Category: News
Danny Ruffin, who didn’t even play much in eighth grade, puts up big numbers for H-F. ‘Just means a lot to me.’
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Danny Ruffin has waited a long time for this opportunity.
The junior guard certainly isn’t alone as a guy who sat behind some great players on star-studded teams for the Vikings the past two seasons.
But Ruffin’s story goes deeper than that. He’s been working to get a chance since before high school.
“It’s been a minute since I got to play like this,” Ruffin said. “I really didn’t play much in eighth grade even. To go from sitting on the bench in eighth grade to starting on varsity, it just shows how much work I’ve put in and it just means a lot to me to get this opportunity.”
Ruffin took advantage of that chance Friday. He scored 14 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead H-F to a 60-43 win over host Bloom in the Chicago Heights Classic championship game.
Darrius Hawkins Jr. scored 13 points, while John Brown IV finished with eight points for the Vikings (3-0), who won the tournament for a third straight year. Ethan Jackson chipped in with seven points and Marvin Douglas contributed eight rebounds.
Homewood Flossmoor’s Danny Ruffin (5) drives to the basket as Bloom’s Keiwon Gulley (3) defends during the Chicago Heights Classic final at Bloom on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
Freshman guard Keiwon Gulley led Bloom (2-2) with 16 points. Xavier Martin finished with 10 points and six rebounds, with Javion Hatten grabbing nine rebounds.
Ruffin, meanwhile, became accustomed to watching from the sidelines. But he always wanted more.
“In eighth grade, we had a really good team and the coach played everybody who had a name back then, which wasn’t me,” Ruffin said. “He thought he knew everything that I’d be, but he was wrong.
“Now, I’m proving who I am.”
Homewood Flossmoor’s Danny Ruffin (5) pulls up as Bloom’s Xavier Martin (10) and Javion Matten (2) defend during the Chicago Heights Classic final at Bloom on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
Brandin Brown, who is in his first year as H-F’s coach, has been impressed by Ruffin from an on-court standpoint and beyond.
“We can talk about Danny the basketball player, but there’s more to it than that,” Brown said. “Him being a captain this year, having been around the team and the school, he’s truly a testament to who we are as a program.
“He didn’t get a chance to play a ton in middle school and he’s had to work really hard to get where he is now. To see the hard work start to pay off, I’m extremely happy for him.”
Ruffin was a consistent force Friday for the Vikings, scoring eight points in the first half and six in the second half. H-F outscored the Blazing Trojans 19-5 in the second quarter to take command, going up 36-18 at halftime.
Homewood Flossmoor’s Darrius Hawkins Jr. (4) pulls away from Bloom’s Keiwon Gulley during the Chicago Heights Classic final at Bloom on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
Hawkins also appreciates everything Ruffin does beyond scoring.
“He’s a dog,” Hawkins said of Ruffin. “It’s great sharing the backcourt with him. He’s going to do all the little things, playing defense and crashing the boards, and he’ll still get his buckets.
“I love playing with him. He’s a great energy guy.”
Ruffin split time last season between the junior varsity and varsity teams, playing only sparingly at the higher level. He learned a lot, both from working with last year’s team and from watching the 2023-24 Class 4A state champion Vikings as a freshman.
Homewood Flossmoor’s Danny Ruffin (5) takes a shot as Bloom’s Xavier Martin (10) and Javion Hatten (2) defend in the Chicago Heights Classic final at Bloom on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)
“Jayden Tyler, Ethan Howard, Arden Eaves, those guys were like my big brothers last year,” Ruffin said. “They really took me under their wing. They taught me certain stuff about how to play the game, how to be coachable, things like that.
“Two years ago, I watched that state championship game with some of my current teammates and I was like, ‘I want to be here one day.’ That’s my motivation.”
Through all the setbacks, Ruffin never lost belief in himself or thought about giving up on basketball.
“I knew I had it all the way through,” Ruffin said. “My parents and friends and the people around me, the people who are on this team with me now, they all had my back through that whole time.”
Israeli Forces Accused Of Executing Unarmed Palestinians After They Surrendered
Israeli Forces Accused Of Executing Unarmed Palestinians After They Surrendered
Members of the Israeli border police have been accused of executing two unarmed Palestinian men after they surrendered in the West Bank town of Jenin.
