I played HS football

No. Mineral. Way out west.

I have been to Mineral many times over the past 15 years or so - I had no idea the place even had a school at one tiime. I guess basketball really was a thing there:

http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/mine ... /id13.html

There is a great sand prairie just North of mineral. I also go out to Sheffield a lot and to Bishop Hill.

I have been to Mineral many times over the past 15 years or so - I had no idea the place even had a school at one tiime. I guess basketball really was a thing there:

http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/mine ... /id13.html

Yes and no. Some of these small towns out here have a good part of their identity wrapped around their football teams and other teams. I was surprised by it as growing up in the burbs the communities didn't seem all to involved. I would think it would have something to do with a more transiet population vs towns out here.

Should add that without urban centers behind it though the numbers plummet but that kind of goes without saying.

Baseball is #2 by a huge margin and growing rapidly. You think the rest of the western hemisphere (other than Drake wannabes in Toronto) gives even the slightest shit about basketball? Not to mention South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Netherlands etc. where baseball is extremely popular.

I enjoyed the site. Waiting for a few more schools in area to go close. Mainly Annawan but I still think Wethersfield probably too. Always talking consolidation, hard to have graduating classes in the high teens, low twenties.

that sand prairie is a great place....I was shocked to see the kinds of critters they have there.

Like what?

Like what?

Yeah.. Annawan and Wethersfield (South Kewanee) consolidated (co-oped) a few years back for football and maybe a few other sports. I think some might have deco-oped since the beginning but for awhile it was most everything. Annawan had a nice run at state last year in girls basketball I think but beyond that. The problem is one of these year's Kewanee and Wethersfield well get over the 100 years of animosity towards each other and be forced to consolidate. Doesn't make a lot of sense for a town the size of Kewanee to have two districts. For a while Galva, Annawan and Wethersefield talked of combining but that really made no sense. Annawan should probably be chopped in 1/4's and spread around the surronding districts because it makes no sense for people at the east end to go to Geneseo or the west end to go to Bureau valley. North and south parts have the same problem.

78 has some nice spots on it. I've taken it pretty far south and north over the years. You've covered a lot of ground out here. I'll keep my eye out for a guy in sox garb talking about What's happening!

There are probably bobcats in it but not in much numbers. Flying squirrel in the woods surrounding it. Turkeys and deer out the wazoo and tons of prairie birds. I think there are 3-4 endangered species in it. The bird I'm thinking about might only be threatened but very rare in Illinois.

10 years ago you rarely saw them. Friend claims to have seen 2 dozen at the parking lot area of sand prairie this spring. There is a wooded area that I've been in hundreds of times in past 17 years. No turkeys until 2 years ago. A week ago there was a Tom, two hens and over a dozen poults walking around the edge of it. Still love seeing them.

Yeah.. Annawan and Wethersfield (South Kewanee) consolidated (co-oped) a few years back for football and maybe a few other sports. I think some might have deco-oped since the beginning but for awhile it was most everything. Annawan had a nice run at state last year in girls basketball I think but beyond that. The problem is one of these year's Kewanee and Wethersfield well get over the 100 years of animosity towards each other and be forced to consolidate. Doesn't make a lot of sense for a town the size of Kewanee to have two districts. For a while Galva, Annawan and Wethersefield talked of combining but that really made no sense. Annawan should probably be chopped in 1/4's and spread around the surronding districts because it makes no sense for people at the east end to go to Geneseo or the west end to go to Bureau valley. North and south parts have the same problem.

78 has some nice spots on it. I've taken it pretty far south and north over the years. You've covered a lot of ground out here. I'll keep my eye out for a guy in sox garb talking about What's happening!

Those teams were all in my conference in HS.

Does the Lincoln Trail Conference still exist?

For a long time when numbers hit a spot the Dnr would come in and net them and relocate to another area. Supposedly. You certainly get around northwest Illinois. Milledgeville. Had to go to a seminar up there a couple years ago.

Im pretty much done w/ the NFL this year. Have been for a while now. I dont even waste my time watching the SB for the 10 years or so.

If the Bears get good i'll follow them, but today's NFL is just unwatchable for me. Everything from goodell to the product on the field and these guys getting brain damage.

Kids who need football as a ticket out of a bad situation will still be around but the game will take a hit from the suburban parents who overprotect their kids too much already.

http://www.nydailynews.com/amp/new-york/hs-football-player-dies-log-fell-head-drill-article-1.3400220