Anytime Byron and Stillman Valley get together for girls basketball, fans are treated to a high level of competitiveness. Last Thursday’s game at Stillman Valley was no exception, and I was glad to be in attendance.
At first, it looked like the state-ranked Tigers were in control. Then, the ferocity shown by Stillman kicked into high gear and they managed to tie things up midway through the third quarter.
From then on, it was a dog fight, with the Cardinals’ physical presence leading to a 47-40 advantage, as shouts of “overrated” came from the SV student section.
That’s a misnomer. Byron isn’t overrated. It’s just that Stillman was playing top-notch ball, as Byron coach Eric Yerly acknowledged when he said games like this get his team ready for the postseason.
With a more experienced unit, Byron clawed back and won 54-49, with a Malia Morton lay-up off a steal and four straight free throws by all-time leading scorer Macy Groharing sealing the win.
Could these two teams meet again in the playoffs?
If so, it will be another fun one. With the 2A seedings announced earlier that afternoon, Byron is No. 1 in the sub-sectional and Stillman is No. 3. Since both teams will be in different regionals, it would not be until a sectional final that they could meet.
For now, Byron is savoring its fourth straight title in such a tough league.
“I’m extremely pleased to get four in a row,” Byron coach Eric Yerly said. “To go 35-1 the last four years in a conference as competitive as the Big Northern is quite an accomplishment.”
I happened to be sitting next to Byron boys coach Matt Huels, who was there to support the girls team. It’s very handy to sit next to a knowledgeable person like that, who can answer my questions and explain what is going on.
Matt appreciated how well the girls share the ball and everyone knows how to get to their spot on the floor. That way, he explained, it’s hard for opponents to focus on just Macy and Malia.
Leber honored
Another pleasure of the evening was seeing Scott Leber of WTVO/WQRF television honored at halftime for his distinguished career covering high-school sports. Since 1989, Leber has been a vibrant part of the northern Illinois sports scene with endless hours devoted to his craft.
When he came to Rockford from his home state of Ohio at age 26, Leber’s intention was to stay for a year or two and try for a position in a bigger market like Cleveland or Columbus.
“I sent videos out of my work, but a problem I had was looking too young. Even though I was 26, people told me I looked like I was 15,” Leber said. “After a few years here, some family stuff came up and I eventually decided to stay, so I could be here with my special-needs son.”
Upon being notified by the IHSA that he was an award winner, Leber was given the choice of where he would like to receive it.
“Even though I live in Rockford, I grew up in a small town like Stillman Valley and other ones around here,” he said. “I love the way these towns support their teams. I’ve covered NIU in the Orange Bowl, the Bears in the Super Bowl and the Cubs when they beat Cleveland in the World Series, but I still prefer high school sports.”
Athletic Directors Henry Robison of Stillman Valley and Jeff Milburn of Byron nominated Scott for the award. Each year, the IHSA honors three or four media members statewide for longevity in the field and perspective in reporting.
“We are so blessed to have Scott stay here his entire career,” Milburn said. “It’s incredible the time he puts in and the dedication he shows toward showcasing area sports.”
Before leaving Stillman Valley that evening, there was also a curiosity that needed investigation.
It was my mom from Rochelle who casually mentioned the name Groharing to me upon seeing an article I wrote on Byron basketball when Macy Groharing was a freshman. She had also heard the Groharing name from her good friends in Byron, the Stoddards.
Mom told of going away for the summer of 1946 from her home in Iowa City as an 11-year-old to Hanover to babysit her younger cousins. It may sound odd now, but back then, that’s what children sometimes had to do.
Anyway, one of those cousins she babysat eventually married a Groharing and had a son, David, who worked at the nuclear plant in Byron, though he is now deceased. Could there be a connection to Macy, she wondered.
It seemed a bit trivial to me, so I never bothered to find out, until now. After the Stillman game was over, I asked Macy if she ever heard of a David Groharing. Sure enough, it was a cousin of her dad, and I was finally able to report back to my mom that her question had an answer.
A more complicated question would be – does that make us Colberts and Groharings distant relatives?
• Andy Colbert is a sports writer for Shaw Local covering high school sports in Ogle County.