We’re at the midway point of the spring sports season, with the month of May ready to fly by in the blink of an eye. High school seniors are beginning to look around and wonder where the time went since they entered school as freshmen.
I distinctly remember a teacher in one my classes I had as a freshmen, mention this phenomenon. How right she was. Time doesn’t go necessarily go faster, but our perception of it speeds up as we age.
Here’s another mystery to ponder:
Why does the new athletic equipment building at Oregon have tarps covering its roof? No, it doesn’t have leaks in it. The reason is far more bizarre than that.
Located adjacent the Oregon baseball field, maybe 400-500 feet from home plate, the tarps had to be put on to keep batters from getting a glare from the sun’s reflection on the red roof.
Hard to believe, but that was occurring prior to the tarp placement, especially if a lefty was on the mound. It is somewhat similar to Wrigley Field’s centerfield area being shaded because of the sun’s glare and most prevalent at certain times of the day.
If I’m not mistaken, one Oregon game had to be delayed until the sun moved past a certain point, leading to the tarp solution. Usually tarps in baseball are used to keep the infield dry during rain, not to cover up equipment sheds.
As far as actual play on the field, Forreston and Byron continue strong traditions in baseball. The Cardinals have over a decade of winning seasons, culminating in four regional titles and one sectional title. Byron has won over 20 games the last three years.
Both squads are poised to make a post-season run again. In 2A, North Boone is the area favorite, with Byron right at their heels. Assigned to that same sectional are Marengo and Sterling Newman, both with solid 2A squads, with Newman making state last year.
Forreston and Lena-Winslow are the best bets to come out of the 1A sectional, which will be hosted by Le-Win, a location where Forreston lost 8-7 to Le-Win on April 15. The rematch will be at Forreston on April 28.
So much in high school baseball depends on pitching depth, especially in the playoffs.
Forreston has proven it can pound the ball, as demonstrated by the amount of runs put up this season. They key for them will be how well its pitching staff holds up.
With non-conference games coming up in May against defending 1A champ Ottawa Marquette, Dunlap and Marengo, the Cardinals will be battle-tested.
As of press time, Byron remains as the only undefeated team in the BNC, with Dixon and North Boone one loss each. Oregon is hanging in there in fourth place, with one of its better teams in awhile.
The area softball scene is down this year, with little representation in the state rankings among 1A and 2A teams. Usually, there is a strong entrant or two from the NUIC, but that doesn’t appear to be the case this year.
In track and field, the Oregon girls have the potential to place in the top 10 downstate, with several individuals and relays capable of grabbing medals. A bright transfer is freshman hurdler Jillian Hammer, who moved here from the state of Oregon, but has roots in Polo.
In the 300 hurdles, Hammer ran the third best time (47.27) in 1A and is also ranked in the 100 hurdles.
Not to be outdone, Malia Morton of Byron ran a 15.94 in the 100 hurdles, currently better than Hammer’s time. Byron also has three solid relays, but has the misfortune of being one of the smaller schools in 2A.
Another local to keep an eye on is sophomore Bree Schneiderman of Forreston, ranked in the top five in both the 100 and 200 meters.
The Forreston-Polo boys are also tearing up on the track with its 800 and 1,600 relays among 1A’s best. Speaking of good relays, after watching Lena-Winslow guys compete, it makes sense why their football teams are so outstanding.
Those football players out for track learn how to run in a competitive sense. There is a difference between being fast and being competitively fast.
Running backs who are competitively fast can outrun defenders better than someone who relies on speed only. Likewise, a competitively fast linebacker or defensive back can chase down a ball carrier better than a comparably fast person.
There is a science to running fast and track coaches can teach football players to run more efficiently. Additionally, running against opponents on the track creates mental toughness and intensity. Being conditioned to racing competitively almost creates an extra gear, whereby a person gets an extra burst of speed not normally available to them.
Andy Colbert is a longtime Ogle County resident with years of experience covering sports and more.
