A little hip-hip hooray while getting caught up on the sports scene and looking ahead

The old sports editor is back in action recovering from hip replacement surgery. I should have a little more giddy-up on the sidelines this fall to start up my 38th year on the BCR sports beat.

Here are a few things to catch up on from my two weeks in rehab and looking ahead:

Walnut 5K for ALS a big hit

This year’s Walnut 5K for ALS was a smashing success. They had a record number of registrations (541), finishers (457) and proceeds ($25,789).

The Monier siblings are doing a wonderful job with a lot of help raising funds to help find a cure for this dreaded disease that has claimed 22 family members, including their mother.

A familiar name made off with this year’s 5K. Former Bureau Valley standout Randy Bill of Cedar Falls, Iowa, turned in the top time of 17:34.8. It seems to run in the family as his 9-year-old-son, Holden, placed fourth in 18:49.1, a remarkable 6:05 mile pace.

Another former Storm standout, Regan (Weidner) Shipp, 26, of Deer Grove was the first female runner in 18:21.8. First Walnut finishers were Jay King, 33, 8th overall in 20:04.3, and Courtney Kennedy, 31, 70th in 26:38.8.

Waca throws no-hitter in Church League

The Princeton Fastpitch Church League saw a first in decades when St. Matthews’ pitcher Chris Waca threw what is to believed to be the first no-hitter in four decades in the league on Friday, June 30. Waca did not allow a ball hit out of the infield in a 11-0 win over Princeton Bible, which had just four base runners in the game with two walks, a hit batter and an error.

The league is down to four teams this year. Malden Methodist leads the league through five weeks at 6-1 followed by defending league champ St. Matthews at 5-2, United Methodist at 4-3 and Bible/Bunker Hill at 0-7.

The last regular-season games run this week with the league tournament to start Friday, July 21.

Happ-y day at Peru

The City of Peru will be renaming the big field at Washington Park in honor of native son J.A. Happ, who pitched in parts of 13 years in the Major Leagues, retiring after the 2021 season. There will be a renaming ceremony at 2 p.m., Sunday, July 30, at Washington Park, where Happ played during his youth on his path to the Big Leagues.

Happ, who is a St. Bede alum, won 133 games with 1,663 strikeouts pitching for eight teams over his career.

There will be a five-inning St. Bede alumni game to follow at 2:30 p.m.

IV Men’s Golf Championship

Entries for the 15th annual Illinois Valley Men’s Golf Championship are fast filling up. If you are wanting to play, now is the time to sign up.

There is a cap of 172 players and tournament director Mason Kimberly anticipates that limit to be reached this week.

The tournament will be held Saturday, July 29 at Edgewood Park in McNabb and Sunday, July 30 at Senica’s Oak Ridge in LaSalle. It is open to golfers 16 years or older who are residents of or a member of a golf course in Bureau, LaSalle or Putnam counties.

Entry fee is $60, which includes green fees at both courses.

Brian Lehr of Ottawa is the defending champion.

For more information, call Kimberly at 815-303-6003 or visit the tournament’s Facebook page.

PHS cross country runs continue

Princeton High School is continuing its summer runs this week, meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and twice on Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. They will meet in front of the high school building on Euclid Avenue. The runs are open to all PHS students.

Mark your calendars

* The DePue Boat Races will take the waters of Lake DePue the weekend of July 28-30 with two days of testing leading up to the races.

* The 26th annual Princeton Tiger Classic golf fundraiser will be held Saturday, Aug. 12 at Wyaton Hills Golf Course in Princeton, starting at 10 a.m. Registration forms are available on the Tiger Boosters Facebook page. Golf will be limited to the first 18 teams to sign up.

* This year’s Illinois Valley Women’s Golf Invitational will be held Sunday, Aug. 13 at Wyaton Hills. Deer Park is the defending champion.

Kevin Hieronymus has been the BCR Sports Editor since 1986. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com