Edge of Your Seat Podcast

Woooooaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh, it has been way, way, way too long since there has been an episode of Edge of Your Seat Podcast. There has been plenty of movement behind the scenes, but definitely not enough shows. There is no better way to get back in the grove than chatting with DreamWave Wrestling owner Jay Repsel as the promotion has a double shot weekend April 11 and April 12. Tickets are sold out but you can always watch on https://independentwrestling.tv/.

Football playoffs are a couple weeks in and we've caught up with players and coaches from Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio (play an Illinois 8-Man Football Association semifinal at 4 p.m. today) and Princeton (play a Class 3A quarterfinal at 1 p.m. today) to talk about their games and tell their stories. Also, we spoke with Dave Martin, the man behind the trading card shows at the Peru Mall, including today, Nov. 16.New sponsor: Northern Illinois Seamless Roofing!!!!!!!Putting in the Work (16:14)Clippers Week 9 - Dillon Merriman, Brayden Klein, Scott Payne (44::03)Clippers Round 1 - Scott Payne, Trevor Stenzel, Josh McKendry (48:30)Clippers quarterfinal - Scott Payne, Eddie Jones, Quinn Leffelman (53:21)Clippers semifinal preview with Scott Payne (59:43)What the Pod is, Paying Respect, Keep it Rolling (1:04:55)Noah LaPorte (1:51:49), Ryan Pearson (2:05:07), Cade Odell (2:17:48)

Edge of Your Seat Podcast is going to be running once a week, broadcasting a new show every Sunday night or Monday morning.Each show will consist of each of the pod's segments including Putting in the Work (local scores and accomplishments), Bring it Back (diving into an artist and their album), What the Pod is (new, chatting about other podcasts we listen to), Keep it Rollin (what's on TV or theatre), Out of the Valley (news, sports from outside the Illinois Valley), and Pay Respects (tribute to those who are no longer with us)Also multiple guests from all over the Illinois Valley and the surrounding area. Episode 325 features Bailey Lehr (17:01), winner of the 2024 Illinois Valley Men's Golf Championship; Scott Payne (59:35), Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football coach; Logan Larson (2:33:24), Hall-Putnam County football coach.Shout out to our sponsors: First State Bank, Mendota Ford, Starved Rock Wood Products, The Tee-Box, Sports N Stuff N More, and Surf Internet

The Hall-Putnam County football team has a new coach in Logan Larson. We had spoken to him four times by the time we entered Week 2. The excited coach hasn't let up and neither has his team. The no-quit mentality is in full-effect. Also, we lead in with a group of awesome kids at the Graves-Hume Public Library in Mendota.

Connor Hopkins (50:34) pulled off one of the biggest swerves in DREAMWAVE Wrestling history when he cashed in his briefcase and took the DREAMWAVE Championship from his former Coyotes ally, Christian Rose. What is Hopkins next move?Intro: NFL Hall of Fame Game, Mix & Match (going into the summer vault)

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp season has flown by as the Prospect League baseball team in Peru has one last regular season home game today, Sunday, July 28, before hitting the road for three games and the playoffs start Thursday, Aug. 1. Pistol Shrimp owner/manager John Jakiemiec and general manager June Keely (18:53) joined us before the season to talk about the team.

DREAMWAVE Wrestling has been on fire since returning to the Knights of Columbus in La Salle, including the double shot weekend of Uprising 2 (April 19) and Anniversary IX (April 20). DREAMWAVE Owner Jay Repsel (1:14:27.5) and DREAMWAVE Champion Christian Rose (1:35:04.5) join us to talk about the company. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. today (April 22) for the next show, No Escape, on June 15.Intro: Keep it Rolling (talk and rank 11 movies we've seen recently, 10:52), Mix & Match (NCAA tournaments, Caitlin Clark, WNBA, Allen Iverson statue, NBA playoffs, Chicago White Sox & Chicago Cubs, OJ Simpson, 1:05:52), Putting in the Work (Illinois high school sports accomplishments, 1:14:27.5)

Fall sports saw some awesome performances from athletes including Hinckley-Big Rock's Ily Hunt, who was joined by coach Jessica Bivins (1:29:58). Ottawa's Drake Kaufman (1:39:47), and Princeton's Tyson Phillips (1:50:44)Intro: NCAA Tournaments, guest's resume (beginning), Mix & Match (RIPs, KC shooting, NFL Draft, NBA Postseason, Bulls, MLB Opening Day, Cubs, White Sox, Connor Bedard, Wrestle Mania 40, Tyson vs Paul, Grammys, 20:45), Putting in the Work (IHSA boys basketball postseason, 107:39)

