Highland Park players — starters Daniel Michelon (No. 3), Jack Zeidler, Ziv Tal and Noah Shutan and top reserves Thano Fourlas and Kobe Mandell (hidden behind the referee) — celebrate during the final seconds of their win over Deerfield. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

Kobe Mandell of the Giants fires up a shot. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

This was Kobe being that other Kobe … if just for a while.

Kobe Mandell, one of the unheralded bench players on the Highland Park High School boys basketball team, received some extended minutes in his team’s 46-33 victory at Deerfield on Feb. 3.

The senior was not taken in by the bigness of the game. He suffered no stage fright.

During a five-minute stretch at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth quarter, Mandell did some things in Kobe Bryant-like fashion. The 6-foot-1 guard drilled a clutch three-pointer from the right corner, and he later completed a three-point play to give his team a seven-point cushion, 31-24, with 7:23 left in regulation.

“I love his willingness and his courage to take tough shots,” HP head coach Paul Harris said.

“I just focused on what I had to do,” said Mandell, who finished the game with six points. “I tried to block everything out.”

The place was loud and the stakes were especially high in this District 113 showdown. With the win, the red-hot Giants improved to 12-9 overall and moved into a tie for first place in the CSL North (6-2) with Deerfield. They have won six of their last seven games.

And, along the way, Highland Park snapped a mystifying — and troubling —  losing streak against their archrivals. Over the past three seasons, they had lost six straight games to the Warriors.

“They’ve been controlling it [the series] for a while,” said Harris.

The Giants, once again, received solid performances from their starting five: Ziv Tal, Jack Zeidler, Daniel Michelon, Noah Shutan and Tyler Gussis.

Tal led all scorers with 19 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

Zeidler hit some big baskets in the fourth quarter to finish with eight points. He added four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Michelon hit a couple of three-pointers and ended up with eight points, while Shutan had five points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals.

But the game, according to Harris, was won on the defensive end.

“Defensively, I thought we were in sync,” said Harris.

Both teams struggled to get anything going in the first half. The Giants led 10-5 after the first eight minutes and 18-13 at halftime.

“The game started out like a boxing match,” said Harris. “Both teams were trying to get a feel for each other. The big crowd and the anticipation of this kind of game might’ve had something to do with that.”

The first four minutes of the fourth quarter were telling. Zeidler and Shutan followed up Mandell’s three-point play with three-point baskets to push HP’s lead to 10 points.

Tal then put the game completely away by scoring the team’s final seven points.

It also should be noted that Tal came up with some excellent passes. His best “look” of the night came, when he threaded in an underneath pass to Mandell on that three-point play.

“Ziv’s willingness to share the ball led to some big points,” said Harris.

Meanwhile, the HP coach loved what he got from Mandell.

“Kobe has been doing a great job for us since the summer,” said Harris. “He’s a kid that understands the game. Understands his role. He plays to his strengths.

“He’s a low-maintenance, high-output guy,” the coach added. “He’s a wonderful teammate and a great student of the game.”

Having a first name that’s pretty much synonymous with basketball, is it any wonder that Mandell developed a love for the game?

Self-fulfilling prophecy?

“I’ve been playing basketball since kindergarten,” he said.

And, prior to his retirement from the NBA last season, Kobe Bryant was one of Mandell’s favorite players.

“He obviously was a great player,” said Mandell. “But I liked him pretty much because of his name.”

Highland Park Game Balls: Ziv Tal

Deerfield Game Balls: Alex Casieri

Player of the Game: Tal

HP Stat Leaders: Tal (19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks), Jack Zeidler (8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), Daniel Michelon (8 points, 2 assists), Kobe Mandell (6 points), Noah Shutan (5 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, 3 rebounds)

Deerfield Stat Leaders: Casieri (14 points), Ben Bizar (11 points)

Unsung Hero: Mandell

Notable: It was a milestone night for Eli Harris. Son of Highland Park head coach Paul Harris, the eighth-grader completed his 200^th game as bench manager for the Giants. “It’s been great experience. He’s played a major role in our basketball program,” said the HP coach. “As a father, it’s been special.” Eli is scheduled to miss Saturday night’s game against Buffalo Grove. He’ll play in a Deerfield Feeder game instead. … For the second time this year, Highland Park assistant coach Ross Deutsch had a chance to go up against his son, Robbie, in a varsity basketball game. Robbie was hired as a Deerfield assistant prior to the 2016-17 season. “Robbie’s a great kid,” said Harris. “And I’m hearing from Dan [McKendrick] and Joel [Kessler] that he’s doing a great job.” McKendick is the Deerfield head coach. Kessler is a long-time assistant for the Warriors. … Clutch buzzer beaters helped Deerfield to stay close. Senior Ben Bizar knocked down an off-balance three-pointer to end the first half. And William Murphy came up with a three-point curtain-closer just before the horn blasted to end the third quarter.

HP’s Jack Zeidler (right) and Kobe Mandell battle for possession against Deerfield’s William Murphy. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

Ziv Tal of the Giants takes it to the hoop. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

HP’s Daniel Michelon drives to the basket. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

HP’s Noah Shutan (right) and Ziv Tal double team Deerfield’s Zach Rothenberg. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

Ziv Tal of the Giants and Zach Rothenberg go up for the ball. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

HP’s Jack Zeidler looks to pass after taking possession. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

Deerfield’s Ben Bizar prepares to pass the ball inside. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

Alex Casieri of the Warriors brings the ball up. He had 14 points in the game. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

“A ‘Max’ effort”

Kevin Donahue and other members of the Lake Forest High School boys swimming program swam 10,000 yards in the school’s pool on Dec. 27.

Or more than five-and-a-half miles.

Former NFL running back Ricky Williams rushed for 10,009 yards in his 12-year career.
It took Donahue, of Lake Bluff, two-and-a-half hours to complete the challenge — an occasion that doubled as a grueling Winter Break swimming workout and a fundraiser for two organizations.

“Mental fortitude helped me get through it,” Donahue recalled. “As I swam, I was thinking, ‘I’m doing this for good causes and for other people.’ ”

Half of the $4,000 raised on that day went to the Lake Bluff-based Max Schewitz Foundation. Max was a Lake Forest High School graduate and an employee at the Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm in Lake Forest. He died in 2005, at the age of 20, from sudden cardiac arrhythmia. One of the foundation’s missions is to identify — through free heart screenings on campuses — high school students who are at risk of sudden cardiac death.

Had Max’s condition been diagnosed, life-saving treatments could have been administered.

On Jan. 23, Max’s mother, May Beth, received the donation on behalf of the foundation in a presentation held at the LFHS natatorium. Donahue handed it to her, and not just because he is one of the Scouts’ four captains this winter.
Donahue signed up for a Max Schewitz Foundation heart screen when he was a sophomore swimmer at LFHS in 2015. The test detected an irregularity, prompting another test.

The Donahue family then saw a heart specialist in Chicago.

Kevin Donahue was told he had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a disorder in which an extra electrical pathway between a heart’s upper and lower chambers causes a rapid heartbeat.

The following summer, he underwent heart surgery (an ablation).

The first Donahue-Schewitz connection occurred at Elawa Farm more than a decade earlier. Donahue was celebrating his 4th birthday there, with Schewitz serving as the party organizer.

“I remember Max as a charismatic guy who loved his job,” Donahue said.

Donahue qualified for the state swimming meet as a member of the team’s 400-yard freestyle relay last winter. He’s enjoying another successful season this winter. The deeply grateful teen plans to hit the books — and the water, for the men’s swimming team — at Grinnell College in Iowa, beginning this fall.

“The Max Schewitz Foundation,” he said, “will always be very near and dear to my heart.”

Forest & Bluff sat down with Gorton’s new executive director Amy Wagliardo to get the scoop on what’s new and noteworthy at the beloved community center.

When something has been around as long as Gorton Community Center (116 years to be precise), it’s tempting to take it for granted. Yet, the original grade-school-turned-community center is continually reinventing itself.

Amy Wagliardo, who assumed the role of executive director last year, is charged with expanding and enhancing Gorton’s programming. To that end, Gorton is already offering a number of innovative and ambitious new programs, circa 2017, including its “city experiences” that bring Chicago-caliber arts and entertainment to Lake Forest.

Wagliardo succeeded Brenda Dick as executive director last April after an extensive search of nearly 60 candidates. Just nine months into her position, Wagliardo is still pinching herself for landing her dream job after relocating with her husband and two young sons from Texas in 2014.

“I feel really lucky to have found the position after moving here,” she says. “I was honored that the board hired me and feel grateful to work with an amazing team of people and a great board.”

It turns out Wagliardo took the helm at an auspicious moment. Gorton’s Community Spirit Transformed Capital Campaign enabled the center to renovate the first floor and part of the basement in 2014. And a generous 2015 gift from the late filmmaker John Hughes’ widow Nancy resulted in an upgraded state-of-the-art 309 seat auditorium with theater-quality video projector, digital video player, and a movie theater-quality screen for large format films.

Around the same time, The Big Think program, organized by the Gorton board, brought together community members and leaders to brainstorm ideas for invigorating the community center’s programming and offerings.

