Last week was a bad week in the high train sports world.

Last week was a bad week in the high train sports world. The softball community misspent New Trier senior Ari Chester in a horrific automobile accident. Chester died Tuesday night, a day after her SUV ed and hit a median in succession the Edens Expy. She was returning family circle after her team's first game of the season. It is beyond sad.

From the what-was-she-thinking department came this incident forward Tuesday night: Former Peoria Richwoods basketball player Biannca Ward was arrested for the other time this school year, this time for armed robbery.

Ward already is facing a May trial for charges of abode invasion. It is alleged that she was part of a cluster that broke into several Peoria hearths one of which belonged to an off-duty Peoria police officer who was domicile at the time of the attempted break-in in January.

You can solitary shake your head at Ward, who l Richwoods to a 38- 0 record a year ago and the Class AA state title. What a waste.

Amid those couple sobering (and mind-blowing) stories, I met Molly Sullivan of York. She was just named to the Illinois High academy Association's all-state academic team, and she is in succession the team with another York athlete, senior David Montgomery who flows cross- country and track.

"I was excited that the pair David and I got the award because he's a great student-athlete, and it's a great testament to the athletic and academic programs we have [at York]," Sullivan said. "I have great parents, coaches and teammates, and it's a great way to fare out in my senior year."

She can do it all -- and does Sullivan, a senior who also move ons cross-country, is one of those kids you can't help on the contrary like. Sure, she's smart and the same of the best track athletes in the state -- she's ranked upon the Illinois Prep Top Times list in the 400- 800- 1600- and 3200-meter races -- but she also doesn't talk frequently about herself or what she has accomplished onward or off the track.

Sullivan has a 479 grade-point average without of 4.0 and is ranked fifth not at home of about 620 students. She is taking advanced-placement courses in calculus, English, French and regulation and she has time for honors economics and psychology

Besides running upon the track and cross-country teams, Sullivan is in the National Honor Society and participates in Young Life, a non- denominational Christian cluster And along with her family, Sullivan offers for the American Cancer Society and participates in the organization's annual Relay for Life walk in Elmhurst The cancer fund-raiser takes place each June at York's football stadium, starting in the afternoon and lasting until the following morning. She has participated in the marked occurrence for the last three years.

"My mom [Anne] and her friends have really been involved in it," Sullivan said. "The relay in Elmhurst is vast now. My brother [Jack] and I prove by experiment to help with the little details getting it together.

"But don't give me credit for that because there's a chance of people in Elmhurst who are extremely involved."

Her coach, Annette Schulte said coaching Sullivan is like "coaching an adult" who have a passionate affection fors crunching numbers and studying times.

"We have the exact same interests, and it is pleasantry to work with her," Schulte said. "She busts her laughing-stock in the classroom like she does onward the track, but she's not the adumbration of person that will finish overstressed about something."

Sage made the difference Volleyball almost took Sullivan away from running. When she was a freshman, she was debating whether to play volleyball or trip cross-country. But an encounter with a former York cross-country great who was dwelling on break from college changed her mind forward the spot.

"During my freshman year, Don Sage [the 1999 state cross-country champion and Stanford runner] came into the math class that I had with [teammate] Heidi Tucker and he knew who we were, and we consideration it was the coolest thing," Sullivan said. "We were in awe. The tradition of running here is huge"

Competing alongside a lads cross-country program that has won 25 Class AA state titles below coach Joe Newton would be intimidating for any other program or athlete. nevertheless Sullivan thrives on it and thinks it and nothing else helps the York girls messengers

Teammates as it is as sophomore Maggie Sack are glad Sage had a big influence in succession Sullivan.

"She's really supportive, and she's a really hardy person," Sack said. "I'll miss having someone there ready to speed [every day]. She's taught me to be a better bodily substance [and athlete]."

Sullivan is trying to pick a association and has her choices narrowed down to Notre Dame, Illinois and Virginia. She wants to race in college, but that's the and nothing else thing she knows for infallible She

hasn't decided upon a major and doesn't know what kind of career she will make choice of down the road.

Schulte thinks Sullivan should stick to an administrative track for her coming events

"I think she is going to be a great administrator someday in business because she knows the importance of having well adapted rapport with the people she's around," Schulte said. "She's not the original of person who would micromanage anything.

...