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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Uni High’s Aiden Kim, left, and the rest of his Illineks’ boys’ soccer teammates begin the postseason at noon on Saturday with a Class 1A regional semifinal match against St. Thomas More in Fisher.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. One area boys’ soccer team will emerge with a Class 1A regional title by the time Tuesday night arrives in Fisher. Host Fisher/Gibson-City-Melvin-Sibley squares off against Unity at 10 a.m. Saturday in the first regional semifinal match before Uni High and St. Thomas More meet at noon. The two winners will play at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to determine who moves on to the Monticello Sectional.
➜ 2. One week until boys’ and girls’ cross-country runners begin their postseason, with regional races unfolding Oct. 26 at six different sites for area programs.
➜ 3. The Twin City girls’ swimming and diving meet is this upcoming Tuesday at Unit 4 Pool at Centennial. Diving is set to begin at 4 p.m., with swimming at 6 p.m.
Success has followed Parkland volleyball coach Cliff Hastings (back row, middle) nearly every season he’s coached the Parkland College volleyball team. Back in 2021, from left, Sidney Heck (assistant coach), Heather Fletcher (assistant coach), Kayla Brandon (student-athlete), Ron Hoppe-Hastings (assistant coach), Hastings (head coach), Isabella Classen (student-athlete), Shelby Nunamaker (assistant coach), Halle Everett (student-athlete) and Amanda Smith (assistant coach) hold trophies from each of the program’s previous nine NJCAA Division II tournament finishes.
Numbers game: 13
seasons Parkland volleyball coach Cliff Hastings has won at least 40 matches during his 16 seasons in charge of the Cobras. He could hit the milestone for the 14th time in his tenure as early as Saturday, with his fourth-ranked Parkland team carrying a 38-2 record into matches with Southwestern Illinois and Missouri Baptist JV in Belleville. The Cobras are back home in Champaign on Sunday, hosting Spoon River at 11 a.m. and Rend Lake at 3 p.m.
Danville native Trent Sherfield is in his first season as a wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings and in his seventh NFL season overall.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Michigan at Illinois football. All the pregame hype finally ends at 2:30 p.m. Saturday when the Illini and Wolverines meet for the 98th time overall.
➜ 2. Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings. The NFC North showdown at noon on Sunday features former Illini Kerby Joseph and Isaiah Williams with the Lions. On Minnesota’s side, former Illini Jihad Ward and former Danville standout Trent Sherfield suit up for the Vikings.
➜ 3. Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers. Former Illini Terrence Shannon Jr., who averaged 6.0 points in five preseason games with the Timberwolves, is set to make his NBA regular-season debut at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
St. Thomas More wrestling coach Kurt Sexton.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with St. Thomas More wrestling coach Kurt Sexton:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the San Francisco 49ers. Everyone in my family will tell you that my mood depends greatly on how well they play on Sunday.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Dan Gable, Bill Walsh and my dad, who helps out with our team.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … athletes not being on time, as all my athletes are well aware of.
