Lindenwood seemed to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder following a tough loss at Hunter Stadium last week to Midwestern State University. The Lions missed an extra point late in the game, and fumbled the ball away on their last possession when they had a chance to win as the clock expired. Whether it be hard feelings from the week prior, or truly finding their game, they looked to be on a mission against the William Jewell College Cardinals in week three.
The Cardinals come to St. Charles trying to correct their own mistakes, having lost 49-21 in last week’s contest with West Texas A&M on William Jewell’s home turf in Liberty, Missouri. Unfortunately for the Cardinals efforts to right their ship, Lindenwood came out and smacked them in the face early. Lindenwood’s defense forced a quick three and out on the first drive of the game, and on their own offensive drive quarterback Cade Brister connected with Erik Henneman for a 70-yard touchdown pass. Lindenwood was ahead in less than 150 seconds of game time.
The Lions never looked back in the first half. Three more touchdowns for Cade Brister, two through the air (including one you can watch here) and another via a short run on 3rd and goal, put the game virtually out of reach for the visitors. Lindenwood was marching toward a fifth touchdown when a Cardinal defender forced a fumble from the Lindenwood ballcarrier. Jewell found the scoreboard as the final seconds ticked off the clock, making a roughly 40-yard field goal to close out the first half.
Lindenwood began to struggle to find the endzone starting in the second half. Jewell started to find answers for the balanced Lions attack, and Cade Brister’s offense stagnated. LU attempted to keep the ball on the ground more, feeding tailback Dalton Grohler more in an attempt to work minutes off the clock and defend their lead. Jewell began to chip away as they finally found the endzone in the third, and once more at the start of the fourth quarter. After a missed extra point, Lindenwood’s lead had dwindled from 28-0 to 28-16.
The remainder of the game became a punting/clock management contest, with Lindenwood clinging to their 12-point lead. William Jewell’s attempts to climb within one score were futile, with their last drive ending with the final whistle.
The win gives Lindenwood their first victory on the young season, but also was Head Coach Jed Stugart’s 100th career coaching win. The Lions improve to 1-2 on the season, as William Jewell falls to 1-2. A few weeks on the road including a big matchup with McKendree on October 5 are next up for LU. For more information on Lindenwood football and other sports, visit LindenwoodLions.com.
Complete with a battle horn and a War Horse, Saint Louis Anarchy stormed Spaulding Hall in Alton, Illinois on Friday night for their aptly named Battle of Spaulding event. As the name Anarchy suggests, the evening could be best described as controlled chaos. Chaos is something the Saint Louis Anarchy faithful have become used to over the years.
(obligatory spoiler warning to those planning on watching on Independent Wrestling TV, results below)
Billie Starkz def. Rahne Victoria
Billie Starkz promised to make Rahne Victoria smile. I don’t know if she was successful in that venture, but she did hit Victoria really, really hard. Starkz, known as Space Jesus to her fans at Anarchy, soaked up chants and cheers from those who bought tickets to the Anarchy pre-party. Rahne Victoria will look to rebound after falling just short on Friday night. I cannot confirm whether or not she made a kid cry at Anarchy like she did at Dynamo Pro.
After the pre-party match, Everett Connors, with his bear in tow, came out to get to know the audience before the main show started. One fan threatened the bear, and Connors had to play peacemaker and diffuse the situation before it got out of hand. Connors attempted to get to know some fans, while some rudely snubbed his innocent attempt at trying to befriend the crowd.
Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez def. “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin
Going into this match, I knew to expect pain. Sharkbait and Big Beef are gaining reputations for making guys hurt in their own unique way. Gutierrez, who’s embraced the “Sharkbait” moniker, has twenty-nine wins in MMA, and his signature leg kicks chop his opponents down no matter what ring he’s in. Sure, Big Beef’s expertise is less technical, but what Garvin lacks in grappling technicality he more than makes up for with big clubbing blows that keep him in any match.
Reigel Twins def. Diamond Dogs
(First, I have to apologize for not previewing this one, as I didn’t quite figure out the whole card when hastily preparing my preview for Battle of Spaulding. Sorry!) Both tag teams came out to positive response from those inside Spaulding Hall, but throughout the match the crowd started to support the Diamond Dogs more. Maybe it was their really cool cannon that shoots out a fireball when they enter. The Reigel Twins are incredible athletes, and their high-octane tag team style that demands that athleticism. The Anarchy crowd didn’t like them winning in controversy, after distracting the referee.
“Lonestar” Curt Stallion def. Chip Day
Another match I did not preview! But unlike the previous which was merely my own oversight, this match was a late addition to the card, and a surprise return to Anarchy for Curt Stallion, who bathed in the roar of the fans in attendance. A “(expletive) em up Stallion, (expletive) em up” chant broke out when the two competitors stared each other down in the ring. Chip Day clearly felt unappreciated in comparison, and looked to take his frustrations out on Curt Stallion’s body. Day’s shots echoed throughout the hall, Stallion coiling back from each blow. Lonestar has a difference maker in his pocket however, and pulled out his trademark headbutts and sealed the victory.
After the match, Stallion grabbed a microphone. He proceeded to talk to the Anarchy crowd about the Four Pillars of St. Louis wrestling. (the four pillars being Gary Jay, War Horse, Davey Vega, and Mat Fitchett, the four most popular St. Louis wrestlers in the independent wrestling scene) “It wasn’t until I came here from Texas and laid down the foundation that the Four Pillars stand on” Stallion claimed. He then demanded a match with one of the aforementioned Four Pillars.
