Showing posts with label 2013 Leo Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2013 Leo Football. Show all posts

Monday, November 25, 2013

The Value of a Season within a Lifetime - Leo Alumni President Rich Furlong '59

Photo: T. Hopkins is the Allstate Insurance/Comcast Sports Athlete of the Week.  Congrats!

Chicago Catholic League Tony Lawless recipient Theodore Hopkins, Jr. and his mother with Coach Mike Holmes. 

Perspective requires focus.  A scoreboard tells the score and only sometimes the story.  Leo High School lost a football  to a great team on Saturday. In fact Leo lost to two other great teams this past season -Mount Carmel and Bishop Mac.  Leo also defeated 10 great teams, especially the last three it faced in the IHSA Class 1-A playoffs.

Saturday's loss to Lena-Winslow was tough.  Tough is what being a Leo Man is all about.  A tough man can take it.

Here are some words from a very tough man - Rich Furlong Leo Alumni President Emeritus and Class of 1959. This is perspective.

Leo A True Winner:I didn't need the newspaper to tell me on Sunday morning that the Leo Lions had lost a football game in the state semifinals. I had witnessed the game in almost sub human weather conditions the day before in Lena Illinois. Lena was the better team on this day and deserved to win the game and for that I congratulate them and wish them the very best in the state finals. However make no mistake about it the Leo Lions are winners. 
Leo Wins, every May when it graduates 100% of it's seniors as it has done for over the last half dozen years.Leo Wins, at the end of it's school year when 93% of it's students proceed on to college or the trade school of their choice.Leo Wins, when men such as Bob Foster and Dan McGrath never forgot where they came from and come back to take on the monumental task of running a school with a legendary history but dwindling enrollment.Leo Wins, when it is determined that ACT scores among Leo seniors are nearly two points higher on an average than the senior averages at CPS top 10 charter schools.Leo Wins, when it's football team with far poorer facilities races thru the football playoffs and reaches the state semi finals against schools with superior facilities. Leo Wins when it's track team which must practice in the hallways wins 8 state track championships again over schools with beautiful outdoor track facilities. Leo Wins when it's basketball team wins one state title and on quarter final finish while playing on a sub sized third floor gymnasium then having to branch out into full size arena's in the playoffs. Leo Wins when every year over 600 graduates turn out for the annual banquet. Every year there are men from over 7 decades at those functions all remembering and reliving their great Leo memories.Leo Wins when it turns out over 260 golfers for their outing arguably one of the biggest in the Chicago land area.
Leo Wins when it was recently learned that the school was in need of buses to bring students into the school. That problem was solved with the initiative of one caring and generous alum and hundreds and hundreds of others who kicked in enough to buy two buses.
Leo Wins, when young men from the track team are invited to the golf outing to sell Leo memorabilia and the spirit fostered amongst these young men and the older, 50,60 and 70 and 80 years old alums is priceless.
Leo Wins every time someone walks into the school and a young student walks up to them and politely extends a hand exchanges a firm handshake, introduces themselves and asks how they can help them.
Leo Wins when times such as yesterday when almost 40 Leo Men took a charter bus and went the 150 plus miles to support the football team. Nothing unusual about that  except half of the men were white and half of the men were African American . The friend ship shared on that bus is unmatched. Leo men do not see black and white Leo men only see Black and Orange.
So in conclusion Leo is a winner , always was , always will be.
I Love Leo High School
Rich Furlong '59 

Friday, November 22, 2013

A Letter to the Leo Lions as They Strive Toward the Football Finals



Leo Men are a special breed. They live and breathe Courage and Commitment/Deeds Not Words.  They are always present, living and deceased; in the neighborhood, or around the globe.  Tomorrow the young Lions will face the Panthers of Lena-Winslow up at the top of the State of Illinois.  It will be fierce cold.

Warming the air will be hundreds of Leo Alums arriving in car caravans, or on the chartered buses leaving from St. Xavier University in Mount Greenwood at 10AM.  These brawny stalwarts packed the stands at each step the Lions' paws scratched toward the IHSA Class 1-A Football Championship.

At a crowded Father Perez Knights of Columbus Hall on Wednesday Night, Alumni Pres. Dan Stecich and the Alumni planned Saturday's trip up-state and to State.

This morning, I found an e-mail sent to President Stecich from a 1960 Leo Grad and West Point graduate.  Read this

From: Roger
Date: November 21, 2013 2:41:19 PM CST
To: Alumni President Dan Stecich
Subject: The LEO Game

I am writing from Richmond, Virginia and I wish that I lived close enough to join with you and other grads.  I would certainly be at the game.  If and when you have the chance, please tell the team and coaches just how proud I am of these LEO men.

In 1962, while a plebe at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, I sat a few yards from General Douglas MacArthur as he gave a speech about "Duty, Honor and Country."  On an earlier occasion, the General had written "Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that upon other fields on other days will bear the fruits of victory."  As with Leo men before them, the young men on this team will move on to careers and families with the strength of character formed with a Leo education and as strengthened on the playing fields.  

Good luck to them in the game and in life.

Roger W. Frydrychowski, Esq.
Leo Class of 1960
Richmond, Virginia

Facta Non Verba!  Go Lions!

