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Edge of Your Seat Podcast

Edge of Your Seat Podcast

by Brandon LaChance

Episode 347: Spring Special - Easter & Baseball

On Saturday, Edge of Your Seat Podcast was part of the Mendota Easter Hop. We were the Bunny Radio Station DJ and had every kid, the ones who weren't too shy, say their name and Happy Easter. We have it all here for you on this spring special episode, as we helped create memories at the Easter event and we're going to help remember good times on the baseball and softball field with nine pod chats. Easter Hop - 8:21 Todd and Hunter Hopkins after Todd was named Class 1A Baseball Coach of the Year for leading Marquette to another state championship and Hunter verbally committed to play softball at Southern Illinois University (10:58). Karch Kowalczyk, La Salle-Peru alumnus who was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014, chatted with us in August of 2023 (18:18.20) and in June of 2025 (42:57.80) about his professional baseball playing and coaching career. Colton Quagliano, Wethersfield graduate who played baseball at University of Illinois before transferring to Duke University for the 2026 season, talked with us in June of 2023 (58:25.90) and in June of 2025 (1:10.19). Kenny Koerner coached the Newman baseball team to its first IHSA State Tournament in 2023 (1:18:29) and joined us again after the Comets third straight state tournament appearance in 2025 (1:26.54). Henry-Senachwine defeated Newman in the 2023 Class 1A IHSA semifinal, 2-1, led by coach Max Kirbach (1:39.21) The end of the Mallards and Comets' semifinal was Henry then-freshman Jacob Miller (1:47.02) hitting a walk-off single.

Episode 346: Let's remember nice weather with golf talk

As the Midwest weather is throwing a tantrum in March, let's manifest how we want Mother Nature to act with some golf talk. Seneca junior Piper Stenzel (24:36.5) talks about golfing at state for her third consecutive year. Hall junior Luke Bryant (29:40) chats about the Hall team playing together at state for the first time in program history and hitting a hole-in-one at the biggest tournament of the year. Cam Pawlowski (39:37), an eighth grader at Holy Cross in Mendota, is ready to advance his game from the IESA State Tournament to high school golf. Chat It Up (the first 20 minutes of every episode): IHSA girls basketball postseason, What the Pod is with The Dan Patrick Show and Something to Wrestle With, and NFL offseason

Episode 345: Cavaliering through sports, life awesomeness

La Salle-Peru has had numerous great athletes through the decades, including our four guests on Episode 345. Lexi Marx (5:12) is coaching at St. Bede and excelling in disc golf. Kaitlyn Gibson (29:04) graduated from Ball State after playing four years of softball and is now in the law school process. Sam Nauman (46:25) is an L-P junior who earned a fourth- and a 10th-place medal at the state swim meet in the fall. Junior Aubrey Duttlinger joined us as an eighth grader (53:53) when she won three IESA championships and after her junior volleyball season (104:41.5) where she helped the Cavaliers get to a sectional final.

Episode 344: Keys To The Car

Kim (Holdenrid) Barth (19:20.5), a Mendota native, has been teaching and coaching at Washington for the last 15 years. When she took over the girls basketball program in 2016, goals were created. The Panthers had checked off the entire list except one...until Saturday when they won the IHSA Class 3A State Championship. Chat It Up (first 19:20): Wrestling postseason and Paying Respect

Episode 343: We can talk about state championships forever

Who doesn't love to talk about state championships? In the fall, northern Illinois had them coming from every which direction. Bureau Valley senior Wyatt Novotny (21:03) won a Class 1A golf title. Sandwich senior Sundara Weber (26:10) won her second consecutive Class 1A cross country final race. The Byron football team and coach Jeff Boyer (38:29) won their third Class 3A trophy in the last five years. It's a championship type of show. Chat It Up (first 20 minutes) includes winter sports postseasons of boys bowling, girls bowling, competitive cheer and competitive dance. Also...Jason and the Friday the 13th movie franchise.

Episode 342: Could the next Ms. Health & Fitness be from the Illinois Valley

Kelly Champlin, a Mendota native who has lived in Earlville for the last 20 years has entered the Ms. Health & Fitness Contest. She could be on the cover of HERS Magazine, tell her story in her article, help others with their fitness journey and take home $20,000. But...voting ends at 9 p.m. TONIGHT. To vote, you need a Facebook profile and your password. Visit the Kelly Champlin Facebook page, the Iron Family Supplement Facebook page or https://mshealthandfit.com/2026/kelly-champlin?

Episode 341: The battle to get to three I8FA Championships first

Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio and Polo meet tonight in the last game of the season, the Illinois 8-Man Football Association State Championship. In honor of the game, we have an all 8-man football episode. On the show A-L-O Clipper senior Cody Winn and sophomore Caden Heath, plus coach Scott Payne after the first round of the playoffs (5:36). Payne after a 64-6 victory over Pawnee in the second round (14:37.5) Juniors Jose Lopez, Trevor Stenzel and Evan Flanagan, and Payne after a 18-8 victory against Millegdeville in a semifinal (23:35). Polo coach Ted Alson on his team's attempt to win a third title (31:36). Payne on the state championship (39:48).

Episode 340: Just Need One

Fall IHSA sports are in full postseason motion. Regionals, sectionals, state championships...oh my. On this show: MHS boys soccer representatives after winning the Trojans' seventh straight regional: MHS coach Nick Myers (10:47), Mateo Goy (16:20) and Isaac Diaz (18:14) MHS boys soccer representatives after winning a sectional semifinal: Sebastian Carlos and Mauricio Salinas (22:30) Amboy cross country coach Michael Robinson (25:33) Hall-Putnam County football coach Nick Sterling (34:35.5) Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football coach Scott Payne (41:58)

Episode 339: IHSA football's regular season wraps up

It's Week 9 of the IHSA football season. Every program wants its seniors to go out in style. On the show: Hall-PC Coach Nick Sterling after Week 8 (2:50) Mendota Coach Jim Eustice (13:30) Sterling about Week 9 (24:30) Princeton senior Casey Etheridge (33:03) Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio Coach Scott Payne (41:01)

Episode 338: Finishing the Story

The Mendota boys soccer team has been on a legendary run the last few seasons. The Trojans took it a step further last year taking third at the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament. This year, Mendota has a 20-4 record after a Class 1A Mendota Regional Semifinal victory and is looking to accomplish the goal of winning Mendota High School's first state championship...in any sport. Edge of Your Seat Podcast has been working on this show for a long time, so there a mix of different chats in different time frames. Enjoy! On the show: Sebastian Carlos, now a senior, from his freshman year (11:16.5) Putting in the Work, girls tennis sectionals and boys soccer regionals (16:56) From last year's state tournament: MHS pep rally (25:21.5); semifinal loss post match conference (29:11.5); third-place match victory post match conference (33:33.5) Johan Cortez, summer between the tournament and his senior year (44:30) Outside of the Valley, NBA and NHL have started, World Series begins Friday, NFL is in Week 8, A'ja Wilson is the best in the WNBA (54:44) MHS boys soccer coach Nick Myers, in the summer between the tournament and this season (1:09:35) Myers after the first ever Three Rivers Conference Tournament in early October (1:17:30.5) Cortez and Cesar Casas after the regional semifinal win on Wednesday, Oct. 23 (1:30:42)

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