The Besties In The World def. Jake Dirden and Christian Rose
As I tweeted, it wouldn’t be Saint Louis Anarchy without the Besties In The World. The duo have become international, even winning a tag team title in the UK, but are still most at home within the confines of Spaulding Hall. Jake Dirden and Christian Rose were not as impressed by the “Truly, Madly, Deeply” entrance as the fans in attendance. The Besties played their hits, as the knowledgeable Anarchy fans cheered along with their tag team offense. Dirden and Rose have less frills to their attack, and they had the strength advantage in this battle, and seemingly had the match won, dominating much of the pace. At one point, Davey Vega accidentally superkicked his Bestie, Mat Fitchett, and drew audible gasps from the crowd. Despite a strong showing from Dirden and Rose, the Besties pulled it out in the end, to the joy of the majority of the crowd. As they left, they had one message: “Fuck the Workhorsemen.”
Gary Jay def. Chris Dickinson
Some might have seen this match as a warmup for “The Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson, who faced former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett a mere day later at the former champion’s “Bloodsport” event. Gary Jay made sure Dickinson didn’t look ahead to that fight too much, absorbing the violent, technical, precise blows and slams and giving his own right back. Dickinson was made aware he had a real fight on his hands, and looked to end the fight quickly with some ferocious brainbusters, targeting the head and neck of Gary Jay.
Gary Jay, the “Stiff Robo Ginger”, the leader of the Gary Jay Movement that is largely headquartered at Spaulding Hall, has become a fan favorite for his willingness to throw it all on the line. As ever, his tenacity was on display in this match, most notably when he dove out of the ring in an attempt to attack a downed Dickinson. Gage flew threw the air headfirst, Dickinson dodged the dive, and Jay crashed into the steel folding chairs that surrounded the ring. According to guys who were foolish enough to have a cigarette outside during this match, you could hear the thud of Gary Jay crashing into chairs from the sidewalk. In a flurry of an exchange of blows, Jay landed a knockout shot, and pinned Dickinson for a huge statement win.
Mikey, one half of the tag team Roscoe Eat Lisa, made a surprise visit to Anarchy and claimed that he was nearing the top of the Anarchy food chain before he was injured. Now back healthy, he made a challenge, politely demanding a match for Jeremy Wyatt’s Gateway Heritage Championship. We’ll have to wait and see if this challenge comes to fruition.
Evan Gelistico def. Cole Radrick, Ace Perry, Kody Lane in a four way
Evan Gelistico touted that he would have new gear for this four way matchup, and came to the ring prepared, with a golf club, aluminum baseball bat, and hockey stick. The match was hectic, but luckily Evan Gelistico didn’t have to hit anyone with a golf club. Despite falling short of the victory, IFHY’s Cole Radrick really won over the Anarchy fans, even having his hand held high by Gelistico after the match. Anarchy faithful should be on the lookout for more Cole Radrick in the future.
Everett Connors (accompanied by Raul the Bear) def. Kenway
No one likes Kenway. Even his own dad boos him from front row. Maybe in response to this, he’s ditched his first name, and refers to himself as “The Kenway”. His attitude toward the Anarchy fans has never won him any cheers, and he likes it that way. Everett Connors came to the ring absolutely dripped out. Clean Yeezys, a clear plastic(?) shirt, and neon green shorts almost made me forget that he was Anarchy’s version of “Rudy” a short time ago. Connors still even gets the occasional “Play Like A Champion Today” chant, referencing the plaque Notre Dame football players tap on their way to the field. I was wondering if the Yeezys would limit Connors’ mobility in the ring, and he went down in a heap, which made me wonder if he twisted his ankle with a lack of proper footing. Connors was faking the injury, and bought himself time and separation from Kenway, eventually sneaking a victory and making Kenway look foolish in the process. No bears were hurt in the happenings of this match.
Gateway Heritage Championship Match: Jeremy Wyatt (c) def. Thomas Shire
Under the title reign of mat technician Jeremy Wyatt, the Gateway Heritage Championship belt has always been defended under “Pure Wrestling Rules”. Those rules state that a wrestler only gets three rope breaks to save themselves from submission moves, and if a wrestling rule is broken, such as using a closed fist to strike an opponent, a wrestler loses one of those rope breaks. Unfortunately for Thomas Shire, that left him without one of his biggest weapons, his striking offense, but Shire is no stranger to mat work himself. Before the show, Stepstool Sarah, the ring announcer for Saint Louis Anarchy, tried to get a feel for who was the fan favorite in the title match. The crowd booed Shire. They booed Jeremy Wyatt even more, and prompted a “Shire’s better” chant. Shire fought valiantly, and maybe won over some hearts and minds of the people, but the champion prevailed yet again. Jeremy Wyatt has now defended the Gateway Heritage Championship 19 times, and his grip on Saint Louis Anarchy remains as tight as ever.
Nick Gage def. War Horse
This match was wilder than advertised. Fans often don’t know what to expect when Nick Gage steps into the ring. Combine that with the 1000 mph engine that War Horse is seemingly constantly running on, (he even tweets in HIGH ENERGY ALL CAPS) and you have a perfect recipe for a one-on-one war. Maybe five minutes into the match War Horse demanded a pile of chairs on the Spaulding Hall floor, and fans were quick to oblige. War Horse hit Gage with a painful snap suplex that left the Game Changer Wrestling Champion reeling on the floor, holding his head in pain from the chair impact.
