Coal City Courant

Former Coaler coaches give the boys hoops dream team

Published by admin on Tue, 11/17/2020 - 3:12pm

by shawn long
Sports writer
They’re Coalers considered the best of the best when it comes to boys basketball.
Two Coal City coaches from two different eras provided their lists on who would make their dream team. John Cullick, who coached the Coalers to a regional title with a 105-98 record from 1978-86, had a pretty good idea year by year which players he would pick.
1979-80
Cullick listed Joe Blaine and Tim Halliday as top players on a 1980 team that went 19-7.

Gagliardo hopes to bolster Redbirds pitching staff

Published by admin on Tue, 11/17/2020 - 3:08pm

by shawn long
staff writer
Coal City 2019 graduate Keegan Gagliardo has recently signed a letter of intent to pitch for Illinois State University in Normal, IL.
Gagliardo has been playing under scholarship at Lincoln Trail College, a small community college in Lincoln, IL.
He was a three-sport athlete throughout high school but he knew baseball would take him farther in college.

Wildcat, Comets put winter season on hold

Published by admin on Tue, 11/17/2020 - 3:07pm

by shawn long
staff writer
Basketball will have to wait as Reed-Custer and Wilmington High School join Coal City in announcing there won’t be winter sports played locally.
The local schools are going to abide by the Illinois Department of Health in taking COVID-19 safety precautions by waiting until the go-ahead is given.

Lady Coaler ‘dream team’ includes many of basketball’s best

Published by admin on Tue, 11/10/2020 - 3:27pm

by shawn long
staff writer
Who were the best of the best when it came to playing girls basketball at Coal City?
We asked Courant readers for input in creating a dream team of former Lady Coalers and here’s what we came up with.
Starting with the point guards would be Emily Halliday, who from 2011-14 scored 1,409 points including 404 points during her senior season. Halliday is also listed in the top rebounders with Tabitha Spelde as in the 2011-12 season, the two pulled down 124 boards.

Coal City coaches who keep coming back for the love of the game

Published by admin on Tue, 11/10/2020 - 3:26pm

by shawn long
staff writer
Sports at Coal City High School date back 103 years when boys basketball began in 1917. Basketball is the oldest of 20 sports offered. There have been 20 coaches in basketball, none of which coached for at least 10 years.
Boys bowling was a sport which came next in 1920 and lasted for 16 years. Since that year, there have been four coaches, none of which have coached at least 10 years. C.R. Watts coached for nine, compiling a 133-90 record.

Former standout pitcher suggests this softball dream team

Published by admin on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 5:17pm

by shawn long
staff writer
Who would make the roster for a Coal City softball dream team?
We polled Courant readers on who they’d pick and one, former Lady Coaler All State pitcher Kirsten Verdun, helped us make up this fantasy team.
Verdun led Coal City to a third place state finish in 2009 and a state championship in 2010. Her success at Coal City and in college playing for DePaul University is a mile long.

Hopes are high there will be boys and girls basketball seasons

Published by admin on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 5:15pm

by shawn long
sports Writer
Coal City girls and boys basketball players got sixth-man support from the Illinois High School Association last week after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker nearly canceled winter sports.
The IHSA approved the playing of winter sports on Wednesday, a day after Gov. Pritzker upgraded basketball to the “high risk” level putting the 2020-2021 season in jeopardy.
Lady Coaler basketball coach Brad Schmitt is excited for the players and thinks sports can be a big part of a kid’s happiness.

IHSA moves wrestling to summer, allows basketball to play

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2020 - 5:22pm
Kudos to the Illinois High School Association for making its own decision concerning winter sports.

McDowell selects talented Coaler baseball dream team

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2020 - 5:18pm

by shawn long
staff writer
Ever been tempted to pool all the baseball players from Coal City’s past and pick the best of the best?
Here’s your chance. Former Coal City baseball coach Jerry McDowell has given us names of players he’d have on his all-time Coaler baseball dream team.
McDowell starts at first base with Nick Arndt, a long ball hitter who finished with 39 career home runs, a school record that still stands and is fifth in the state record books.

Coal City Courant readers help develop Coal City ‘dream team’

Published by admin on Tue, 10/20/2020 - 4:07pm

by shawn long
staff writer
With the NFL holding Fantasy Football every year, it sparked a “what if” scenario.
What if the Coal City football program could choose players from the past to form a dream team?
We polled Coal City Courant readers for input and after two weeks came up with a dream team made up of all-time Coaler standouts.
Quarterback
At quarterback, readers selected passing leader Cody Onsen.