Alan Look (aka - Chimper) is the Best Look in Sports Action Photography. Stock photos include Nature, Autos, Industry, Travel and more.
Sports coverage includes Illini, Ridgeview Mustangs, Tri-Valley Vikings, El Paso - Gridley Titans, Lexington Minutemen, Normal Community Ironmen, Normal West Wildcats, University High Pioneers, Prairie Central Hawks, Heyworth Hornets, and other varsity sports in McLean County and the 309 Area Code. https://alanlookphotograhy.zenfoliosite.com
On September 15th, 2012 Jimmy Garoppolo visited Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University as the starting quarterback for the Eastern Illinois Panthers. Who knew that 8 years later he would become one of 2 starting quarterbacks in the NFL's SuperBowl. Jimmy of course is the 2nd starting Quarterback from Eastern to do well. Ten Years before, another named Tony Romo completed his senior year at Eastern. Tony went on to an NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Freelance photographer Alan Look was fortunate to have captured both players in action. The image of Tony Romo was taken at Eastern during the Homecoming game in 2002 against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. The image has been used by national media and in several books. The images of Jimmy Garoppolo were both used by Upper Deck as trading cards for his rookie season.
The local football season kicked off today with the Illinois State Redbird Red-White scrimmage. A healthy combination of fans and students attended the event and the preliminary activities which included the annual student promo photo on the field in Hancock Stadium with the Big Red Marching Machine, cheerleaders, flag corp, and Redline Dancers forming ISU all wearing red shirts.
High School football will follow in 13 days with the first Friday Lights games.
Get out this fall, support your local teams and see some of the great talent that passes through our communities!
Wheaton Thunder rumbled into Bloomington Illinois on Saturday September 12th ranked at #12 in D3 football schools. They never rumbled much the first half of the game, but came out in the 2nd half with a long kickoff return that left them just short of the goal and scored on the next play. Illinois Wesleyan Titans got the ball back only to give it up on a fumble due to a pretty hard hit and the Thunder rumbled back into the end zone. That was the last of the rumbles from the Thunder as the Titans muscled their way back up to their feet to push them out of Tucci Stadium. Final score put the Titans on top. The win was a good one for IWU and an even better one for Coach Norm Eash. The win made Coach Eash the winningest football coach in the history of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW).
The Illinois State Redbirds defeated the Eastern Illinois Panthers on September 8, 2018 at the 107th playing of the Mid-America Classic held at Hancock Stadium in Normal Illinois. The combination of Brady Davis at quarterback coupled with runners and receivers Spencer Schnell, Markel Smith and James Robinson provided many of the highlights. The Panthers used 3 or more players at the quarterback position and couldn't seem to get started against the Redbird defense.
All good things come to an end, they say. Tri-Valley has been the HOIC football champs the past 3 years and hasn't lost a regular season game in probably as long. It all ended last night in Downs. Rain fell steadily during most of the game making the ball difficult to hang on to. A fumble late in the game seemed to seal the Vikings fate.
Game Photos! More coverage in the LeRoy Leader 9-13 edition!
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.
In a very lopsided scoring game, the Titan football team from Illinois Wesleyan defeated the Storm from Simpson College of Iowa. It was a non-conference game for the schools.
20150919 Simpson at Illinois Wesleyan - Images by Alan LookIn a very lopsided scoring game, the Titan football team from Illinois Wesleyan defeated the Storm from Simpson College of Iowa. It was a non-conference game for the schools.
The high temperatures and humidity across the mid section of the country spawned isolated storms on Friday night. Although some rain fell in the area, the biggest problem locally for football games was the lightning. Many area schools saw their games suspended because of the electric atmosphere. Normal West playing in Collinsville, Normal Community and Bloomington both playing at home and Heyworth were all subject to the suspensions. One report tells of more severe thunderstorms to the east affecting the Champaign - Urbana area, Danville and into west central Indiana.
Play did get started at the Heyworth game. Heyworth hosted the Falcons of Flanagan, Cornell, Woodland. The Falcons started the game kicking to the Hornets and defending the north end zone. Brandon Day accepted the kickoff for the Hornets and made a good run up the field. He followed it shortly after moving the ball much closer to the goal. After a too high pass to Skyler Cox in the corner of the end zone, the Hornets kept the ball on the ground with runs by Keith Hickenbottom and eventually one by Matt Schultz for the first score of 6 points. A 2 point conversion ensued on a keeper run to his right by quarterback Jacob Day.
