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!

Leo Alumni and Friends: How To Get to the Football 1-A Semi-Finals at Lena-Winslow HS! Practice and Win a Bunch of Games

It's a two and half hour drive; bring some snacks.

Here are some directions from the South Side, using Leo High School as a starting point, to Lena-Winslow HS for Saturday's IHSA Football SemiFinals.

Here is Google Map:

Driving directions to Lena-Winslow School District

This route has tolls.

7901 S Sangamon St Chicago, IL 60620

	1. Head north on S Sangamon St toward W 79th St
		79 ft
	2. Take the 1st right onto W 79th St
		1.2 mi
	3. Turn left onto S State St
		207 ft
	4. Slight left onto the Interstate 94 W ramp
		0.2 mi
	5. Keep left at the fork and merge onto I-94 W
		1.6 mi
	6. Merge onto I-90 W/I-94 W
		15.6 mi
	7. Keep left to stay on I-90 W, follow signs for Interstate 90 W/Kennedy Expressway/O'Hare/Rockford Partial toll road
		67.0 mi
	8. Take the Interstate 39 S/U.S. 51 S exit toward Rockford/U.S. 20
		0.5 mi
	9. Merge onto I-39 S/US-51 S
		2.7 mi
	10. Continue onto Hwy 20 W/US-20 W
		46.3 mi
	11. Turn right onto W Galena Rd
		1.5 mi
	12. Continue onto E Lena St
		0.3 mi
	13. Turn right onto Fremont St Destination will be on the right
		410 ft

Lena-Winslow School District 401 Fremont St Lena, IL 61048 Here's Directions from Morgan Park, over by 107th & Rockwell what's my house.- Driving directions to Lena-Winslow School District This route has tolls. 107$% S Rockwell St Chicago, IL 60655 1. Head south on S Rockwell St toward W 108th St 0.4 mi 2. Turn right onto W 111th St 2.8 mi 3. Turn left onto S Cicero Ave 1.7 mi 4. Merge onto I-294 N via the ramp to W Suburbs Toll road 18.7 mi 5. Take the Interstate 290 W exit towardRockford/U.S. 20/Illinois 64 Partial toll road 1.4 mi 6. Merge onto I-290 W 14.5 mi 7. Take the I-90/IL-62 exit toward Algonquin Rd/IL-53 N 0.6 mi 8. Keep left at the fork, follow signs forIllinois 62/Algonquin Rd/Interstate 90 W/Rockford 0.4 mi 9. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for I-90 W/Rockford Partial toll road 0.5 mi 10. Keep left at the fork and merge onto I-90 W Toll road 50.4 mi 11. Take the Interstate 39 S/U.S. 51 S exit toward Rockford/U.S. 20 0.5 mi 12. Merge onto I-39 S/US-51 S 2.7 mi 13. Continue onto Hwy 20 W/US-20 W 46.3 mi 14. Turn right onto W Galena Rd 1.5 mi 15. Continue onto E Lena St 0.3 mi 16. Turn right onto Fremont St Destination will be on the right 410 ft Lena-Winslow School District 401 Fremont St Lena, IL 61048 Save to My Maps

Here's What Jack Farnan '63 has to say about avoiding construction.

" . . .  been thru Lena several times on way to Galena....

taking I-90 with the construction can get you stuck on the road for an hour if there is an accident.

It is better to take I-88 to I-39 and then the US 20 Bypass around Rockford and US 20 Bypass around Freeport

Also if you check the aerial photo of their stadium using the IHSA bracket link you’ll see there are very few seats out there."

N.B. Remember -Behave on the sidelines !  Leo is already playing the Lena Panthers, the clock and the Referees.