“Many participants said that they wanted to bring film back to Lake Forest,” explains Wagliardo. “The lead gift from the Hughes family dovetailed nicely, and the theater was renamed the John & Nancy Hughes Theatre.”

The capital campaign also provided Gorton with a $3 million endowment for future funding—a nice cushion to have for the nonprofit community center. This confluence of funding and events set the stage for Gorton’s theater to initiate partnerships with the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center—an entity with a long-standing mission of presenting significant world cinema in a non-commercial context.

“We wanted to bring city experiences close to the community, so people don’t have to go downtown,” explains Wagliardo.

The Siskel Film Series, which takes place on the first Thursday of each month from September through May, does just that by bringing critically acclaimed independent films curated by the Siskel Film Center to Lake Forest. So far, the series has been a resounding success.

“Our 2015 to 2016 attendance exceeded that of Siskel’s attendance per film in the city,” Wagliardo adds. “People are coming on the first Thursday even if they are not familiar with the film that is showing.”

Since coming on board, Wagliardo has also enhanced the film series to offer Q&A sessions after each viewing. She has also initiated partnerships with local businesses for clever pairings that enhance the experience.

For example, the Siskel film in October was Old Fashioned—a movie that highlights Wisconsin Supper Clubs. To honor that, The Deerpath Inn offered a $5 Old Fashioned drink special prior to the movie, and Lake Forest Bookstore displayed cookbooks dedicated to the Supper Club movement.

Other new initiatives include a classic film series that allows community members to enjoy old favorites like The Sound of Music and Goldfinger in a cinema-quality environment.

Meanwhile, a collaboration with Facets brings the annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival right here to Lake Forest for one weekend this fall with none other than Facets Director Milos Stehlik on hand to emcee.

“I see 2017 as a transition year expanding on what Gorton was doing before and bringing in more of what the community wants and needs going forward,” adds Wagliardo. “And it goes without saying that none of this programming or potential expansion can happen without the generous supporters to Gorton, large and small, many of whom have given for years and years. That kind of regular and increased support is essential if we are to be able to bring new programming to the community.”

As always, Wagliardo is quick to note that if there is anything community members don’t see on the programming roster at Gorton that they would either like to see or be a part of, they should contact she and her staff directly.

For more information, visit gortoncenter.org.

This story originally was published in the February 2017 issue of Forest & Bluff magazine, on coffee tables in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff everywhere 🙂

When this “little brown church” was built on Rockland Road in 1866, one year after the end of the Civil War, there was no such place as Lake Bluff, Illinois. The town founded by a Rockland County, New York native at the intersection of what is now Rockland and Green Bay Roads was originally just called Rockland—consisting of a post office, an inn, a one-room schoolhouse, a few log houses, a train depot, and the brand new Rockland Union Church.

For the 150 years that followed, that little church and its congregation went through many changes and were forced to evolve with the times. The original building was condemned in 1902, forcing church members to convene everywhere from private homes to the Lake Bluff Country Club. In 1912, the Ladies Guild collected enough money to purchase land owned by the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association, but World War I put that on hold. By 1920, Union Church of Lake Bluff was formally organized and chartered—growing into the institution that it is today.

Lake Bluff’s Union Church celebrated its 150th anniversary last year with more than just a walk down memory lane. With more than $1 million already raised, this small, service-minded congregation has big plans for tomorrow.

Nini Lustig, a long-time member who worked on Union Church’s 150th anniversary committee, says digging into the archives was a fun learning experience for everyone. Activities were scheduled each month to bring a piece of that history back to life—with current members “playing” characters from the past.

The year-long agenda of programming included recreations of important moments in the church’s 150-year legacy, highlighting the founding families, presentation of the 1866 Bible, revered first pastor Nelson Hall, and devoted member Elmer Vliet (who helped found the Lake Bluff History Museum). There was a Valentine’s Day-themed supper club night, strawberry ice cream social, Time Capsule “Burial,” historic family bike tour, and party at Elawa Farm with plenty of dancing and card playing.

However, Lustig says the church wanted to do more than just resurrect history. They used the anniversary milestone as an opportunity to imagine the future, and think about what the congregation would need to grow into the next century.

“Along with the year of programming, another committee within our church kicked off an ambitious capital campaign,” she says. “The goal was to grow our endowment, increase our outreach and build a new manse for our pastors. Amazingly, more than 80 percent of the goal has been attained.”

With more than $1 million raised and more to be raised in 2017, the funds will provide reserves for long-term financial stability and increased outreach to support local needs and needs in surrounding communities, while a portion of the revenue will be allotted to construct a new manse.

Pastor Mark Hindman says he is humbled and grateful to the church community for the work they have done so far.

“It’s a big deal for a little church to raise this much money. We’ve already raised over $1 million to ensure the future of the church for the next 150 years,” he adds. “We are lucky to be a church with several young families and a growing Sunday School program. This campaign will also allow us to continue the hands-on outreach to help others who need it.”

The Capital Campaign will continue in 2017 as the congregation prepares for an official groundbreaking.

For more information about Union Church of Lake Bluff and this ongoing project, call 847-234-3246, or visit uclb.org.

Lucia Bosacoma

It seems like a lot of us would be completely lost without our smartphones. It seems like that would especially resonate with anyone under 20, who likely never met dictionary.com’s hardcover predecessor. But Glenbrook North High School junior Lucia Bosacoma gave up her smartphone—and practically every other modern convenience—for six weeks the summer after her sophomore year when she joined a volunteer organization called Amigos de las Américas and traveled to El Mango, a rural town in Nicaragua.

Amigos de las Américas is a full immersion program recruiting high school and college aged volunteers to travel to communities in Central and South America, stay with a local host family, and develop leadership skills and cultural awareness.

“We were prepared to culturally assimilate,” Bosacoma says. “Obviously, there’s a large culture shock when you get there. Rural Nicaragua is very different than the North Shore of Chicago.”

Before embarking, Bosacoma gathered locally with other Chicagoland volunteers for 30 hours of pre-departure training. Once in Madagalpa, Nicaragua, she and the other volunteers designated to Nicaragua went through four additional days of training specific to the area they would be staying.

She and her two partners were responsible for organizing and leading weekly camps for local youth ages 5 to 15 focusing on the environment, hygiene, and conflict resolution.

They also devised one large community project using Amigos de las Américas funds to encourage more high yield, profit producing farming practices with profits later earmarked for building a well at the local school.
“The town is sort of spread out, but the school is one of the only places where they unite,” Bosacoma says. “Also, when the kids go to school, they have to bring water from their houses because the school doesn’t have water. Once they drink that, they don’t have any water left, so they can’t wash their hands or anything.”

Other than that, she spent her time as the locals did. Her host family had only two electronics in the house: an old tube television with an antenna and a smartphone that had access to Wi-Fi for one hour once a week.

“A lot of time there is spent doing daily things that we would think are really easy, like washing the dishes,” Bosacoma says. “Cooking the food takes a long time because you’ve got to get the fire started, but since it rains every day during the wet season it’s hard to come by wood to make the fire. And you wash your clothes in a river on a rock.”

It also took a little while to get used to the daily menu, which consisted mostly of rice and beans.

Though the limiting of food choices and electronic devices sounds like hardship to our contemporary American sensibilities, Bosacoma admits it wasn’t as hard to adjust to as it may sound.

“Anyone can do it,” she says. “You just have to be open to new experiences. A lot of people here don’t realize that they can live without all the appliances and luxuries they’re surrounded by, but while I was there, it didn’t seem like a big deal because that’s just how everyone lives.”

Do you know a teen doing outstanding work in the fields of charity, science, arts, business, or education? Send your suggestion for Standout Student to jake@jwcmedia.com.

Terri Tiersky. Illustration by Barry Blitt

Terri Tiersky was a political science major, sitting in a constitutional law class at the University of Illinois in

Champaign, when it hit her.

The junior no longer wanted to be a lawyer.

She wanted to be a dentist.

Teeth trumped torts.

“I was surrounded by all of these pre-law students, and a career in law at that point seemed too aggressive in nature to me,” recalls Tiersky, the daughter of a dentist (the late Morris Tiersky), the sister of a dentist (the late David Tiersky) and the niece of a dentist (the late Raymond Tiersky).

“I remember telling one of my four college roommates, ‘I’ve decided to be pre-dent.’ Then I called my parents [Morris and Joan, 90 going on 60] to let them know.”

Tiersky ended up getting her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at Illinois — after scrambling to load up on science courses in her final three semesters to make her a viable dental school candidate. She was accepted by the Loyola University School of Dentistry in Maywood.

“There I was at Loyola, taking classes with students who had majored in sciences as undergraduates,” Tiersky says. “They were much more familiar with a microscope than I was.”

Tiersky, sitting at a table at Walker Bros Original Pancake House in Highland Park, smiles. It’s the kind of smile — bright and warm, with super-straight teeth — you’d expect and demand from your dentist. She orders coffee, two egg whites scrambled, a fresh fruit medley and a side of wheat germ and granola pancakes.