With people no longer in their chairs, the crowd was basically a mob forming around wherever the wrestlers were, which wasn’t always in the ring. I’m not even sure who brought the flaming skull to the ring, but Nick Gage piledriving War Horse on it even if it meant he nearly burned himself in the process, was a highlight of the night, and of the year of wrestling as a whole for me. War Horse’s rebuttal to the flaming skull piledriver was a chair covered in thumbtacks, which bloodied Gage, who may or may not actually feel pain. War Horse also instructed the ring crew to disassemble the ring, taking the mat off, and exposing the wooden boards underneath. The two combattants slammed each other onto the hardwood more times than was probably necessary. Gage hit his signature piledriver on the boards and covered War Horse for the three count, to end the last battle at Battle of Spaulding.
Gage’s work for the evening was not done. After the war was over, he grabbed the microphone, and addressed the raucous wrestling fans surrounding the ring.
“Where’s my motherfuckin’ gang at?” Gage called for his feverish fans. “You motherfuckers know I’m the realest motherfucker in this business. I come to this fuckin’ company because this fuckin’ company is called Anarchy. So that means, anything fuckin’ goes, and that’s right up my fuckin’ alley. I love that shit. You got a fuckin’ world champion here that goes by the fuckin rules. That’s some fuckin’ pussy shit if its in my book.”
“Nick Gage, You are no king, you are no god, you’re just a future fucking number, and we’ll do it on my time.” said Gateway Heritage Champion, Jeremy Wyatt, in response.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve beat two of the top motherfuckers here. You know what that means. Me and you. For the fuckin’ strap. This gang motherfucker don’t play by the fuckin’ rules. It’s MDK all fuckin’ day. St. Louis, I fuckin’ love you.”
Nick Gage, ending the show and sending a message to Jeremy Wyatt
Anarchy’s back in a big way. The near-monthly celebration of professional wrestling returns to 405 East 4th Street in Alton for the Battle of Spaulding on Friday, September 13. The card is packed, top to bottom, and looks to be one of the wildest nights Spaulding Hall has ever seen. So much so, in fact, that the proprietors of Spaulding Hall had to double check with those in charge at Anarchy to make sure the night wouldn’t get too out of hand.
War Horse vs. Nick Gage: I’ll start this preview with the match that is likely the reason the owners of the hall are concerned: Nick (expletive removed) Gage faces the War Horse, Jake Parnell in what could be the most violent match in the storied history of Saint Louis Anarchy. Nick Gage might be the hottest name in professional wrestling anywhere right now. He leaves a trail of carnage and blood in his wake. Gage is very familiar with Anarchy, having beaten down crowd favorite Gary Jay at the Anarchy vs. Everybody event in March of this year. I personally have a chunk of the ceiling title Gage used to bash Gary Jay over the head, complete with some of Gary Jay’s own blood, as both a souvenir and as proof of the chaos Nick Gage can bring to the ring.
War Horse has also made quite a name for himself in the wrestling world. His hard-hitting, tactically reckless style has made him a key fixture for many promotions across the country. To that end, he and the previously mentioned Gary Jay just had a match for Game Changer Wrestling, the de facto home of Nick Gage, at their Two Cups Stuffed event in Chicago on August 30. With that in mind, Gage is aware of what War Horse brings to the table. War Horse, being a fan-favorite at Anarchy, has the home-ring advantage, but there will be plenty of fans in attendance loyal to Gage, meaning this main event will have a big fight feel like no other.
Billie Starkz vs. Rahne Victoria: Circling back, Friday’s festivities start with “Space Jesus” Billie Starkz facing Rahne Victoria in a match during the pre-party of the event, before the 7:30pm bell time. Both women here are taking the St. Louis wrestling scene by storm. Billie Starkz has developed a passionate following at Anarchy, and Rahne Victoria has already been known to make kids cry at St. Louis area wrestling shows. Neither like each other. Billie has vowed to make Rahne Victoria smile, which is the last thing she wants to be told to do. Just because this is during the pre-party doesn’t mean it’s skippable, as these two should put on quite the show.
Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez vs. “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin: When Michael Strider vs. “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin was first booked for this Anarchy show, people were expecting a hard-hitting encounter from two wrestlers who take pride in their meaty whacks, two wrestlers who send chills through the spine of those in attendance with the sound of their strikes. Unfortunately, Strider has to miss Anarchy, but in his stead enters Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez. Sharkbait has become an affectional nickname for Gutierrez, and despite his slight stature, his striking offense is starting to make waves in midwestern wrestling. Friday night will see which great nickname comes out victorious in Spaulding Hall.
Kody Lane vs. Cole Radrick vs. Ace Perry vs. Evan Gelistico: Due to Sharkbait filling in for Michael Strider in the match just mentioned, that meant his spot in the four-way battle against Kody Lane, Cole Radrick, and Ace Perry was filled by Evan Gelistico, a man who’s always up for a fight. According to his Twitter account, Gelistico has even had some new ring gear designed for his latest Anarchy appearance. This four-way match has the potential to get out of control and almost promises to.
Kenway vs. Everett Connors: Those familiar with Saint Louis Anarchy know that Kenway and Everett Connors could steal the show. Kenway hasn’t necessarily made friends in Anarchy, and the crowd lets him know it. He made a real name for himself in a Dog Collar match at the last Anarchy event, Circus Maximus, in a wild match with Evan Gelistico. Connors has been around Anarchy since 2015, and has charmed the Spaulding Hall audience with his work both in the ring and on the mic, even featuring in a rap battle at Anarchy against Mat Fitchett. These two don’t see eye to eye, and Anarchy faithful know both can pull great things out of their locker.
