The daily pitch from Sports Editor Matt Daniels: April 10, 2024
Apr. 10—➜ 1. Onions! Have to wonder how many times college basketball TV analyst utters his well-known term when he visits Gifford for next week's Kickin' Cancer dinner at Gordyville USA. Oakland coach will join Illinois coach for the festivities, too, from 5:30-9 p.m. next Tuesday.
➜ 2. Could former Urbana Middle School standout return to C-U? Illini fans on social media would love to see it happen with Tuesday's news of Boswell reportedly in the transfer portal after two seasons at Arizona.
➜ 3. The World of Outlaws Illini 100 comes to Farmer City Raceway this week, with practice on Thursday night before races on Friday night and Saturday night.
High school wrestling coaches who are finalists for the 2024 National High School Athletic Coaches Association national Coach of the Year. And Mahomet-Seymour wrestling coach is up for the honor. He'll be recognized at the NHSACA national convention in Bismarck, N.D., on June 26. Ledin, a four-time N-G Coach of the Year, has led the Bulldogs since 2006 and M-S has won 10 straight regional titles during his successful tenure.
➜ . Parkland is the No. 1 team in the latest NJCAA Division II poll and brings a 32-game win streak into Saturday's doubleheader that starts at 1 p.m. in Champaign.
➜ . The two local programs — Parkland is 21-10 and DACC is 16-17 — open a four-game weekend series on Friday afternoon in Champaign before it shifts to Danville on Saturday.
➜ . The second annual event is Thursday at Demirjian Park in Champaign. St. Thomas More plays Uni High at 4 p.m., followed by Urbana against Monticello at 6 p.m. and Centennial against Champaign Central at 8 p.m.
➜ the Notre Dame football team and the St. Louis Cardinals.
➜ Bobby Knight, Lou Holtz and Ted Lasso.
➜ not being on time.
