Athlete of the Month: Marist Wide Receiver Courageous After Death of Brother

Marist junior football wide receiver Nic Weishar inspired his teammates and coaches with his performance against Benet Academy. His older brother pushed him to new heights before losing his battle to cancer.

Nic Weishar watched his older brother muster all of his strength and summon all of  his courage during his battle with cancer. He showed the same kind of strength and courage when he put on his uniform and played in Marist’s football game against Benet Academy less than 24 hours after his death. “I thought about it with my family,” Weishar said. “I knew my brother would definitely want me to play. I think he’d get pretty mad at me if I didn’t play. He was my biggest fan—and also my biggest critic, I’d say. “When I’d come home from games, he was always telling me what I did wrong and what to improve on as well. Yeah, he was looking out for me.” Andrew Weishar, 21, died of colorectal cancer at about 1:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 12. He was a two…

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UPDATE: Marist's Nic Weishar is Patch MVP

Marist football standout Nic Weishar outpolled nine others in voting for the Southland's Patch MVP, Oct. 8-14. He is now eligible for Patch Athlete of the Month honors.

Your Patch is a place to celebrate local high school athletes. Show your support for these prep sports MVPs—each of whom is Athlete of the Week in his or her local Patch—by cheering them on in the comments thread, sharing your own photos with the Patch community and voting in the poll. Do you think we're missing someone? Tell us in the comments and share his or her photo to the gallery above. (It's easy. Just click the Upload Photos and Videos link — learn more here.) Read more about this week's MVPs in the photo gallery, and show your support for them by: There is one more way for you to become a more interactive fan: Sign up to become a Patch sports blogger. (Learn more about blogging on Patch here).

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UPDATE: Oak Lawn's Becky Bradshaw is Patch MVP

Oak Lawn's Becky Bradshaw came up big for the Spartans at the Tinley Park tournament. And she also came up big in voting for Patch's MVP, Sept. 24-30. Bradshaw is now eligible for Patch Athlete of the Month honors.

Your Patch is a place to celebrate local high school athletes. Show your support for these prep sports MVPs—each of whom is Athlete of the Week in his or her local Patch—by cheering them on in the comments thread, sharing your own photos with the Patch community and voting in the poll. Do you think we're missing someone? Tell us in the comments and share his or her photo to the gallery above. (It's easy. Just click the Upload Photos and Videos link — learn more here.) Read more about this week's MVPs in the photo gallery, and show your support for them by: There is one more way for you to become a more interactive fan: Sign up to become a Patch sports blogger. (Learn more about blogging on Patch here).

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UPDATE: Oak Lawn's Rachel Kestian is Patch MVP.

Oak Lawn's Rachel Kestian was distributing the wealth in the Spartans' straight-sets victory over Hillcrest. She outpolled 11 others in fan balloting for Patch MVP, Aug. 26-Sept. 1. Kestian is now eligible for Patch Athlete of the Month honors.

Your Patch is a place to celebrate local high school athletes. Show your support for these prep sports MVPs—each of whom is Athlete of the Week in his or her local Patch—by cheering them on in the comments thread, sharing your own photos with the Patch community and voting in the poll. Do you think we're missing someone? Tell us in the comments and share his or her photo to the gallery above. (It's easy. Just click the Upload Photos and Videos link — learn more here.) Read more about this week's MVPs in the photo gallery, and show your support for them by: There is one more way for you to become a more interactive fan: Sign up to become a Patch sports blogger. (Learn more about blogging on Patch here).

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Carrie Underwood

9:49 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012

@david It's called opinion. It's what one does on these boards, you little control freak. Nowhere was there a gender-superiority connotation.   more ›

Football: Marist Beats Brother Rice for First Time Since 2001

Marist 49, Brother Rice 35: The Redhawks grabbed a 42-7 lead and hung on in a South Side Shootout despite Crusader quarterback Matt Page throwing for 416 yards.

