Last season, he was an honorable mention all-state defensive end for Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville who could be counted on to make big plays for the Warriors — be it a quarterback sack, throwing an opposing ball carrier for a loss in the backfield, or making a key tackle. Fast-forward to 2012, and the three-year prep starter has been assigned to the scout team at Northern Illinois University. Ippolito, Neuqua Valley’s all-time leader in sacks, won’t see any playing time for the Huskies because he’s been red-shirted — meaning the NIU coaching staff decided prior to the start …
Read More »Standout quarterback Quinn Baker
EDITOR’S NOTE: Quinn’s accomplishments were brought to Fra Noi’s attention by his uncle, DuPage County businessman Jerry Marchese. We misidentified Jerry as Quinn’s grandfather in the magazine teaser, and we’d like to apologize for that error. Jerry informs us that his grandsons, Matteo and Danato DiMarco, are also standout athletes. We’ll be profiling them, as well as Quinn’s brother, Hayden, in future issues. The triple-option offense isn’t the prototypical football offense where a team runs a specific play that’s decided in the huddle. Plenty of responsibility falls on the shoulders of the quarterback, who must be able to read defenses …
Read More »Triple-sport phenom Joseph Martucci IV
Fans and followers of high school sports in the Chicago area — particularly those who root for York High School (Elmhurst) and the West Suburban Conference — may want to keep an eye out for Joseph Martucci IV. A freshman at the school, Joey Martucci is coming up through the ranks in not one, but three sports. Last fall, Martucci went out for football for the first time at the urging of friends who were on the team. At 6-foot, 185 pounds, he clearly possesses the size to line up on the gridiron, and as it turned out, also had …
Read More »Volleyball advocate Peter Ferreri
Peter Ferreri does a little bit of everything in the world of broadcasting. He often works a seven-day week, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. On weekends, you can usually find him at wedding receptions as a master of ceremonies, and later in the evening spinning dance tunes–all part of his duties as a DJ …which, he adds, is a job that’s much more difficult than it looks. Or he’ll likely be out and about in the Chicago area doing remote DJ work for promotional events at Radio Disney Chicago 1300 AM. But his 9-to-5 job, if there …
Read More »Volleyball standout Lauren Carlini
If there’s a high school volleyball-related accolade or award that Lauren Carlini hasn’t received during her brilliant four-year varsity career at West Aurora High School, then that accolade or award hasn’t yet been devised. Carlini’s achievements are too long to list here, so we’ll give you a few of her top ones: * AVCA Under Armour First Team all-American team member * Four-time AAU all-American * 2011 Junior Olympic volleyball team member. * Illinois all-star team member * Two-time Aurora Beacon-News Athlete of the Year (2011 and 2012) * Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year (2012) But in December, Carlini …
Read More »Wrestler Sal Annoreno
Very few individuals ever have a city or village issue a proclamation in his or her honor, yet Sal Annoreno experienced that before his 18th birthday. Bartlett Village President Michael Airdo proclaimed March 6, 2012, Sal Annoreno Day in the village after Annoreno had won the 132-pound state championship at the IHSA individual wrestling meet a few weeks earlier. Annoreno’s title-winning performance marked the first time in Bartlett High School history that a wrestler had ever won a state crown. He also is only the fourth grappler to ever win a title from Elgin School District U46–the largest school district …
Read More »Aquatica
There are very few shops in the Chicago area where you can buy a live, three-foot shark. Then again, there are very few shops where the owner can definitively say, “This stuff is like a drug. Once customers are hooked, they are in my store every day.” The drug Mario Rubino is talking about is saltwater fish, and the store he’s referring to is Aquatica in Tinley Park. Ten years ago, Rubino took a leap of faith and pursued his passion. “My family has a grocery store, Rubino’s Italian Imports in Tinley Park, and I used to work there with …
Read More »Entrepreneur Vince Aversano
Chicago has been very good to an entrepreneur from New York. Or maybe you could say a guy from New York has been very good to Chicago. Vince Aversano was born and raised in New York but credits Chicago with giving him the good life he has now both as an entrepreneur and as a philanthropist. Aversano started to enjoy the Midwest by attending Marquette University. After obtaining a journalism degree, he started his professional publishing career in Chicago. “I worked with Inside Sports magazine,” recalls Aversano. “I just applied as an entry level position in the editorial department, switched …
Read More »One-on-one fitness advocate Dr. Joyce Muni
Did you ever consider going to an eye doctor to get into shape? That’s the latest trend in fitness, and it’s happening now in Lake Forest. Joyce Muni began her professional journey as an ophthalmologist, and she has been proudly serving Libertyville and neighboring areas in Lake County for 30 years. She is on staff at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan. With her busy schedule, Dr. Muni sees many patients with a wide variety of ailments. “I’m a physician and very interested in the total well-being of my patients,” Muni says. “Patients …
Read More »Cutting-edge director Thom Pasculli
It’s a big deal to have your new work premiere at the Steppenwolf Theater. Then again, Walkabout Theater Company’s Thom Pasculli has ambition and talent that set the stage for big things. As director of “The Wild,” he’s fashioned an experimental production you must see to appreciate. Inspired by the work of playwright Charles Mee and Walkabout’s physical training practices, “The Wild” is the world premiere of a devised laboratory theater performance that confronts distant realities and their infringement on our daily lives. But it moves, too, incorporates erotic dance and the dealings of seductive demi-gods as they encroach on …
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