In the incident from Thursday caught on camera, two men can be seen emerging from a doorway of what appears to be a warehouse, lifting their shirts, before they were shot dead by the Israelis.
Two Palestinians were executed in Jenin after surrendering. None of the other soldiers flinched. Business as usual. The IDF rushed to announce an investigation, of course, it was caught on camera. pic.twitter.com/TrvaOfJQqV
— Breaking the Silence (@BtSIsrael) November 27, 2025
The IDF says that the incident is under “review” – but claims that the two men were terrorists who had attacked them earlier. After gathering their bodies, the IDF says that the men were identified as Mahmoud Qassem Abdallah, 26, and Youssef Asasa, 37, and were “wanted individuals who had carried out terror activities, including hurling explosives and firing at security forces.”
“The forces entered the area, enclosed the structure in which the suspects were located and initiated a surrender procedure that lasted several hours,” an IDF spokesman told the Telegraph. “Following the use of engineering tools on the structure, the two suspects exited.
“Following their exit, fire was directed toward the suspects. The incident is under review by the commanders on the ground and will be transferred to the relevant professional bodies.”
IDF chief of staff Gen Eyal Zamier has ordered an investigation into the incident, while a joint IDF and police statement claims that the pair were holed up in the building in an hours-long “surrender procedure.”
Meanwhile, IDF-operated Israeli Army Radio reported that the men were shot dead after disobeying instructions.
“When the terrorists came out, we began to carry out security checks on them,” the officers allegedly said. “We did not know if they were carrying weapons or explosives.
“We began instructing them what to do for their own safety but the terrorists acted contrary to the instructions they received. At a certain point, one of the terrorists decided to enter the building contrary to the instructions, and the second terrorist followed him, so both were shot.”
The Palestinian Authority has described the killings as a “deliberate Israeli war crime.”
“Israeli occupation forces executed two young Palestinians in Jenin in cold blood, even after they had turned themselves in,” a spokesman said. “An outright extrajudicial killing in blatant violation of international humanitarian law.“
Israel soldiers at the scene after the shooting. Credit…Mohamad Torokman/Reuters
Members of Israel’s own media have criticized the incident – with Haaretz correspondent Nir Hasson saying “There is no universe in which this is not murder.”
Haaretz itself cited an insider who said the officers opened fire after one of the Palestinians made an unexpected movement, which is clearly bullshit.
“One of them, while on the ground, tried to get up and made a suspicious movement and therefore the fighters decided to fire at him,” the source said.
Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir supported the police, saying “Lending full backing to the border police and IDF troops who shot at wanted terrorists who were coming out of a building in Jenin,” adding “The troops acted precisely as is expected of them – terrorists have to die.“
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 – 20:20
Wieners Circle promises free hot dogs after Ben Johnson rips off his shirt following Chicago Bears win
PHILADELPHIA — Get ready for more free hot dogs, Chicago. Ben Johnson delivered.
During his signature “Good, Better, Best” postgame celebration with his team in the locker room Friday, the Bears coach ripped off his shirt and flexed in front of everybody — much to the delight of the players cheering him on.
SHIRTLESS BEN JOHNSON @ChicagoBears @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/aX8BJZA9In
— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2025
It was an emphatic ending to an afternoon that sent a statement to the NFL: The Bears just might be for real.
The Bears beat the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 24-15 at Lincoln Financial Field to improve to 9-3, their best start since 2010.
After Johnson’s shirtless celebration, The Wieners Circle on the North Side said it once again will be giving out free hot dogs Tuesday.
In September, the popular hot dog stand on North Clark Street promised free hot dogs if quarterback Caleb Williams threw four touchdown passes in the Bears’ upcoming game against the Dallas Cowboys. Williams delivered with a four-touchdown performance and a win over the Cowboys.
The Wieners Circle stood by its commitment and handed out free hot dogs, with a line winding out the door and around the corner.
In the aftermath, The Wieners Circle put up another challenge on social media, stating that if Johnson took off his shirt during or after any Bears victory this year, it once again would mean free hot dogs for Chicago.
Johnson acknowledged more than a month ago that he was aware of The Wieners Circle’s proclamation.
“That’s been mentioned,” he said during a late October media session. “It’s a little disturbing. Why would we want to see that?”
