Spin the Wheel (Duerrisms for April 9th)
Duerrisms arrives early with unabashed praise for a legend, and a Basketball Coaching Carousel gone haywire
By Chris Duerr
Posted: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 at 1:21 a.m. Hubris. I go and shoot my mouth off Saturday on OVERTIME about how the weather has finally turned and how excited I am for full slate baseball and softball weekends from here on out, and lo and behold there is snow in the forecast for this weekend. We are doing are part here people. One good day of Saturday weather and we had highlights of 12 games on OVERTIME Saturday night. This weekend I may have to subject you to Duerr Family Home Movies to fill the time. Thanks for playing along, Mother Nature.... This is Duerrisms for the Week of April 11th, presented as always by the good folks at ADVANCE Physical Therapy. Thanks as always for checking in with us. We will be here with you every week from now until the end of the school year, by Friday morning at the latest, earlier if possible. Also, a reminder that if you missed Sensational Seven on Monday nights, you can view it at KHQA.com by Tuesday Afternoon and cast your vote to tell us who you think should have snared the top spot on the countdown. Just go to the left of the KHQA Sports Webpage and click on the Sensational Seven Icon. ---------------------------------------------------------- KHQA/ADVANCE Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week (Application forms must be submitted through your local athletic director or principal. We can provide them with the proper forms if you contact us at crees@khqa.com <mailto:crees@khqa.com>) Week Twenty Six Winner: JOSIE HOLST, Southeastern Volleyball Week Twenty Five Winner: EMILY MAST, West Hancock Golf/Baskeball Week Twenty Four Winner: ERIN THOMAS, QND Soccer/Volleyball Week Twenty Three Winner: JORDAN HAWKER, Monroe City Softball Week Twenty Two Winner: ALYSSA DUFFY, Mendon Unity Basketball/Track and Field Week Twenty One Winner: RENITA BUNTE, QND Basketball and Softball Week Twenty Winner: JAMES HURT, Keokuk Football, Basketball and Soccer Week Nineteen Winner: MISTIE RAE MILLER, North Shelby Softball Week Eighteen Winner: GARRETT HOWLAND, Pittsfield Basketball/Baseball Week Seventeen Winner: MATT SNYDER, Illini West Football/Basketball/Baseball Week Sixteen Winner: SARA FEDLER, Holy Trinity Basketball/Volleyball Week Fifteen Winner: DEVIN WOMBLES, Pleasant Hill Basketball/Volleyball Week Fourteen Winner: KELSEY LITTLE, West Central Volleyball/Basketball Week Thirteen Winner: RYAN HESSE, Van-Far Football/Basketball Week Twelve Winner: ERIN EALY, Rushville/Industry Track and Field Week Eleven Winner: JOE ZELLER, Jacksonville Routt Football/Basketball Week Ten Winner: MARK BAKER, QND Cross Country Week Nine Winner: JOE GILLIAM, Paris Football/Basketball Week Eight Winner: SAMANTHA MURFIN, Highland Softball/Basketball Week Seven Winner: ZACH RODEFFER, Hamilton Golf Week Six Winner: TAYLOR JOEHL, Concord Triopia Football Week Five Winner: ERIN MAYES, South Shelby Basketball, Softball Week Four Winner: JAMES VANDENBERG, Keokuk Football, Basketball Week Three Winner: LUKE GUTHRIE, Quincy High Golf Week Two Winner: MATT BUREN, Macomb, Basetball/Basketball Week One Winner: ASHLEY HINKAMPER, QND Tennis Overall Past Scholarship Winners: 2006: MIKAL BENCOMO, Clopton (SEMO Basketball) 2007: KATELYN BASTERT, Carthage (Duke University Cross Country) ----------------------------------------------------------- A DUERRISMS COMMENTARY: SWISEGOOD AS IT GETS When I first started covering high school baseball in the Tri States fourteen years ago, Southeastern Coach Dave Swisegood was one year shy of the mandatory retirement age. In the time that has passed since, we've watched Lonnie Lemon morph from QND Baseball coach into the Superintendent of Quincy Schools. I've seen Robin Lewis eclipse his legendary father Ed in making Beardstown Baseball a state powerhouse. We've watched highly successful and respected Swise contemporaries like Lon Fulte and Rick Parker come and go. And we've seen kids who were tween back in 1995 like Travis Cooley, Scott Gaines, and Darren Perdun, become the next generation of promising young baseball coaches. Put simply, change has come. Significant change. Yet here is Swise, still standing on third base, still imploring his kids to "Spin the Wheel" For fifty two years of his life, Dave Swisegood has put on "the monkey suit" as he calls it (even wearing the batting gloves up until a few years ago) and worked tirelessly to promote the betterment of young people through the sport of baseball. And note my very deliberate use of the phrase "worked tirelessly" because..... Now 77 years old, Dave Swisegood