Maybe not forever, but the Jason Burkiewicz (1:22:13) era has ended as he resigned as the Annawan girls basketball coach after two state championships, a 55-game winning streak, and more accomplishments in 14 seasons. We spoke to him after the 2023-24 season, and we spoke with then-sophomore, now-junior Bella VanOpdorp (1:06:18) during the 2022-23 season.Intro: Primary Election and Justin Fields (the beginning), Putting in the Work (IESA volleyball, IHSA girls basketball postseasons, 18:55), Bring it Back (Motorhead's Ace of Spades, 36:24)

Kishwaukee College sports, like athletics in general, are cruising through the calendar. Including women's soccer (coach Tony Terdina, 1:14:15), and women's and men's basketball (coaches Krystal Gundy and Joe Conroy, 1:28:02). All three programs progressed from last year to this year.Intro: Resumes for guests, seventh/eighth grade volleyball, and Putting in the Work Winter Sports Edition featuring postseasons of boys bowling, competitive dance, competitive cheer, girls wrestling, girls bowling, and boys wrestling (16:35)

At 11:15 a.m. today (Feb. 29), the St. Bede girls basketball team is doing something the Lady Bruins or the Bruins have never done before, playing in the IHSA State Tournament. Senior Ali Bosnich (14:19) and coach Stephanie Mickley (28:28) chat about the journey to the state tournament. Intro: Seventh and Eight grade boys basketball, junior high volleyball, Amellia Bromenschenkel.

We spoke to Plano Reapers boys basketball coach Kyle Kee twice! Once before the 2023 classic (52:02) to talk about some of the history and, twice (1:08:47) after the Reapers finished second at the 2024 classic. Great chat! Great Guest! Watch for Plano in the playoffs.Intro: NFL Conference Championship predictions, Putting in the Work (11:39, IHSA sectionals boys bowling and competitive dance), Mix & Match (17:42, NFL & NBA coaches, MLB Hall of Fame, Vince McMahon), Keep it Rolling (41:15, tough ranking of five solid movies).

Morris Competitive Dance Coach Megan Post (31:59) joined us after Morris finished second in the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament in 2023. With the 2024 sectionals starting today (Jan. 20), Post and trying to win the second IHSA state dance trophy in school history and take first or second for the eighth time in 12 years. Oh, Morris is also hungry because they were second last year by .05 points...Into: Putting in the Work and Mix & Match (Carmelo Anthony/Nikola Jokic, NFL coaches, Divisional Round matchups, Super Bowl entertainment).

Last year, the Putnam County girls basketball team won the Tri-County Conference Tournament. We spoke to then-senior Gracie Cuicci, then-junior Ava Hatton, and coach Jared Sale (55:35) after the tourney victory. We spoke with now-senior Maggie Richetta (1:07:22) about volleyball awards she won and the hoops season a week or two in. PC is in the TCC Tournament Championship once again this year as they take on St. Bede at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Jan. 18) against St. Bede. SBA coach Stephanie Mickley made some comments about what the Lady Bruins needed to do to win in the intro.Intro: Guest resumes, Putting in the Work (12:58, boys bowling regionals, accomplishments in December), Keep it Rolling (30:29, discuss 10 random titles and rank em)

Nate Stubler (13:35) finished his rookie season with the Professional Bowling Association with being named a PBA Rookie of the Year nominee and he finished fourth in the PBA Player's Championship. He talks about his accomplishments and more.

The Mendota boys bowling team is getting ready for the IHSA Regionals (supposed to be Saturday, Jan. 13, but may be moved due to weather) after Landon Bauer (40:19) made state last year and is trying to better his 50th-place finish, the Trojans bowled at nationals over the summer (discussed by coach Matt Bauer, 55:13), and going 15-0 during the 2023-24 regular season. Intro: Guests resume, first word with new sponsor Starved Rock Wood Products (3:51), Mix & Match (Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Bill Belichick, Matt Eberflus, Chance Comanche, Grambling State University, Shaq, 14:10), and Putting in the Work (local player's, team's accomplishments (30:51).