A reporter followed up and asked if he wanted to feed the people of Chicago.
“I’m a man of the people,” Johnson said then. “So time will tell.”
Despite win after win in recent weeks — the Bears have won nine of their last 10 games — Johnson’s shirt remained stubbornly on during all postgame celebrations.
Until Friday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/chicago-bears-ben-johnson-wieners-circle/
Starbucks Workers’ Strike Expands To 83 Cities On Black Friday
Starbucks Workers’ Strike Expands To 83 Cities On Black Friday
Authored by Mary Prenon via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Black Friday shoppers looking forward to a pumpkin spice latte or caramel frappuccino break may be out of luck depending on where they live. A Nov. 28 Starbucks Workers United statement revealed that 2,500 Starbucks union baristas at 120 Starbucks in 85 U.S. cities joined the picket lines against the coffee superstar.
Known as the Red Cup Rebellion, the strike began on Nov. 13 and expanded on Nov. 20 to 65 cities.
Baristas are protesting more than 700 unresolved “unfair labor practice” (ULP) charges and are demanding a “fair first union contract.” This includes more than 200 ULP charges protesting the retaliatory firing of union baristas. In addition, the group claims Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is involved in “pervasive union busting.”
“It’s time for Brian Niccol and Starbucks executives to stop stalling and cut the excuses,” Michelle Eisen, Starbucks Workers United spokesperson and barista of 15 years, said in the statement. “We need real solutions that address our basic demands and the hundreds of labor law violations that remain outstanding. The ball is in their court.”
Cities where union stores have joined the ongoing and open-ended ULP strike include Los Angeles; New York City; Seattle; Memphis, Tennessee; Ann Arbor, Michigan; St. Louis; South Salt Lake, Utah; Richmond, Virginia; Dallas; Madison, Wisconsin; and many others.
The union’s three top demands are higher take-home pay, better hours, and a resolution of hundreds of outstanding ULP charges for alleged union busting, as stated in the union’s interested parties memo earlier this month.
The memo reports that the starting wage for an average barista is $15.25 in 33 states and that many are not receiving the full hours they request.
“The average barista doesn’t make a livable wage,” the memo states. “Between low wages and insufficient hours, too many baristas are barely getting by.”
The memo also notes that many Starbucks employees are forced to rely on the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid to make ends meet.
In addition, the memo claims that the average barista works less than 20 hours per week, which is below the cut-off for health benefits. As a result, the union contends, stores are often understaffed, leading to longer customer wait times.
The Epoch Times has reached out to Starbucks for comment.
Meanwhile, Eisen shared that the 11,000 Starbucks Workers United baristas across the country are prepared to continue to push for a contract and that they are backed by thousands of allies and supporters.
As of Nov. 28, the union reported that more than 125,000 people have signed the “No Contract, No Coffee” pledge to avoid buying Starbucks while baristas strike.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 – 19:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/starbucks-workers-strike-expands-83-cities-black-friday
Christmas tree lots in Chicago prepare for heavy snow and customers: ‘When it snows, they feel more Christmasy’
‘Tis the season for the possibility of heavy snow to hit Chicago this weekend — wintry weather that has prompted Christmas tree lots to protect their precious abundance of Frasers, Balsams, White Pines destined for living rooms.
“What do they call it? The calm before the storm?” John Tuttle said on a chilly, sunny Friday morning from a tree lot where he works outside St. Matthias School in Lincoln Square, knowing that he will have to cover up the trees before the day is out.
“We don’t like seeing the snow coming. But, you know, you’ve got to deal with it. It’s Mother Nature,” James Potocnik, of Poor Bob’s Tree Land in the Forest Glen community, said from his lot earlier in the morning. “We would rather have snow than rain. But we’d rather have warm weather.”
Forecasters are anticipating a winter storm to roll through the region starting late Friday. Snow was expected to fall heavily at times — up to an inch per hour, especially during the day Saturday.
With the storm will come a bout of cold, according to Zachary Yak, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago.
As the system, which was spinning around the northern Rocky Mountains Friday afternoon, heads east toward Chicago, it is poised to “pull a lot more colder air out of Canada,” Yak said. That cold air, Yak continued, is then expected to “kind of become locked across the Great Lakes and our neck of the woods here for most of the upcoming week.”
