Wishing Good Luck to the Lemont Football Team

One of the drawbacks to running a Patch site is the lack of a permanent business address.

Don't get me wrong — I love working out in the community and seeing different people every day. It's the best part of my job.

But earlier this week, the sent out an email encouraging local businesses to support the undefeated football team, which is playing in the IHSA state semifinals Saturday in Peoria.

Businesses were asked to change their marquees or window displays to include a "good luck" message to the team.

Only problem: I don't have a window in Lemont. Or a marquee, last I checked.

But Patch is a member of the chamber, and I like to participate in community events when I have the chance. So this is the best I could do — my "window display," if you will.

Good luck to the football team. I'll be watching from home!

And while I'm at it, I want to give a shoutout to all of the Lemont High School athletic programs. It was incredibly hectic keeping track of all the state playoff appearances over the last month.

There was the Lemont boys soccer team, which made it to the l and finished the season with 20-4-3 record.

The cross country teams had a solid run; the girls team for the fifth consecutive year.

Then, of course, there were the boys and girls golf teams. Senior Emily Lejman became to qualify for the IHSA Class 2A state finals. She finished 58th out of 109 competitors.

Senior Shane Purtle led the boys golf team to a at the Class 2A state finals — the team's best finish ever. Purtle earned all-state honors by finishing third in the individual standings.

I learned the best part of Purtle's story during the District 210 board meeting Monday night.

After 30 holes in the state finals, he was in a three-way tie for first place. Following his second shot on a par five, he accidentally nudged the ball with his foot.

No one else saw, so he could have carried on with his next shot. But knowing the rules, Purtle immediately called over an official and told him what happened. It cost him one stroke, knocking him out of the first-place tie.

Purtle's actions were honored at Monday, but I thought his story was also worth sharing here. As Young pointed out at the meeting, Purtle may have taken home all-state honors, but the real victory was that he did the right thing.

So congratulations once again to him and all of the fall athletes. Go Indians!