On Wednesday, June 20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Dominican University in River Forest, the Forest Park Review, in conjunction with sister publications Wednesday Journal of Oak Park-River Forest and Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, with sponsor state Senator Don Harmon, will present the fourth annual Night of Champions.
The sports awards event honors elite high school teams, athletes, and coaches from Proviso East, Riverside-Brookfield, Lyons Township, Fenwick, Nazareth Academy and Oak Park and River Forest High School.
Between 6 and 7 p.m., a reception will be held in the foyer of the Lund Auditorium at Dominican University with live music from the OPRF Jazz Trio, plus networking opportunities, sponsor booths, a raffle with several Chicago pro sports teams items, and other surprises.
Two-time Olympic speedskater and OPRF alumnus Emery Lehman is the featured speaker for the evening.
Forest Park Review sports categories include Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Male Team of the Year and Female Team of the Year.
This year’s recipients are track & field athlete Moses Biosah for Male Athlete of the Year, tennis player Janet Buenrostro for Female Athlete of the Year, Proviso East boys basketball for Male Team of the Year and Proviso East girls basketball for Female Team of the Year.
Biosah, a Forest Park resident who moved here from Nigeria, is a versatile and gifted runner. At the 27th annual Pirates Midwest Classic, he finished first in three races, winning the 55-meter dash (6.5 seconds), the 200 (23.32) and the 400 (51.55). At the Proviso East Sectional, Biosah placed first again in the 100 (11.28) and 400 (50.43).
Buenrostro, a Proviso Math and Science Academy freshman who plays tennis for Proviso East, became the first female state qualifier in school history. She went 1-2 at the state tournament, finishing 16-3 overall, winning singles titles at the Morton and Maine East Quads and placing third in her division at the West Suburban Conference tournament.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the Proviso East boys basketball team won the Male Team of the Year award. The Pirates boast one of the best traditions in the state, with many players like Glenn Rivers, Michael Finley, Sherrell Ford, Shannon Brown and others having played in the NBA.
Head coach Donnie Boyce, a Proviso East alumnus who also played in the NBA, guided the Pirates to a 17-8 record this year. The Pirates notched notable wins against rival Proviso West, New Trier, St. Joseph and St. Patrick. In the Class 4A playoffs, Proviso East upset Fenwick 83-70 in a regional final. Trevor Moore scored a game-high 35 points with strong support from Quinlan Bennett and Jordan Morris in defeating the Friars.
Coached by Ezra PridGeon, the Proviso East girls basketball team is the Female Team of the Year honoree. The Pirates had a stellar season, with a 26-3 record and regional finals appearance in the state playoffs. Led by Keimari Rimmer, Nachelle Rouse, Kyla Richardson and Daliyah Brown, Proviso East had winning streaks of 13 and 12 games.
To register for tickets for the Night of Champions, visit this link https://www.facebook.com/events/954308244740163/. While the event is free, registration is encouraged.