Besties In The World (Mat Fitchett & Davey Vega) vs. Christian Rose and Jake Dirden: It wouldn’t be Anarchy without the Besties. St. Louis’s most dynamic duo have become crowd favorites all over the globe, and they’re appearing on some of North America’s and the UK’s biggest independent wrestling events. Whenever “Truly Madly Deeply” hits at Spaulding Hall, the place erupts for the Besties as fans emulate Vega and Fitchett in the ring. Rose and Dirden have their hands full, and won’t have the majority of the crowd on their side, but that’s never stopped them from throwing their weight around the ring.
Chris Dickinson vs. Gary Jay: Gary Jay seems to find himself in some of Anarchy’s and the indepedent wrestling scene’s most intense matches. Whether it be his legendary battle with Kylie Rae at Anarchy’s Ladies Night this past April, his gruesome affair with Nick Gage a month prior, or more recently his Casket Match with War Horse for Zero 1 USA in central Illinois, Jay has a flair for the extreme, and is willing to put it all on the line like few others in professional wrestling today. At Battle of Spaulding, he faces what some consider a living legend in Chris Dickinson. Dickinson’s training in mixed martial arts, and propensity for leveling his opponents with vicious strikes. Trained by greats including the late St. Louis wrestling legend Harley Race, not only does Dickinson strike fear in his opponents through his impact, his demeanor in the ring has won him supporters of all types over his near twenty-year career.
Gateway Heritage Championship Match: Champion Jeremy Wyatt vs. Thomas Shire: To this date, Jeremy Wyatt has defended the GHC belt for over 300 days. Through his unique style, a charisma all his own, and a ruthless yet effective mat-based offense, Wyatt has ruled Anarchy to the dismay of its loyal fanbase. One of my favorite St. Louis area wrestling matches of all-time is Wyatt’s title defense against Jonathan Gresham, a mat-based counter expert who nearly bested Wyatt at his own game. At Circus Maximus, Wyatt beat War Horse, proving he could counter a heavier hitter. In Thomas Shire, he might be facing one of the heaviest hitters in midwestern wrestling. Shire, trained by wrestling legend Dory Funk, has a unique feel in the ring. An imposing 6’3” brick house who walks with confidence and swagger in the ring. A swagger he will need to end Jeremy Wyatt’s long reign over Spaulding Hall.
Saint Louis Anarchy’s Battle of Spaulding event starts at 6:15pm with the pre-party, with general admission doors at 7, and the rest of the show kicking off at 7:30pm. You can get tickets here. For those not able to attend, the show will be live on Independent Wrestling TV.
In a short time, I’ve learned that often in these juco soccer contests, the game is decided by the fitness of the student-athletes on the field. Games in the heat, varying playing conditions, varying skill levels, often the only thing teams can control is their fitness levels. However, when a team has no substitutes, fitness only goes so far.
That was the case for the Trailblazer women’s soccer contest on Monday, September 9, as Wabash Valley brought a team to Godfrey with no substitute players other than a backup goaltender. The Wabash Valley Warriors are in their inaugural season of soccer in the NJCAA, fielding a roster entirely made of freshmen.
With six players out with injuries and illnesses that kept them from making the trip to Godfrey, everybody was expected to play the whole game, which is somewhat unreasonable to expect at a the collegiate level. College soccer rules allow for a multitude of substitutions, compared to the professional levels of the sport where substitutes are limited. Most teams at this level make use of those subs, as only some players are fit enough to play soccer competitively for 90 minutes.
I dig into this fact because Wabash Valley, despite their best efforts, simply couldn’t keep up against a more fit, more prepared Lewis & Clark team. After holding off the Trailblazers for the first thirty minutes of gametime, fatigue on a hot September day eventually crept in. Wabash became slow to the ball on defense, giving LC ample time to pick passes and find lanes to the goal. Four Trailblazer goals, two from Payton Corley, one from Candice Parziani, and a goal and two assists from Boitumelo Rabale rounded out the first half scoring.
Towards the end of the first half, two Wabash players missed somewhere between ten and fifteen minutes with injuries. Without them, the Warriors were reduced to only nine players on the field, luckily they returned to action in the second half. Despite the exasperated pleas of the travelling Warrior faithful, the team on the field was dead tired. They attempted to maintain defensive shape, and keep the ball in front of them, to keep the game from getting completely out of hand. Their fans in attendance didn’t quite like that strategy, but it was the right one.
A fifth Lewis and Clark goal scored by Boitumelo Rabale officially put the game out of reach. The Trailblazers looked comfortable for the entire game, but especially the second half, with a depleted Wabash giving them all of the possession of the ball. The last minutes of the game were a training drill more than a competitive contest, as LC played keep-ball and occasionally prodded for a no-longer necessary goal.
The final from Tim Rooney stadium: Lewis And Clark 6 – 0 Wabash Valley College
Tim Rooney’s Lewis and Clark women’s soccer team have rolled to wins in all five of their regular season matches, outscoring opponents 40-1 in that time. Standout Boitumelo Rabale added more goals, and is one of the nation’s top talents on the offensive side of the ball.
With the heat index soaring into the mid 90s, the men’s Trailblazer soccer side hosted Missouri Baptist University’s Reserves on a muggy early September day at Tim Rooney Stadium. Returning with the heat are many sweat bees, which, like wasps at the Godfrey Ball Park, I find are part of this very glamourous job.