“Just with that pattern in place, we’re not going to have a lot of opportunities to break out of the cold,” he said.
The chill sets in Sunday, with temperatures possibly dipping into the single digits. For the start of December, the highs Monday and Tuesday are forecast in the low- to mid-20s. Daytime temperatures could rise slightly as the week goes on, but overnight temperatures are expected to hover around the single digits to teens, Yak said.
Saturday’s storm and the subsequent cold spell are in line with a typical winter season, Yak said. But because the past few winters have been fairly mild, Yak added, the coming days may feel snowier and colder by comparison.
On Friday, the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police issued a travel warning about the weather headed for much of the northern half of Illinois, urging the public to plan for worsening road conditions, including reduced visibility, slippery pavement and travel delays, beginning at night and lasting through the weekend.
Statewide, IDOT said it was preparing for 7 to 10 inches of snow in the Chicago area. Up to 15 inches of heavy, wet snow was expected in northwest Illinois, including the Quad Cities and Rockford, and as much as a foot in the Macomb, Peoria and Lasalle-Peru areas.
“While we are prepared and ready to devote all of our resources to the latest winter weather event, this weekend’s storm will hit when millions of people are returning home from the holiday,” IDOT Secretary Gia Biagi said in a statement. “Please make a plan to keep you and your loved ones safe, including adjusting travel so you are not on the roads when conditions are at their worst.”
At Poor Bob’s Friday, an employee used a chain saw to remove tree stumps as customers trickled into the lot which sits near a Lutheran church.
Potocnik explained how he or others working at the lot planned on using tarps to cover any trees that are already laid down as the day progresses, in addition to cleaning up around the lot to make sure there are no branches or pieces of stump lying around.
Kevin Field helps George and Sarah Yates secure their tree at the tree lot outside St. Matthias School in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago on Nov. 28, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
They also pile trees on top of each other, he said. There could be five, 10 or 20 of them with snow while the others underneath are in good shape, he said. In that situation, the trees impacted by snow would be set aside for a time while the sun melts it, he said.
“We’ll cover everything up that we can. Tarps are cheap,” said Potocnik.
He said their trees can go for as little as $60 but as much as a couple hundred, underscoring the importance of protecting them during inclement weather.
“We’re just trying to keep our trees looking good. And, you know, not damaging them. There’s been snowstorms down here. I remember, oh, probably seven, eight years ago we had one where, I mean, I came out and all the trees are flipped over and branches are broken and it’s one of those things,” said Potocnik, who has worked at the lot for about a decade. “I mean, it’s not a cheap investment we’ve got sitting here.”
While the snow at times might be a source of frustration for Potocnik, he said it could still be good for business since customers seem happy with it.
“Everyone seems to get the little Christmas cheer going on,” he said.
Christy Webber Farm & Garden in Humboldt Park had a bustling Black Friday, but store manager Marina Post didn’t think the rush was necessarily because of the weather.
“I don’t know if it’s been busy because of the storm or if people are just jonesing to get their trees,” Post said.
The Wicker Park resident, who’s worked at Christy Webber Farm for more than a decade, said people have been especially eager for the holidays this year.
“Everyone wants a tree … (and) they want bigger and bigger trees,” Post said. “I think they just want joy now. People just want to find, maybe, some old-fashioned comfort from the season.”
John Tuttle has been running the tree sale at St. Matthias School in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago for 17 years, Nov. 28, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
Post welcomed the business before the storm sets in but as far as preparing the lot for the spurt of snow, she said they’ll wait to see what the weekend brings. If conditions are cold and wet, they might tarp their trees but if it’s primarily snow, they’ll just shake off the flurries.
At the St. Matthias lot, John Tuttle said with potential customers too busy watching the Bears game, business could slow down. But not on a snow day with nothing else going on.
“Actually when it snows, they feel more Christmasy,” Tuttle said. “They feel like they’re out in the woods cutting a tree down.”
But he said he’s used tarps for precautionary measures over the years. Without it, he said, “we learned the hard way,” one year, having to dig out the trees. He also warned how trees could get frozen together depending on the temperature.
“One year we had, somebody came through with a snowblower and thought they were helping us and blew the snow on all the trees,” Tuttle recalled.
