Battle of the Blumhorst Brothers set for Friday

LAMOILLE - There will be a little extra flavor when LaMoille hosts DePue for some boys basketball action Friday night.

It will also feature the “Battle of the Blumhorst brothers,” Chance and Trae.

The Mendota brothers were both hired over the summer with Chance landing the LaMoille job and Trae the DePue post. It is the first head coaching job for both.

They are the sons of former Mendota, Annawan and Polo coach Brian Blumhorst.

While they have coached together with the Illinois Warriors for two years, this will be the first time against one another.

“I can’t be more excited for this one. We’ve been playing basketball with and against each other since Trae could walk,” Chance said. “Hours playing in our barn court to Mendota High School to the Peru YMCA Men’s league recently. With coaching and teaching in our blood, this just feels like destiny that we get to square off.

“Win, lose, or draw it’s hard to put in to words how excited I am to get to share the sideline with my little brother.”

Chance said the loser of the game just may have to buy the tickets for the next Cubs or Bulls game they go to.

He also joked that if their mom, Patti, wants her Christmas present on time, “she’ll know who to cheer for.”

The girls teams for DePue and LaMoille take to the floor first at 5:30 p.m. with the boys to follow.

LaMoille is using the “Battle of the Brothers” as a fundraiser to support the Second Chance Shop of LaMoille. There is a request for mittens, gloves, hats, books, activity books, coloring books and crayons and small boys and girls toys.

There will also be a “funny/ugly” sweater contest with a door prize for all that support their holiday cheer.