And so, as Jack Frost continues to hold Southern Illinois in a death grip, area basketball matchups are postponed again for the second time in recent weeks.

There’s much talk lately that “Ice Storm ‘08,” as the press is calling it, could force school closures into Thursday as the area re-freezes Tuesday night.

Wherever you are, be safe out there.

-PS

Mike Rude, the elder statesman of Southern Illinois prep football, has been selected to speak for the Glazier/Mega Football Clinics this year. It’ll be the fourth time Rude has been chosen to share his knowledge.

His schedule will take him to Indianapolis, Boston, Atlantic City, Cleveland and Cincinnati, according to a press release. He will present at least seven clinics at each city, but it’s nothing new. Rude’s spoken at about every major city in the Midwest in the last five years. His single-wing, a once dying strategy, has become more popular because of its uniqueness. While at Johnston City, Rude and assistant coach Brian Beery produced a series of DVDs on their offense that baffled the Black Diamond Conference.

Now he’ll get so spread the word from Boston to Cincinnati.

- TH

Do you penalize an entire team for one individual’s drug abuse problem? That’s the question the Illinois High School Association’s sports medicine committee will wrestle with over the next few months, as it tries to hammer out a punishment policy for the association’s new drug testing plan.

Earlier this week the association passed a plan to implement a drug-testing plan for all sports beginning next fall. Athletes will be randomly tested during regionals, sectionals or the state tournament, according to the release, with details to follow. What would you do if your school’s star player tested positive? Or if the eighth man tested positive for a banned substance?

Should the whole team suffer? Michigan suffered for Chris Webber. Teams have forfeited victories over ineligible players, so I expect the IHSA to follow a similar policy for its drug plan. It may not be fair, but at least it’d be consistent with their other policies.

- TH

Good crowd here at Duff-Kingston Gymnasium in Eldorado, who are watching Carmi-White County and Massac County. The two teams are a combined 19-4, and look like they could combine for the best game of the tournament.

Massac County leads 46-43, and has led most of the game by between four and seven. Carmi’s got a pretty nice inside player in Travis Jones, but the Patriots have too many shooters it appears. Dustin Korte’s a heckuva deadeye in this game, and Byron Bailey’s not far behind. Massac County may not be tall, but they’re physical, smart and pretty athletic.

Carmi came up just short, missing a potentially tying 3-pointer. First upset of the tournament, and there’s likely more to come.

- TH

Unfortunately for me, Carbondale High School’s taken after SIU and kicked the media upstairs to the high left corner. Good thing I’m not afraid of heights. Oh, that’s right. I am.

Oviedo, Fla., is up 44-24 at the half against Cairo and looks like the second seeds. The Pilots went a few minutes in the (more...)

…so little time. As I’ve written before, this time of year I wish I could be at two places at once.

I love the atmosphere at the Eldorado Tournament, and at Sesser-Valier, but can’t escape the sheer number of out-of-state talents at the Carbondale Tournament. The styles are so different at all three sites, and (more...)

Haven’t seen Carbondale’s boys basketball team in person yet, but from what I saw in practice, and what Nashville’s girls showed against Pinckneyville last night, one thing is certain. Both can still play defense.

Both will be a bit offensively challenged, as Nashville lost its only All-South player in Taylor Hish and Carbondale lost its big three from last year in Nick Evans, Lavell McDade and William Cobb. You watch those two teams play, however, and you can’t help but know they have a chance to win because they can control the tempo and keep the score where they want it. Sometimes this year, they’re just going to come up on the short end.

If you’re going to wager, whether it’s a soda or a Sunday trip to Cancun, always bet on the team that plays better defense if the teams are somewhat even. That’s your early Christmas present from the SI Preps Blog.

- TH

Just got off the phone with Kellie Szablewski’s father, Keith, who said he was told today by Johnston City High School Principal James Grant that his daughter would be eligible to play softball for the Lady Indians this season.

Earlier this year Szablewski and Lauren Deaton transferred from Carterville to Johnston City. Deaton was ruled ineligible for participating in an open practice/summer workout without being registered as a student at Johnston City High School. Szablewski did not get the same fate.

Look for more on this story in Thursday’s sports page.

- TH

Sitting at Missouri Valley Conference media day Tuesday in St. Louis, I couldn’t avoid the story.

Drake’s women’s basketball team defied a conference last year to win the Valley Tournament with a losing record. Before the first month of the season was over, the Bulldogs had lost not only their supposed best player, Jill Martin, (more...)

Marion boys basketball coach Rich Herrin tendered his resignation Friday last week, and could be out as Wildcats coach tonight after a special school board meeting.

Todd Goodman, the president of the school board, called a special meeting for Tuesday night at 6 to consider, in closed session of course, “matters related to the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the district.” Marion Athletic Director Mike Chornak said he did receive Herrin’s resignation letter Friday, but declined to comment further.

Reached right before a round of golf, Herrin said his resignation was not official. Tune into Wednesday’s edition for more.

Herrin won career game No. 900 last season.

- TH