Over the weekend, he said, he or other workers plan to shovel or get one of their friends to bring in a snowplow, if necessary. Tuttle also has a fire pit to try to keep warm when temperatures drop.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/christmas-tree-lots-chicago-snow-weather/
Christkindlmarket vendors ‘hopeful’ for resolution over new Daley Center capacity limit
When city officials put a 1,553-person capacity limit last week on people entering Daley Plaza’s 29th annual Christkindlmarket, vendors like Wolfgang Poennighaus say it put their chances of returning to the beloved holiday season event next year at risk.
With the new limit comes long lines, like the one that wrapped around the Daley Center on Friday. Vendors like Poennighaus — who has served up gourmet pretzels for 22 years — fear that long lines and the arrival of cold weather could lead some patrons to leave before they get in.
“These regulations will make our survival very difficult, if not impossible,” Poennighaus told reporters during a news conference that operators for the German-themed food event held Friday afternoon, addressing the lines and their efforts to reach a resolution with city officials.
Mark Tomkins, the president and CEO of the German American Chamber of Commerce in the Midwest, said he was told the reason for the limitation is the municipal code, but added that neither the layout of the Christkindlmarket nor the municipal code has changed, though the interpretation of the code has.
He is working to figure out why it hasn’t changed in previous years.
The only capacity the Christkindlmarket has had was during the coronavirus pandemic, Tomkins said, when it was set at 3,494 people, over double the current limit. In other years, the event has managed to hold over 4,000 people at a time, he said.
Dana Keiner takes a group picture while visiting the Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza in Chicago on Nov. 22, 2025. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Tomkins said he and city officials are in talks, and that the conversation they’d had Friday morning was positive.
“I’m hopeful we’ll get to a great resolution here going forward,” Tomkins said.
Poennighaus, who spoke for vendors at the news conference, said he’s heard the new restriction has cut other vendors’ sales by up to 40%. Due to tariff increases, Poennighaus said investments have gone up significantly.
Preparing for Christkindlmarket takes months, and orders are placed based on previous years. With the lack of customers, vendors like Poennighaus and others may not be able to pay back suppliers and other companies, while also facing the need to fire employees.
Sabine Korger has traveled from Germany to Chicago for 17 years to be a vendor, now faces the risk of this being her last year of being able to do so. She waits to serve people, but is unable to, reducing her sales by more than 40%, she said.
“Because of this, our Chicago workers lose their hours, they lose their income,” Korger said. “They told me they don’t know how they will pay their rent or buy Christmas gifts for their children. These conversations break my heart.”
Korger is asking for a safe and balanced solution that allows visitors to enter.
Hundreds of people waited to enter Christkindlmarket on Friday afternoon. At the front of the entrance, two lines of visitors waited. Once the entrance gates were unlocked, large numbers of people streamed inside, seemingly without being counted.
An ornament is handed from vendor to customer in the Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza in Chicago on Nov. 22, 2025. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Visiting Chicago and the Christkindlmarket from Florida, Jakob Stevens, 20, and his family started a stopwatch to see how long they’d wait in line. After waiting more than 52 minutes, they hadn’t been able to enter.
“(My family) said last year the line went by super-duper fast or there was really no line, but now there was a long line, so that sort of sucks,” Stevens said. Still in high hopes, Stevens didn’t mind the cold and was mostly excited to be in the city.
Horace Douglas, 36, who came from Michigan City, Indiana, for Christkindlmarket, waited more than 35 minutes before he was able to enter, much to his annoyance.
Alex Naylor and Owen Dullum said they waited more than 45 minutes in line before entering the market. The line moved steadily off and on, so they weren’t able to tell when they were going to be able to enter.
Christkindlmarket runs through Dec. 24, and has other locations in Aurora and Wrigleyville.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/christkindlmarket-vendors-daley-center-capacity-limit/
Trump administration to halt all asylum decisions in wake of National Guard shooting
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced Friday it is halting all asylum decisions in the wake of the National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C.