The Annual Midwinter Meeting of the Chicago Dental Society (CDS) will be held Feb. 23-25 at McCormick Place West in Chicago. Expected to attend the gathering of close to 30,000 folks (including about 6,000 dentists) is the fourth woman to serve as vice president of the CDS, a 152-year-old organization. The woman — in line to assume the CDS presidency in 2020 — was the captain of a badminton team at Evanston Township High School in the late 1970s, got married (to Roland Davidson) at the age of 36, became a mother at the age of 40 and has lived in Highland Park for 21 years.

She is now 57.

And sitting across from me.

“My mom’s message to me, when I was young, was, ‘You can be whatever you want to be,’ ” says Terri Tiersky, DDS, whose General Dentistry practice is located in Skokie. “It was wonderful to hear that from her, and it’s the freedom I want to instill in my daughter [Devin Davidson, a Highland Park High School junior who has made the varsity tennis and softball teams since her freshman year].

“What I love about my job is the interaction with my patients. They sometimes use me as a sounding board for subjects that have nothing to do with teeth. I enjoy being there for them, to listen and to console if necessary. You can be a good person as a dentist, a professional on several levels, and you don’t have to be the loudest person in the room.”

In her dentist’s chair one day was the greatest player to suit up for her favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs. None other than Ernie Banks — Mr. Cub, Mr. “Let’s play two!” — would become one of Tiersky’s regular patients for nearly five years. Tiersky had attended her first game at Wrigley Field as a fourth-grader, right around the time the Cubs galvanized their faithful in the nearly magical summer of 1969.

“Such a nice man,” Tiersky says. “Every time he had an appointment, Ernie would call my husband from the office, just to chat with him.”

The most influential figure in the first decade of Tiersky’s professional life was D. Milton Salzer, DDS, with whom she worked as an associate for 12 years in Chicago. Dr. Salzer now welcomes patients at his practice in Northbrook.

“A great mentor, a really good dentist and a good man,” says Dr. Tiersky, who was recently named to the board of trustees of the Healthcare Foundation of Highland Park. “He took me to my first Chicago Dental Society Members Meeting, where I enjoyed the camaraderie of the members. Through the [subsequent] dinners, through my involvement with the committees and through the opportunities to serve as a leader (for the CDS and American Dental Association), I’ve developed lifelong friendships.

“We’re excited about the Midwinter Meeting, about rolling out some of our industry’s new technology,” adds the former CDS treasurer. “People from all over — people from warm states — will visit Chicago in our frigid winter to complete continuing education courses, check out dental supplies from vendors, see live patient demonstrations.”
Today is Tiersky’s day off, but that doesn’t mean the dentist intends to return home and sit in a cozy chair. It’s a day to attend another fitness class (strength and core) at the Recreation Center of Highland Park. She visits the Rec Center four days per week.

The good dentist also has taken cardio kickboxing, barre chisel and weightlifting classes at the facility on Park Avenue.

“These last six months, I’ve been feeling better,” Tiersky says.

Twenty-six years ago, a woman found the time to take night classes at John Marshall Law School in Chicago while working full-time in an entirely different field. The woman earned a JD degree to go with her DDS degree, though today she is fully committed to her patients’ teeth rather than to the truth in a courtroom.

Guess who.

The North Suburban YMCA welcomes local artist Tanya Christini Klatt for an exhibit of her new works, on display through the month of February in the Y’s Community Gallery. Guests can meet the artist at an informal reception on Wednesday, February 22 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm in the lobby of the Y, located at 2705 Techny Road in Northbrook.
Tanya Klatt studied graphic design and art at Eastern Michigan University. Her paintings have been in juried shows and art festivals in Japan, Detroit, and the Chicago area. Her latest creations combine photography and mixed media. These pieces can stand alone or work together to form a larger narrative. Examples of her work can be seen on the Facebook page for Tanya Klatt Studios.
The NSYMCA’s Community Gallery celebrates the diversely talented artists living and working in Chicago’s northern suburbs with monthly exhibits that are free and open to the public. The artwork displayed is available for purchase, and a portion of proceeds supports the Y’s Visual Arts programs. For more information about art at the North Suburban YMCA, contact Cathie Winnie at cwinnie@nsymca.org or 847 272 7250.
About the North Suburban YMCA
Submitted by the North Suburban YMCA.

Katie Burke of Regina Dominican High School

WILMETTE – Regina Dominican junior Katie Burke took first place in the North Suburban Chicago division at the regional Bridge Building Competition at the Illinois Institute of Technology. High school students from across the Chicago area competed on Jan. 24.

Burke’s basswood bridge, massing only 28 grams, held 53 kilograms (about 117 pounds). Her closest competition only held 39 kilograms.

“Katie dominated her competition in her first place finish,” said physics teacher, Ken Finder. “It was fun to watch her bridge carry so much weight. She really made the entire Regina Dominican community proud.”

Classmates Maggie McNeill, Murphy Weiland and Kaitlin Clancy joined her in the competition.

Burke’s first place finish qualifies her to compete at the International Bridge Building Competition.

BLACK AND WHITE DINNER AUCTION: MARCH 4

Regina Dominican’s 27th annual Black and White Dinner Auction will take place on Saturday, March 4 at Misericordia Home. The Black and White is the school’s biggest fundraiser of the year and is hosted by the board of directors and chairpersons Doreen and Tim Rottman.

The night will begin with cocktails at 6 p.m. where silent auction items will be available for bidding. Later in the night a live auction will take place after Judith Hamill and Tom Jaconetty receive the Regina Caeli Award. The Caeli Award recognizes outstanding members of the Regina Dominican community for their sustaining support and constant dedication to the mission of Regina Dominican.

The night will conclude with “Raise the Paddle” for scholarships. Funds for the entire night support academic resources and the 40 percent of students on scholarship at Regina Dominican.

Misericordia Home is located at 6300 North Ridge in Chicago. Registration and sponsorship opportunities are available at rdhs.org. Please contact Maura Chamberlin at 847-256-7660 ext. 279 for more information about the event.

Submitted by Regina Dominican High School

NORTHBROOK — As a young girl, playing in the park or heading to the swimming pool in the summer was an important part of Penny Randel’s life.

As an adult, parks and recreation are a passion for Randel, a Northbrook resident, evolving into more than 30 years of activism helping the community enjoy more and more facilities of the Northbrook Park District.

Randel’s accomplishments were recognized with the Illinois Association of Park Districts’ Mike Cassidy Commissioner Community Service Award Jan. 20 in Chicago for her 24 years in elective office and activism before that.

Northbrook Park District Commissioner Penny Randel (center) receives the Michael Cassidy Commissioner Community Service Award from Peter Murphy (left), the executive director of the Illinois Association of Park Districts, and Ken Collins, the 2016 IAPD president. Photo courtesy of Northbrook Park District.

A member of the Park District Board of Commissioners since 1993, Randel is finishing her sixth term. She is running unopposed for a seventh in the April 4 election.

The award is given annually to an elected park commissioner who has gone out of his or her way to improve the quality of life in the community, according to the IAPD website. That commitment began for Randel not long after she moved to Northbrook in 1979.

“There was a referendum to purchase the (former) Indian Ridge School and I got involved with that,” said Randel. That building now houses the Leisure Center, which also contains the Senior Center.

An attachment to recreation started for Randel long before she moved to Northbrook. It began when she was a girl. She said park activities were a key part of her life from the start.

“It was an important part of my growing up,” said Randel. “I was always playing on the play grounds and going to the pool in the summer. I played softball and went to day camp.”

When Randel was young, things like camps and sports were not a major part of park programs. She said she has seen the mission of parks and recreation change over the years and the park district has evolved with the transition.

“It used to be more about pure recreation but today the focus is on health and wellness,” said Randel. “People are more concerned about what’s around them now. When I was young no one wore a bicycle helmet. Now everybody wears them.”

Randel said the transition has brought more services to the community for people at all stages of life. It starts with activities to help parents and babies bond and continues with senior programs for both the active and passive.

“It’s cradle to grave,” said Randel. “We have a lot more services for the community. It starts with Mommy and Me when (the children) are infants. We have senior programs for those who are active and for those more relaxed.

Activism pushing referendums to expand the park district continued for Randel once she was elected to the board in 1993. She said one of her proudest accomplishments was the acquisition of 60 acres from the Anetsberger family in 2000. The land eventually became part of Techny Prairie Park and Fields.

“Joe Doud had a handshake agreement with the Anetsberger brothers that if they wanted to sell the land (where their restaurant equipment business was located) the park district would get the first chance,” said Randel. Doud was the executive director then. “Eventually we decided we better write it down but it was a handshake agreement among men.”

After another successful referendum, Randel said there was a lot of work to get the park ready to open six years later. The former industrial site needed environmental cleanup before the turf fields, ball fields, batting cages, a natural preserve and more were ready for public use. The final OK on the environmental cleanup was even more recent.

“We finally got our NFR letter,” said Randel referring to correspondence informing the park district no further environmental remediation was needed. “You can eat off the floor.”

Hired in 1958, Doud was the first paid executive director of the park district. He retired in 1998, according to Ann Ziolkowski, the district’s director of marketing and communications. She said there have been three more since.

“I’ve served under all four,” said Randel.

