At Glenbard West-Wheaton North Football Game, 1 Family Will Cheer for Both Teams

Joe Marconi is a senior on Glenbard West's football team and his cousin JD Marconi is a senior on Wheaton North. The cousins will face each other Saturday in the IHSA quarter-final game.

When Jan Marconi cheers on her grandsons Joe and JD Marconi Saturday at the Glenbard West and Wheaton North quarter-final game, she will cheer knowing one of the boys will end the day with a heavy heart. Joe Marconi, plays for Glenbard West and his cousin JD Marconi plays for Wheaton North. The game at 1 p.m. Saturday will be the first time in high school play that the boys have met each other on the field. One of the cousins will walk away the victor, because as George Marconi, Joe’s dad, said, “There are no tie scores in football.” The cousins, who were born five days apart, are the grandson’s of the late Joe Marconi, who played on the team of the 1963 Championship Chicago Bears. Though they never knew their grandfather, who died 20 …

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Memorial Field Lighting Set to be Tested Next Week

The Memorial Field lighting needs to be tested to ensure it is compliant with village code.

Testing of a new lighting system at Glenbard West High School’s Memorial Field is expected to take place one evening next week. The Village of Glen Ellyn announced in its newsletter that Glenbard High School District 87 anticipated testing would take place sometime during the week of Aug. 13. No date was specified. In January, the village board voted unanimously to approve the use of lighting at Memorial Field, Glen Ellyn Patch reported. The request to install lights on the field at the school's campus, which is in the heart of downtown Glen Ellyn, had been a contentious issue for nearly a year and at the time some said the issue divided the town. The testing of the lighting system is necessary to verify the foot-candle output of the …

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Mary Ann Lopez

11:54 am on Wednesday, August 15, 2012

I haven't seen anything saying they wouldn't be testing the lights.   more ›

Chicago Bears Sign Glenbard West Grad to 3-year Deal

Brandon Venson, former tight end for Illinois State, College of DuPage lands spot on Bears roster.

A former Glenbard West High School graduate, football player will suit up in orange and blue this fall as a tight end for the Chicago Bears, according to the Chicago Tribune. Brandon Venson, 24, of Glendale Heights was among seven players to sign a three-year contract with the team Sunday, following the Bears rookie minicamp. 33 players turned out for minicamp, battling for a spot on the coveted roster and Venson made the cut.  Venson joins the Bears after three seasons as a tight end for the Illinois State Redbirds. Prior to joining the Redbird roster in 2009, Venson earned a walk-on spot for Northern Illinois University but a year later transferred to the College of DuPage, according to WJBC radio in central Illinois. For more on this …

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Glen Ellyn Village Trustees Unanimously Approve Memorial Field Lights

Trustees approved Glenbard Township High School District 87's requests for modifications to the field on Monday night.

All six village of Glen Ellyn trustees approved the installation of lights at Glenbard West High School's turf practice field.  The trustees debated on whether to reverse the recommendation of the plan commission, which also voted in favor of the lights but with certain conditions including lights out at Memorial Field at 9 p.m. The issue to install lights at the school's campus, which is in the heart of downtown Glen Ellyn has been a contentious issue for nearly a year and some say it has divided the town. Many hearings were held to determine whether Glenbard Township High School District 87 should be granted variances to the zoning code to install lights, among other improvements, to allow for increased usage of the practice field along …

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High School Student Brings Knife to Glenbard West

The student reportedly admitted to being a member of the Latin Kings.

A 17-year-old male student and Glendale Heights resident brought a folding knife to Glenbard West High School on Thursday, Nov. 10.  According to Deputy Police Chief Bill Holmer, the male did not harm or threaten students in the building. Holmer said the knife was not "displayed in any way."  The teen admitted to being a member of the Latin Kings gang, and reportedly was in possession of the knife for protection, according to Holmer.  Patch contacted school district officials who said they would comment later this afternoon.  This is the third incident involving a weapon at a Glen Ellyn school this year.  The juvenile was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and was released to his parents, according to police reports.  Around 4:30 p.m., …

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Johnny K.

5:22 am on Saturday, December 3, 2011

@ John Gordon - The people who live behind the Brunswick Zone attend Glenbard East, not West. The kids who attend West are those who went or was supposed to go ( Private School) to Hadley. They also have a portion of kids who went to Glenside.   more ›

Local Band Reunites After 42 Years

The band "Grope" will perform this weekend at the Glenbard West High School Class of 1971 reunion.

After 42 years a local Glen Ellyn band is getting back together. The band Grope will relive its rock ‘n roll past at this weekend’s 1971 class reunion for Glenbard West High School. Phillip Milano grew up watching and idolizing Grope, his brother’s band, and is traveling from Florida to see his idols back in action. “I would’ve driven across the country for this. They just sort of embodied everything I was interested in growing up as a teenager,” said Phillip Milano.   Some members of the five-man group are flying in from as far as Los Angeles and South Dakota to make this weekend’s events. Avid fans should get excited because band member Dean Milano said they’re all much better musicians now. “It’s going to be fun to relive our past and …

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DuPage Sports Wrap

Glenbard West Linemen Rise to Top of the Class

Hilltopper seniors Tommy Schutt and Johnny Caspers make Rivals.com's list of preseason Illinois Top 30 recruits from the Class of 2012, with Schutt being No. 1. Downers North names John Sipple as its new boys cross country coach.

The victory bell at Glenbard West High School has been getting a workout over the past two seasons, given the Hilltopper football team’s combined 23-3 record which includes appearances in the Class 7A state title game (2009) and the 7A quarterfinals (last season). College football coaches, scouts and recruiters are getting a workout, too. They’ve been routinely climbing up the hill to Glenbard West to offer players either scholarships or spots on their team. Several seniors from last season’s 10-2 team agreed to play at colleges and universities across the country. Offensive lineman Jordan Walsh, now at Iowa, was the biggest signee, while defensive lineman Zack Marshall landed a scholarship to Illinois State. Running back Nick Burrello and…

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