Memorable boys bowling season ends 8th at state

HUNTLEY — As previously reported, on Jan. 8, at approximately 4:48 p.m., Carpentersville Police officers responded to a multi-vehicle crash involving injuries at Randall Road and Binnie Road. A 70-year-old Huntley woman was transported to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin where she was pronounced deceased.

At the time of the incident, the identity of the victim was not shared with the public, however, one of the woman’s daughters, Tiffany Drinkwater, came forward on social media to share that the deceased individual was her mother.

HUNTLEY — In a recent press release statement, Huntley Community School District 158 (D158) announced that it will hold an open house and ribbon-cutting event for its new LIGHT (Life Instruction Guiding Huntley Transition) program location on Jan. 27 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Staff, students, families, and community members are invited to attend the event at 10401 Vine Street in Huntley. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 5:15 p.m. After the ceremony, attendees will be able to tour the facility and learn about the new space.

HUNTLEY — Depth of talented basketball players is one of the top reasons why Huntley's girls basketball team is state ranked and knocking at the door of 20 victories.

The latest examples came with two 50-point plus margins of victory, 74-17 over Burlington Central Jan. 10 and a follow-up 59-8 cruise control win at McHenry Jan. 14. HHS, ranked sixth by the Associated Press, was 18-0, 7-0 Fox Valley Conference after the win over the Warriors.

“Our depth has been the biggest reason for our success,” Huntley coach Steve Raethz said after the McHenry game. 

My 2025 word of the year came to me without me having to search for it. My coworker mentioned offhandedly that, according to the lunar calendar, 2025 is the year of the wood snake.

“It fits with all kinds of metaphors,” she told me. “A snake sheds its skin, it lives close to the earth, things like that.”

The word “shed” hit me like a lightning bolt. As soon as she said it, I knew I’d found my word for the year.

Although we’re only a few weeks into the new year, let me be the first to suggest that the 2025 Word of the Year should be “Oligarch.”

It’s a fun word to say. Try it. “Oligarch.”

You might even use it as the name for that fat cat that slinks around the shadowy darkness of your back yard: “Oh, there’s Ollie Gark again. Back by that empty bird nest, just past that tuft of bunny fur on the lawn. Sneaky little guy, getting fatter every time I see him.”

HUNTLEY — Huntley senior bowler Erica DeBello will continue her dedication to the sport in college.

Erica DeBello, daughter of head coach Eric DeBello and Trish DeBello, recently committed to attend Wichita State University, (WSU) a D-1 school in Wichita, Kansas.

"I visited the school for my official visit Dec. 15," Erica DeBello said. "I had seen it before, but it was 10 times better this time. I was also considering Belmont, North Carolina. I know going into next season, I'll have a lot of work to do to work on in the post-season."

HUNTLEY — As previously reported, on Oct. 13, 2024, at approximately 5:52 p.m., the Huntley Fire Protection District responded to a call at the 10900 block of Heartland Lane in the Wing Pointe subdivision for a report of a structure fire.

Once at the scene, firefighters found heavy smoke and flames had engulfed the rear end of the home belonging to the Brannan family. Heavy winds that day accelerated the fire’s intensity causing flames to spread quickly into the attic. Despite the situation being under control within 20 minutes, fire officials deemed the home uninhabitable.

HUNTLEY — At the Jan. 9 Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously voted in favor of approving a Special Use Permit and a Final Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the construction of a new pet crematorium with a second-floor caretaker residence on Lot 2 of the Wing Pointe Resubdivision of Lots 2 and 3.

The petitioner, DeFiore Properties LLC, had previously come before trustees at the June 13, 2024 meeting to present conceptual plans for the new facility, which were received well by the board.

HUNTLEY — Huntley held off challenges from other boys bowling teams to capture the Fox Valley-Kishwaukee River Conference trophy for the second straight year.

Red Raiders coach Jacob Wagner was pleased with the team's efforts at Kingston Lanes in Woodstock Jan. 10. HHS was led by tournament champion Matt Fishman's 1,355 final score. Huntley and several area teams are preparing for the IHSA boys bowling regional at Glo-Bowl in Marengo Jan. 18.

For Fishman, the league meet title came after a recent decision to bowl at Judson University, a community college in Elgin, next season. 

HUNTLEY — With one perfect game score and another league individual league title winner, a group of seven boys bowling leaders have shown the way to success.

The team's senior day was held Jan. 7 at Bowl-Hi Lanes when they faced Harvard. The Class of 2025 Red Raiders bowlers – Matthew Fishman, Austin Tenglin, Joe Humphrey, Nicholas Gaspari, Landen Conforti, Ryan Morahan and Mason Quarrie, were honored.

Huntley took a season lead into the Kishwaukee River Conference-Fox Valley Conference tournament, Jan.

CARPENTERSVILLE — On Jan. 8, at approximately 4:48 p.m., Carpentersville Police officers responded to a multi-vehicle crash involving injuries at Randall Road and Binnie Road. A 70-year-old woman from Huntley was transported to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin where she was pronounced deceased.

According to authorities, the victim’s car was traveling northbound on Randall Road when she attempted to make a left turn (westbound) onto Binnie Road. Witnesses state that a black SUV that was traveling southbound on Randall Road ran a red light and struck the victim’s vehicle.