ChimpersCage

  From my chair, the West v Richwoods varsity boys basketball game looked closer than it ended up. West fell short on a 50-36 game. West has what seems to be an unusually young bunch of ballers with just 3 seniors on the team. Two or three of the starters for this game were sophomores and very hard working young men! Be sure to check out all this games and this seasons photos at https://alanlookphotography.zenfoliosite.com

Two weeks into the football season and the games we have covered were all just a wee bit one-sided. In week 1, Sacred Heart Griffin boke the wheels on the wagon of the University High Pioneers. Week 2 presented us with a twofer weekend, one high school game and one college game. The Annual Chili Bowl between Normal Community and Normal Community West was a one-sided affair on the field at NCHS. West Wildcats got a quick early score on a fumble recovery return, but was pretty much shut down by the Ironmen until the 3rd quarter. In college competition, Saint Xavier just couldn't keep up with the Redbirds in Hancock Stadium. Stay tuned, we will try to post a little more this season. Click links for photos: SHG at UHigh Chili Bowl Saint Xavier at Illinois State

If you look at the pregame stats from the Chilli Bowl and the Mi-America Classic, you would probably draw a conclusion favoring Normal West Wildcats and Eastern Illinois Panthers.  Normal Community and Normal West had met the same two opponent the first two weeks of the season. Normal Community lost to both leaving them at 0-2.  West had beaten both of those teams for a 2-0 record.  Well, all bets are off when any intercity teams are playing each other.  Add in a pinch of weather for good measure and home field advantage and it took on a completely different look and result with the Ironmen topping and even dominating West. #24 ranked Eastern Illinois came to Hancock Stadium to topple unranked Illinois State.  Home field advantage on this older than old rivalry and Family Day activities and that 15 mph breeze probably didn't hurt or help and it was an upset.  ISU left 2-0 for the season, Eastern went south without the trophy and probably a lower ranking f...

There were more exciting games in Bloomington - Normal this weekend than one sports shooter could handle.  Friday night started it off with games at both U High and Bloomington.  With the Bloomington Raiders hosting the Normal West Wildcats, it was a pick to watch the intercity rivals.  Bloomington came out on top this round. 20140207 West Wildcats at Bloomington Raiders boys basketball photos - Images by Alan Look On Saturday, it was the annual Pink Games at Illinois Wesleyan as both the Men's and Women's teams hosted the Elmhurst Bluejays.  Both genders of the Titans sported some Pink and proceeds from a raffle and other fan oriented events went to the fight on breast cancer.  The Titans came out winners as well as they bested the Bluejays in both games. 20140208 Elmhurst Bluejays at Illinois Wesleyan Women's Basketball photos - Images by Alan Look 20140208 Elmhurst Bluejays at Illinois Wesleyan Men's basketball...

If you aren't from near here or been around very long, Normal Illinois has it's very own football Bowl game.  It's held every season when Normal Community Ironmen play the Normal Community West Wildcats.  The game travels each year to the school that didn't have it the year before.  It's the one game that can really fill the stands.  Seems all the students and a good number of other followers of each team arrive to see who will take home the chili! Chili Bowl Photo Gallery This weekend was also the Intercity Volleyball tournament held at Normal West.  Central Catholic and Normal West share the title this year.  It's 3/4's of a day of volleyball and usually in September.  Put it on you calendar for next year. Intercity Volleyball Photo Gallery Football opened for the season in Tucci Stadium on Wilder Field for the Illinois Wesleyan Titans.  The trumped the Flying Dutchmen of Hope College.  Wilder Field is one of the oldest stadiums i...

Some weeks just don't seem to have enough days and the days, not enough hours. It's the 4th week of football season.  On the high school side, Normal Community West remains undefeated as does University High.  The University High v Prairie Central Hawks was pretty much a blow out.  I can't remember ever seeing a score of 57-6 at the half mark.  It's too bad for the Hawks, a couple less misqueues would have cut about 14 points off that figure.  It's just a matter of polish.  For the Pioneers, it's take care of the second half of the season and the results are limitless. On the 21st of September, the Redbirds finally opened at home in the renovated Hancock Stadium.  Even if you don't plan on attending a game there, drive by and take a look at the complex.  It really compliments that campus and town.  My favorite view and I need to stop there and grab a picture is from the parking lot by the renovated Duffy Bass baseball field. The Barker Cl...

The night didn't disappoint.  Everything that makes a Chili Bowl exciting.  Stormy weather, The Wildcats and the Ironmen, lots of fans and an oblong ball that takes funny bounces.  Yes, they were all there tonight.  The Wildcats took the Ironmen at home and will get to place the Chili Bowl in their trophy case till next year.  I don't have a lot of stats or side notes.  I haven't a clue how many yards Edwards ran for the Iron or what happened to Jefferson just before the half.  I do know the Cats returned to the field after the break and Alex didn't show up till later on the back of the squad cart under a blanket - padless.  It did appear to be an injury to his leg.  I'm sure there will be more known tomorrow. Chili Bowl pictures will be available at Alan Look Photography later this weekend. John Power covered the Central Catholic slaying of Pontiac tonight.  His photos will be available in a few days as well. Be sure to check ou...