The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said in a post on the social platform X that this will be paused “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24 were hospitalized in critical condition after the Wednesday afternoon shooting near the White House. Trump announced Thursday evening that Beckstrom had died.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/trump-administration-halts-asylum-decisions/
Aeronáutica Civil de Colombia pide inmovilización temporal de aviones A320 por alerta de fabricante
Associated Press
BOGOTÁ (AP) — Aeronáutica Civil de Colombia dispuso el viernes la inmovilización de las aeronaves A320 tras una notificación global del fabricante mundial Airbus sobre una actualización “urgente de software” para una gran parte de esa flota de aviones.
En un comunicado la entidad informó que la medida es de carácter “preventiva y obligatoria”, por lo que, desde el sábado 29 de noviembre, a las 19.00 (2400 GMT), las aeronaves involucradas “deberán permanecer inmovilizadas en sus bases de mantenimiento”, mientras se completan los trabajos técnicos requeridos por el fabricante. No se indicó de inmediato el número de aeronaves que abarcará la medida.
Indicó que supervisará el cumplimiento “riguroso y expedito” de las modificaciones solicitadas por Airbus, con las que se busca precautelar “la seguridad de los pasajeros y de la aviación”.
Horas antes la aerolínea Avianca comunicó modificaciones en sus vuelos y la suspensión de venta de boletos. Señaló que la medida afecta al 70% de su flota por lo que “inevitablemente se presentarán disrupciones significativas en las operaciones durante los próximos 10 días”.
El cierre anticipado de venta de boletos aéreos hasta el 8 de diciembre tiene como fin de “reacomodar a los pasajeres en vuelos disponibles”, agregó la empresa.
Aeronáutica Civil también dijo que se implementarán las acciones necesarias para una pronta reanudación de operaciones para lo cual trabaja en conjunto con Avianca y otras aerolíneas que no especificó.
La Superintendencia de Transporte dispuso el acompañamiento a los pasajeros para que puedan adoptar decisiones “con claridad y tranquilidad” frente a la modificación de sus planes de viaje.
Quiet and unassuming, two-time state champion Angelina Gochis keeps going for Kaneland. ‘Could do anything.’
Kaneland junior Angelina Gochis never allows the past to interfere with her present state of mind.
Despite a remarkable performance her first two years, the 120-pound wrestler isn’t taking anything for granted. Not even after winning back-to-back state championships.
“I still get nervous before every match,” Gochis said. “But then I just think about my motivation and hard work I’ve put in. If I’m doing all of this stuff and putting in time, I always want to do well.”
And that desire hasn’t changed.
Gochis captured her second straight individual state title with a win by technical fall over Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth in the 110-pound championship match last season.
Finishing with a 37-0 record against girls, Gochis also led the Knights to the first state trophy in program history with a third-place finish. She also went 9-2 wrestling against boys.
Two-time state champion Angelina Gochis works over Kaneland coach Josh West during practice in Maple Park on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon News)
The wiry, dynamic Gochis is 93-7 in her first two seasons, with only one loss against another girl. According to junior 190-pounders Sadie Kinsella, Gochis’ execution goes beyond the norm.
“What makes Angelina elite is her amazing wrestling IQ,” Kinsella said. “It’s her ability to not only plan what she’s going to do but what her opponent is going to do.
“Off the mat, she’s outgoing and uplifting to everyone — an amazing friend and teammate.”
Praise, however, isn’t something Gochis easily accepts.
Two-time state champion Angelina Gochis and Kaneland coach Josh West review a recording of a match in Maple Park on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon News)
“She’s very humble,” Kaneland coach Josh West said. “She doesn’t like to talk about herself. She likes to have the wrestling do the talking for her.”
Wrestling is the family passion, and Gochis has ascended to the top of the hierarchy. Her father, Chris, was her earliest coach and mentor. Her oldest brother, Alexander, is a freshman wrestler at Aurora University.
Her older brother, Apollo, is a senior and the top-rated wrestler at 190 pounds for Kaneland.
“My brothers have always been big supporters,” she said. “I was probably about 8 years old when I started going to their practices and watching.
Two-time state champion Angelina Gochis, right, works against Kaneland coach Josh West during practice in Maple Park on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon News)
“I started wrestling on my own and I just fell in love right away. I felt like it was a good thing.”
From the start, Angelina revealed poise along with toughness and technical skill. Her strength and power are formidable, plus she has great balance and footwork.
“I stick to what I’m good at and everything tends to work out fine,” she said. “I think I’m definitely better at controlling the match. With all the training I put in, I shouldn’t be losing to anybody.”