Monday, October 07, 2013

The Soul Bowl is Leo's! Varsity 28-21 Over the Very Tough Spartans of Hales Franciscan



I guess # 3 Theo Hopkins and #5 Riley McClendan are somewhat pleased by the Leo Varsity victory Saturday - # 11 Daniel Scott*& is too overcome with joy and manly pride to join this dance of victory - Daniel has his mind on Gordon Tech. Great Coverage by CUBE, Chicago;s prep sports go-to guys.



A lackluster 1st half for the Lions was sparked bright-eyed and bushy tailed by # 22 Mike Conley just before the half.




Then, Coach Mike Holmes and staff rallied the Lion's roar for a defensive seminar on team - witness Mr. Terron Bell # 59



And another inception by multi- IHSA track & field Champion Theodore Hopkins, Jr. # 3.




This was a fine day - weather not withstanding.

The Soul Bowl is in the main office of Leo High School - all Alumni share in this honor.

Leo Varsity Football stands at 6-0 with Gordon Tech coming up.

*


Leo High School Football
Mascot Lions Team Varsity 13-14 Colors Orange, Black
Coach Michael Holmes Address 7901 S Sangamon St, Chicago, IL 60620
Overall 6-0 Conference 3-0 National Rank 3008State (IL) Rank 103
League Chicago Catholic - Red
(C) = Captain
Click column headers to sort the data
# Name Pos. Gr. Ht Wt
2 James Davis III WR, DB Sr. 5-9 175
3 Theodore Hopkins Jr. (C) RB, DB Sr. 5-10 185
4 Saheed Adewole WR, OLB Jr. 6-1 205
5 Riley McClendon-Gray (C) DB, WR, KR Sr. 5-11 185
7 Latrell Giles QB Jr. 6-1 175
9 Nnequez Bennett DB, WR Sr. 6-1 180
11 Daniel Scott LB, WR Sr. 6-3 190
16 Mallik Prince RB, QB, DB Sr. 5-9 175
22 Michael Conley RB, ILB Sr. 6-0 215
23 Marquis Williams RB, ILB Jr. 5-7 200
25 Zuriel Cook S, WR Jr. 5-7 165
28 Darius Williams DB, WR Jr. 5-10 165
40 Joe Shorter RB, DB Jr. 5-10 180
44 Caleb Carter LB, DE Sr. 5-10 210
50 Anthony Anderson OL, DL, K Sr. 6-1 245
54 Juvan Lewis OL, DL Sr. 6-2 270
58 Jabari Jackson OL, DL Jr. 6-0 230
59 Terron Bell OL, DL Jr. 5-7 260
64 Clifton Thurman OL, DL Jr. 6-0 260
69 Durman Jackson III DL, OL Sr. 5-11 295
70 Christopher Livingston OL, DL Jr. 6-0 260
72 Les Wiggins OL, DL Sr. 6-3 265
75 Raheem Williams OL, DL Jr. 6-4 380
82 Solomon Jones WR, K, DB Sr. 6-2 195
83 Sydney Dorsey WR, DB Sr. 6-0 175
88 James Britton Jr. DE, TE Jr. 6-3 240

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Treat Yourself to Football with the Chicago Leo Lions -Saturday 1PM at the Kroc Center

Tired of Syria?
Springfield Mansion Rehabs?
Divvy Bikes?
Bike Riding Terrorists ?
Parking Meter Maids?
Twerking Hillbilliies?
 Photo
Leo Lions ( from the left) James Davis Javon Lewis and Mike Connolly share that kind of quiet moment that sensitive men know all too well -' I'd surely enjoy to hit some one.'

Enjoy a Saturday of Leo Football as the undefeated Lions of Leo High School face Lake Forest Academy at the our beautiful new home field - The Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center: - JV starts at 9:30 AM.
I am hitting both games. The Kroc Center is a wonderful facility staffed by great folks.

Football season is upon us. Come out to the Kroc Stadium and enjoy high school football action. The fast pace, hard hitting St.(sic) Leo High School* football team will host their home games.
The Kroc Stadium 
Football season is upon us. Come out to the Kroc Stadium and enjoy high school football action. The fast pace, hard hitting St. Leo High School football team will host their home games.
The Kroc Stadium
Game entry free for ages 10 and younger
$3 for ages 11 - 18 *high school students must have high school ID for this price.
$5 for ages 18 and older
Friday, August 30th at 7:30pm: St. Ignatius
Friday, September 6th at 7:30pm: St. Joseph 
Saturday, September 14th at 1:00pm: Lake Forest Academy 
Thursday, September 19th at 7:30pm: St. Francis De Sales
Friday, October 18th at 7:30pm: Bishop Mac
Game entry free for ages 10 and younger
$3 for ages 11 - 18 *high school students must have high school ID for this price.
$5 for ages 18 and older
Friday, August 30th at 7:30pm: St. Ignatius
Friday, September 6th at 7:30pm: St. Joseph
Saturday, September 14th at 1:00pm: Lake Forest Academy
Thursday, September 19th at 7:30pm: St. Francis De Sales
Friday, October 18th at 7:30pm: Bishop Mac
* A common mistake - Leo High School was named for Pope Leo XIII who has yet to be canonized.  The school building once housed over-flow for St.Leo Parish (now closed) and still features the Chapel of St. Leo portal  on the Sangamon St. side entrance of the building