And they're ready to do it again. Michael Peregrine is a Chicago lawyer and lasting fan of 'the Scooter Line.'
Chicago Tribune
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Known for his pitching, West Aurora's Zach Toma takes his hitting to whole nother level. ‘Just feeling confident.'
West Aurora's Zach Toma is best known for his pitching, and rightfully so. The junior left-hander has been one of the area's breakout stars this season. What casual observers may not realize is he has also become the Blackhawks' leading hitter this spring. So, bring on the spotlight in the batter's box. 'I really wanted to be the guy up in that situation,' Toma said. 'I felt like I was seeing the ball really well, and I kind of felt like he was going to throw me a curveball in that situation. 'I got it and didn't miss it.' Indeed, Toma's two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning Wednesday was the difference in a 5-3 victory over Neuqua Valley in a Class 4A Waubonsie Valley Regional semifinal in Aurora. Toma also settled in on the mound after his big hit and finished off a complete-game win for the Blackhawks (27-7), who will play at 11 a.m. Saturday for the regional title against the semifinal winner between Naperville Central (19-11) and Waubonsie Valley (14-12). While Toma struck out six and allowed three runs, two earned, on three his and two walks, Braiden Williams came through with a pinch-hit, two-run single in the fourth to tie the game. Henry Hinkle and Eliseo Liscano added two hits apiece for West Aurora. Colton Maita doubled and scored for Neuqua (13-17-1). But the big double by Toma loomed large in the end. 'I expected it out of him,' West Aurora coach John Reeves said. 'He's been great with the bat in his hands. He can do it both ways, on the mound and at the plate.' That's true on both accounts. Offensively, Toma leads the team with 46 RBIs. As far as the pitching part of the equation goes, Toma improved his record to 7-2 with a 1.07 ERA. Reeves credited a program-wide mandate to increase time in the weight room as helping with that process. Mason Atkins and Toma, two football players, took it to heart the most. 'They spent a lot of time in the weight room, which I think shows,' Reeves said. 'Especially with guys like Mason and Zach.' Toma cited several factors for his offensive breakout, including switching travel teams and reworking his swing. The biggest factor, he agreed, came in the weight room. 'The strength part of it especially, we lift all the time,' Toma said. 'We lift in season. In past years, I haven't lifted in season. This year, that's been a huge difference-maker with my strength. 'Just feeling confident up there. Our coaches pushed the whole team into the weight room. And then Mason, he's always getting on me about lifting after practice, so it helps.' Toma's offense was needed after he got off to an uncharacteristically shaky start on the mound. Through 3 1/3 innings Wednesday, he trailed 3-1. He retired the final two batters of the fourth to get out of a jam, however. After his double, he retired Neuqua's final nine hitters in order. 'The beginning of the game, I wasn't getting that first-pitch strike down,' Toma said. 'Then toward the end, I really started to get that pitch down. 'Getting that first-pitch strike is huge, man. Then you have every pitch in your arsenal to throw.' Toma's heroics were set up by Williams' clutch hit, which helped the Blackhawks catch their collective breath. 'It felt really good to help the team out and win this game,' Williams said. 'That just raised our confidence and helped us.' It's always nerve-racking to be in a close game in a one-and-done scenario, but Toma was unfazed. He hopes that paves the way to the program's first regional title since 2006. 'It got me nervous a little bit, but to be honest, we had so much time left and I have a lot of confidence in our hitters,' Toma said. 'I knew we'd come through and scrap out some runs.'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ducks hire Joel Quenneville as next head coach after 2021 resignation amid Blackhawks scandal
This article contains alleged depictions of sexual assault. Four years after he resigned from the Florida Panthers amid a sexual assault investigation involving his former team, Joel Quenneville is back in the NHL. Quenneville has been hired as the Anaheim Ducks' next head coach, the team announced Thursday. The news comes less than a year after Quenneville was reinstated by the NHL following his resignation from the Panthers in 2021. Quenneville resigned as the team's head coach after the NHL launched an investigation into claims Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted a player in 2010. Quenneville served as the Blackhawks' head coach from 2008-19, when the alleged assault reportedly occurred. An independent investigation into those claims found that Quenneville — as well as multiple members of the Blackhawks' front office — were aware of the allegations against Aldrich, but declined to take action until three weeks after those allegations came to light within the organization. Prior to the independent investigation's findings, Quenneville claimed he was unaware of the alleged assault. 'Over the last two weeks, we conducted interviews with many outstanding coaching candidates, while simultaneously conducting a comprehensive review of what took place while Joel was head coach of the Blackhawks in 2010," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. "We spoke with dozens of individuals, including advocates for positive change in hockey and leadership of the NHL, which last July officially cleared Joel to seek employment in the league. Our findings are consistent with Joel's account that he was not fully aware of the severity of what transpired in 2010. It is clear that Joel deeply regrets not following up with more questions at the time, has demonstrated meaningful personal growth and accountability, and has earned the opportunity to return to coaching." NEWS: We're proud to announce Joel Quenneville as our new head coach! He becomes the 12th head coach in franchise history. Read More ⬇️ — Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) May 8, 2025 A statement from Quenneville read, in part, "In nearly four years away from the game, I have learned from my prior mistakes and realized it will be actions over words that demonstrate my commitment to being a better leader.' The Blackhawks were in the midst of a playoff run at the time of the incidents, and team executives reportedly did not want to invite negative publicity during the postseason. The Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup that season. It was the team's first championship in nearly 50 years. The investigation also found another instance of sexual assault involving Aldrich and a player allegedly occurred during the three-week window in which members of the team knew about the allegations surrounding Aldrich, but did not report them to the Blackhawks' human resources department. At the time that report was released, Quenneville was in his third season as the Panthers' head coach. A day after the investigation's findings were released, Quenneville coached the Panthers, sparking outrage from fans and others in the hockey world. The next day, Quenneville resigned. Following Quenneville's resignation, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he would need to meet with the coach before he could hold another job in the NHL. In July 2024, Quenneville — along with other members of the Blackhawks' front office, including general manager Stan Bowman — was reinstated by the league. Just after being reinstated, Bowman was hired as the Edmonton Oilers' general manager. Shortly after the independent investigation findings came to light, former Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach came forward as the player who was reportedly assaulted by Aldrich. At the time, Beach, who was selected by the team in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft, claimed many within the organization were aware of the alleged abuse. Multiple former Blackhawks players and staff members said they, and the team, were aware of the reported abuse. Following the team's 2010 Stanley Cup win, the Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup in both 2013 and 2015. All three championships came under Quenneville. After a slow start to open the 2018-19 NHL season, the Blackhawks fired Quenneville. He joined the Panthers the following year and put up a 79-40 record with the franchise before his resignation. In 2014, Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in jail after reportedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old hockey player in Michigan. His name was removed from the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup in 2021.
