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Glenbard South rallying around Pyle family

Many athletes, even those who go on to play professionally, will say time spent with high school teammates is their most memorable - for reasons like this.

The Glenbard South boys basketball program sent three athletic buses, carting 55 players in all, to the Jan. 6 wake for Arnie Pyle, father of freshman Spencer Pyle. Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma last August, Mr. Pyle died on Dec. 31.

A center on Glenbard South's sophomore boys team, Spencer is the youngest of seven children Arnie and Peggyann Pyle have sent to Glenbard South. After six soccer players among three boys and three girls, Spencer was the first to play basketball.

Raiders varsity boys coach Wade Hardtke said he first got to know Arnie Pyle when Spencer became involved with the program's feeder system in his middle-school years.

"He was just always very thankful and very appreciative," Hardtke said of Arnie Pyle.

A Web page (arniesbattle.mydagsite.com) on the Deposit a Gift crowdfunding site had been established for the elder Pyle, but the program assembled a fundraiser for the Jan. 5 home game against IC Catholic Prep. More than $1,300 was quickly raised through a raffle and donations.

"Anytime that there's something that happens within our basketball family, you try and rally around not only your player but your player's family," Hardtke said. "The guys - the whole building for that matter, the community - stepped up. It was a pretty quick turn of events, but we hope to be able to be there for the family and show our support from the 'people' side and from the financial side."

Spencer Pyle did play in his sophomore game that Tuesday and is "back in the full swing of things as we speak," Hardtke said.

"Everybody just kind of pitched in wherever we could," the coach and business teacher said. "For the most part Spencer is a quiet kid and a hardworking kid. I'd be willing to bet that if most people didn't know what was going on, they wouldn't suspect anything was going on. The type of kid Spencer is, he's going to buckle down, get his work done in school."

No surprise:

Benet did it again.

Faced with another tough opponent on its loaded schedule, the Redwings scored another victory with Saturday's 44-41 road win over Fenwick.

Rallying from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the state-ranked Friars, Benet improved to 12-2 against a schedule with few rivals in terms of difficulty. Coach Gene Heidkamp is pleased with his team's progress while knowing the Redwings need to keep it up.

"So far so good," Heidkamp said. "We've played good teams and good athletes, and all of our games except a couple have gone down to the wire. But we've played pretty well."

Three returning starters - Dan Sobolewski, James Dockery and Jason Malonga - allowed Benet to hit the ground running. A slew of newcomers - junior guard Jack Nolan scored a game-high 18 points against Fenwick - lifted the Redwings to another level.

Benet returns to East Suburban Catholic Conference action Thursday in Lisle to face Notre Dame (11-3). Given what they've already faced, the Redwings will be ready for the showdown.

"It's been tough so far, but it's not going to get any easier," Heidkamp said. "We need to keep playing well and keep improving."

Tourney time:

For all the shootouts area teams will compete in during the next several weeks, few compare to Wheaton Warrenville South's Martin Luther King Day tournament that begins Saturday and continues Monday.

The fourth annual event is a 16-team bracketed tournament for the second straight year and guarantees each team four games.

"This is the only one of its kind where it's seeded and bracketed," said Tigers coach Mike Healy. "It seems like people like it."

Healy said he's heard from several teams hoping to enter the event if there are future openings, but the field is stacked as it is. Stevenson, Warren and Lincoln-Way North are the newcomers this year joining returning DuPage County teams Benet, Downers Grove South, Glenbard East, Hinsdale South, Metea Valley and York.

The top seeds are Benet, Hinsdale South, Notre Dame, Stevenson, Downers South, York, WW South and Glenbard East.

It'll be a long couple of days for all involved, but Healy believes it's worth the effort.

"I think we do it the right way," he said. "Our parents are unbelievable with the hospitality, and I think that's one of the reasons that teams like it here. If you're going to be at one of these things, you'll be bonding a lot as a team."

Charging back:

Fenton guard Bryan Larsen was back in action last weekend after a scary-looking injury Dec. 23 at Plano's Christmas Classic.

The 6-foot junior had the courage and misfortune to take a charge against Lisle's Mark McGrath, bearing the full weight of the Lisle football and basketball star as he slammed Larsen to the floor.

"The charge was just a good basketball play," said Fenton coach Josh Payton.

Nonetheless Larsen remained face down for several minutes before leaving the court with a bloody cut above his right eye and bruising on his face.

He required five stitches above the eye and was diagnosed with a concussion. Payton said Larsen initially felt much pain but was symptom free a few days after the collision.

After missing Fenton's next three games at Plano and another at Addison Trail on Jan. 5, the Bison's team captain returned last weekend, leading the Bison in scoring against both Wheaton Academy and St. Edward.

"He has been good to go. He's really playing well again. He is such an integral part of what we're trying to do here," Payton said.

"He's a tough kid, he puts his body on the line for his team every single game. He's inspired other guys on his team to do the same thing."

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