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the highland park landmark | March 22, 2018 | 35
1st-and-3
Photo Submitted
Stars of the Week
1. T.J. Gimbel
(Above).
The senior pitcher
started the early
season off on the
right foot Thursday,
March 15 in the
team’s first win of
the season against
Hersey. He pitched
4 and 1/3 innings
and gave up only
two earned runs.
2. Steph Kriss.
Kriss made a
great showing
at the Central
Suburban League
North track and
field invite. She
won both the
800-meter race
and the 1,600.
3. Jack Greenwalk.
Greenwalk scored
Friday, March 16,
by stealing home
to even up the
score between
the Giants and
Barrington. The
game ended tied.
Listen Up
Curling
“I would say 60-some years of curling has
kept me in shape. When I stopped, I was
90 years old.”
Ellsworth Mills — HP resident, on his love of curling
HP resident, lifelong curler moved by Team USA’s victory
Erin Redmond
Freelance Reporter
It was around 4 a.m. on
Feb. 24 when 91-year-old
Ellsworth Mills finally
went to bed.
The Highland Park resident
had been glued to the
TV all night, watching
Team USA battle Sweden
in the Olympic gold medal
match in men’s curling.
And when it was all
over, he had just one word
to say about the country’s
first gold medal in the
sport:
“Exhilarating.”
Curling is a sport that
is near and dear to Mills’
heart, having played it for
nearly 65 years. He first
picked up a curling stone
and broom in 1951 after
some convincing from
his brother-in-law, Ralph
Trischman.
Trischman had convinced
Mills’ parents to
become charter members
of the Chicago Curling
Club in Northbrook and
simultaneously convinced
him to try his hand at curling
instead of bowling.
Mills is glad he did.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie;
there’s a lot of
exercise,” Mills said. “I
would say 60-some years
of curling has kept me in
shape. When I stopped, I
was 90 years old. Now,
I’m almost 92.”
While he never made it
to the Olympic ice, Mills
has represented Illinois
in curling at a high level,
having twice made it to
national championship
tournaments.
In 1972, Mills took
his team to the National
Curling Championship,
representing Illinois. At
the time, there were 10
curling clubs in the state,
whereas today only four
remain.
Mills and his squad finished
fifth out of the 12
teams, but it wouldn’t be
his last time he took to the
national stage.
Years later, Mills led his
team to an Illinois Senior
Championship, a division
open to curlers ages
55 and older and again to
the national tournament,
where his team finished
second in heartbreaking
fashion.
“I went to the national
tournament with another
team and there were 32
rinks — that’s the teams
high school highlights
Baseball
Palatine 4, Highland
Park 0
Noah Shutan threw
four innings, gave up one
earned run and struck out
five in the Giants’ March
14 home loss to Palatine.
Jack Greenwalk, Joey Reinberg,
Shutan and Noah
Spitz all had one hit during
the game.
The rest of the week in high school sports
Highland Park 6,
Hersey 4
T.J. Gimbel threw 4
and 1/3 innings and gave
up two earned runs during
the Giants’ home
win Thursday, March 15.
Tyler Gussis and Luke
Bladwin both entered the
game from the bullpen to
help secure the victory.
Baldwin threw one inning
for the save. John Sakos
was 2-for-4 with two
doubles, Gussis scored
one run and two RBI.
Highland Park 4,
Barrington 4
Jack Kramer started the
Giants’ scoring when he
hit a single on a 3-1 count
and scored the team’s first
run Friday, March 16,
in Barrington. The Gi-
tune in
Girls Soccer
The Giants travel to Deerfield for what is sure to be a good
game, and one not to miss, against the Warriors. This is the
first match up against the two teams this season.
• Highland Park at Deerfield, 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 27
— in the event and we
played in the finals of the
very first event,” he said.
“I made my last shot and
the other skip made his
last shot, so we came in
second. It was very disappointing
because I made
a very good shot like
John [Shuster] had in the
Olympics.”
But as Mills watched
Team USA curl its way to
victory, it stirred up familiar
and fond memories for
the lifelong curler.
“Frankly, I knew what
they felt like,” Mills said.
“It wasn’t quite as big,
but to win the state tournament
and go to the national
tournament, that’s
the way I felt, too — same
idea.”
And while Mills retired
from the sport in 2016,
ants tied the game off a
stolen base in the fifth
inning. Jack Greenwalk
scored on a steal of home,
Kramer stole second.
Hinsdale South 2,
Highland Park 1
Jeremy Frankel started
on the mound for the Giants
on Saturday, March
17, at home against Hinsdale
South. Frankel
pitched five innings and
only allowed one hit and
one run while striking out
five. Luke Baldwin and
Jack Greenwalk came in
Index
30 - This Week In
30 - Athlete of the Week
he is still an active member
of the curling community.
He frequently
attends games at the Chicago
Curling Club, giving
advice to current curlers
from behind the glass —
whether they take it or
not.
The Highland Park resident
says he misses the
sport dearly, but is grateful
for all the experiences
he has had in his more
than six decade playing
career.
“It’s a grand sport. You
exercise your body and
your brain and have some
camaraderie with curlers.
The thing is,” he said, his
voice breaking, “regardless
of the event, always
starts with a handshake
and ends with a handshake.
And there we are.”
for relief. John Sakos led
offensively with two hits
in three at bats.
Girls Track and Field
CSL North Invite
Steph Kriss won the
800-meter run in 2 minutes,
16.01 seconds at the
Central Suburban League
North indoor meet Thursday,
March 15, at Glenbrook
North. Kriss also
won the 1600 and teammate
Annelise van den
Akker won the 400.
Fastbreak is compiled by Sports Editor Brittany Kapa. Send
any questions or comments to b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia.
com.