Watching Olivia Rodrigo reign supreme over about 16,000 screaming fans at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center Friday night, one couldn’t help but keep thinking she just turned 21 last month and released her debut single a mere three years ago.

That song, “Drivers License,” entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1, smashed numerous Spotify records and topped the charts in two dozen countries around the world. At the time, she told the New York Times that “my entire life just, like, shifted in an instant.” For most acts, a hit of that magnitude will define an entire career. Rodrigo, meanwhile, performed it five songs into her 90-minute set.

An avowed Taylor Swift fan who calls herself the “biggest Swiftie in the whole world,” Rodrigo has clearly picked up a few tricks from Swift, starting with lyrics that feel ripped out of her diary. Friday night, she proved to be confident, but never cocky. She’s also a fierce feminist who fronts a band full of female musicians and vocally promotes women, both in the industry and her audience.

Young women made up most of the audience Friday and they treated Rodrigo with complete reverence, screaming their lungs out at the appropriate times and singing along to every song in the set, which included nearly all the tracks from her two albums, 2021’s “Sour” and last year’s “Guts.” She was already popular enough to fill the X on her first tour in 2022 when she hit the Armory in downtown Minneapolis. Tickets for Friday’s show sold out in mere moments, suggesting she could have easily added a second night.

Rodrigo, who writes the majority of her songs with producer Daniel Nigro, has a real knack for crafting ear worms with smart lyrics and deep hooks. She dabbles in numerous styles, too, from relatively straightforward teen pop to ’90s-inspired alt-rock. (She claimed Minneapolis punk trio Babes in Toyland as a key influence on “Guts.”)

She performed on a massive, uncluttered stage with catwalks on either side that let her get close to the fans in the general-admission section up front. There was some razzle-dazzle along the way, like when she sang “Logical” from a flying purple crescent moon, surrounded by stars hanging from the rafters. And seven songs in, a pack of eight dancers emerged who joined her off and on through the rest of the show.

But, really, Rodrigo was the main focus of the evening, whether she was perched behind the piano for the ballad “Teenage Dream” or sitting cross-legged next to her guitarist for “Happier,” complete with the crowd chiming in at key moments. She oozed with charisma, but crucially remained entirely approachable and down to earth. She never once displayed the sort of showbizzy moves one would expect from a performer who got her start starring on Disney Channel fare. (She’s the anti Demi Lovato!)

As remarkable as it is to see how much Rodrigo has achieved in three short years, her performance Friday night showed she’s just getting started.

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Chicago Bears guard Nate Davis paid $2.3 million in May for a five-bedroom, 5,537-square-foot house in Highland Park.

A Virginia native who previously had played for the Tennessee Titans, Davis signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Bears in March. He battled injuries in his first year with the team, including missing four games later in the season with a high ankle sprain.

Built in 2003 and designed by Evanston architect Michael Hershenson, Davis’ new house has five bathrooms, three fireplaces, a kitchen with a butler’s pantry, a family room with built-ins and a wall of windows and a wood-paneled study on the first floor. Other features include a four-season sunroom that offers ravine views and a primary suite with a second office, a private screened porch, dual custom walk-in closets and heated floors.

Downstairs on the lower level, the house has a game room, a kitchenette and a fitness room.

The house sits on a 1.28-acre property and is accessed via a wooded private drive.

The agent who represented Davis, Paul Gorney of eXp Realty, could not be reached for comment.

The house had a $52,785 property tax bill in the 2022 tax year.

Bob Goldsborough is a freelance writer.

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CLASS A

Goodhue 63, Underwood 53

Elizabeth Gadient scored 22 points — including an 11-for-12 performance at the free-throw line — to go with 11 rebounds to lead the top-seeded Wildcats into the state title game.

Kendyl Lodermeier also had a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards.

Goodhue led by 11 at the break, but fourth-seeded Underwood (28-4) — which downed second-ranked Hancock in its section final — pulled to within four with 10 minutes to play and was within six in the final minute. But Goodhue (27-5) put the game away at the free-throw line.

Elizabeth Lukken had 24 points and nine rebounds for Underwood.

Mountain Iron-Buhl 69, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 50

Jordan Zubich had 31 points — highlighted by five 3-pointers — to push defending state champ Mountain Iron-Buhl back into the title game.

The second-seeded Rangers will play top-seeded Goodhue for the crown at noon Saturday. The two teams met in December, with Goodhue winning 67-62.

Zubich also had six assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Mountain Iron-Buhl (29-3) led by six early in the second half before going on a 20-7 run to essentially put the game away.