Simply put, there isn’t a whole lot to discuss about the Trailblazers encounter with Missouri Baptist’s Reserve team because the game was over before it began. LC striker Tony Bodul netted a hat trick in less than twenty minutes, and he wasn’t the lone scorer for the Trailblazers in that span, with Reshaun Welkes and Kaleb Bassett adding goals of their own.
With the palpable heat and humidity, the referee called for a water break after about twenty minutes of action in the first half. After said break, head coach Ryan Hodge started rotating the Trailblazer lineup, giving players who started the game on the bench some extra minutes. With the result of the game sealed barring catastrophe, it was a good time to get bench players meaningful minutes. Perhaps one of them will capture the eye of Hodge and break into the starting side next time around.
The second half started the same way the first did, with a Tony Bodul goal before I even really looked up at the field. The game became a glorified practice for Lewis & Clark early, and with so many goals coming so easy, their main focus was on possession of the ball. When a soccer team scores so much, it becomes trivial to keep attacking for more goals, and no one knows that more than the experienced Trailblazer coaching staff.
A consolation MoBap goal briefly lifted the spirits of the visitors and their fans, but it was answered by a 7th LC goal just minutes later. Ontario native and Trailblazer captain Reshaun Welkes only featured for a few minutes of action, with the game wrapped up so early and having already scored a goal early on. The final from Godfrey: Lewis and Clark 8, Missouri Baptist Reserves 1.
The win takes the Trailblazer men to a .500 record on the young campaign, winning their last two after losing their first two. The men’s soccer team is back in action Saturday, September 7, as they travel to Southeastern Iowa to face the Blackhawks.
It’s been five (5) long years since the last time Illinois Fighting Illini football has touched a postseason bowl game. 82 out of 130 FBS teams make a postseason bowl game, effectively meaning that Illinois has been in the bottom 50 of the FBS. Furthermore, only two other Power Five conference teams, Kansas and Oregon State, have had a postseason bowl drought for as long as Illinois has, effectively meaning that Illinois has been one of the absolute worst Power Five football teams.
This troubling information begs the question Illini football fans have wondered since Lovie Smith was hired as head coach three years ago. ‘Is this the year?’ Well, yes and no. Yes, this is Illinois’s best chance to make a bowl game in the Lovie era. No, it’s not necessary for the Illini to make one for Lovie to keep his job.
It won’t be incredibly hard to improve on last season. Antithetical to the smashmouth defensive style that made Lovie Smith a head coach in the NFL, the 2018 Illini defense was porous and weak to put it kindly, placing 124th out of 130 FBS teams in overall team defense according to sports-reference.com’s rankings. Avoiding gargantuan losses, such as last year’s home defeats to Iowa (63-0 on senior day, probably the worst game of football I have ever seen) and Purdue (46-7, on homecoming weekend) will also keep Lovie’s proverbial hot seat fairly cool.
Speaking to media at the annual Illinois football media day, Lovie acknowledged his team’s lack of defensive bite compared to the teams he coached in the NFL. “I used to be known for (creating takeaways/turnovers), that used to be my background. We have to be able to make those plays. It’s not enough to stop the opponent or hit them hard. We have to get the ball back to score, and we haven’t done that enough.”
A blow to the defense, both on and off the field, is the loss of All-Big Ten defensive lineman Bobby Roundtree this season. Roundtree suffered an awful spinal injury while swimming this offseason, and has been in hospital care since. He led the Illini in both sacks (7 ½) and tackles for loss (12 ½) last season.
‘‘We will miss an outstanding man and outstanding football player, an outstanding leader, just everything about Bobby Roundtree,’’ head coach Lovie Smith said at media day. ‘‘We’ll miss him. But the way our team can honor him is with its play. He’ll always be involved and be close this year.’’
Excitement is growing on the other side of the football. The Illinois offense was putrid if not just flat out dull in 2017, ranking 127th overall in the FBS and averaging a measly 15 points per game. They jumped 34 spots in that ranking last season, and averaged 26 points per game. If the Illini defense last season could have actually managed to tackle a few guys, they might have even gone to a bowl game.
Joining that improving offense this season will be two things the Illini have been lacking in recent years: an experienced quarterback and a highly touted quarterback recruit. Brandon Peters, a quarterback who transferred from perennial football power/relevant force Michigan, brings legit experience to the depth chart. Isaiah Williams, a highly sought-after recruit from Trinity Catholic in St. Louis, is already being pegged to be the star Illinois has desperately craved.
But who starts this season? One can assume that Lovie and his staff didn’t bring in Brandon Peters to sit on the bench as Isaiah Williams gets his footing on the turf in Champaign, so expect the opposite. Peters should be starting, allowing Williams to learn from the sidelines, and whenever the opportunity comes, Williams can relieve Peters if need be and take snaps for himself and show the coaching staff what he really brings to the Illini.
Brandon Peters isn’t the only transfer to bolster the Illini on the offensive side of the ball. Two wide receivers are coming from another perennial football power/relevant force in USC, Trevon Sidney and Josh Imatorbhebhe. Both were highly touted coming out of high school and give Peters two reliable targets, and give the team more options. Last year, Offensive Coordinator Rod Smith’s offense relied heavily on the running backs and mobile quarterbacks who could run. This year’s offense has threats all over the field.