has more energy and enthusiasm for what he does than any human being I know, in any profession I can think of. Feel free to consider the source on that one. I am exactly half Dave's age and have never been accused of lacking for job enthusiasm. Put a baseball cap on Swise and he puts me and my contemporaries to shame. As trite and cliché as it might sound, Baseball is Dave Swisegood's fountain of youth. Or more accurately, teaching baseball. Spend any considerable time around the man and you get the sense that he will never willingly retire from coaching; that he never has given it a single thought despite his "advancing age." There are many in the CSE Baseball Community who believe the day Swise walks away from the game; walks away from the teaching of the sport that he so loves, that his health will start to deteriorate. The "love of the game" so deeply rooted into his spirit that he simply can't live without it. Spend any time talking to the man about baseball and kids and that notion is hard to dispute. It's also nearly impossible not to instantly share his love for what he does the minute he starts talking about the game, the kids. And that to me has been the greatest part of this whole circus.... Over the last week, the humble and hardworking Dave Swisegood became the IHSA's resident "Rock Star." With win number 893, the new state high school career record, Swise has gotten the kind of media coverage in all circles far too absent his career. And as result, a whole new group of people are being introduced to this wonderful gentleman-coach and all he stands for. The more voices that join the chorus, the more I hear casual sports fans talking about "that legendary coach at Southeastern." I had two different women today approach me about Swise and use the word "charming" in describing him from Tyler Fulghum's story on Monday. (Who thought we would live to see that dawn of Swise-Groupies, but I digress....) The important thing here is that we have lived to see something rare and special happen in Tri State sports this week. All of the values that Dave Swisegood has stood for have paid off in success both tangible and intensely personal to the man who crafted this amazing record. And he has graciously allowed so many of us, both close to him and on the periphery share in this wonderful story. It's an unbelievable number of wins, 893. More importantly, that number represents countless lessons taught to his players, that still echo today in their ears when times get tough and real life throws them a curveball. That impact is far more important to Dave Swisegood than any IHSA mark. And it is celebrated, knowingly or subconsciously, every day of those people's lives. Legacies get no better than that.... One might say this Wins Record could be the perfect swan song to a phenomenal career. Those people don't know Dave Swisegood very well. Me? I am still trying to figure out what number victory Swise will be chasing 15 years from today. Keep Spinning the Wheel, my friend. For all of us. ----------------------------------------------------------- THE KHQA STAR CHAMBER (your guide to players who are scorching on the Spring Diamond, Pitch or Track) CRAIG BASTERT, Unity Baseball The Mustang program has not lacked for kids with quality breaking stuff the last few years. What Dan Ippensen started, sophomore Craig Bastert seems poised to continue. Caught his act on Saturday against Pleasant Hill, where he dropped in a 12-6 curveball nasty enough to merit Sensational Seven mention. See it for yourself at http://www.khqa.com/sports/sensational_seven.aspx. The kid was good enough to post 13 strikeouts in a 4-3 Mustang victory. If he keeps getting Uncle Charlie to flutter where he wants it, this kid is going to be a bear to hit. LOGAN GRANERA, Keokuk Soccer First of all, a little love for our buddy Bobby Thomas, the interim skipper of the Chief Soccer Program whose Pitch Pedigree traces to his days spent at noted high school powerhouse...Warsaw High School?? For a guy who grew up in basketball crazed Hancock County (and who was one of the most underrated and toughest Wildcats of all time) the guy is doing a credible job as a Soccer Skipper. After watching the Chiefs beat 5th ranked Fort Madison Monday, I was extremely impressed with Granera's ability as a playmaker. He may be a football guy, but Granera is great with the ball at his feet and is really difficult to dispossess. He's a treat to watch and the engine that makes Keokuk's offense go. CALEB HOWELL, Jacksonville Baseball The Crimsons finally curtailed a five game losing streak with 30 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Decatur MacArthur on Saturday. Freshman leadoff hitter Caleb Howell