Penny Randel helps out at the finish line of Northbrook’s annual Liberty Loop Run. Photo courtesy of Northbrook Park District.

If the first bill proposed by Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) since he took office January 3 becomes law, it will help veterans enter the workforce and assist the employers who hire them.

Schneider and Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) introduced the GI Internship Program Act January 31 in the House of Representatives in Washington adding an on the job training component to the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) meets with a former member of the armed forces on Veterans Day. Photo courtesy of the Office of Brad Schneider.

Rather than receive college tuition, some veterans using the GI bill can take advantage of this law to receive a stipend while getting on the job training in manufacturing or some other pursuit, according to Schneider. The payment enables the employer to pay less during the learning period. It is designed to last from six months to a year.

“The GI who is about to come into the workforce can earn a living wage and the employer can offset the cost of hiring and training'” said Schneider. “It’s a win win.”

Representatives of both the North Shore business and veterans’ communities said the idea is appealing. Joanna Rolek, the executive director of the Lake Forest Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce said she has been working with local businesses to see the benefits of hiring veterans.

“I’m 100 percent for this,” said Rolek. “We’re actively trying to get our members to network with veterans groups to see how we can be of help. Turning attention to this constituency has very positive implications for those in the civilian world, offering opportunities to support both workforce and economic development.”

Joanna Rolek, executive director of the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce, emceeing a Lake Bluff 4th of July Parade.

Paul Bafico, a Lake Bluff resident who founded and runs the Grayslake based Lake County Veterans and Family Services Foundation, said he also supports the proposed legislation. The organization connects veterans with each other and helps them get the benefits they have earned and deserve.

“This will give veterans who are qualified under the GI Bill an additional opportunity to explore their career expectations,” said Bafico.

There are approximately 200,000 service members returning to civilian life each year since September 11, 2001, according to Rolek. She said the constituency is expected to reach 3.5 million by 2025.

As veterans are getting ready to leave the service they get counseling about their transition back into civilian life, according to Schneider. He said if his proposed bill becomes law, the service members will be told about the on the job training benefit.

“Some of these vets joined because the military because they did not enjoy the classroom,” said Schneider. “This will give them an opportunity other than going to school. It will give them on the job training.”

Once learning of the benefit, the vets must find a place to use it. That is where people like Bafico and Rolek come into the picture. She said the transition is not easy for the veteran returning to civilian life. She also said they bring special traits from their time in the military.

“The ‘new’ veteran community is often up against the challenges of assimilation back into the civilian workforce – they have suspended their civilian lives to serve,” said Rolek. “But what they bring back out to the civilian world are great assets for us all – leadership qualities, strategic mindset and goal orientation.”

Schneider said when the vets get the chance to talk to the appropriate potential bosses they will start to learn how to sell their skills in the non military world. He said he spoke to a former soldier who was not sure how to transition. The soldier told Schneider his job in the service was maintaining movable artillery.

“I explained how what he did was similar to manufacturing,” said Schneider. “He was working with gears. I explained how it was the same skill you need in manufacturing.”

The bill is ready to work its way through the House and, hopefully, the Senate, according to Schneider. He said he and Yoho will work with their colleagues to see it goes through committee. Schneider said he met Yoho four years ago when they were freshmen together. He said this was a natural bill for them to sponsor together.

Paul Baffico talks to visitors at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Photo Courtesy of Paul Baffico.

LAKE FOREST — Gerrit Lansing works for the President of the United States doing a job that did not exist when he was a student at Sheridan Elementary School in Lake Forest.

Lansing, a Lake Forest native, is a deputy assistant to the president and chief digital officer for the White House, ensuring technology works efficiently there. His first day of work in the administration of President Donald J. Trump was January 21 in Washington.

Gerrit Lansing, a Lake Forest native who is a deputy assistant to the President of the United States, heads to work. Photo courtesy of Gerrit Lansing and Kate Karnes of the White House staff.

“It’s humbling and energizing,” said Lansing, 33, of his new job, where he averages a 75-hour work week. “If I do my job right, I’ll help people who need government services and help the government spend less money. It’s definitely a privilege.

There are two parts to the job. Lansing said he gives creative support to the communications department, and he also makes sure the computers and information technology systems work efficiently.

While Lansing is part of the White House staff, he works in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building across from the White House. The building houses most of the presidential staff, according to the White House website.

Lansing said there was some form of the job he does in the early part of the century during the administration of former President George W. Bush, but it did not take its present form until after former President Barack Obama took office. He plans to keep improving things.

“We have world-class high tech in government now,” Lansing said. “We continue to modernize the systems. We’re building on what the (Obama administration) did. We want it to be more efficient for people to use.”

Working a high-tech job for the president was not something Lansing said he imagined as a classical languages major at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., studying Greek and Latin.

Lansing’s first job out of college was as an editor for a blog for the Heritage Foundation, a Washington, D.C., think tank. He said his academic training helped him pick up the technology he needed.

“Learning classical languages teaches you how to learn,” said Lansing. “It teaches you how to analyze.”

A political job followed when Lansing went to work in the Washington office of Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton) as the director of new media in 2010. After other positions on Capitol Hill, he became the chief digital officer for the Republican National Committee in June 2015.

During his time at the RNC, Lansing’s boss was Reince Priebus. Priebus is now President Trump’s chief of staff. When Priebus moved from running the RNC to his present job, Lansing said he saw an opportunity.

“I put my hat in the running,” said Lansing of his first step to taking a White House job. “It was a chance to (help) do big things for the country and I didn’t want to pass it up.”

Now Lansing is a deputy assistant to the president. He said there are between 30 to 40 people who hold that title. Above him are 25 assistants to the president.

Above that on the organization chart is the president of the United States.

North Shore residents do their part to support cancer research in Chicago. The Auxiliary Board of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation has set its sights on another memorable and successful fundraising event on the north shore to benefit cancer research at the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. This year’s theme, Night Among the Stars, will highlight the annual fundraising dinner, live auction, dancing and live music, which will take place in the evening at the beautiful Crystal Ballroom in Evanston.

Event guests can partake in a festive evening of dining, dancing, and a high-spirited live auction where bidders can vie for a 7 Day stay at a beautiful Villa in Tuscany, Italy or Park City, Utah, to name two and tickets to Hamilton; includes dinner and hotel accommodations. Star performance from Laura Bretan, acclaimed child opera singer from America’s Got Talent! Guests will also have the opportunity to win in the cash raffle with a 1 in 300 tickets sold, the night of the event; ALL proceeds will benefit cancer research.

Event and auction Co-chairs, Lisa Maatman, Carolyn Rutstein, Pamela Westin, and Kim Warren are confident that the, Night Among the Stars, theme will inspire excitement and participation when the “star research doctors” are honored.

The University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Auxiliary Board was founded in 1951 by North Shore resident, Stephanie Howell. She and her friends raised $3000 in their first year. The Board was incorporated in 1959 as an official auxiliary of the UCCRF. Since its inception, the Auxiliary Board has raised over almost $3+ million for cancer research for the Foundation. In 2006, the Board was named as a recipient of the University’s coveted Harper’s Society Award for its fundraising efforts.

Today’s Board is comprised of 30 women who actively work towards raising funds for the four doctors selected to be underwritten. Each doctor receives funds for three years. There are also many sustaining and honorary members of the Auxiliary.

This year, the UCCRFAB will help support the cancer research efforts of Drs. Megan McNerney, Blase Polite, David Vander Weele, and Dr. Nita Lee. Dr. McNerney is focused on the genetic abnormalities in high-risk myeloid neoplasm and is a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fellow. Dr. Polite has expertise in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies, with a particular focus on colon, rectal, and anal cancers, and neuroendocrine (carcinoid) tumors. Dr. Vander Weele is an Instructor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine Hematology/Oncology. He is a Board Certified in Medical Oncology and specializes in Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Lee specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of women with gynecological malignancies, with a focus on providing comprehensive and compassionate care to women diagnosed with ovarian, uterine, cervical, vulvar or vaginal cancers.

To find out more, visit www.UCCRFAB.org

Submitted by the Auxiliary Board of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation

Al’s Meat Market owner Joe Spera. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER/JWC MEDIA

Don’t call Al’s Meat & Poultry Market and ask for Al — you might hear a dial tone. Most customers know owner Joe Spera by name, who took over the business in 1991 after his father Al passed away.

Entering the iconic butcher shop is a step back in time. Spera, known for his signature white mustache and blood-stained white apron, greets customers from behind cases of meat and poultry. The butcher shop is  one of the go-to spots for prime meat on the North Shore. It’s also somewhat of a local social club.

“Most of my customers are my friends, that is why I have to keep the whiskey,” Spera told DailyNorthShore. Spera is referring to a wooden barrel, topped with an array of whiskey, bourbon and various bottles of golden hued hard spirits that stands behind the meat case. He also keeps a keg of beer in the back refrigerator. People stop in to buy a prime steak and end up chewing the fat with Spera over a couple of drinks.

“I don’t take it as seriously as my dad did. It is like being semi-retired but I am here a lot,” Spera remarked.

