NBA star returns home | IHSA changes up football playoffs | Pitcher to pilot
Time is winding down for the Rockford Register Star high school sports newsletter, your best way to keep up with what's going on in area sports.
Each edition includes the most recent top stories, features and coverage.
This week's Rockford Register Star High School Sports Newsletter includes an interview with Auburn grad and NBA star Fred VanVleet; how the IHSA is changing back its seeding process; a profile on a former Rockford Christian pitcher now training to be a Army pilot; a list Illinois players at the College World Series; a another look at our master list of all of the athletes of the week from 2021-22.
So here it is. Now kick back, catch up on all that is high school sports in our area, tell your friends all about us, and enjoy!
Rockford's NBA star returns home
NBA champion. NBA All-Star. Finalist for Sixth Man of the Year. One spot away from being named Second Team All-Defense.
Fred VanVleet continues to do things no one else from Rockford has ever done. And here are two more: A documentary on VanVleet was released this winter, and he was also named one of the five finalists for the NBA’s second annual Social Justice Champion award, which comes with a trophy named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
IHSA changes its mind on football seeding
The Illinois High School Association announced in February it would seed all football playoffs from best to worst, as it does in Class 7A and 8A.
But concerned about rising gas prices and an increase in travel, the IHSA reversed course this week and will return to dividing the six smallest classes into north and south divisions and seeding those 1 through 16.
Rockford native and college pitcher is training to become an Army pilot
Jacob Rans was a top high school pitcher during his time at Rockford Christian. Now, the Wheaton College lefty is looking to become an Army pilot.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Rans is back home in Rockford for the summer, catching his breath after a baseball season followed by intense Army training.
11 players from Illinois part of NCAA baseball championships
The 2022 College World Series is dominated by teams from the south, but one midwestern interloper has made the field of eight — with help from some players from Illinois.
Miss our athletes of the year? Here's the list again
Here is a look back at The Rockford Register Star's high school athletes of the week as voted on by the readers from this past school year.
They are listed in chronological order, starting with the fall, into the winter and then spring seasons for 2021-22. Dates are when the poll was released.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: NBA star returns home | IHSA changes up football playoffs | Pitcher to pilot
