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SPORTS Friday 28 december 2018

Sports 2018

Continued from Page 17 to Little League. In early
June, in the ninth inning of
Or that she’s listed in the a Minnesota high school
team media guide (way baseball sectional final,
too generously) at 5-foot, they stood 60 feet, 6 inches
wearing custom-made apart.
maroon and gold-trimmed Koehn, on the mound, was
Nikes that would make any putting the finishing touch-
baller proud. es on a 4-0 win for Mounds
Because every time little View High. Kocon, at the
Loyola of Chicago sprung plate for Totino-Grace
another upset on its im- High, was the last out in his
probable run to the Final way.
Four, Coach Porter Moser Three strikes later, Koehn’s
and his Ramblers’ post- teammates raced out of
game interviews were just the dugout and began
the opening act. If you re- celebrating on the mound.
ally wanted to know how a But their star pitcher was
small Jesuit university kept somewhere else, standing
knocking over rivals twice at home plate with his arms
its size — the tactics AND around Kocon. In this Nov. 27, 2018, file photo, Loyola of Chicago’s Sister Jean shows off the NCAA Final Four
the theology behind it — “I told him I loved him,” ring she received before an NCAA college basketball game between Loyola of Chicago and
you stuck a microphone in Koehn said afterward, “and Nevada in Chicago.
front of Sister Jean. he’s my brother and our Associated Press
The team’s chaplain, unof- friendship will always last time and the score tied between James’ family Chesang, or three minutes
ficial scout and eternal op- longer than this silly game 12-12 — thanks to a pair of foundation and Akron City behind the 18th and next-
timist was a natural on TV. and its silly outcome.” Foster field goals earlier in Schools, offers year-round to-last competitor, Scot-
Rarely at a loss for words, A video capturing that mo- the game — she split the programming, family devel- land’s Beth Potter.
she wasn’t shy about cred- ment went viral, but no one uprights with the decisive opment skills and days that It was the welcoming party
iting faith for Loyola’s sur- who knew the young men extra point. Afterward, she begin at 9 a.m. and end at waiting for her there.
prising basketball bounty, was surprised. donned her tiara again 5 p.m. It also provides par- In a touching display of
either. She had a wicked “He’s a tremendous com- and posed for photos ents of I Promise students sportsmanship, Australian
sense of humor to boot. petitor,” Mounds View wearing No. 15. with help to earn their GEDs runners Celia Sullohern
As the season of Lent — 46 coach Mark Downey said Foster’s confidence on or high school diplomas.A (who finished sixth), Mad-
days when Christians swear about Koehn, “but he un- the field came as no sur- planned expansion will in- eline Hills (eighth) and Elo-
off worldly pleasures ahead derstands there is a bigger prise. She played soccer clude grades 1-8 by 2020, ise Wellings (16th) lingered
of Easter — was nearing its picture.” at Ocean Springs and had but James is already seeing there, clapping and cheer-
end with the Ramblers still Koehn’s, teammates un- kicked for the varsity foot- dividends from his efforts. ing Chaka on, then em-
playing, a CBS reporter derstood, too, even if it ball team since her sopho- He launched the “I Promise braced her after she took
leaned in: didn’t stop them from play- more year. Program” in Akron in 2011 her final strides.
“What did you give up for fully stealing hugs in prac- But her win in the pageant with a handful of commu- “I’d like to think,” Hills said,
Lent?” she asked. tice for the rest of Mounds wasn’t such a long shot, ei- nity-based events. Young “that if I had that day, there
Sister Jean smiled impishly. View’s tournament run. ther. Foster was a member men and women who took would be someone stand-
“Losing,” she said. WHAT TO GET THE GIRL WHO of the homecoming court part in those programs rou- ing on the track for me.”
A bobblehead was com- HAS EVERYTHING all four years. tinely approach him now to TRY TOPPING THIS, SANTA
missioned. The “Today” Winning either contest BACK TO SCHOOL boast about where they’re Raining teddy bears down
show came calling. After would have provided Kay- LeBron James struggled just going to college. from the stands got off to a
the Ramblers lost the semi- lee Foster with the memory to get to school as a kid. “Half the battle,” James modest start in a quiet cor-
final, she spent the next few of a lifetime. She had a He missed 82 days in fourth said, “is the kids just hav- ner of western Canada 25
months recuperating from good feeling about one, grade because his single ing someone that they are years ago.
hip surgery, celebrating but not the other. mother, Gloria, didn’t have like, ‘Oh, this guy believes in That’s when Kamloops Blaz-
a birthday and collecting “I was pretty sure I wasn’t a car or another way to get us.’” ers fans, asked to bring
awards. But she was back going to be homecoming him there. IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER stuffed animals to the
in her office by the start of queen,” the Ocean Springs So even though he makes Lineo Chaka of Lesotho game for a donation to
the new basketball season, senior recalled, “but I was his living in Los Angeles was an afterthought as run- local charities for kids, by-
updating scouting reports pretty sure I was going to these days, James made ners toed the line for the passed the collection box-
and tailoring pregame make that kick.” sure to be on hand and on women’s 10,000-meter fi- es and instead flung some
prayers. Foster notched both — time when the “I Promise nal at the Commonwealth 2,400 onto the ice after a
“When we came off the thanks to years of prepara- School” opened this year. Games last April in Austra- hometown goal.
court after the Michigan tion and one of the more And not just because he lia. The tradition grew mod-
loss, the players said to unusual costume changes was footing the bill. The 25-year-old had little estly in the years after that,
me, ‘Don’t worry Sister in sports. “I know the ups and experience at the dis- usually observed around
Jean, we’ll do it again next Moments after being downs,” James told the first tance, and it soon became Christmas and largely at
year,’” she recalled during crowned in a pregame class of third- and fourth- apparent she was strug- minor league hockey rinks
a recent interview, then ceremony, she handed off graders during the opening gling just to complete the across Canada and the
bowed her head, smiled her tiara and flower bou- ceremony. “I know every- race. For her last three laps, United States. There were
and sighed. quet, swapped her gown thing they dream about. Chaka had the oval to her- occasional, but limited,
‘I DIDN’T THINK, I JUST RAN and heels for a jersey and I know all the nightmares self. So the real surprise was sightings in the interven-
OVER THERE’ cleats and wondered if her they have because I’ve not that she crossed the fin- ing years in places as far-
Ty Koehn and Jack Kocon night could get any better. been there.” ish line five minutes behind flung as Sweden, Italy and
were buddies dating back Then, with game in over- The school, a partnership the winner, Uganda’s Stella Australia.q