Sun-Times high school news and notes

Updated: January 12, 2012 6:41PM

Coming and going

A couple of high-profile football coaches were on the move this week, with Bryan Stortz officially leaving Lake Zurich for Rock Island and Brandon New taking over at St. Viator. Stortz, 34, has established himself as one of the state’s top young coaches during a six-year stint with the Bears. During that time, Lake Zurich was 62-16 with one state title (Class 7A, 2007) and two more title-game appearances. Stortz, who played college football in Rock Island for Augustana, replaces Vic Boblett, who retired after going 170-60 in 21 seasons. New was the last coach at Driscoll before the school closed, guiding the Highlanders to the state quarterfinals in his only season at the helm in 2008. After taking a season off, he spent the last two years as an assistant at Benet. He replaces Chris Kirkpatrick, who left after 10 seasons to become athletic director and assistant football coach at Bishop McNamara.

Trail blazing

For the first time since Bloom and Bloom Trail combined their athletic programs for the 1995-96 school year, Bloom Trail will host a varsity boys basketball game on Friday when the Blazing Trojans meet Crete-Monee in a Southland Conference showdown. Bloom Trail principal Joe Schimmel, who graduated from the school in 1987, helped coordinate the hoops homecoming, which tips off at 6:30 p.m.

Top teams

The first Associated Press basketball polls of the regular season were released this week. The top 10 Class 4A boys teams are Simeon, Proviso East, Curie, Plainfield East, Metea Valley, Normal, Warren, Andew, Bogan and Young. Peoria Manual (3A), Seton (2A) and Mounds Meridian (1A) are the other No. 1 boys teams. The 4A girls top 10 are Young, Bolingbrook, Edwardsville, Marist, Bartlett, Trinity, Maine South, Hononegah, Waubonsie Valley and East St. Louis. Also top-ranked are Hillcrest (3A), Quincy Notre Dame (2A) and Annawan (1A).

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