Spera said he wasn’t always so social. Before taking over the family business, Spera worked a variety of jobs where he spent a lot of time alone — he worked in underground mines in Wyoming, drove a lowboy on construction sites, worked as a welder and spent about 10 years as a trucker. In fact Spera owned his own rig when his father died and he was faced with deciding whether to sell the business or his truck. “I didn’t want to be in the meat business,” Spera said.

The family business won out and over time Spera found that he enjoyed the work. “It took a while to loosen up but now I really enjoy it. Friends drop in,” he said.

Spera’s father opened the shop in Hubbard Woods in 1961, where it remained until 2001 when the building was sold and Spera relocated to Wilmette. While the butcher shop has been in Wilmette for 16 years, it has the old-fashioned look of a store that has been there forever.

Spera only sells prime beef and cuts everything to order. On any given week, half cattle are hanging in the backroom, which he skillfully carves. No prices are posted and Spera only takes cash, checks or household charges. “I think credit cards are so impersonal. I hand write my bills (for household accounts). When was the last time you got a hand-written note? You always open those first,” he said.

Spera prefers grass-fed beef that is finished with grain because it fattens up the meat and creates good marbling. “Grass-fed is supposed to be healthier but I don’t have a health food store. It says meat on the front,” Spera joked. He has a no-frills philosophy about meat preparation, preferring simplicity over marinades. “I want to taste the meat, not the marinade. That is my personal taste,” he said.

Spera is friendly with other business owners in the community, who pop-in and out of the store regularly. George Rafeedee, who owns neighboring CoWorkers, popped into say hello. A cook from Nick’s Restaurant stopped by to pick up a pork shoulder the restaurant had ordered.

Spera’s emphasis is on quality, something he learned from his father. “My dad told me everybody complains about the price, but don’t let them complain about the quality,” he said.

Al’s Meat Market is located at 1165 Wilmette Avenue and is open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“Well done!” is a frequent refrain of customers of Al’s Meat Market

Joe Spera, the owner of Al’s Meat Market in Wilmette, always has some bourbon or whiskey to share with his customers.

Local admen Gary Doyle, left, and Dan Fietsam.

DailyNorthShore asked two local admen to watch Super Bowl Ll with pen and paper, or laptop, in addition to whatever they were eating and drinking, and take notes on the moments of the game when all eyes are glued to the TV: the commercials.

Gary Doyle is a group creative director, senior vice president at Cramer Krasselt, the second-largest independent advertising agency in the U.S. Client experience includes Porsche, Edward Jones, Alzheimer’s Association, Disney and Barack Obama. Gary has won almost every industry award there is, but his proudest accomplishment was winning $50 in a fifth-grade band contest selling a cleaner named Drix. He lives in Lake Bluff with wife Lisa. They have three kids and a pug.

Dan Fietsam is the chief creative officer of Laughlin Constable, a full-service, independent agency with offices in Chicago and Milwaukee. He has held creative leadership positions for several A-list agencies, including BBDO, DDB, Y&R, Leo Burnett and Publicis. His work for Blue Chip brands has garnered every notable award multiple times including Cannes, One Show, D&AD, Communication Arts, three Super Bowls and an Emmy. Dan lives in Lake Bluff with his wife Leah. They have three kids and a pug, too.

Click here for Dan’s review Super Bowl Ll spots 2017; and keep scrolling below for Gary’s:

GARY DOYLE

Let me get this out of the way first: doing an ad for the Super Bowl (sorry NFL lawyers, I meant to say The Big Game!) is hard. Doing any good ad is hard. But when you’ve got 100 million people staring at your ad instead of ignoring it like they usually do – well, that’s a whole other level of hard. And pressure-packed. I’ve had a few spots on The Big Game (as has my esteemed colleague and fellow pug owner Dan Fietsam), so I empathize with the task.

That having been said: more often than not, with Big Game commercials, you can feel that pressure – the pressure of advertisers saying to themselves “oh my gosh, there are 100 million people watching, so this has to be the funniest, or rudest, or most provocative, or most tear-jerking (or all of the above) ad, ever. EVER!!!!”

I wish I could say that his year was different. But I can’t. Once again, it was the ad world’s version of “Can You Top This”, complete with faked deaths and elephants on treadmills.

Nevertheless, here are my best and worst Big Game ads for Super Bowl 2017. Note to reader: magnanimously, I’m including not only my opinion but America’s (“America” being eight friends who came over to watch the game – a true cross-section of America, with a variety of genders, ages and political leanings – OK, not really true on the last point). Another note to reader: just because Dan’s writeup is three times as long as mine, does NOT mean he’s three times as smart as me. Dan is actually twice as smart as me. Just wanted to clear that up.

But anyway, on to the results:

BEST

84 Lumber. It’s not even close, really. Go to their site and watch the end. More than just topical. Brave, beautiful and (go figure) actually has something to do with the product.

Honda. My yearbook photo was amazing, so I had a hard time relating, but charming nonetheless, though suffers from insert-product-here.

Mr. Clean. It’s always tricky resurrecting brand icons, but they pulled it off here. Bald guys in t-shirts with mops: always sexy. Amiright, ladies?

Sprint. As someone who’s thought about faking their own death for years, I liked this. But America did too, so don’t judge.

WORST

TMobile. This ad leabes me cold. I couldn’t beliebe they didn’t do a better job with Justin Bieber. I’m not a belieber anymore.

Buick. If nothing else for the football-fan Dad calling his son “son”. Nobody calls their son “son”, except in TV commercials.

Mercedes. When the Coen Brothers can’t save your idea, you probably don’t have an idea.

Michelob Ultra. Everyone in this ad looks superhuman. And here I am, just trying to achieve a Dad bod. So, zero stars for insensitivity.

World of Tanks. True to the title of the game, this spot featured, wait for it, a world of tanks. I personally found this watchable, but the teen-male representative of America at our party was not impressed. So, docked for that.

See you next year, America! Don’t stop beliebing!

Local admen Gary Doyle, left, and Dan Fietsam.

DailyNorthShoreasked two local admen to watch Super Bowl Ll with pen and paper or laptop, in addition to whatever they were eating and drinking, and take notes on the moments all eyes were glued to the TV: the commercials.

Dan Fietsam is the chief creative officer of Laughlin Constable, a full-service, independent agency with offices in Chicago and Milwaukee. He has held creative leadership positions for several A-list agencies, including BBDO, DDB, Y&R, Leo Burnett and Publicis. His work for Blue Chip brands has garnered every notable award multiple times including Cannes, One Show, D&AD, Communication Arts, three Super Bowls and an Emmy. Dan lives in Lake Bluff with his wife Leah. They have three kids and a pug.

Gary Doyle is a group creative director, senior vice president at Cramer Krasselt, the second-largest independent advertising agency in the U.S. Client experience includes Porsche, Edward Jones, Alzheimer’s Association, Disney and Barack Obama. Gary has won almost every industry award there is, but his proudest accomplishment was winning $50 in a fifth-grade band contest selling a cleaner named Drix. He lives in Lake Bluff with wife Lisa. They have three kids and a pug, too.

Click here for Gary’s review Super Bowl Ll spots 2017; and keep scrolling below for Dan’s:

Dan Fietsam

Here we are. The single biggest day in modern marketing. And football.

A seismic shift happening over the last five years or so is that most of the spots are not revealed on a single day anymore. In fact, Intel kicked off the Super Bowl season back on January 12. In total this year, 36 brands released their ads before the actual game. And here we are discussing the ads the day after. All in all, the unofficial Super Bowl season now runs, officially, up to 25 days.

So when the people around you audibly gasp upon hearing that a 30-second media buy on the big game (not including film production costs and agency creative fees, which together could easily hit the $1 million mark) runs a cool $5 million – divide it by 25 and think about it this way . . . you can have people talking about your Super Bowl spot for a mere $200k a day. If the spot generates attention, of course. Can’t forget about that part.

I have had 10 commercials in three different Super Bowls. It’s a very thrilling and unique experience. To put it into context, imagine writing a Facebook post and having over 100 million people see it. You want to get a lot of “likes”, right? Yes, you do. So I’m not the easiest critic of Super Bowl spots. But then, again, neither is anybody. Getting one of the largest audiences in American culture to hand over their attention, their hearts, their minds and their wallets, is no easy task.

BEFORE THE GAME

I watch the spots in the week leading up to the game. Soon as they are released into the world. Mostly because it’s my job. But also because it’s fun.

My favorite spot before this year’s game was the long-form version of the Avocados of Mexico “Secret meeting”. The comedy, timing, writing, delivery and acting are outstanding. So much fun to watch. So many comedic bits that work together and build. The opening alone is hilarious – opens funny and stays funny all the way through. Unfotunately I can’t say the same thing of the shorter version that actually ran in the game.

My other pre-game favorite spot was Budweiser “Immigrant”. Political statements aside, this deserves to be a full-on film. Budwesier could pull it off, too. Look, Netflix and Amazon are successfully funding films, why not Budwesier next? We have a movie out about Ray Kroc and McDonald’s. This one could be next.

The Squarespace John Malkovich spot almost (almost) made it to one of my pre-game favorites, but not quite. If you know (and love) the movie “Being John Malkovich”, I think you’ll find this spot very funny. But to build a whole spot off that premise is a really faulty foundation. If a viewer doesn’t make that connection, the commercial just plays like that weird actor guy getting really angry at somebody for some product most people won’t recognize.

