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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Jason Miller/Getty Images
Former Illini Michael Massey is hitting leadoff and playing second base for the Kansas City Royals, who open the ALDS on Saturday night with a road game against the New York Yankees.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Two MLB players who starred in east central Illinois during their college days are still playing on baseball’s biggest stage in the month of October.
➜ 2. Former Illini Michael Massey will likely see the first pitch at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night when Game 1 of the ALDS between the Royals and Yankees starts at 5:38 p.m. The 26-year-old Massey hit leadoff for the Royals in their two wins against the Orioles and flashed some of the superb defense he’s known for.
➜ 3. Former Eastern Illinois product Trey Sweeney started both of the Tigers’ wins against the Astros this week, with the 24-year-old shortstop driving in a run during Tuesday’s 3-1 win. Detroit starts the ALDS at 12:08 p.m. Saturday at Cleveland.
Tuscola football makes its entrance before a 2018 home playoff game at Memorial Field.
Numbers game: 35th
is the ranking for the Tuscola football program among the Top 50 in the state, according to a special season-long project conducted by the IHSA to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the IHSA playoffs. The Warriors have made 32 playoff appearances, have appeared in six Class 1A state championship games and have won two state titles.
From left, Maddix Stirrett, Ryan Appleby and Cruz Hale already have helped the Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond football team become playoff-eligible, and the undefeated Knights could get their playoff-clinching sixth win this Friday when they play at fellow unbeaten Nokomis.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. St. Joseph-Ogden at Bloomington Central Catholic football. If SJ-O wins on the road Friday night, the Spartans clinch a playoff berth, stay atop the Illini Prairie Conference and end a two-year losing skid to Bloomington Central Catholic.
➜ 2. Mahomet-Seymour at Mt. Zion football. The visiting Bulldogs carry a 20-game Apollo Conference win streak dating back to the spring 2021 season before visiting Macon County on Friday night.
➜ 3. Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond at Nokomis football. Two unbeaten Lincoln Prairie Conference programs square off on Friday night south of Springfield. ALAH brings a 19-game Lincoln Prairie win streak into the matchup.
Andrew Elliott, right, and his Salt Fork boys’ golf team.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Salt Fork golf coach Andrew Elliott. The Storm’s boys’ team advanced out of a Class 1A regional on Wednesday and will play again Monday in a sectional tournament at Turtle Run Golf Club in Danville:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Chicago Bears.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Mike Small, Terry French and Phil Zaccari.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … when my players hit unnecessary flop shots. Bump and run or a putter is a better option 99 percent of the time.