It’s a busy 24-hour stretch for Rangers coach Jeff Buffetta. After he guided the Rangers girls to Friday’s semifinal win, he had to quickly make his way to Hibbing to coach the Mountain Iron-Buhl boys team — which he also heads — in the Class A, Section 7 title game Friday night against Cherry, before making his way back to Minneapolis for Saturday’s state girls final.

Buffetta arrived in time for the boys game, but the Rangers fell in the section final.

Lily Hubin had 18 points and eight rebounds for third-seeded Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (28-4), which was making its second state tournament appearance.

Class 2A

Providence Academy 92, Crosby-Ironton 54

Maddyn Greenway scored 30 points, going 11 for 11 from the free-throw line — to guide the Lions back to the state title game in their pursuit to defend their championship. The Class 2A title game is set for 2 p.m. Saturday.

Greenway flirted with a triple-double with 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Four of Providence Academy’s five starters scored in double figures, including Arianna Peterson, who had 20 points and nine boards. The top-seeded Lions (27-4) shot 57 percent from the field and 42 percent from deep.

Tori Oehrlein tallied 35 points and 11 rebounds for fifth-seeded Crosby-Ironton (25-7).

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New Chicago White Sox infielder Nicky Lopez is enjoying the most unforgettable offseason of his life.

That was true even before receiving an honor Friday that he said ranks among the best of his accomplishments.

“It’s been an eventful offseason, for sure,” Lopez said. “A day before I got married, I got traded from the Braves to the White Sox.

“That was something I won’t take for granted, just to be able to come back and play for a hometown team, which is something special.”

But getting the call for the Naperville Central Athletic Hall of Fame is equally special for Lopez, 28, who graduated from the school in 2013 after earning five varsity letters in baseball and basketball. He was inducted Friday, joining a Hall of Fame that already included Candace Parker, Anthony Parker, Owen Daniels, Sean Payton and Casey Krueger.

“100 percent it’s up there, only because it means so much not only to me but my family,” Lopez said. “This is where it started.

“This is a steppingstone for the journey that I’m still on. So that’s what I’m most thankful for, that I’m coming back and seeing all the teachers who have helped me become who I am. That’s why it’s a little bit more special.”

Those teachers include Naperville Central basketball coach Pete Kramer and baseball coach Mike Stock, who were proud to be part of the induction ceremony held before the boys basketball game against Neuqua Valley.

“It being Nicky, there was a lot of excitement in the building, and that would have been the case even if he was playing for the Braves,” Stock said. “But the fact he’s with the Sox adds another layer.

“It’s just a blast. It’s one of the rewards that you get from being around people like this all the time. We want to make sure we slow it down and celebrate. He’s a great young man from a great family.”

Also inducted Friday were 2006 graduate Erica Carter, who helped Naperville Central’s girls basketball team win two state titles and scored more than 1,000 points at Binghamton; pioneering female athlete Lois Madsen, a 1975 graduate who became the first person to earn a full volleyball scholarship at Northern Illinois; wrestling star Rodney Landorf, a 1962 graduate who became an Army officer and received a Bronze Star in the Vietnam War; and late wrestling coach Bill Young.

“I haven’t been back to Naperville since a few months after I graduated,” Carter said. “There are so many amazing times that happened throughout high school and my athletic career.

“Walking through the hallways, it brings back a lot of good memories, and I feel honored to be a part of the Hall of Fame. I know there are so many student-athletes that go through the building at Naperville Central, and it’s just been a day full of amazing memories.”

Lopez’s family, including his parents Bob and Angela and brothers Bobby and Anthony, still lives in Naperville. Angela Lopez presented him for induction.

“Obviously, this honor is humbling,” Nicky Lopez said. “You always hear each year of people getting inducted, so to be able to add to the list is awesome.”

After graduating from Naperville Central, Lopez played baseball at Creighton and was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB draft. When the Royals called him up in 2019, he became the first Naperville Central graduate to play in the major leagues.

Lopez, who has a .249/.312/.319 career slash line, was a Gold Glove finalist at second base in 2020 and became the first Royals shortstop to hit .300 in 2021. He played parts of five seasons in Kansas City before being traded in July to the Braves, whom he helped win the National League East title.

Lopez said he is thrilled to join the White Sox, who acquired him in November.

“I grew up going to White Sox games,” he said. “I went to Game 2 of the World Series in 2005, so just being able to put the jersey on, wow, it’s cool.”

Long known for his humble, hardworking approach to the game, Lopez is quick to share credit for his ascent.

“When you come to high school, obviously you’re there to learn, but you’re there to grow and also learn life lessons, and these teachers every step of the way helped mold me,” he said. “Whether it was my English teacher or math teacher, we’ve all had conversations with them that have helped me get to where I’m at.

“I can’t thank them enough. They’ve done so good by me with all the respect and love that they’ve shown, and I keep in touch with them.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.

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