Mendota has been conquering the world in many areas. Naitzy Garcia (55:28) made it to the women's soccer NJCAA Division II National Championship with Rock Valley Community College. MHS senior Anthony Kelson (1:09:07)) qualified for the IHSA Class 1A State Final. Reanna Brant (1:19:48) was Three Rivers All-Conference for volleyball, graduated in December and starts Sauk Valley Community College and its volleyball team in mid-January. Amellia Bromenschenkel (1:28:44) is a senior at University of Purdue Fort Wayne, played against Iowa and Caitlin Clark, and was named Horizon Conference Player of the Week in November.Intro: Guest's resumes, Mix and Match (11:53) (LeBron/In-Season Tournament, Shohei Ohtani, Jim Harbaugh, Miles Bridges, Eric Montross, DeMarcus Cousins, Draymond Green, Zach LaVine, Ja Morant, Dalvin Cook), and Bring it Back (26:07) with Creedence Clearwater Revival's Cosmo Factory.

Football has been awesome in northern and central Illinois for quite some time, including the last two seasons. We start with La Salle-Peru alum Zach Hartman (57:25), who won two championships with North Central. Hall grad James Mautino (1:07.00) has had two stellar senior seasons at Aurora Central. We spoke to him between the two campaigns. Byron won the 3A state title and we were there! Listen to the Tigers (1:25.25) postgame conference, senior Ashton Henkel, sophomore Caiden Considine, freshman Andrew Talbert, and coach Jeff Boyer. Intro: Resumes to for all of the guests, Keep it Rolling, and Putting in the Work.

Adam Bontz has been with DREAMWAVE Wrestling since Day 1 in 2009. Although he has many duties behind the scenes, when it's show time, he's the best dressed ring announcer in the business. Bontz chats wrestling, his daughter Addie Bontz winning a state title with the St. Bede softball team, and more.

In October, Brittnie Brooks (36:09) became the first DREAMWAVE Wrestling Women's Champion. Now, Friday, Dec. 8, she is having her first title defense, against Masha Slamovich, at the first EVER DREAMWAVE Wrestling all-women's wrestling event, Uprising. She talks about it all!Intro: Keep it Rolling (Goldbeck Hostage Crisis, Silver Linings Playbook, Goonies, Indiana Jones, Mr. Nanny), Mix & Match (Bob Knight, Matthew Perry, World Series, Corey Seager, NBA In-Season Tournament)

The Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football team is playing in the Illinois 8-Man Football Championship at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17 at Monmouth College against Ridgewood. Let's get ready for the game with interviews after each round of the playoffs. Eddie Jones, Landon Montavon, and coach Scott Payne after the first round win over Hiawatha. Payne after the quarterfinal victory over FCW. Troy Anderson, Quinn Leffelman, and Payne after the Clippers beat Polo in the semifinal.

St. Bede senior QB Max Bray (40:58) transferred to the academy from Aurora Christian during his junior year after his father, Frank Bray, passed away. The Bruins are in the postseason giving Bray at least one more chance to play for his father. SBA coach Jim Eustice joins Bray to talk about his QB's and the team's development. Also on the show, Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio coach Scott Payne (34:50) as the Clippers get ready for Hiawatha in the playoffs. Intro: Win/Lose Stat (11:36, Friday's football playoff games), Mix and Match (24:04, World Series, NBA starts, Dwight Howard, R.I.P. Tasha Butts)

Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football coach Scott Payne (26:58) and Hall-Putnam County football coach Randy Tieman (35:15) talk about their teams in the last game of the regular season. Intro: Mix & Match (9:47, WWE/AEW, MLB postseason, NFL, WNBA champs, IHSA Pairing Show)

DREAMWAVE Wrestling's Follow Your Heart is tonight, Saturday, Oct. 14. Hunter Holdcraft, half of the tag team The Hype with 12-Gaige, chats with us about The Hype winning the tag team championship in August and what's happened since then.

Kishwaukee College restarted their volleyball program this season. We spoke with Kish coach Zach Salapatek and athletic director Scott Kawall (56:35) before the season. The Princeton football team's junior Noah LaPorte (1:17:23) and coach Ryan Pearson (1:25:48) join us to talk about another successful Tiger season. Intro: Bring it Back with Earth, Wind & Fire's 1975 album The Way of the World (6:24), Win/Lose/Stat (33:09, Oct. 4-Oct. 7 ft. state golf)

Hall-Putnam County football coach Randy Tieman (12:25) and Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football coach Scott Payne (16:12) chat about their teams, Week 7 results, and upcoming Week 8 contests.

We're getting ready for a Week 7 Three Rivers Conference Mississippi Division game between the Hall-Putnam County and Newman football teams. Newman is the first of three ranked teams the Red Devils end their regular season with. Coach Randy Tieman talks about the Week 6 win over IVC and today's battle against Newman. Tune into The Wolf 96.5 FM as the pregame starts at 12:45 p.m. and kickoff is at 1 p.m. Listen to Brandon LaChance and Jeremy Aitken with the call.

