Hitting a tiny white ball hundreds of yards into a hole 4.25 inches in diameter is a tough task under ideal or perfect conditions.
Try doing it blindfolded, which is what it must have felt like for University of Illinois Springfield senior golfer Abby Vorreyer as she attempted to finish playing in a tournament surrounded by darkness.
She put her talent on display for all to see or not see last weekend at the 24-team Perry Park Spring Fling tournament in Kentucky. Without any daylight, she scored birdies on the final two holes to win medalist honors at the Whitetail/Buckskin course at Perry Park Golf Resort. The Chatham Glenwood High School graduate topped a field of 140 golfers with rounds of 77-72 for a one-stroke victory. Three players tied for second.
“The joke on our team is you just need to play in the dark all the time,” Vorreyer said.
Vorreyer set a 36-hole school record at 149. The previous mark was 157. The 72 broke her own school record for an 18-hole low.
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, golfers had the option to suspend their round and finish the next day. The late play was the result of the two-day, three-round tourney being shortened to one day and two rounds due to impending inclement weather.
“It was a risk to keep going,” she said. “I came off a birdie on 17. You want to ride the momentum, not think about it overnight.”
Blind faith carried her to a desired result. At twilight, Vorreyer holed a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 17. Her riveting finish on the par-4 18th hole was impressive. It was completely dark when she took to the tee box.
Vorreyer was featured by The State Journal-Register on March 28, 2013.
Read the article online
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Former inmate addresses students who helped set him free
A man who spent more than 14-years in jail for a crime he did not commit is speaking out for the first time. The last decade has been a whirlwind for Anthony Murray.
He was convicted of killing a man in Centralia in the 1980's, but did not do it. Murray was sentenced to 45-years in prison.
He spent 14-years locked up waiting for a second chance. He got that chance with a group of students from the University of Illinois Springfield.
After studying law in the prison library, Murray wrote a petition and sent it to the UIS Innocence Project. It's a group he says became like family. Using new evidence, the students were able to prove Murray innocent.
He took a plea deal and was set free. Murray says he plans to start a non-profit group to stop the violence in his hometown of Chicago.
The story was featured by WCIA-TV on March 25, 2013.
Watch the story online
He was convicted of killing a man in Centralia in the 1980's, but did not do it. Murray was sentenced to 45-years in prison.
He spent 14-years locked up waiting for a second chance. He got that chance with a group of students from the University of Illinois Springfield.
After studying law in the prison library, Murray wrote a petition and sent it to the UIS Innocence Project. It's a group he says became like family. Using new evidence, the students were able to prove Murray innocent.
He took a plea deal and was set free. Murray says he plans to start a non-profit group to stop the violence in his hometown of Chicago.
The story was featured by WCIA-TV on March 25, 2013.
Watch the story online
Monday, March 25, 2013
UIS students remove invasive plants from Henson Robinson Zoo
Not all plants are created equal. In fact some are just downright domineering.
"We have a lot of invasive honeysuckle throughout the zoo," said Henson Robinson Zoo Director Talon Thornton.
Or they did until dozens of students from the University of Illinois Springfield took out the plant.
“It crowds out native vegetation, it uses up soil resources that are for other plants and it creates almost a monoculture," said UIS Biology Club President Nate Hoyle.
“We've got a lot of native prairie area that's been basically removed. Not on purpose necessarily but we need to bring back as much bio-diversity as we can," said UIS student Sara Peterson.
Cutting honeysuckle down to size will help other species flourish, even though money is not.
“Their grounds keeping crew is not as big as it used to be and this is pretty expensive work, it's hard work," Hoyle said.
The story was featured by WICS-TV 20 on March 23, 2013.
Watch the story online
"We have a lot of invasive honeysuckle throughout the zoo," said Henson Robinson Zoo Director Talon Thornton.
Or they did until dozens of students from the University of Illinois Springfield took out the plant.
“It crowds out native vegetation, it uses up soil resources that are for other plants and it creates almost a monoculture," said UIS Biology Club President Nate Hoyle.
“We've got a lot of native prairie area that's been basically removed. Not on purpose necessarily but we need to bring back as much bio-diversity as we can," said UIS student Sara Peterson.
Cutting honeysuckle down to size will help other species flourish, even though money is not.
“Their grounds keeping crew is not as big as it used to be and this is pretty expensive work, it's hard work," Hoyle said.
The story was featured by WICS-TV 20 on March 23, 2013.
Watch the story online
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