CHAMPS!2012
March
IESA State
Champions
WE ARE PROUD
CHAMPION STUDENTS
CHARACTER
Burr Ridge Middle
School staff and
administration are
proud of the Varsity
Boys Basketball Team
and their new title State Champions!
The Boys Basketball
Team are students
first. They work hard
academically to be
eligible to play in an
extra curricular
sport.
The Boys Basketball
Team has character.
Staff and
administration are
most proud of the
positive leadership
and strong character
the players display.
[1]
MICHAEL SMITH
Too Big, Too Fast, Too Strong ,Too
Good : Boys Go to State and WIN!
by Rhea Soni
The boys varsity basketball team played
against Bloomington Holy Trinity for the
state finals. Burr Ridge Middle School
defeated Holy Trinity by 9 points. The
final score was 53-44. The boys basketball
team took a long road that allowed them to
become state champions. The boys played
and won regionals, then sectionals, and
then they could finally move onto state.
The boys have worked very hard and
continue to work hard. To begin their road
to champions they first had to play
regionals. In the first round, they played
Peoria Christian. With Micheal Smith
scoring 27 points, Nick Rakocevic scoring
19 points, Robert Hall with 5 points,
Ravon Johnson with 3 points, and Marcus
Brewer with 2 points. They ended off the
first round with the score being 56-37,
winning by 19 points.
and Ravon Johnson having 5 points, and
Quintal Bosley and Dontanez Harper with
2 points. The final score was 54-31,
Chieftains winning by 23 points. Now that
the Chieftains had gotten through the first
two rounds, they were on their final step,
state. With Robert Hall, Bobby Edwards,
Marcus Brewer, Terrence Cribbs, Jawaun
Parker, Micheal Smith, Ravon Johnson,
Quintal Bosley, Joffari Brown, Tobias
Wells, Dontanez Harper, Nick Rakocevic,
Ali Hmoud, Andre Green, and Kylen
Pettis, the boys basketball team was ready
for the final round.
Now the boys basketball team
were at their final stepping stone to
becoming state champions. They had to
defeat Bloomington Holy Trinity in order
to do this. The boys traveled down state on
a bus with their support team, the
cheerleaders. It was a close game, but the
boys pulled through. With Micheal Smith
scoring 31 points, Nick Rakocevic with 15
points, Ravon Johnson with 3 points,
Next Burr Ridge Middle School had to Jawaun Parker with 2 points, and Robert
play sectionals, they were one more step
Hall with 2 points. The final score of the
closer to the state finals. In sectionals, Burr state championship game was 53-44. Burr
Ridge Middle played against Pleasant
Ridge Middle School had won by 9 points!
Plains with Jawaun Parker having 16
The road to state had some up and downs,
points, Nick Rakocevic having 14 points,
but in the end they pulled it off. Good job
Robert Hall with 10 points, Micheal Smith Chieftains!
When did you start playing
basketball?
-4 years old
Academics: A’s and B’s
Fun Facts
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Basketball player:
Derrick Rose and Kevin
Durant
Hobby: Watching Sports
Center and
playing basketball
2011-2012
Boys Varsity
Basketball
Team
[2]
BOYS VARSITY TEAM
Coach Mike LaCassa
Mr. Michael LaCassa is the PE
teacher at BRMS and also the
co-athletic director for the
district. This is his first
year coaching the varsity
boy’s basketball team. He
couldn’t be prouder of the
boys. He has had a lot of
support from Kelly Collins,
the other athletic director.
Who’s The Team?
By Tatyana Presley and Ayesha Anees
Burr Ridge Middle boy’s varsity basketball has worked very hard this season.
The team consists of Michael Smith, Jawaun Parker, Nick Rakocevic, Andre
Green, Robert Hall, Ravon Johnson, Terrence Cribbs, Quintal Bosley,
Marcus Brewer, Bobby Edwards, Joffari Brown, Ali Hmoud,
Dontanez Harper, and Kylen Pettis. These boys express
champion-like qualities inside and outside of the school
Earlier in the season, coach LaCassa made it clear
grades had to be above 65% to play. The athlete’s took this rule
very seriously and made sure to get the best grades possible.
