Mike Banks and the Illinois State Redbirds will play North Dakota State in the FCS title game on Jan. 10. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)
By Eric Stock
NORMAL – Illinois State has wrapped up one of its most successful semesters in athletics in recent memory. That plus an improbable run at a state championship highlight the top sports stories of 2014.
The Redbirds three major fall sports, football, volleyball and womens' soccer, teams all clinched Missouri Valley Conference championships with a combined conference record of 31-1. The crown jewel, however, was the Illinois State football team. The Redbirds, picked middle of the pack in the Missouri alley Football Conference in the preseason, advanced to the FCS title game for the first time in school history.
"I like to be picked low," ISU football coach Brock Spack said. " I thought this team had what it took."
Brock Spack's Redbirds will play Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas against three-time defending national champion North Dakota State. The Redbirds and Bison share the the MVFC regular season title but did not play head to head.
ISU mens' basketball coach Dan Muller predicts his team will win the Missouri Valley this season. His Redbirds made a second straight postseason appearance last year and had a second straight 18-win season.
"It's nice to coach guys who have been there and we have three or four teams in the league who had no seniors or one senior (last year)," Muller said.
Divine intervention might be the only way to explains Central Catholic's improbable run to the state basketball title. The Saints beat four of the top-ranked team in the state to get to Peoria, then rallied from 10 points down in the final four minutes and stunned Nashville in a triple-overtime championship game.
Four University High boys' swimmers won state titles – Adam Drury, Jake Miller, Steve Fishman and John Remmes – to lead the Pioneers to the team trophy.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw won a second volleyball title in three years. Normal Community boys and Normal West girls both took 2nd in the soccer finals.
Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball made its second trip to the Final Four in three seasons under coach Ron Rose. The Titans lose to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater.
"It was an extraordinary group (of players) because they did the ordinary things extra well and that makes it even more fund to win as a group that way," Rose said.
On the local pro scene, the CornBelters baseball team produced its first winning season, while the ownership and league shuffling continues for U.S. Cellular Coliseum's tenants.
The Bloomington Thunder moved from the Southern Professional Hockey League to the United States Hockey League, a junior league attracts younger talent but whose top prospects often end up on NHL
rosters.
The Edge are moving to their 3rd indoor football league in four years in 2015. The X-League's commissioner Mike Mink will be part-owner of the Edge, as will the team's head coach. John Johnson will return as head coach and as be part-owner.
The Bloomington Flex didn't get a chance to defend their consecutive titles in the Premier Basketball League. The team was suspended and disqualified from the playoffs for balking at the postseason scheduled which it felt was stacked against it. It will open play in the Midwest Professional Basketball Association next season.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