Most Friday nights you can find me at a high school football game.  no exception on the 14th.  Coverage this night was Homecoming at Normal Community West High School against conference foes Danville Vikings.  It was come from behind, get way ahead, let them almost catch up, then win for the Wildcats. Images on Alan Look Photography Website Friend, fellow photographer and Best Look Magazine contributor John Power was reportedly at the El Paso - Gridley Titans v Fieldcrest Falcons game and part of the night at Eureka for the game against the Central Catholic Saints.  Not sure if he made it to both of them.  Check his website for images from those games.

Normal Community Ironmen and the Normal Community West Wildcats duel in IHSA Regional Lots of tense moments, lots of tough decisions, lots of teamwork, lots of friends, lots of foes, lots of sadness, lots of joy. In overtime, the Wildcats hold on to a 2 point lead that had 2 opportunities to be a lose. Not a lot one can add to the action that happened inside the black lines or inside the Shirk Center. The stories will be told for at least a generation. you had to be there, or you need to read the story by Steve Robinson in the upcoming Normalite Newspaper . 20120302 NCWHS v NCHS Regional - Images by Alan Look

Just a day shy of a month later, the Normal Community West Wildcats will meet up with the Normal Community Ironmen for one last time this season. On February 3rd, the Wildcats hosted the Ironmen and also lost to them. This time they meet on neutral wood at the Shirk Center for the IHSA Regional Championship and the right to move on to the IHSA Sectionals. The game originally slated for play in Danville has been moved to the Shirk Center in BLoomington and tips off at 7:30pm Friday March 2. Hope to see ya there. 20120203 NCHS v West - Images by Alan Look

Well, the first really rainy night I've spent shooting football this season. Not really a downpour, more of a nuisance rain. The night went the way of the West Wildcats who left the Tigers with little more than a goose egg by the end with a score of 41-0. There were plenty of touchdowns and great runs, but my highlight of the night goes to the West kicker who put several kickoff out of the end zone and one of them through the uprights. What a trick. I haven't seen anyone at any level do that for a long long time. I'm sure the 15 mph wind didn't hurt, it was mostly at his back but was blowing a little left to right as well. At the other end of the field, he drove it to the 7 yard line. Congrats to the Wildcats. Get ready, the Raiders approach. 20091002 Urbana v West - Images by Alan Look

The weekends have certainly been busy in Bloomington, Normal and McLean County with some classic matchups. Last weekend, Normal Community entertained Normal Community West on the gridiron. It never seems to matter who is ranked where when any of the intercity teams meet one of the others, this game was no different. Most gave NCHS Ironmen the nod, and they did eventually win over the Wildcats of NCWHS. The Cats fought had and kept the score tied till past the halfway point. Not the run away game that some expected. 20090925 NCWHS v NCHS - Images by Alan Look On Saturday there was so much going on something had to be left out. The day started at intercity vollyball. Several good match ups with no clear winner. The torunament ended up with 3 teams 3 and 1. I came away thinking that Central Catholic had some of the best fundamentals, but the worst luck. They seemed to miss the critical poinst when needed the most. Several galleries from the intercity matches. Go here: http://...

20090911 Decatur MacArthur v Normal West - Images by Alan Look Seems like I get to shoot this match up every year, same this season. Shooting all the time, it's often hard to get a real feel for the game. This one was no different, but I did get a sense of lots of missed opportunities for each team. The offense on each side got over 30 points, and the defense of the wildcats seemed to have a lot of highlight, but they were also spotty enough to let the Generals past them one too many times as the Generals came out on top this game.

Baseball in the spring seem tenuous at best. It's been raining all spring. Between my day job and all the weather, it has been pretty hard to get out to any baseball or softball games. Well, I finally made one on Saturday morning. The rain came early dumping about a quarter of an inch on the Twin Cities. The games originally scheduled for 10 am, got started around 11. I knew they would be late so I didn't even arrive at the field until about 10 minutes till 11. The games were at Normal Community West (NCWHS), a double header between the Green Wave of Mattoon and the Wildcats of Normal West. It was a bit of a treat in seeing a pitcher from West that normally doesn't pitch a lot. Blake Brown, a Missouri recruit was on the mound and pitched a wonderful 5 and 2/3's innings. He walked away with the win with some great hitting and base running of his own and a lot of team support. Now, the rain - I'm really glad we had that 1.4 inch. It wet the field down and with a 40 mi...