The ZephyrÕs Top 10 in the NFL

(ItÕs 14 down and two to go for the Patriots. And do the Jags have a better chance to upset them in the playoffs than the Colts?)

1. New England

2. Indianapolis

3. Green Bay

4. Jacksonville

5. Dallas

6. San Diego

7. Cleveland

8. Seattle

9. Pittsburgh

10.Tampa Bay

 

The ZephyrÕs Top 10 in College Basketball

1. Memphis

2. North Carolina

3. Kansas

4. Texas

5. UCLA

6. Duke

7.Pittsburgh

8. Georgetown

9. Michigan State

10.Marquette

 

Silver Streak Girls Basketball (8-3)

 

Moline   41    Galesburg   35

Trailing 17-3---- when was the last time a Silver Streak trailed 17-3?--- Galesburg climbed back into the game but never could catch up with the Maroons. GalesburgÕs offense was largely dormant, as the final score indicated. The loss also severely dampened any hopes of a Western Big 6 title, as Moline is now 4-0 and the Streaks are 2-2. Kelly Ricketts scored 11 points to lead Galesburg.

 

Maine South   41    Galesburg   37

The Streaks led 3-2 after Jessica Howard hit a three-point shot but that was it. The Hawks recaptured the lead, expanded it to 11-6 and held on for the win. The Streaks only offense came from the three-point line. Howard hit three to score 9 points and lead the team in scoring.

 

Up Next: At Canton on Thursday night.

 

Silver Streak Sophomore Update: Coach Mike RuxÕs team split a pair of games and are now 8-2 on the season. Myneka Warner scored 24 points in GalesburgÕs 53-41 win over Moline but then the sophomores blew a 20-6 first quarter lead and lost in overtime to Maine South 51-49. Christina Daniel scored 16 for the Streaks but the game turned when Warner fouled out with two minutes to go in regulation.

 

Silver Streak Boys Basketball (3-4)

 

Rock Island Alleman   65   Galesburg   64

A missed shot and a failed tip in could have won this game but it didnÕt as the Pioneers held on for an overtime win. Tanner Libby scored 14 for Galesburg, who never could get or expand a lead.

 

North Scott   57    Galesburg   42

The Streaks had a good first quarter and three bad ones in this loss at Augustana College. North Scott went on a run in the second quarter that gave them the lead and they never gave it up.

 

Silver Streak Sophomore Update: Lucas JunkÕs 9 points led the Streaks to a 65-52 win over Rock Island Alleman.

 

Silver Streak Bowling Update: Galesburg got their first dual meet win of the year (1-3) when the Silver Streaks defeated Illini Bluffs at Northgate Lanes by the score of 2419-2263. Kerbi Boland (529) and Tifanny Carns (523) led the way for the Streaks.

 

Silver Streak Swimming Update: At the Richwoods Invitational, Galesburg finished 7th in an 11-team field. Carl Sandburg posted 292 points and came away with the win while Galesburg had a total of 97 points. Kenton Cooper had a 2nd place finish in the 100 freestyle and was the highest finisher for Galesburg.

 

Knox Sports

The womens basketball team improved to 3-4 with a 53-47 win over Eureka. The win topped the total that the Prairie Fire attained in 2006. Erin Navolia scored 15 points, that included two big three-pointers and a layup that sealed the victory. She also had 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

 

The mens team improved to 3-4 as well, with a 74-64 win over Eureka. Grinnell leads the MWC with a 3-0 record and is 7-1 on the year. They are averaging 115 points scored per game.

 

Sandburg Sports

After a long layoff, the Chargers womens basketball team slaughtered Elgin 95-59. A total of 13 players scored and Courtnee Brown led a balanced attack with 15 points. CSC is now 7-3 on the season.

 

Our Two Cents

The Mitchell Report came out to mixed reviews. Either it was the worst thing since the Black Sox of 1919 or merely a blip on the radar screen. ItÕs somewhere in between. We think itÕs merely the tip of the iceberg and hundreds of players could have been implicated. ThereÕs lots of blame to go around. The problem is detecting the newest drugs that can be used. ThereÕs problems with Roger Clemons, too. Lump him in with Bonds? Unless the allegations are proved untrue, I think you have to keep both Bonds and Clemons out of the Hall.

 

WhoÕs more stupid? The Washington Redskins for starting their first game without murder victim/defensive safety Sean Hall with just ten defensive players for the first play of the game (Was it the missing man formation?) or Coach Joe Gibbs for not knowing about it? But even worse were the numerous signs of support by Atlanta Falcon players for Michael Vick, a convicted felon.

 

 

The ZephyrÕs Top 10 in the NFL

(Any doubt now about the Patriots?  None here. New England is a 27-point favorite against the Jets. ThatÕs right, 27 points.)

1. New England

2. Indianapolis

3. Dallas

4. Green Bay

5. Jacksonville

6. New York Giants

7. Seattle

8. San Diego

9. Pittsburgh

10.Cleveland

 

The ZephyrÕs Top 10 in the NBA

(The Warriors are hot, rebounding from a bad start. The West still has an edge in talent despite The Big Three in Beantown.)