ended game one with a walk off Grand Slam. He also hit a Grannie 24 hours earlier in the Crimsons loss to Rock Falls. Not the kind of power you expect in the lead off spot. Not the kind of hitting you expect from a frosh. The Crimsons are really a gifted team. Perhaps the spark from Howell will tip things back in a positive direction fro P.J. Moore and company. DREW GRIEWE, Macon Baseball Not really breaking any new ground here in telling you that the reigning CCC Player of the Year has some pitching chops. Still, when you strike out 15 batters in six innings worth of work as Drew did against Centralia on Monday, well that is the kind of stuff that quickly reminds you why this kid is a primo POY candidate for us. MACKENZI FAIRLEY, Quincy High Softball Again, Mister Obvious stuff here because Miss Fairley is the bench mark by which all Western Illinois pitchers are measured. Still, even if we hold the Blue Devils ace to a loftier standard, 18 strikeouts and a home run (her numbers Monday against Springfield) are just lights-out sensational. It appears the Blue Devils have snapped out of their Spring Slam Slump. KYLER MOORE, South Shelby Baseball Beating North Shelby ace Bradley Craigmyle head-to-head takes some doing, but Moore was equal to the task on Monday with a complete game four hitter in the Cardinals 3-1 victory in the battle of the Shelbys. KELSEY LITTLE, KAITLIN BETTIS, KERI LIETZ, KARLEE VANDEVELDE, West Central Track and Field There is a real strong nucleus of talent at play here in Winchester. The Lady Cougars finished a very respectable third in the Carlinville Invitational; a performance punctuated by this quartets win in the 4x400 meter relay. Team anchor Kelsey Little also posted an individual 2nd Place mark in the 100 meter dash. Kaitlin Bettis and Karlee VanDeVelde also grabbed 3rd and 4th respectively in the 400 meter. This is kind of a sleeper group worth coming an eye out for in coming events. ------------------------------------------------------------ WIU SEARCH MUSINGS The news trickled out at roughly 2:15 to all the various Tri State news organizations via our "sources;" timed conveniently for ultimate impact on a very slow news day. And suddenly, WIU's Coaching Finalists were front and center for all the Tri States to see. Well played, sir. Well played. Former Kentucky Wesleyan Coach Ray Harper emerged today as the "surprise" finalist for the Western Illinois Basketball Coaching Vacancy, joining former Bradley skipper Jim Molinari as the lone candidates invited to campus for formal interviews. Harper, who has a four National Championships to his credit split between the NAIA and Division Two level, we are told met with either Western Illinois Vice President of Student Services Garry Johnson and/or Associate Athletic Director Dwaine Roche at the Final Four. Harper's track record of basketball success is indisputable, but so too is his checkered past at Kentucky Wesleyan, where words like lack of institutional control and NCAA Sanctions became commonplace at the end of his tenure. There are many who believed that when Harper bolted Wesleyan, he would never coach above the NAIA level again. Winning however, cures all as a pair of National Championships at Oklahoma City University (won ironically with ex-Leatherneck Na'Vonte Kentle playing a significant role in 2008) have apparently set up Harper to experience a Bruce Pearl styled redemption. It's an interesting prospect, considering that Western Illinois is mulling the hire of a man who was GLVC Public Enemy number one and doing so with a significant portion of its media outlets located in the city of Quincy. I don't really want to have to be the guy who asks uncomfortable questions about coaching ethos on what is supposed to be a banner day for Leatherneck Basketball; but by the same token, I have a job I have to do. So it seems that Harper is the ultimate risk/reward pick here. Tim Van Alstine has shown a propensity to roll the dice. See also the Derek Thomas hire over Murry Bartow five years ago. And if he thinks that Harper is the guy who can turn the program around, I guess you roll with a few tough questions from the Quincy media and sell the positives. If he is "your" guy. And if you can get him... Harper has already resigned at OCU and is said to have multiple Division One jobs awaiting. One of the favored rumors is that he will end up as the lead assistant to new coach Ken McDonald at Western Kentucky (remember them, NCAA Tournament fans?) which would put Harper, a Kentucky native, back on familiar Bluegrass, so to speak. We are also told that there are factions in the Western search committee that really love Harper in this process and that he is being flown into