However, the rest of the 36 spots didn’t ring my bell. So I was waiting to see if any of them would play better in the context of the game itself. Maybe by seeing one of the spots in the game, with other people, it would make me like the spots better. Maybe.

DURING THE GAME

GOOGLE
Decent product demo, but no where near as engaging or memorable as their awesome, amazing, famous “Parisian Love” spot from 2010. And for being in the best slot in the game (the first official spot of the Super Bowl comes after kick-off and the first two sets of downs, called slot 1A), pretty darn disappointing. Plus, saying “Alexa” is just more fun than “Ok Google”.

MICHELIN
Michelin, please don’t come back next year. Please.

AVOCADOS BY MEXICO
The long-form version released online is a million times more funny. However, this shorter version lost its punch. Sadly fell flat and I was looking forward to seeing it in the game. They had to cut the opening line, which was one of the best. Bummer.

HR BLOCK
You are paying Jon Hamm and you only show Jon Hamm for five seconds? And not a close-up? Did Watson make that decision for you?

SKITTLES
Funny. This spot could go on forever. In a good way. Batman next in line? Jon Hamm? Now here’s a reason to have “long-form” version on line.

BUSCH
Pretty funny. But this would have been a thousand times funnier if they guy on camera would have spoke the “schhhhhhhhhh” schtick instead of a sound effect.

NATIONAL PETOLEUM INSTITUTE
Any brand that has “petroleum” and “institute” in its name should bypass the Super Bowl.

GO DADDY
Go Daddy continues their annual sloppy, ADD’ed approach to the Super Bowl. They need serious help. Seriously.

LIFEWATER
Was it raining paint? What does that have to do with drinking water?

INTEL
Somewhat ok. But not Super Bowl worthy. Brady does not convert the haters here.

AIRBNB
Why so serious, Airbnb? You are so much more fun than this.

PISTACHIOS
Huh? Badly animated elephant on a treadmill?

DODGE
A very tired idea made worse by a horrible visual effect.

T-MOBILE
Gronk as a caveman, maybe ok at best. Otherwise giant waste of money going. Most of it going to the Beebs.

HONDA
Really, really great. Except the Honda part.

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BAI
Funny funny. Everybody will be humming their brand name now. Though we could officially use a Walken ban for at least the next five super Bowls.

TIDE
Tide has done some funny spots in the Super Bowl. Not this year. I do like Jeffrey Tambor though. Always funny.

SPRINT
No one outside of advertising gets the switched-spokesperson joke. I’ve had to explain why this is clever to more people than I can count.

COCA COLA
I’m curious – did we not know that Coke goes well with food??

WEATHER-TECH
I am praying to the Ad Gods that this will be the last year we have to endure a Weather-Tech Super Bowl commercial.

FEBREEZE
Gets points for relevance. Though I think the only people that wait for half time to take a bathroom break are the people who have a spot airing in the game.

ALPHA ROMEO
The car spots are starting to blend together.

TURBO TAX
Thank you Turbo Tax. That was funny. And well done. And entertaining. And people at the party liked it and laughed. Out loud.

LEXUS
The car spots are starting to blend together.

SQUARESPACE
See my comments about “before the game”.

WENDY’S
Cold as ice. That’s how this spot left me.

84 LUMBER
“The service is unavailable”. That is what the 84 Lumber link said when everybody at my party went to “finish the journey”. See my comments “after the game”.

AUDI & MR. CLEAN
The adjacent placement of “what should I tell my daughter” message for Audi and “you gotta love a man that cleans” for Mr. Clean was the most interesting and weird cultural collision of the night.

SNICKERS
Not sure I understood the live spot idea. Bring back Betty White.

BUDWEISER
Felt like an epic movie trailer. A really good movie. One I would want to watch.

T-MOBILE
First Beebs, now Martha and Snoop. Sounds like their ad budget is “unlimited”.

PERSIL
I’m sorry, did I accidently switch to BBC?

KIA
Melissa hitting the side of the boat is so stupid, it’s funny.

IT’S A 10 HAIR
Pretty funny spot. For ANY hair care product. I’m sure sales of Head and Shoulders will bounce tomorrow from this. But not It’s A 10.

FIJI WATER
Unlike Life Water, at least this spot was about water.

ALPHA ROMEO
Are the car spots starting to blend together?

T-MOBILE
A BDS&M joke? Really? This brand is all over the place tonight. And not in the good way.

NFL
Inside these lines. Felt extremely Trumpian.

VICKS
No one will be talking about Vicks spot after the game. Vicks ran a spot?

TURKISH AIRLNES
And now for the complete opposite world view of “inside these lines”. Felt very Hillarian.

BUD LIGHT
Well, it’s hard to review Bud Light Super Bowls somewhat objectively. But using the ghost of a 30-year-old Ghost Spuds in a re-work of “Scrooge” doesn’t seem extremely funny to me. I did like the actor in the spot, however. And I thought “sad bacon legs” was a pretty funny line. So maybe it’ll catch and Spuds will live on.

T-MOBILE
Ok, so the BDS&M is now combined with phone sex. At least T-Mobile seems to have some consistency now.

MERCEDES
Cohen Brothers. Steppenwolf. Peter Fonda. All that talent and they can’t make a good commercial.

SPRITE
I’m not going to tell you to like this commercial just like Lebron is not going to tell you to drink a Sprite 20 times in 30 seconds.

KFC
Finger licking gold. Very funny.

AFTER THE GAME

This year, Overtime and the Patriots won the Super Bowl. It’s the main thing everyone will be talking about.

Then, coming in close second is Lady Gaga.

I really really really really wish comedy would come back to the Super Bowl. Comedy that’s funny.

We did see a trend of “political-leaning” spots but not as many lightening rod spots as we’ve had the last couple of years. No “imported from Detroit” or “God made a Farmer”. Lady Gaga did more “uniting” of the country with her opening than any commercial did.

A bigger trend was the year of Super Bowl Trailer. But not a Movie Trailer. A Commercial Trailer. As in a lot of the spots were merely a 30- or 60-second trailers of their longer-form version online. 84 Lumber. Snickers. Squarespace. Avocados from Mexico. Yes, these days you need additional content, longer versions and all the other social media support and supplemental content. But in all that, you can’t forget to make a commercial that holds together, and captures the audience’s attention, DURING the game. Not just send them to watch the “real” longer commercial somewhere else.

Did I mention I wish comedy would make a comeback?

LAKE FOREST — Programming at Gorton Community Center is going urban.

Expanding its roster over the past nine months, Gorton offers a variety of entertainment often found in Chicago — including movies, concerts, storytelling programs and classes for all ages on an ongoing basis in Lake Forest.

“We’re bringing a city experience to our town,” said Executive Director Amy Wagliardo. “People don’t have to go all the way to the city for things they would do there. They can experience it here.”

Since Wagliardo took over Gorton in April, she has intensified the programming with the help of Catherine Yehle, the program director, and Melinda Lister, the director of marketing. Wagliardo said the idea is to offer activities with an artistic bent. Some draw in other elements of the community.

The admin team at Lake Forest’s Gorton Community Center, from left: Director of Marketing Melinda Lister, Executive Director Amy Wagliardo and Program Director Catherine Yehle.

Wagliardo said the stepped-up programming is an evolution of Gorton’s mission since a massive renovation was undertaken. The center ran out of money in 2010 and closed temporarily. More than $7 million was raised by the community to reopen Gorton and renovate it.

With the fundraising complete, programs starting to blossom, such as the Gene Siskel Film Center Series in October 2015. When Wagliardo took over in April, she said her charge was to add more.

“I have an arts background and programming background,” said Wagliardo. “Before (former Executive Director) Brenda Dick retired she did the fundraising. Now I can focus on the programming.”

The Siskel series offers a movie in the John and Nancy Hughes Theater the first Thursday of each month. In October it presented an opportunity to create a partnership with the Lake Forest Book Store and the Deer Path Inn, according to Lister. It happened with the screening of Old Fashioned: The Story of the Wisconsin Supper Club.

“People could go to the book store to buy the Wisconsin Supper Club Cook Book,” said Lister. “Then they could go to the Deer Path Inn for appetizers and drinks. They featured an Old Fashion for $5. Then they came here for the movie.”

Gorton will feature a double header at 8 p.m. February 25 with a concert in the Hughes Theater and a more intimate evening of storytelling in the Nagel Room. Lake Forest resident Kathy Sparrenberger will sing tunes of divas like Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Karen Carpenter and more in their style.

At the same time six people will be tell personal stories in the Nagle Room like they do at similar events in Chicago, according to Wagliardo. The show is dubbed “Truth Be Told.”

“There will be six story tellers in an intimate cabaret setting with tables,” said Wagliardo. “They will all be telling personal stories.”

Another movie event Jan. 28 was a road show. Wagliardo said the Telluride Film Festival brought two hours of short movies ranging from four to 18 minutes in length. She said next year it might be expanded to two nights with one evening devoted to short films and the other to a feature-length production.

