An EF2 tornado ripped through northern Illinois and the town of Lena back on April 17, causing severe damage in some spots, but surprisingly, no inuries or deaths.
Since then, the Lena-Winslow Panthers’ spring sports’ teams have been trying to get back on track. The softball team is the worst hit, as it recently had to give up its sectional hosting duties because its diamond may not be ready.
The softball and baseball diamonds, which are both off campus and are on park district property, sustained damage that will soon be repaired, but both teams have not played a home game since the storm. No other Le-Win sports team has been affected by the tornado.
“Our softball field is not in good shape, and over at our baseball fields, the visitors’ dugout is demolished,” Le-Win athletic director Ryan Hahne said. “The park district is working hard at it, but we’re not sure when it will all be ready… For the most part, the high school facilities were not hurt much.”
Le-Win hosts softball games at the diamond at Dodds Park, and baseball games on the diamond at Lions Park. It was scheduled to host a softball sectional this postseason, but that was just moved to Eastland due to the damage caused by the storm.
The park district is working on the repairs, but no one is sure when they will be completed. The Panthers softball and baseball teams will play home games at Highland Community College, when scheduling allows, until then.
New facilities undamaged
The new football facilities as well as the new track and field areas that were just put in last summer sustained minimal damage due to the April 17 tornado, and it will all be easily repaired.
According to head football coach Ric Arand: “The elementary school gym was damaged, but nothing long-term. And as far as the new football and track facilities, they seem to be fine.”
A middle school track and field meet was held at the high school on the new facilities in the past week.
The tornado knocked down power lines and trees all across the area, and tore holes in several buildings in Lena, including at the high school and elementary school. Schools were closed for three days, but those holes have been temporarily repaired, and repairs continue across town.
The National Weather Service confirmed that six tornadoes traveled through northern Illinois on April 17 — the Lena tornado, an EF1 tornado that caused damage in Roscoe, another EF1 that touched down near Harrison, an EF1 that touched down north of Pecatonica, an EF1 in Jo Daviess County east of Galena and another EF1 in Bureau County near Mendota.
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and sign up for the Rockford High School Sports Newsletter here at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Lena-Winslow softball team adjusts the most after damaging tornado
Reporting by Jay Taft, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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