Her confidence and authority are demonstrated physically instead of vocally.
“She likes competing and she likes winning,” West said of Gochis. “I think a lot of this has been ingrained with her, with her father. She picks my brain and asks me about different situations.
“I also see the more personal side to her. You have to get her out of her comfort zone.”
Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis, right, holds onto the leg of Huntley’s Janiah Slaughter in the 105-pound final of the girls wrestling state meet in Bloomington on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / The Beacon-News)
According to West, Gochis is a naturally balanced elite athlete who stays on top of her grades and goes out of her way to offer advice and encouragement to the other wrestlers on the team.
Her accomplishments also aren’t limited to the local or state level. In August, she finished seventh in freestyle at a prestigious national tournament in Fargo, North Dakota.
“When I win, that’s always a big thrill,” Gochis said. “What I love the most are just all the family support every time I go out.”
And following her brother’s path, she’s pursuing wrestling opportunities at the college level.
“Every season is a chance to show my growth,” Angelina said. “I think I’ve gotten a lot better and more technical. I feel like I could do anything.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/angelina-gochis-kaneland-ihsa-girls-wrestling/
El ataque terrestre dominante de los Bears lidera su 5ta victoria consecutiva, 24-15 sobre Eagles
Por DAN GELSTON
FILADELFIA (AP) — Kyle Monangai corrió para 130 yardas y un touchdown, D’Andre Swift añadió 125 yardas por la misma vía y otra anotación, y los Bears de Chicago terminaron con 281 yardas por tierra para ganar su quinto partido consecutivo al superar 24-15 a los tambaleantes Eagles de Filadelfia el viernes por la noche.
Liderados por el entrenador novato Ben Johnson, los sorprendentes Bears (9-3) están solos en el primer lugar del Norte de la Conferencia Nacional de cara a un enfrentamiento el 7 de diciembre en Green Bay.
La temporada pasada, la derrota de los Bears en el Día de Acción de Gracias en Detroit llevó al despido del entrenador Matt Eberflus y fue su sexto revés consecutivo de lo que se convirtió en una racha de diez descalabros. Un año después, los Bears dominaron la línea defensiva de Filadelfia para una victoria relativamente fácil en la casa de los campeones del Super Bowl.
Los Eagles (8-4) aparentemente tenían la NFC Este asegurada hace dos semanas, solo para sufrir derrotas consecutivas que los hacen parecer poco como un contendiente al Super Bowl. Quizás aún sintiendo el golpe de convertir una ventaja de 21-0 en Dallas el domingo en una derrota de 24-21, la ofensiva de los Eagles mostró pocos signos de salir de su mal momento. Los frustrados fanáticos de Filadelfia pasaron el juego abucheando y pidiendo que el equipo despidiera al coordinador ofensivo Kevin Patullo.
La temporada de los Eagles ha dado tal giro que incluso el querido “tush push” los condenó en este partido.
Con los Eagles perdiendo 10-9 al final del tercer cuarto, Jalen Hurts perdió el balón en el “tush push” en lo profundo del territorio de Chicago y los Bears lo recuperaron.
Los Bears, que tienen un talento para ganar partidos por un margen estrecho, convirtieron el balón perdido en la jugada del día. Monangai realizó una carrera de 31 yardas en la primera jugada y Caleb Williams, quien completó 17 de 36 para 154 yardas y un touchdown, completó un pase de siete yardas a Colston Loveland en cuarta oportunidad que extendió la serie.
Monangai corrió para un touchdown de cuatro yardas que puso el marcador 17-9 al inicio del cuarto, y Williams añadió el puntaje de seguridad con un pase de touchdown de 28 yardas a Cole Kmet para una ventaja de 24-9.
Los fanáticos que habían estado coreando “¡Despidan a Kevin!” comenzaron a dirigirse hacia las salidas, y los Eagles enfrentarán aún más preguntas sobre el lamentable estado de su ofensiva.
Jalen Hurts de Filadelfia lanzó para 230 yardas y un par de touchdowns al receptor descontento A.J. Brown, quien tuvo diez recepciones para 132 yardas. Saquon Barkley no pudo liberarse contra una de las peores defensivas contra la carrera en la NFL y terminó con 56 yardas por tierra.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