“We felt the short films offered more,” said Wagliardo. “How else can you show a hellacious downhill ski movie and a sketch of a man and his dog?”

Gorton’s programming is not all about movies, concerts and storytelling. There are acting classes for children of all ages, according to Yehle. She said they also offer a class in mindful stress reduction. There are more practical offerings too.

“We have yoga for teens,” said Yehle. “We have SAT review, sewing, robotics and coding.”

“We’re also thinking about wine education, beer and spirits too,” added Wagliardo.

Yehle said the Siskel center is not the only film opportunity. Facets Multimedia will come up from Chicago this summer to offer a filmmaking camp for youngsters ranging from 8 to 14.

“They work intensely from 9 to 5 for five days,” said Yehle. “They learn how to make and produce films.”

Click here for a complete schedule of programs at Gorton.

Gorton Community Center

Gorton Community Center’s Gene Siskel Film Center Series in Lake Forest. Photo courtesy of Dale Jessen.

Glenbrook South’s Jenna Hartley receives hugs from Bebe Haramaras and Katie Wahl. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Jenna Hartley was 18 months old when she executed her first gymnastics move.

Forgive the Glenbrook South freshman gymnast for not being able to recall any of the specifics from that day in a gym. Her vocabulary was about as expansive as a parrot’s, and the pressing questions of her days then were, in no particular order: Should I eat now? Should I sleep now? Should I play now?

“I was told I jumped off a trampoline and landed in a foam pit,” Hartley said at the Stevenson Sectional on Feb. 6.

What she and her Titans teammates landed at the sectional in Lincolnshire: a state team berth — the fifth in program history and the second in three seasons.

Coach Steve Gale’s girls topped the highly competitive sectional with a score of 145.45 points. New Trier (145.275) and Carmel Catholic (144.8) finished second and third, respectively.

“I thought New Trier would score 149, and Carmel would be right there, too,” Gale said afterward. “I figured we’d come in third, with around 145 or 146 points, and then hope for an at-large state berth.

“Our mindset tonight was to go out and hit, not think about beating any of the teams. ‘Do what you can do and do it with confidence’ — that’s what I told our girls. I’m giving our team an A-minus tonight.”

Hartley — the younger sister of Glenbrook South senior star Hannah Hartley — went 4-for-4 atop the mats, finishing third in the all-around (37.075) and in the top five in each of the four events. (A top-five performance results in an automatic state berth). Jenna bronzed on the uneven bars (9.25) and on floor exercise (9.2), while Hannah captured gold on the vault (9.725) and bars (9.5) and emerged as the silver medalist in the all-around (37.4).

“Hannah motivates me,” said Jenna, who performs her floor show to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” a song by The Charlie Daniels Band.

“We motivate each other,” Hannah said.

Titans senior captain Katie Wahl inspired every Titan and every Titans fan in the building with her lead-off score of 8.6 on the balance beam. The fourth-year varsity gymnast had been inactive all season with an injury when she approached Gale before Senior Night last month and asked to be a part of the lineup against Maine South.

Gale okayed the plea.

“Katie went up on beam that night and earned a spot,” the coach recalled.

Wahl made the state series squad, helping South achieve a school-record mark of 146.4 points as the victorious team in a regional meet on the home mats on Jan. 30. On Feb. 4, in a practice session, she hit her flip-flop series on the beam for the first time this winter.

Wahl then nailed the series again at the sectional two days later. Pure joy radiated from Wahl as she ran to embrace her thrilled teammates following her beam dismount.

Next up on the beam was Glenbrook South junior Kylie Kruger, whose 8.775 would be solid enough for 13th place. Classmate Bebe Haramaras received an 8.85 (10th place), five spots behind Jenna Hartley’s 9.275. Hannah Hartley’s runner-up effort of 9.4 then capped the Titans’ meet-best beam aggregate of 36.3.

“You never want to second-guess yourself or hold back in gymnastics,” said Gale, who espouses the same tenets in golf — the other sport he coaches at the school. “As soon as you do either of those, you’re going to find yourself in trouble.”

Haramaras finished seventh in the all-around with a sturdy 35.975. The at-large state cut in the all-around last winter was 35.825.

At-large berths in the all-around and in each of the four events will be determined following the final sectional, which was scheduled to be held at Oswego on Feb. 9.

Kruger placed 13th in the all-around with a 34.3 at the state’s first sectional. Haramaras also contributed a 9.325 on vault (eighth place) and a 9.0 on bars (ninth).

Gale’s sectional lineup also included sophomore Sarah Healy, who competed on vault, bars and floor. She provided an 8.925 score as the team’s second competitor on vault.

The state meet will be held at Palatine High School on Feb. 17-18.

Notable: Hannah Hartley’s all-around regional score of 38.25 — achieved at Glenbrook South on Jan. 30 — was the top mark among all Stevenson Sectional all-around qualifiers. The Titans senior also took first on vault (9.725), bars (9.5), beam (9.475) and floor (9.55) at the home regional. Behold gymnastics’ grand slam. … Glenbrook South finished in eighth place (140.625) at the state gymnastics meet in 2015. The best state finish in program history was its third-place showing in the 1978-79 season.

Glenbrook North: Compete hard, then wait.

And wait some more.

That was what the Spartans had to accept at the Stevenson Sectional on Feb. 6, since none of the Glenbrook North entrants qualified automatically (top five in the all-around or in any of the four events) to the state gymnastics meet later this month.

At-large qualifiers would not be determined until the conclusion of the final sectional, scheduled to be held on Feb. 9.

“I … love … my … girls,” said Spartans coach Julie Holmbeck, who has worked at the school for 25 years, including 11 as the head girls gymnastics coach. “My two seniors [Alexandra Michalak and Katie Brownlee] are great role models, and it’s the most cohesive group I’ve ever been around at Glenbrook North.”

Junior Kelly Lazar finished as the team’s top all-arounder (34.2, 14th place) and placed in the top 10 in two events: vault (ninth place, 9.3) and beam (10th, 8.85). Classmate Brittany Ullrich swung to an eighth-place 9.025 on the uneven bars.

GBS’s Jenna Hartley performs her uneven bars routine. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Hannah Hartley executes an aerial move during her balance beam routine. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Kylie Kruger (back to the camera) receives congratulations from teammates following her beam routine. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Jenna Hartley works through her aerial series on beam. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Alexandra Michalak chalks up during the sectional meet. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Glenbrook North’s Brittany Ullrich reacts following her bars routine. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Alexandra Michalak of the Spartans eyes a landing spot during beam routine. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Maeve Murdock of New Trier goes airborne during her balance beam routine at the Stevenson Sectional. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Had Maeve Murdock been slightly sullen and disappointed after the Stevenson Sectional earlier this week, it would have been understandable.

The New Trier freshman gymnast — less than a week after earning a runner-up score of 9.55 on the floor exercise at a regional meet — settled for a 7.875 (32nd place) on the same event at the sectional on Feb. 6. The talented Trevian had fallen at the end of her double-back pass.

But there she was after the meet, smiling and upbeat, the picture of a gymnast brimming with positivity.

“Hope,” Murdock said when asked to sum up her team’s collective feeling following the highly competitive sectional.

NT’s Trevians (145.275) finished runner-up to Glenbrook South’s Titans (145.45), meaning they just missed capturing an automatic team berth to the state meet next weekend. NT would have to wait until the conclusion of the state’s fourth and final sectional (scheduled for Feb. 9, at Oswego High School) to see if its point total would be high enough for at-large state status.

“Maeve is the hardest worker, a gymnast who is willing to do anything and everything in practice in order to get better,” NT coach Jennifer Pistorius said of the all-around champion (37.675) at the New Trier Regional on Jan. 31. “Such a great kid. She’s that competitor who always says, ‘One more, let me do one more [routine].’ No matter how well she does a routine, it’s never good enough. Maeve wants to do whatever she can to make sure she’s at her best for meets.

“Her transition from club gymnastics to high school gymnastics,” the coach added, “has been seamless.”

Murdock — one of three high-scoring freshmen on NT’s varsity this winter — finished eighth in the all-around (35.575) at the sectional, a total that has a good chance of bettering the at-large state cut. She finished fourth on the balance beam with a 9.375, a mark which automatically qualified her for state in the event. (The top five finishers in each event and in the all-around automatically advance to state.)

“It was tough. We had some bumps along the way,” Pistorius said of her team’s night, minutes after Trevians freshman Avery Faulkner completed her vault (9.375, fourth place) to cap NT’s final rotation.

“I look at our team, and I see so much talent and determination. We had some falls tonight … some uncharacteristic falls.”

Faulkner earned the team’s only automatic state berth in the all-around (37.175, third place) and collected three others, including the one she earned on vault. Faulkner, who battled the flu after the New Trier Regional on Jan. 31, also advanced on floor (9.5, runner-up) and on beam (9.4, runner-up).

Back spasms threatened to derail NT’s Emma Jane Rohrer at the sectional, but the junior — another relentlessly positive, vastly gifted gymnast in NT’s fold — powered through to take sixth place in the all-around (36.2), runner-up honors on bars (9.375) and fifth place on vault (9.35).

The ailment forced Rohrer to miss a couple of practices last week.