Jaylon Hughes, of Freeport HS and Kishwaukee College, talks about his business Juicy Vizualz and motivational writings (42:31), and two Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio Clippers talk football in coach Scott Payne (1:00.08) and Landon Whelchel (1:07.25). Intro: Speaking to eighth graders, Win/Lose/Stat (9:29, Sept 29-Oct. 3), Mix and Match (Dick Butkus, MLB Postseason)

Brett Herrmann (57:02) chats life after writing for newspapers as he works at Kishwaukee College and wrote a book, Grim Sweeper. First-year Bureau Valley volleyball coach Saige Barnett and her senior setter Kate Salisbury (1:19.26) talk to us about the season. Intro: Win/Lose/Stat (11:50. Sept. 25-28), Mix and Match (44:07, Jrue Holiday, Ryder Cup, Canelo Alvarez, Chase Claypool, Disney, Outkast, Tim Wakefield R.I.P., MLB Wildcard)

Mindy McConnaughhay (1:09:05) and the Marquette volleyball team won a regional title last year. Coach had a lot to say about that team after the plaque was earned and was excited about this season. The Lady Crusaders are 17-4 and preparing for a long postseason run. Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football coach Scott Payne (1:22:48) and Hall-Putnam County coach Randy Tieman (1:30.41) each talk about Week 5 and Week 6 of the season. Intro: Shout out to Finn Sessler (1:11), Win/Lose/Stat (10:04, Sept. 18-23), Mix and Match (46:55) Colorado, WWE/UFC, writer's strike, NFL, MLB postseason, El Hijo del Vikingo, Krazie Bone, Breanna Stewart, Dame Lillard trade).

Scott Payne (34:00) talks about his Clippers not having a Homecoming game and Week 5. St. Bede alumna Hallie McGuire (40:51) chats on her career as she is now playing volleyball for Kentucky Wesleyan. Randy Tieman (53:04) and the Red Devils are ready for Week 5 opponent, the undefeated Kewanee Boilermakers. Intro: Win/Lose/Stat

Week 4 of the high school football season features the Hall-Putnam County Red Devils at the Mendota Trojans. It is the Trojan's Homecoming game, which will have both squads ready for a great game. Red Devils coach Randy Tieman (9:02) gave us a preview.

Christian Soderholm returned to the Illinois Valley after playing pro basketball in Australia from Feb. to Aug. He chats about his time down under. IVCC men's soccer coach Tim Cottinjim (1:10:51) chats about the Eagles season. Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football coach Scott Payne (1:19.28) is leading his team into Homecoming week. Intro: MLB, Win/Lose/Stat (10:29), Bring it Back with Marvin Gaye's Let's Get it On (15:34).

Christian Soderholm (44:53) has played basketball all over the world including from Feb.-Aug. of 2023 when he was in Australia. We talked to him before and after; this chat is before. Also joining us is Mendota boys golf coach David Ross (1:14:00) to talk about this year's team. Intro: NFL brief (2:06), Win/Lose/Stat (15:35, Sept. 5-Sept. 9).

:LOADED SHOW with five guests! Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio football coach Scott Payne (47:28)), Hall-Putnam County football coach Randy Tieman (53:22), Mendota boys soccer representatives Jonathan Cortez (1:00:50), coach Rey Arteaga (1:18:31), and coach Nick Myers (1:34:42). Intro: Mix & Match (8:35, college football, R.I.P. Jimmy Buffett and Steve Harwell, Nick Bosa, Joe Burrow), Win/Lose/Stat (1:34.42, Aug. 29-Sept. 2).

We are joined by Hall-Putnam County football coach Randy Tieman and Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio coach Scott Payne as they talk about their Week 1 and Week 2 games.

Over the last two seasons, the Putnam County baseball teams have been expecting and performing great seasons. We spoke with Chris Newsome (51:37) after the 2022 season and about fall baseball as the football coop with Hall has halted the 2023 fall, now-graduated Andrew Pyszka (1:21:43) after the 2022 season, and Jackson McDonald (1:35.55) a week before the 2023 postseason.Intro: R.I.P.s (3:55, Terry Funk, Bray Wyatt, Bob Barker), Win/Lose/Stat (11:10, scores, stats, accomplishments from 8-21 to 8-28)

Double the fun! First, Hall-Putnam County football coach Randy Tieman (13:58) previews the 2023 Red Devils' season. Then Finn Sessler (20:13), a young man from Mendota, talks about the Roller Coaster Challenge, Taekwondo, and everything else he does.Intro: Mix & Match (5:07, James Harden, Shohei Ohtani, White Sox, Stephen Strasburg)