1. San Antonio

2. Orlando

3. Boston

4. Phoenix

5. Detroit

6. Utah

7. Dallas

8. Denver

9.Houston

10.Golden State

 

Silver Streak Girls Basketball  (8-1)

 

Rock Island Alleman   43   Galesburg   41

Galesburg went on a 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter but the Pioneers responded in the same fashion. Then in the last minute of a tie game, A.J. Ledbetter connected on a basket to win the game for Alleman. Ledbetter scored 6 of her 15 points in the 4th quarter. Kelly Ricketts powered the Streaks to that 4th quarter lead thanks to her game-high 22 points. The loss on the road gives the Pioneers the early edge in the Western Big 6 race but they have to play Galesburg at Thiel Gym later in the season.

 

Galesburg   49    Queen of Peace   43

The Streaks built up a first half lead, lost it in the third quarter (31-31 tie) but regained it late and held on for the win. Ricketts again led the way, this time with 17 points and Rachel Pendry added 14. This was a tough win that capped off an emolional week.

 

Up Next: Moline at home on Thursday and then Maine South is in town for a Saturday afternoon game. The cancelled Morton game has been rescheduled to January 19, 2008.

 

Silver Streak Sophomore Update: Coach Mike RuxÕs team picked up a win at Rock Island Alleman (48-44) but a loss against Queen of Peace. (43-39) Myneka Warner scored 13 in the loss.

 

Silver Streak Boys Basketball  (3-2)

 

East Moline  58    Galesburg  33

The Panthers size advantage made Galesburg three-shot happy and they didnÕt do that very well in this loss at East Moline. Isiah Cunningham scored 17 for Galesburg (13 in the first half) but the entire team struggled on offense.

 

Silver Streak Sophomore Update: In two overtimes, Galesburg lost to East Moline 58-52 and fell to 1-4 on the season. It was tied 46-46 after regulation and 51-51 after the first overtime.

 

Up Next: Rock Island Alleman this Friday night and then the Streaks play at Augustana College on Saturday afternoon.

 

Silver Streak Swimming Update: Galesburg knocked off the defending Big 6 champions (Moline) 110-76. Galesburg won 9 events on the day and were led by junior Kenton Cooper who won two events on the day.

 

Silver Streak Bowling Update: Rock Island defeated the Streaks 2886-2227. Juniors Tifanny Carns and Kerbi Boland led the way for Galesburg with each getting a respective series of 509 and 48. Rocky again got in their way at the United Township Invitational which the Rocks won. Galesburg finished 9th and were led by freshman Kenda Weichmann with a series of 982.

 

Silver Streak Wrestling Update: In a busy week, the Streaks defeated Limestone 60-21 but lost to Geneseo 45-31 and Macomb 50-19. They then wrestled at Riverdale at an Invitational where they were led by Isaiah TatumÕs 3rd place finish.

 

Silver Streak Alumni Update: Freshman Lia Anderson is playing basketball for the 5-1 Illinois Wesleyan womens team. Also playing (and starting) for the Titans is Sarah Bull, who graduated from Lewistown High School and then played two years for the Sandburg Chargers.

 

Knox Sports

In womens basketball, Knox defeated MacMurray 61-48. Madi Hanna poured in 17 points for the Prairie Fire, who won their second conference game of the season after a 26 game losing streak in the MCC.

 

The Prairie Fire (2-3) defeated Ripon in two overtimes 96-90. Rusty Baker came off the bench to lead Knox in scoring with 22 points. Clint Moore then scored 16 in a 62-56 win over St. Norbert.

 

Sandburg Sports

The Chargers womens basketball team cruised past Spoon River 67-54 behind the inside-outside punch of Allison Epping (16 points) and Heather Larson (15). CSC is now 6-3 on the season; their scheduled game on Saturday was cancelled because of the ice mess.

 

Spoon River knocked off the Chargers mens basketball team 89-75 despite a big game by Rob Clark, who scored 28 points. Sandburg fell to a 5-3 record..

 

Our Two Cents

ItÕs not a good week for sports. Michael Vick is convicted to a 23-month sentence in prison for torturing dogs and running an illegal dog fighting ring and Barry Bonds, surrounded by six lawyers, pleads not guilty in court. Not surprisingly, both the NFL and major league baseball have Ōno comment.Ķ No kidding. One guy is incredibly cruel to animals and the other—his feet grew from a size 10 to a size 13 and ½ in three years—cheated. Give me Frank Robinson or Hank Aaron or Willie McCovey any day. Give me Bart Starr or Johnny Unitas, too.

 

We almost feel sorry for the Bears, who, at 5-8, are virtually gone from the playoffs. Their quarterback situation is a quagmire. Their best offensive player is a special teams guy we wouldnÕt even kick to. Was it just a few months ago they played in the Super Bowl? It all went downhill after HesterÕs opening kickoff return for a touchdown.