The players revealed to their teachers that they could also be
academic champions. Besides academics, the boys enjoy
volunteering. Like earlier this year, most of them supported Family
Reading Night at Anne. M. Jeans Elementary School by helping out
the children.
Even though they are in different grades, they have a bond like
brothers on and off the court. They show tough love and push each other to do
their best. The Chieftains trust and rely on each other to help them through
tough struggles. When Andre Green was injured, the team took the news hard,
but knew to work and overcame that obstacle to reach their goal.
The phrase “ behind a great team is a greater coach” works in this
performance. A big part of the credit is given to Coach Lacasa, who led
the boys from the beginning to the end of the season. He believed in
the team and knew they could and would achieve their goal - to
win state. Weekend and long after school practices showed his
determination.
The IESA tournament was finally here. The team traveled
down to Monticello, IL where they faced Holy Trinity, It was a
tough battle, personalities came out as they pushed their way to
become state champions. Coach LaCassa got his team together
in a time out, and the players made sure their heads were in the
game. Playing fundamental basketball was the key and the outcome
was a championship trophy! Go Chieftains!
Number One!
ROBERT HALL
FUN
FACTS
Robert started
playing
basketball
seriously this
school year.
Academics Roberts
currently is a
straight A
student.
[3]
His favorite
food is
chicken.
His favorite
basketball
player is
Derrick Rose,
and he loves
playing
football too.
BRMS Cheerleaders Got the
Beat - the Burr Ridge Beat!
By Emeleeta Paintsil
The Burr Ridge Middle School
cheerleaders have worked very hard this
season. The team consists of 18 girls that
range from 5th to 7th grade. The team
practices for 2 hours, 5 days a week. The
cheerleaders accompanied the boys when
they went for their state game in
Monticello, but who are the Burr Ridge
Middle School (BRMS) cheerleaders?
The BRMS cheerleading team is
coached by staff member, Alisha Pekara.
This is Pekara’s first year coaching the
BRMS team, and she says, “ They were
amazing! I’m so proud of them!” She was a
cheerleader in junior high and high school
and loved the experience so, she wanted
to coach and give the same joy she had to
another group of girls. Mrs. Pekara singlehandedly taught the girls how to do the
lifting tricks, which they had never done
before. She also said that teaching these
lifts sometimes took a full practice, and no
matter how hard it got, her girls never gave
up, and they made sure they got it right.
All of the hard work of a great
coach makes a great team. The 18 girls
who make up the team are: Essie Sanders,
Haley Jenkins, Arielle Spaulding, Crystal
Delgado, Nalley Delgado, Taiviona Hall,
Kiera Gaiter, Joanne Dasalla, Carolyn
Johnson, Arionna Carter, Jamilah Mahan,
Mackenzie Moss, Diamond Dunagan, Sara
Tyler, Tanjana Beasley, Alexis Curtis, Remi
Wesley and Tameika Williams. The girls
have something to say about this year too.
Kiera Gaiter says she speaks for all when
she says, “This year we have a coach who
wants us to do well, believes in us and
pushes us to do our best and give it our
all.” Crystal Delgado (a flyer) says, “ I feel
like I can trust the girls and know they
won’t drop me.” The girls are really proud
of themselves this year and believe that
next year they could be even better.
Speaking of next year, Mrs.
Pekara already has plans for the team in
the future. Mrs. Pekara would really like to
have the team compete next year. She
would also like the girls on the team next
year to do the Hinsdale South Cheer Camp
over the summer lo learn stunts and
cheers, so that they are even better for
next year. Mrs. Pekara believes that her
girls are dedicated enough to always be
hardworking, never give up, and will
always be ready to learn new things.
ALI HMOUD
When did you start
playing basketball?
-3 years ago
Academics: All A’s and in
National Junior Honor
Society
Fun Facts:
Favorite Food: Tacos
Performing
at a Pep
Rally at
BRMS
Favorite Basketball
Player: Kevin Durant
Hobby: Playing football
[4]