IVCC Athletic Director Cory Tomasson (55:53) discusses why the junior college in Oglesby canceled the 2023-24 women's basketball season. Also, he talks about other programs such as the new cross country teams, soccer, volleyball, men's basketball, and softball.Intro: The first Win/Lose/Stat of the 2023-24 school year (9:25) and Bring it Back with Paul Simon's 1972 self-titled album (20:52)

Yamilet Aguirre (32:08) finished second in the 120-pound weight class at last year's girls wrestling IHSA State Meet. Now, a senior, the Yorkville Fox is hungry to win a state title. Coach Kevin Roth shares his background and how girls wrestling is growing.Intro: Back-to-back awesome weekends (Dreamwave, Band of Horses, Cincinnati, Mendota Sweet Corn Festival), Mix and Match (12:45, Barbie Movie, Cubs/Sox, Lil Wayne/Skip Bayless, James Harden), Keep it Rolling (22:22)

Now-graduated Ashton Pecher (47:39) and Kyler Lapp (56:59) chat about the Hall baseball team's run to a Class 2A Super Sectional the past spring. What a season!Intro: Bring it Back (10:38) dives into Usher's 2004 classic album, "Confessions"

Buff Bagwell, of WCW and NWO fame, talks about the DREAMWAVE Wrestling Double Shot Weekend at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4-5, at the La Salle Knights of Columbus. Bagwell (20:08) tells us, "I'm Buff and still the stuff".

Granville's Caleb Dzierzynski (37:34)i won the Championship Flite and Mendota's Pat Kerchner (41:45) won the B-Flight at the Illinois Valley Men's Golf Championship held July 29-30. Both champs chatted about their rounds and the amazing golf weekend.Intro: Mix & Match (15:05 - R.I.P. Pee Wee Herman, NFL running backs, Jake Burger), Keep it Rolling (24:12 - Dope, Shark Tale, Cocaine Bear, High Fidelity, Ready Player One)

July 30, 2023 will be known as J.A. Day in Peru, Illinois as it was the day J.A. Happ Field was named at Washington Park. The St. Bede Hall of Famer, Illinois Valley NewsTribune Hall of Famer, MLB 2008 World Series Champion, and 2018 MLB All-Star spoke with us (15:39) after the ceremony and expressed his gratitude toward the Illinois Valley.

The chat vault finally let this one escape! Princeton athletes and choir singers, then-seniors Drew Harp (15:03) and Katie Bates (42:32), as well as Princeton band director Brandon Crawford (27:58), spoke to us last June about being athletes and singers. Crawford is always recruiting more athletes to join the PHS choir and band.

Drip Fest returns to the Country Ranch, on Rt. 251 between Mendota and Peru, for the third time. However, this edition is different as it's two days, Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29. Promoter Marc Lopez (23:50) gives all the details about the fest made for local entertainers and local fans.Intro: Mix and Match (Ayo Dosunmu, Steph Curry, Commanders, Bronny James, NFL preseason injuries, R.I.P. Rocky Wirtz and Sinead O'Connor, State Board approves OSF buying Peru hospital)

DeKalb cross country coach Mike Wolf and runners Riley Newport and Jacob Barraza (1:11:02) join us after the senior and sophomore ran at the state meet. They also qualified for state in track. The Barbs were quick to the finish line.Intro: Bring it Back with 2-Pac's 1996 double-disc classic, All Eyez on Me (12:52)

There were many new faces at St. Bede Academy to start off the 2022-23 school year. Not just new students, but Nick McLaughlin (20:55)) took over as principal, Mike Armato (33:58) became the new athletic director, and Stephanie Mickley (53:15) was the new coach for the girls basketball team. They spoke about their background and expectations with new roles. What the Bruins were able to do on all platforms throughout the year is in the intro (4:56)!Intro: Mix and Match (9:24)) with Lincoln Highway Men's Golf Tournament at Mendota Golf Course, MLB Home Run Derby, MLB All-Star Game, and MLB Draft.

We are at the Graves-Hume Public Library with four crazy, cool, rotten tomatoes. We chat baseball, vegetables, and Wally World.

We are at Graves-Hume Public Library creating a podcast with Kenna Weasley and the wizards. They created their first podcast that they're going to listen to a million times.

Today we are sharing how to create podcasts with awesome and crazy Mendota people.. We had fun creating a podcast!!!!!