Pistorius praised Rohrer for her tenacity and resolve.

NT freshman Rachel Zun finished in 10th place on bars (8.975).

The Trevians’ other sectional competitors were senior Ally Smith and sophomore Zoey Spangler.

Many of this year’s NT varsity gymnasts, including Murdock, hone their skills at the American Academy of Gymnastics in Wheeling. Murdock found the time to serve as the setter for New Trier’s highly successful freshman ‘A’ volleyball team last fall.

She lofts passes in one sport.

And reaches lofty heights in another.

Notable: The state gymnastics meet will be held at Palatine High School on Feb. 17-18. … New Trier amassed 147.175 points to win a regional title on the home mats on Jan. 31. Trevians walked away with five gold medals — the maximum. Freshman Maeve Murdock topped the all-around (37.675) and beam (9.425) fields; freshman Avery Faulkner emerged as champion on vault (9.35) and on floor exercise (9.575); and junior Emma Jane Rohrer took first on bars (9.55). … New Trier, runner-up at the Stevenson Sectional with 145.275 points, and Carmel Catholic (144.8, third place) both are serious contenders to advance to the state meet as at-large team qualifiers. “I thought New Trier would score 149, and Carmel would be right there, too,” said Steve Gale, coach of Stevenson Sectional champion Glenbrook South (145.45). “I figured we’d come in third, with around 145 or 146 points, and then hope for an at-large state berth. Our mindset tonight was to go out and hit, not think about beating any of the teams. ‘Do what you can do and do it with confidence’ — that’s what I told our girls. I’m giving our team an A-minus tonight.”

Maeve Murdock (right) celebrates with a teammate. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

NT’s Avery Faulkner gets plenty of lift during her floor exercise routine. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Emma Jane Rohrer competes on beam at the sectional meet. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Highland Park’s Alex Rosenbloom (right) works against Deerfield’s Jack Reichin in the 145-pound third-place match at the Libertyville Sectional PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

This one would’ve left a mark.

It would’ve left a pretty bad Terry Bradshaw stain (see the Tide Super Bowl ad) on one of Highland Park High School’s elite wrestlers.

Deerfield’s Jack Reichin tried to play spoiler in the 145-pound third-place match at the Class 3A Libertyville Regional on Feb. 4. The unheralded sophomore nearly came up with a comeback of Tom Brady (again, see Super Bowl) proportions.

But just in the nick of time — and nick might be a little generous here — Alex Rosenbloom was able to turn the … tide.

“My heart,” said the Highland Park junior, a good 30 minutes after his match, “is still pounding.

“I’m still shaking over it,” he added. “It took a pretty big adrenaline rush for me to get out of it.”

After building a sizeable lead (7-1), Rosenbloom was within half an eyelash of getting pinned by Reichin (15-9).

“I was really worried that it was over for him,” said HP head coach Chris Riley. “He got caught. And he got caught in a bad way.

“Alex unknowingly stepped into danger. He was exploited,” Riley added. “The kid [Reichin] made a big move at the right time. He set it up perfectly.”

In real time, fending off the pin seemed like an utter impossibility for the super-talented Rosenbloom. It looked like he was cooked. Stuck.

In wrestling vernacular, Reichin hit Rosenbloom with “the cement mixer” (Google that).

To his astonishment, Rosenbloom wound up on his back and in a ridiculously tight spot in the final minute of the second period.

And that’s when time stood still. Rosenbloom fought the pin off for what seemed like an eternity.

His escape from danger would’ve rivaled the great Harry Houdini on a good day.

“I don’t know if I got too cocky or what,” said Rosenbloom, a state qualifier at 138 pounds last winter. “I was beating him good. I had no worries.’’

“That’s the beauty of this sport and the cruelty of this sport,” Riley said. “You can do a thousand things right and then you do one thing wrong and you pay the ultimate price.”

The third period, like the first period, was all Rosenbloom. He reloaded. Rebooted. He wound up winning the bout 14-8. He will head to this weekend’s Barrington Sectional with a 23-4 record.

“It would’ve been really bad to have my season cut short at the regional,” Rosenbloom confessed.

Steven Weathers and DJ Penick also advanced out of the regional.

Penick kept his record unblemished (32-0) by going 3-0 and winning the 182-pound bracket. There was some drama in the championship match, when Stevenson’s Robert Pavlovich put Penick on his back early in the third period.

Pavlovich’s four-point move caused quite a stir from the crowd — especially from the large contingent of Stevenson students in the west bleachers.

But Penick soon recovered. He twisted out of Pavlovich’s grip and eventually won the hotly contested match 7-4.

Moments after his arm was raised by the referee, Penick hugged Pavlovich and quickly looked up to the Stevenson fans and put his index finger up to his lips. He had quieted them.

“Just having a little fun with them. I’m still a kid,” said Penick, who earlier in the week signed a national letter of intent to play Division I football at Murray State. “But you have to give a lot of props to the Stevenson fans. They’re rowdy. You hear them all day. It’s a great fan base. For them to give up a Saturday and come to a wrestling meet is amazing.”

Weathers, who lost 5-3 to Zion-Benton’s DJ Chisum in the 152-pound semifinals, had a tough battle in the third-place match. He recorded takedowns in the first and third period to edge Deerfield’s Brock Emmerich 4-2.

He will take a 32-2 record to the Barrington Sectional.

“All three of our guys had some adventures,” said Riley. “But all three of them kept their composure and found a way to advance.”

HP’s Steven Weathers competes against Deerfield’s Brock Emmerich in 152-pound third-place bout. He won 4-2. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Teammate DJ Penick (left) gets ready to hug Steven Weathers following the 152-pound third-place match. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

DJ Penick of the Giants (white singlet) takes on Stevenson’s Robert Pavlovich. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Quinn Dailey of the Scouts (top) takes on Stevenson’s Michael Karp in the 132-pound third-place match at the Class 3A Libertyville Regional. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

First, he rolled the dice.

And then, Quinn Dailey rolled up his sleeves and went to work.

The highly energetic Lake Forest High School junior took a bit of a risk at the Class 3A Libertyville Regional on Feb. 4. Instead of wrestling at his usual weight (126 pounds), Dailey moved up one weight class.

And his six-pound gamble paid off — in spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds. Bumping up to 132 was a boon for Dailey. He defeated Stevenson’s Michael Karp with a major decision (10-1) in the third-place match to earn a berth to this weekend’s Barrington Sectional.

Go ahead, put a feather in Matt Fiordirosa’s cap.

“We thought that 132 would be his best chance to make it out of the regional,” said the Lake Forest coach, who signed off on the strategy.

The Scouts made the move following the morning weigh-ins. Such a switch may not be totally unique, but it was savvy — and opportunistic.

Taking third last weekend was quite a challenge for Dailey — and not just because the field featured grapplers from strong wrestling programs. Throughout most of the third-place match, he battled a nagging nosebleed.

Two matches earlier, in the winner’s bracket semifinal, he didn’t go down without a fight against the division’s best wrestler: Deerfield star Holden Heller. Dailey eventually got pinned by the eventual regional champ late in the second period — but not before earning a face medal (no doubt, a shiner in waiting) just below his right eye.

“Heller gave me that,” said Dailey, with a slight smile.

His 30-win season? That was all Dailey.

With regional victories over Highland Park’s Aiden Rosenbloom, Warren’s Adam Hergenreder and Karp, Dailey will take a nicely done 30-8 record to Barrington.

“Winning 30 was one of my aims this season. One of my goals,” said Quinn, who is now a two-time sectional qualifier after taking third at 113 in last year’s regional tournament. “I wrestled my heart out. It was fun to get there and go on the attack.”

Fiordirosa just smiles at the mention of Dailey’s name.

“Quinn went after that guy [Karp],” said Fiordirosa. “He’s a kid with a lot of drive. He just attacks.

“He’s got two speeds: on and off,” the LF coach added. “There’s no going half speed with him.”

Two teammates will join Dailey at the sectional meet: seniors Marko Tupanjac and Cory Barth.

Tupanjac (26-6), seeded No. 2 at 160, collected pins against HP’s Marcus Shaw (0:26) and Warren’s Chris Love (1:22) before falling to Stevenson star Dylan Geick in the final (1:13). Geick is now 36-1 on the season.

Barth (27-7) also was seeded second. He got past Deerfield’s Robby Wyatt (3-2) and Stevenson’s Max Gomez (1:48), but then he stumbled — pinned in 58 seconds — in the 195-pound final against Warren’s Andrew Demos (38-0).

“The goal for them [Tupanjac and Barth] was to go six minutes,” said Fiordirosa. “I thought that they could hang with them. But both of them panicked a little. They tried to go big. Sometimes, trying to go big is not the right way to do things.”

Lake Forest finished seventh (58 points) in this nine-team event behind Deerfield (194), Stevenson (156 .5), Warren (136), Libertyville (135.5), Zion-Benton (78) and Mundelein (70.5).

LF’s Marko Tupanjac goes up aginst Stevenson’s Dylan Geick in the regional title match at 160. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER

Cory Barth of the Scouts (left) meets Warren’s Andrew Demos in the 195-pound final. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER