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Sports editor Matt Daniels looks back at what was happening in the area:
Urbana athletes who participated in The News-Gazette’s “Faces of the Fall” event on Sunday gather for a group photo in the newsroom in Champaign.
Three reasons why we love sports today
➜ 1. Fall sports are about to begin at over 40 local high schools in the News-Gazette catchment areaAnd on Sunday, over 300 athletes stopped by The News-Gazette throughout the day to participate in our annual Faces of the Fall event.
➜ 2. Thank you to the hundreds of athletes and hundreds of coaches who made Sunday’s event possibleWe will begin publishing individual photos of all athletes in the News-Gazette in early September and will do so every day – along with photo galleries organized by sport that will be available on news-gazette.com – until we are finished.
➜ 3. Ensuring that each of these athletes gets their own time to shine in front of the camera? Our all-round photo editor Robin Scholz.
Illinois senior Jackson Buchanan watches his approach shot into the par-5 3rd hole on the Chaska Town Course at Hazeltine National Golf Club on Friday afternoon in Chaska, Minnesota, during a quarterfinal match against Jacob Modleski in the 124th U.S. Amateur. Buchanan won 4 and 3 to advance to Saturday’s semifinals, where he lost to Noah Kent.
Number game: 2
He already received All-American honors in Illinois, but Jackson Buchanan will enter his 2024-25 season with the Illini having even more eyes on him. That’s because the 22-year-old senior reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur before his run at the prestigious tournament in Chaska, Minnesota, ended on Saturday with a 2-up loss to Noah Kent. Jose Luis Ballester beat Kent and won the person Title on Sunday.
Illinois goalie Izzy Lee stretches to block a shot attempt against Wright State on Thursday night.
Crowd control
Three events I observe
➜ 1. Urbana Kick-Off Classic. The annual boys golf tournament is Monday afternoon. Because construction is underway at the Urbana Country Club, the event this year will be held at the Orange Course at the University of Illinois at Savoy. Watch for Monticello.
➜ 2. Missouri vs. Illinois Football. After Sunday’s 2-1 home win over DePaul, the Illini will look to maintain their perfect start — and preserve their bragging rights — when the Tigers visit Demirjian Park in Champaign on Thursday at 7 p.m.
➜ 3. Jefferson at Parkland men’s soccer. Coach Mark Sikora and his Cobras open the 2024 season with a home game on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Champaign.
Oakwood/Salt Fork boys soccer coach Eric Fenton (center) consults with his athletes before the start of overtime of a 2021 Class 1A regional semifinal game.
Trainer Corner
Three questions for Oakwood/Salt Fork football coach Eric Fenton, whose team won a Class 1A regional title in 2023 and whose newest team opens the season Aug. 26 at St. Joseph-Ogden:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is… Basketball in the US state of Illinois.
➜ 2. Three coaches I would like to have dinner with are… Bill Self, Brad Underwood and Erik Spoelstra.
➜ 3. What annoys me most is… bad drivers.