Simply put, the Illini will be as good as their defense allows them to be. New recruits and more experience will help the defense, but losing Bobby Roundtree is a big blow to the defensive front. If the defense can simply not let games get out of hand, the offense might have the firepower to keep the Illini alive in any contest this season.
“If you ask me if I think we’re ready to compete and contend, absolutely.” Lovie Smith quipped at media day. He has faith in the progress they’ve made, but acknowledges there’s work to be done. “We have to be better, coaching staff wise, bringing in better players, facilities and all that. But we’re excited to see the progression.”
A fairly relaxing non-conference schedule for the Illini against Akron, UConn, and Eastern Michigan *should* give the Illini a 3-0 start to the season, meaning a bowl game would only be 3 wins out of 9 games away. Seems doable! However, if they struggle in these non-conference games, the conference schedule will be an uphill battle. Everyone that they beat, and everyone that beat them, is better this season.
Ultimately, what Illinois fans and onlookers should be hoping for is steady, marked improvements to how Lovie Smith’s Illini play football. Lovie doesn’t need to make a bowl game to keep his job if he can prove to the fanbase and most importantly Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman that the team is on the upswing. Sure, bowl games are nice, a big television audience watching the (checks Google) Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl and a check for a few million dollars that the players will never see, but simple continued improvements would be considered a success for an Illini football team that hasn’t seen stability in ages.
Boitumelo Rabale in action last season. The Lesotho captain is in her sophomore year at LC.
Long before Major League Soccer was planning on coming to St. Louis, colleges in the area were churning out great soccer and great soccer teams for decades. Lewis and Clark’s soccer team is no exception to that rule.
“We’ve had a lot of good players. Players see the reputation of the school and want to play here.”
Tim Rooney, longtime Lewis And Clark soccer coach
Tim Rooney serves as a head coach to the women’s team, and assistant to the men’s team. Rooney himself has been a central stalwart of Lewis And Clark soccer, winning over 800 games between the men’s and women’s teams. He was inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009.
As always, he’s more focused on the season ahead than talking about previous accomplishments. Asked about what he looks for in training and preseason, Rooney emphasized fitness. “We’re trying to get fit, trying to get touches on the ball, trying to make a bit of progress every day.” Rooney continues, “We’re going through the motions and players will start to stand out as the season starts.”
Rooney’s women’s side hosted the LC Alumni women in the first match of a preseason doubleheader at Tim Rooney Stadium on August 10. The alumni games are both practice and a celebration of the past student athletes who showed off their talents on this same field.
Two goals from LC midfielder Boitumelo Rabale and another from Candice Parziani gave the current Trailblazers a 3-2 victory over the LC Alumni. Rabale made waves last season with a long range goal against Butler that was shared across social media, and has brought the talent that made her the captain of the Lesotho women’s national team to the Trailblazers.
The men’s team, led by head coach Ryan Hodge, looked comfortable in their alumni encounter, at times running circles around the alumni side facing them. Talking to Pete Hayes of the Alton Telegraph, Hodge touched on that conditioning. “We won’t have to put as much time in on fitness if everyone has done their summer fitness training. And we’ll be able to tell who did.”
After a fairly competitive first half, the Trailblazers set themselves apart from their alumni counterparts, scoring goals in quick succession in the second half to put the game out of reach for the alumni squad, winning the game 5-1. A hat trick from freshman forward Tony Bodul did most of the damage for Lewis And Clark.
Last season standou Rashaun Walkes looked sharp in preseason action, something Ryan Hodge was hoping for. Speaking to Pete Hayes of the Telegraph, Hodge added “Rashaun will hopefully pick it up from last year. He’ll be our captain and we’ll look for good things from him, obviously.”
The Trailblazer women and men have just started their preseason campaign. The men’s team begins regular season play on the 23rd, welcoming Marshalltown to Godfrey. The women’s side starts their season on September 4th when they travel to Lincoln Trail College.
Anarchy favorite Gary Jay faces the well-traveled Jigsaw Friday at Saint Louis Anarchy’s Circus Maximus
Anarchy’s back, baby. It’s been one year since the rebirth of Saint Louis Anarchy, and each show they’ve ran in that time has served as a reminder of just what makes Anarchy so special.
“What makes everything work and what makes everything so special is the atmosphere and the people.” Said Gary Jay, who’s a favorite wrestler among the Saint Louis Anarchy faithful. “It’s like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. When you put people in that room it’s like magic.”
Spaulding Hall in Alton, Illinois, the home of Saint Louis Anarchy, is a magical place when it’s full of ravenous wrestling fans. Whenever independent wrestling legend Nick Gage came to Anarchy earlier this year to fight Gary Jay, Spaulding Hall was electric. Not a single person in the crowd sat down during that match. Hell, I still have a piece of the ceiling tile that Nick Gage broke over Gary’s head. A great wrestling souvenir.
When I asked Gary Jay for his favorite match that he’s wrestled at Spaulding Hall, he brought up that night.
“You want to talk about a crazy, ‘big fight feeling’ atmosphere, that’s exactly what that night was. That was a very special night for Anarchy.”
Gary Jay, on facing Nick Gage at “Anarchy vs. Everybody”
When thinking of a favorite match that he wasn’t in, Gary chose one of my personal favorite Saint Louis Anarchy matches. “My favorite match that I wasn’t involved in would be Jeremy Wyatt vs. Jonathan Gresham in a Pure Wrestling Rules match. Two of the best wrestlers in the world going at it in that building” You can watch this contest on YouTube for free here and get a taste of why fans and wrestlers alike love Saint Louis Anarchy.