Macomb (private charter on Air Boyer, perhaps?) to be wooed into a head coaching job and away from the lure of the WKU Assistant gig. There are those who would have you believe that Western Illinois already had identified their man and now it's just a matter of getting him. How accurate that description is remains to be seen. To wit, one of our sources told us that Jim Molinari's visit played very well with the Western Players and that his track record for graduating players and his strong commitment to Defense oriented basketball will sell with both the fan base and the higher ups in Adminstration, ranging all the way to Doctor Goldfarb. No warts. Engaging personality. Ability to energize the fan base, which was perhaps Derek Thomas' greatest failing in the warm and friendly community of Macomb. Say what you want, but that stuff matters in a small college town. Molinari is an easy figure to rally around and his connections to Peoria, still strong to this day, would give Western a higher visibility all across the Western half of the state. Safe choice? No such thing in college basketball. T. Boone Pickens could shell out six-ten million for Bill Self to return home to Stillwater, but it still guarantees nothing. It is an interesting dichotomy of choices, to be sure. And we may have resolution as early as Friday. Ex-Missouri State skipper Barry Hinson's name had been thrown around a lot as potential land for this program, but from what we've gathered, he is not in this mix and was never a legitimate finalist candidate due to his reported lack of a Master's Degree. That is apparently a de facto job requirement at Western Illinois for this gig and sure enough I can find no listing on any bio for Hinson's higher education, other than a Bachelors in Secondary Social Sciences. ---------------------------------------------------------- RANDOM MUSINGS It did not take long for Blake Skillman and the good folks at Bowling Green to fill one of the most coveted of the area's coaching vacancies. After leading Clopton to back to back Final Four appearances in his first two seasons, Bobby Spoonster seems to be the right fit to lead the talented Lady Bobcats in pursuit of greater postseason success. From what we can gather from our sources, Bowling Green approached Spoonster relatively quickly after Phil Burdett's resignation; appealing to Bobby's desire to prove himself at a higher level of coaching competition. Bowling Green returns all but one starter from a District Championship squad, including a 6'4" center in sophomore Anne-Marie Hartung who is already getting national recruiting attention. What I am not sure resonates here is that beyond Hartung, Bowling Green is loaded with outstanding underclassmen like Katie Scherder, Fancy Lindsay, Olivia Gregory and Taylor Lewis who are only going to get better. Bobby's forte at Clopton was getting kids to play unselfishly. It did not hurt that he had State Assist Queen Deaven Omohundro at his disposal, who seemingly took greater pleasure in shuffling out dimes than she did scoring herself. If Spoonster can create that vibe in his new charges, the overwhelming amount of talent at play here could make BG an instant player for the Class 3 crown. Don't be stunned if a very familiar, respected name in Tri State Coaching surfaces as Spoonster's replacement in the Hills of Clarksville. We are hearing intriguing rumblings on that front.... From a small college standpoint, Macomb's Courtney Lawyer was one of the most pursued recruiting prospects in the area. During the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, Courtney spent an hour of post game bouncing back an forth in conversation with Illinois College, Culver Stockton and a handful of JUCO representatives. Why the interest? Two attributes really stood out with the Bomber guard. She is both a tremendous three point shooter and a very gifted on-the-ball defender. In the end, Elmhurst made the most compelling argument and wins the services of this first team All Do or Die Selection, who is also a very strong academic fit as well. John Wood's Norman Rodriguez begins collection on his incredible recruiting haul this week, with the expected signings of Illini West's Randi Gronewold, Unity's Alyssa Duffy, Clopton's Sam Yates, and Canton's Emily Lay. Southeastern Community College skipper Jerry Jerome will ink a pair of standouts as part of his five woman recruiting class. Clark County's Amanda Winters and Keokuk's Kelsey Hickey should prove valuable gets in the SECC Front Court for the next two years. Rushville/Industry's Katie Boyd, who finished 64th in the Class A State Golf Tournament this past fall, has signed a national letter of intent with the University of