Football may delay coach's wedding

Jerry Verde, the football coach at Crete-Monee High School in Crete, said his scheduled Nov. 27 wedding to fiancee Angie Natsis at the Juno Casino in Rock Island could be delayed from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. if his team wins its next two playoff games and plays for the championship at 1 p.m. Nov.

27 at the University of Illinois in Champaign, the Chicago SouthtownStar reported Friday.

The couple said they discussed the possibility of a championship interference when selecting their wedding date, but Nov. 27 was the best possible day for their schedules and the school had never even made it to the semifinals in football.

"For me not to book the only date that was available would be like buying a lottery ticket and quitting my job," Verde said.

Natsis said she does not plan to miss the game if the team advances.

"There's no way I'd miss the state championship game. It's a no-brainer," she said. "It won't take me that long to get ready. They can't start without him, anyway."

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