Looking ahead to the next Anarchy show, this Friday night’s Circus Maximus is the de facto one-year anniversary of the return of Saint Louis Anarchy, after almost two years inactive while owner Matt Jackson worked with the National Wrasslin League.
The Circus Maximus card is jammed with great matches and great talent. Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett, better known as The Besties In The World, square off against a hard hitting duo in The WorkHorsemen. The Besties have blossomed, from local darlings to worldwide indie wrestling favorites.
As Gateway Heritage Champion, Jeremy Wyatt has often opted for the use of the “Pure Wrestling Rules” match, as he did in the match against Jonathan Gresham mentioned earlier, and Friday at Circus Maximus he squares off against the War Horse. War Horse always has command of the crowd and puts everything, including his body, on the line each time he steps in the ring, all the makings of another legendary championship match.
In other action on the card, Everett Connors faces Chuck Mambo, who’s fought in British promotions PROGRESS and International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom. Craig Mitchell dukes it out with Larry D, which has the looks of a big brawl full of big shots.
Matt Kenway and Evan Gelistico look to settle their score in a dog collar match. For the uninitated, this means that each wrestler will have a dog collar around their neck, and those collars will be connected with one chain, so the competitors are never more than five feet from one another. This looks to be one of the most intense matches of the evening.
“Every match on this card could steal the show and I expect everyone on the roster to go out there and give it everything they have. To me, people should be on the lookout for each match to give them something special.”
Gary Jay, on Circus Maximus
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t preview Gary Jay’s match vs. Jigsaw. Jigsaw has plied his trade in great promotions all over for a long time. Winning Chikara’s Young Lions Cup in 2004, fighting in Ring of Honor, Impact, and several other great promotions over the years.
“I definitely approach things differently.” Gary Jay explains, asked about if he changes his approach when facing such experienced talent. “Jigsaw has been wrestling all around the world and I consider him to be one of the best there is. Fact is I have to bring my ‘A’ game, and I have to dig deep to see what I am really made of.” Gary notes that this isn’t an opportunity that comes around every day, either. “Jigsaw does not travel much anymore, so the fact that he’s coming to Anarchy is a big deal.”
Gary is coming off a brutal victory against Thomas Shire at Anarchy’s Hog Wild event last month, and looks to keep his momentum going this Friday when Jigsaw comes to town.
You (yes you!) can experience Saint Louis Anarchy this Friday, July 19, at the infamous Spaulding Hall (405 E 4th St) in Alton, Illinois.
Oh yeah. THAT. Kind of a big deal! St. Louis’s beloved perpetual losers are perpetual losers no more. The watch parties and the parade are easily some of my best memories, not just as a Blues fan, but as a fan of sports in general.
Downtown overrun with people from all walks of life clad in their Blues gear on some fairly warm and muggy June afternoons and evenings reminded me of why I love sports. It’s the people. Walking back to the train and high fiving fans that were pouring out of the watch parties and singing Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” in celebration will forever live in my memory, and is definitely the height of my nearly 27 years of sports fandom/existence on this earth.
Frankly, it’s still setting in that they even did it. Even as I stare at a puck on my desk that tells me the Blues are, in fact, 2019 Stanley Cup Champions, it’s surreal. I assume if I surround myself with enough merchandise that tells me the St. Louis Blues are the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions I’ll eventually feel normal saying they won something.
The last I wrote about hockey, I was making a case that the sport is volatile. The Tampa Bay Lightning had just been bumped from the playoffs after an NHL-record setting regular season. Here is the end of my last hockey blog:
“While sure, fans can hope and dream for the Stanley Cup trophy to parade down Market Street in downtown St. Louis, perhaps that in itself is a bit too optimistic, given the odds and precedent set in previous seasons. But it’s the NHL playoffs! The ridiculously impossible is possible.
If Tampa Bay can lose, why can’t St. Louis win?”
Fear And Loathing of the NHL Playoffs, April 18, 2019
Folks, St. Louis won. Hell I think I’m convincing myself more and more as I write this. They won! They were the worst team and hockey at a time that didn’t matter and the best team in hockey when it did.
That “worst to first” narrative has been popular when talking about the St. Louis Blues and their newfound Stanley Cup. Sure, turning the ship around in a matter of months is incredible. Craig Berube was the voice the locker room needed all along, and rightfully was the first person in the organization to get a personal day with the Cup this summer.
There’s a deeper “worst to first” narrative that goes back much longer. The worst I, and many others, have ever seen the Blues was 2006. Ownership was changing hands. 05-06 was the season that killed the Blues record setting playoff appearance streak, and killed it in spectacular fashion, finishing dead last in the NHL.
That season, the Blues were far and away the worst team in hockey. Attendance to games had been cut in half, the team was nowhere near talented enough to compete. The Blues leading scorer that year was a 38-year-old Scott Young. Their starting goalie was Patrick Lalime, backed up by the incomparable duo of Jason Bacashihua and Reinhard Divis.
The next season, Dave Checketts and John Davidson in management vowed to be better, which never came to fruition. This was the start of a six-year span where the Blues only made the playoffs once, in 2008-09, and were quickly eliminated in that singular appearance.
In 2012 Tom Stillman led a local ownership group in purchasing the majority of the St. Louis Blues from Dave Checketts’ group, and very recently purchased the remaining minority. While many will look to the ice for the Blues struggles in this “post-lockout” period, one can look at the Blues since this time for an example of what a dedicated owner will do for a franchise.