Illinois-Springfield to continue her career. Katie was a two-time all WCC pick for the Lady Rockets. Hannibal Ace Neil Hugenberg, suffered another setback with his ailing back during the Pirates loss to Columbia Hickman. Clint Graham took his All Stater to the emergency room for an evaluation shortly after the ballgame and Hugenberg did not play for Hannibal in Friday's home loss to Fulton. He was expected to consult a specialist sometime early this week in an effort to preserve one of the most promising careers in Tri State Baseball. Hugenberg's season may well be in jeopardy, with the greater goal of getting him healthy for his senior year. Nauvoo Colusa/Warsaw's 12-2 pasting of Illini West last week should scare the living daylights out of every small school team in Western Illinois. Rich McGhghy has really fleshed out his pitching staff, beyond just Ross Purchatzke (who was credited with the victory against the Chargers) Unity/Payson's Caleb Arnsman, who really was a very good football player on a very unsuccessful team, will get to see how the other half lives when he officially signs with Monmouth College. An upper tier Midwest Conference school, Monmouth will give Caleb more wins in his first season than he experienced in his entire high school career. The kid is a hard nosed, no nonsense competitor and has the functional strength to be a good point-of-attack player at the Division Three level. Sounds like Christian Gunther and the Culver Stockton Football program are putting together some nice late additions to the program. After considering Quincy University, Pleasant Hill Linebacker Adam Gunterman opted instead to cast his lot on The Hill with the Wildcats. The addition of speedy Louisiana tailback P.J. Sheppard, who earned an All Conference nod despite playing behind some very green offensive linemen, might be the steal of the draft class with his ability to run the football. I had lunch this past week with Bob Hemond, who is the driving force behind both the Hannibal CICL Franchise and the renovations at Clemens Field. To be honest, I am truly impressed with the amount of passion and vision he and his partners are bringing to the table on this enterprise. For those of you who may not know the name, Hemond is the executive vice president of the Sacramento River Cats and he's done an amazing job over the past eight years bringing AAA baseball to my hometown. The River Cats are a first class operation and have really energized the city of Sacramento with a fantastic ballpark and all manner of positive promotion. Just in the way Hemond talks, you can tell he sees enormous untapped promise in the city of Hannibal. And to be honest, I think that may answer the question, why would a "Baseball Guy" from Northern California and his partners would make such a substantial investment in America's Hometown. For one, he sees the simmering potential in Hannibal itself. Look at how the town just absolutely comes to life during National Tom Sawyer Days. You've also got a population base, not only in Hannibal itself, but in the surrounding areas who are starved for Summer Entertainment Options. Put simply, all Bob Hemond needs to do is strike a financial match (granted, not an easy proposition given how financially vested this group is in making this a success) and the forces are all at play to ignite this Hannibal Baseball enterprise into a real showpiece for a city. And if it works on the level that Hemond thinks it will, everyone profits. And from a competitive standpoint, Hemond talked very openly about trying to woo back the kind of high major Division One talent that used to grace the CICL ten years ago, when you were just as likely to see LSU and Stanford kids in the league as you were NAIA and Division Two kids. I gathered in talking with Bob Hemond that his goal, after building a dynasty in Hannibal, is simply to elevate the CICL to the level of the Cape Cod League in terms of summer instructional league play. Again, just a very impressive guy who we somehow lucked out in wooing to Hannibal. A fine Duerrisms hello to our good friend Josef Keller, who still reads us every week in Colorado. Congratulations to Quincy's Peter Bond, who wins this year's KHQA Hoops Madness grand prize package for posting the most accurate bracket sheet. The former Blue Devil forward walks off with three hundred dollars cash, neon clock from our friends at GM Goodwrench, a prize package of Final Four logo gear, and our undying esteem. Thanks to all of the nearly 500 participants who took part...320 of which dusted KHQA's "so-called" sports experts. (A pox upon you, Lopez Twins. Every year, my Pac 10 love kills me....)
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