The game suspended shortly after with the Hornets in the lead 8-0
The stands weren't quite full, but a lot of loyal fans from both Illinois State and visiting Northern Iowa were in the stands of the recently renovated Hancock Stadium for the first post season FCS football game in the renovated facility. Illinois State had not hosted a post season game in 15 years. By now everyone knows the results were tilted to the Redbirds who will move on to a game in Washington State as the NCAA FCS playoffs continue.
A tight ground attack from both teams highlighted the Homecoming football game at Illinois Wesleyan University as the Titans hosted the Vikings of Augustana. The Vikings walked off with a 7-2 victory. Donovan Laible conducted operations for the first time as a starter for the Titans.
It brighter lights, more seats, artificial turf - but it's still the Vikings against the Panthers. A mere few miles apart southeast of the Twin Cities, the mostly friendly rivalry moves to the center of town for the game each year. It's a great game, lots of fun and a good experience for everyone to play in a larger different environment.
Tri Valley took the points this year. Hope to see you all again at Tucci next season!
04 October 2014 - A couple early turn overs by the Jacks, a tough Redbird defense and an explosive Redbirds offense behind Tre Roberson, Marshaun Coprich, and Lechein Neblett led the Redbirds to a victory over The JackRabbits with a score of 45-10. Coprich had a career day of 174 yards, Roberson added151 rushing yards while passing for 168. Lechein Neblett scored 4 times while Tevin Allen returned a kick 95 yards for a touchdown.
02 September 2014 - In an intercity rivalry game, the Normal Community Ironmen football team visited the strips of the Bloomington High Raiders. The Raiders just couldn't get it going leaving the Ironmen outscoring them 41-20 at the final horn.
Was it just good offense on both sides of the line or a weak defense? Who knows and it really doesn't matter as the West Wildcat offense put enough points on the board to take the game in the second half.
Last night it was Ridgeview-Blue Ridge Mustangs at Tri Valley Vikings. My ears are still ringing from that canon. Thought the EMT's were going to have to defib me when that thing scared the breath out of me the first time they fired it!
It also intimidated the Mustangs. As I was leaving the field in the 3rd quarter I think I heard the score announced at 68-14. At the very least it was a great fall evening with a distinct lake of precipitation - something new for this season!
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 for next week.
Alan Look Photography was there. Galleries are below and there will be more coverage in the Normalite Newspapers and in Best Look Magazine. Return to Alan Look Photography every week for more of the Best Look in Sports Action Photography in Bloomington Normal and McLean County.
The University Pioneers and the Bloomington Central Catholic Saints have been city rivals for years. On Friday night lightning forced both sides to go home with not even a light on the scoreboard being lit. The came back on Saturday with the Pioneers putting 18 points on the board in the first half. Central Catholic was the only scorers the 2nd half, but only managed 13. UHS 18, CCHS 13.
Later on Saturday, the Redbirds of Illinois State welcomed a new non-confernce opponent in the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State. The Redbirds were not going to lose their first home game, but no one expected a shut out 62-0. Tre Roberson won out over veteran Blake Winkler for the Quarterback start.
Friday night, August 29th, The Normal West Wildcats opened their 2014 season against a new opponent - the Belleville West Maroons. After storming the football field through a tunnel of band members and cheerleaders (resulting in one media casualty from a local television station) the Wildcats began their attack on the Maroons. One down, 8 more to go for the Wildcats!
The 2014-15 school calendar sports season in Bloomington - Normal started off on a day that seemed cooler than it was and with a mist that so reminds us that fall isn't far off. The cool temps were welcome on top the turf of Hancock Stadium and the mist probably kept a few away, but the band, team, fans, cheerleaders, dancers and media did get a feel for all of the elements that return every year. The Band playing the alma mater, the lights of the one year old renovation, the droning voice on the public address system... but wait, something is new... at the north end of the field, a new video board only slightly uglied by the renovation of the nearby water tower in the background.
Four quarterbacks are competing for the starting spot this season, including last seasons starter, Blake Winkler. Lots of new names and faces also on hand as the freshman recruiting class comes in. Marshaun Coprich scored the first TD. One thing missing - the voice of the Big Red Marching Machine, Dave Colee.
ISU's first home game is the first Saturday of September.