Stillman, like seemingly fewer and fewer owners in professional sports, actually spends money on his team to succeed. Which, from a fan’s perspective, is what you demand from the billionaires that own your favorite teams. Just ask a Cardinals fan how they feel about their billionaire owner building a high rise past center field instead of signing a starting pitcher this offseason.
In the 2017-18 NHL season, the Blues failed to meet expectations, and failed to make the playoffs. Last summer, Stillman and Blues general manager Doug Armstrong set out to make sure that failure wouldn’t repeat itself.
Ryan O’Reilly was signed, and he became the central element in the Blues attack, adding a dimension and complimenting other scorers, such as Vladimir Tarasenko. Tyler Bozak’s addition, if nothing else to those who might have only watched their playoff run, made for this now infamous quote:
“I want to win a Cup. So damn bad.
That’s why I signed in St. Louis. There’s your headline. Print it.”
Tyler Bozak, The Player’s Tribune, “For Toronto”
It’s taken me a month of stewing and nearly 900 words to really have this set in. At the time of the Stillman group’s 2012 acquisition of the Blues, often maligned NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said “I know he won’t rest until the players are hoisting the Cup.
Photo from a home double-header against Jefferson College April 9. Photo by Jan Dona, L&C Media Services.
A beautiful afternoon for baseball welcomed the Lewis and Clark Trailblazers home to the Godfrey Ball Park on Sunday, where they hosted the Spoon River College Snappers in a doubleheader, their second of the weekend. The first doubleheader happened on Spoon River’s home turf in Canton, where both sides won a game.
The teams had seemingly become quite familiar with each other over the weekend, and you could feel the tension on the diamond at the Godfrey Ball Park as the day waned on.
Game 1: Lewis and Clark 11, Spoon River 1 (F/6)
After Spoon River jumped out to a 1-0 lead early on the back of a few hits, Trailblazer pitcher Conner Pinsker really settled down, fanning two in the next inning, and didn’t allow another run all game. In the fourth inning, Spoon River’s Trey Kazubowski gave a pitch a long ride that went just foul for a loud strike two. Next pitch, Pinsker struck out Kazubowski swinging, a great recovery after his previous pitch was sent about 380 feet.
On the offensive side, LC’s bats were humming, and Spoon River starter Colin Fenili couldn’t find the zone consistently. Three runs in both the 2nd and 4th innings chased Fenili, who gave up nine hits to Trailblazers in the process. Landon Cummins relieved him, and was clearly not right. Cummins couldn’t get over, or control, his pitches. He hit a few LC batters, and walked another, and gave up three hits, accumulating three more runs. He was relieved by Jarrot Stealy, who got out of the long 5th inning after giving up a sac fly.
That’s when player and coach frustrations started to show, and also when an umpire decided to aggravate those frustrations. After striking out in the 6th, the previously mentioned Trey Kazubowski was ejected from the game, and therefore not eligible for the second of the doubleheader. I was about 20 feet from him, separated by fence and dugout, and while players were chirping at the umpires, he specifically was just getting his equipment from what I could see and hear, and yet he specifically was thrown out.
“We’re losing 10-1” said Spoon River coach John Dyke, “You don’t need to say a thing to the umpires.”
Dyke’s frustrations also turned to his players. “It’s all ‘I didn’t do this, I’m hurt, it’s all me, me, me’.”
Now while not hustling is one thing to complain about, a pitcher trying to pitch hurt and failing to do so probably isn’t the thing to get mad at here. That’s a coaching decision to put him out there and simply a failing of coaching to let him pitch hurt and then complaining about it.
In fitting ironic fashion, a mental lapse by Spoon River’s catcher scored the run-rule winner for Lewis and Clark, a pass ball walk-off. Something I’m sure coach John Dyke was thrilled to see.
Game 2: Lewis and Clark 3, Spoon River 1
The second game proved to be a much tighter contest, till the very end. Spoon River had slightly more luck at the plate in this game, facing LC starter Zach Seavers, but that luck rarely became runs. A triple and an RBI double in the 3rd inning led to the lone Snapper run in game two, rarely enough to win a ball game.
Trailblazer bats were largely stifled by Spoon River game two starter Jake Fosdyck in this pitcher’s duel. Godfrey Ball Park’s vaunted infield grass played a part in some of the hits he gave up, producing some infield hits that would have been routine outs on some other diamonds. Lewis and Clark tied the game 1-1 in the 5th, setting up a tense final few innings.
A 6th inning fielder’s choice scored Dylan Walker of LC, and Jake Fosdyck’s good day on the bump ended the next at bat, when he was ejected from the game by the same umpire who ejected Trey Kazubowski in game one. Fosdyck didn’t agree with the call at first, and let the umpire know, who very quickly threw him out of the game. He was relieved by pitcher/infielder James Shaw, who gave up an RBI single to Chris Iazzetta to make it 3-1 in favor of the Trailblazers in the 6th.
Zach Seavers went back on the mound to close out his complete game, and gave up a few more hits in the process. With runners on and only one more out to win the game, Lewis and Clark coach Randy Martz went out and asked his hurler if he could get one more out. Seavers stepped up to that challenge in a big way, and confidently recorded the final out of the ballgame.
Winning three of four against Spoon River propels the Trailblazers to an impressive 26-13 record on the campaign. They close out the season with another home-and-home doubleheader series, facing off with Heartland Community College.
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