Breaking It Down: It was going to be difficult for this game to match the twist and turns that last year’s 34-31 Brother Rice overtime win at Marist, but the RedHawks enjoyed domination for the first three quarters, grabbing a 42-7 lead with 1:37 left in the third and held on to win 49-35 on Friday night. The RedHawks’ first three touchdowns came on special teams (Jimmy Smith’s blocked punt recovery in the end zone), offense (Peter Andreotti’s 5-yard run) and defense (linebacker Mike Layer’s fumble recovery). It was Marist’s first win over brother Rice since 2001 (the two teams did not play from 2003-05 and 2008-10). There were 94 passes thrown, including 52 in the first half. Patch’s MVP: Peter Andreotti, Marist. Although the passing game…

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Glory Days

Marist Principal Larry Tucker Enjoying Success of Athletic Program

What is he doing now? Working at his alma mater has been rewarding for former Marist basketball standout Larry Tucker.

When Marist principal Larry Tucker witnesses the success the athletic program has had in recent seasons, he admits to being a little jealous. Marist’s girls volleyball team reached the state quarterfinals for the first time in November, while the boys and girls basketball teams are currently area-ranked, the boys volleyball team captured the state championship during the 2009-2010 season and the football team finished as state runners-up in 2010. “We didn’t get to go down state when I was in high school,” said Tucker, who was a star basketball player at Marist. “I always envy those kids.” Tucker has been Marist’s principal since 1998. Returning to his alma mater was a dream-come true for the 1979 graduate, who had basketball coaching …

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L-W West's Dangles Voted Patch Athlete of the Week

Lincoln-Way West junior running back Nick Dangles carried the load for the Warriors in a 28-20 football victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais. His fans carried the load for him in voting for Patch's Athlete of the Week.

If there was ever a doubt about the strength of the relationship between Lincoln-Way West junior running back Nick Dangles and the big boys throwing blocks for him in the trenches, then offensive lineman Jake Benson’s comments should put that notion to bed. “He’s been our workhorse all season, and once again he carried us,” Benson said after Dangles rushed for 148 yards and scored two touchdowns in Lincoln-Way West’s 28-20 football victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais. Dangles scored on runs of 3 and 75 yards before exiting in the fourth quarter with an injury. His performance helped the Warriors (7-2, 6-1) wrap up a share of the Southwest Suburban Red Conference championship in their regular-season finale. He is honored today as the Patch …

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Your Turn: Vote for Patch Athlete of the Week

Please helps us choose our Southland Patch Athlete of the Week, Oct. 17-24. The contenders: Dan Caddigan, Brother Rice; Nick Dangles, L-W West; Alec Melone, Sandburg; Adesuwa Osabuohein, Homewood-Flossmoor; Dena Waldier, L-W North; Ian Woodworth, Marist.

The nominees for Southland Patch Athlete of the Week, Oct. 17-24: Dan Caddigan, senior, boys cross country, Brother Rice. Caddigan ripped off a time of 15:16 for 2.97 miles and placed first in the Class 3A Marist Regional at Midlothian Meadows Forest Preserve. He led the Crusaders to a second-place finish with a team total of 57 points, one back of regional champ Sandburg. Nick Dangles, junior, football running back, Lincoln-Way West. Dangles rushed for 148 yards on 19 carries and scored two touchdowns before leaving with an injury in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 28-20 victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais. His performance helped Lincoln-Way West gain a share of the Southwest Suburban Red Conference championship. Alec Melone, senior, …

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Instant Classic: Marist Victory over Joliet Catholic Will Not Soon Be Forgotten

RedHawks have reason to celebrate following 56-51 victory Joliet Catholic on Friday night. But the celebration will need to be short. IHSA playoffs are next.

It was a wild finish to a great game. With so many points being scored, so much excitement and so much on the line, you couldn’t fault the players, coaches and even the referees for losing track of the number of downs on the final possession in Marist's 56-51 victory over Joliet Catholic Academy on Friday night. With Marist clinging to a 56-49 lead in a battle between two teams standing at or near the top of the East Suburban Catholic Conference standings, it looked like the referees, not the players, who were going to determine the outcome. On third-and-goal from the RedHawks' 8 with 22 seconds left, Hilltopper quarterback Craig Slowik took a risk and tried to run into the end zone. He fell short. And, unbeknownst to the Hilltoppers, they…

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