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It was only about six weeks ago when Joliet Catholic graduate Terry Gannon returned home as the guest speaker, joining fellow Hilltopper and master of ceremonies Mark Grant, for the JCA Alumni Association Hilltopper Banquet.
We talked that night about Gannon’s work as the voice of figure skating, along with commentators Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, for what then were the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Time flies. The Olympics conclude this weekend, but not before Gannon joins Lipinski and Weir for one more major assignment. The three have been designated by Jim Bell, the president of NBC Olympics production and programming, to host NBC’s coverage of the closing ceremonies, which features the parade of nations, interviews, profiles and musical performances. It all begins at 7 p.m. Sunday on NBC.
“The closing ceremony is the after-party at the Olympics,” Bell said in a statement from NBC Sports Pressbox. “It’s the moment when the athletes and the host city can all finally relax and have some fun. And I can’t think of anyone better to guide us through the pageantry of dancing, fireworks and K-pop than Terry, Tara and Johnny.”
Gannon was quoted: “I’m honored and excited to be hosting the closing ceremony with my reserved, understated broadcast partners Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir. These Games have been a showcase of the greatest athletes in the world and a celebration of the beautiful landscape and culture of South Korea. We are looking forward to a fitting farewell at the end of a truly memorable experience in Pyeongchang.”
Recent closing ceremony hosts include Mike Tirico, Mary Carillo and Ryan Seacrest for Rio 2016; Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Vladimir Pozner for Sochi 2014, and Bob Costas, Michaels and Seacrest for London 2012. Sunday’s telecast will provide another example of why Gannon is so highly regarded in the world of sports broadcasting.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
The coaches’ meeting for the annual WJOL/Don Ladas Memorial Baseball Tournament, which will be played from March 29 to March 31, was held Wednesday at Traditions Restaurant.
If anyone does not like the quarterfinal matchups, go ahead and blame me. I pulled the names out of the baseball cap to fill out the bracket.
The Thursday and Saturday morning hosts this year are defending champion Plainfield Central and 2017 runner-up Providence Catholic. If Joliet Route 66 Stadium is not ready because of turf installation, third-place and championship games will be played at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. March 31 at Ed Flink Field in Lockport. In that case, the sites and times of the seventh-place and fifth-place games will be determined later, probably after the Thursday quarterfinal results are in.
On March 29 at Plainfield Central, Plainfield Central will face Joliet Central at 1 p.m. and Lincoln-Way West will tangle with Lockport at 4:30 p.m. At Providence, the matchups are Joliet West against Minooka at 1 p.m. and Joliet Catholic against Providence at 4 p.m.
The tournament affords fans the opportunity to see several of our area teams in one fell swoop, and you will see them when they desperately want to win, with local bragging rights at stake. Now, if only the weather would cooperate.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Looking ahead for a moment to the fall and the beginning of high school football season.
With the Southwest Prairie Conference having 10 teams and playing a full round-robin schedule, every team in the league knows its nine regular-season opponents. The only variable is when you will face whom.
For area teams not in the SPC, however, it is interesting to review the 2018 nonconference schedule. For example:
• Providence, a state semifinalist last season, will meet Lockport on opening night, Aug. 24, in the Kickoff Classic at Soldier Field. To the best of my knowledge, the two nearby schools never have met on the gridiron. Later, on Oct. 12, perennial power Montini shows up on the Celtics’ schedule. For the first time in three seasons, there is no East St. Louis and no St. John Vianney to get things rolling.
• Joliet Catholic has a tall order the first two weeks before getting into the East Suburban Catholic portion of the schedule. The Hilltoppers will host St. Rita on Aug. 24 and travel to IC Catholic Prep on Aug. 31.
• Defending Class 8A state champion Lincoln-Way East will journey to Crete-Monee in Week 1 and entertain Naperville Central in Week 2.
• Lincoln-Way West opens at home against Racine Case (Wisconsin) on Aug. 24, while Lincoln-Way Central visits Richards. Then in Week 2, the Warriors will visit the Knights in a huge matchup.
• Morris, the defending state runner-up in 5A, will open with a neighborhood battle at Coal City. The Redskins will host Washington in Week 2 and Crete-Monee in Week 3.
• Bolingbrook will entertain nonconference foes Downers Grove South and St. Charles North in Weeks 1 and 2.
• Lemont will seek revenge for last year’s opening-week shutout loss when the Indians host Batavia on Aug. 24.
• Dick Goss can be reached at dgoss@shawmedia.com.