Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
May 25th, 2008
Marmion ends long drought
BY KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->AURORA – The last time the Marmion baseball team took home the regional title, man was preparing his first moon landing.On Saturday afternoon, the Cadets, setting a new school record for wins, won a regional title for the first time since 1969, beating Aurora Central Catholic, 4-1, in the IHSA Class 3A Aurora Central Catholic Regional final.The Cadets advance to Thursday’s Rochelle Sectional semifinal against Belvidere North.Marmion (18-8) scored in the bottom of the second and tacked on three more in the sixth. Cadets junior pitcher Brian Burns didn't allow a run until the seventh inning, showcasing strong command to help Marmion secure the regional title."I had pitched against [ACC] earlier this year and had some success," Burns said. "And today my arm felt well and I was well rested."Marmion coach Dave Rakow was proud of Burns."That's four complete games in a row for [Burns]," Rakow said. "He's battled every time he's been out there this year."The Cadets’ offense, meanwhile, used well-placed hits, solid base running and some costly errors by ACC (13-16) to support Burns.None were more timely for Marmion than the three runs that came in the bottom of the sixth. With ACC trailing, 1-0, Chargers pitcher Nick Czaja hit two of the first three batters before being replaced by Bill Balderis.A Matt Milroy triple and an ACC passed ball put Marmion ahead, 3-0. With two outs and the bases loaded, Marmion added its fourth run on a Chargers infield error."[The three runs in the sixth] gave me a lot of confidence going into that last inning," Burns said. "It helped me concentrate and focus a little more.”ACC attempted to stage a late rally as Kyle Edwards’ single up the middle scored Ken Litrenta. ACC coach Michael Armato had seen his team make late comebacks, but the Chargers couldn’t sustain the rally against their Suburban Catholic Conference rival."We had our opportunities the whole game – we just couldn't get the big hit today," Armato said. "We had a nice gameplan going in, and we executed, but offensively we missed a couple of plays."Rakow, coaching his first year at the varsity level, feels good about what his team has accomplished."We told the kids before the season started that if they put a lot of work in, it will pay off here in the postseason," Rakow said.
Monday, July 14, 2008
North Stars defend tennis sectional crown
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
May 18th, 2008
North Stars defend tennis sectional crown
BY KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ROSELLE – Neither the stiff competition nor equally stiff winds could stop the St. Charles North boys tennis team from earning its second straight sectional title Saturday morning.North (22 points) beat out Bartlett (17) for the team title on a day when the North pair of David Johnson and Christian Hoskey took home first place in doubles, beating Wheaton Academy’s Charles West and Devin Moore,6-2, 6-0, in the doubles championship match.“We put a lot of effort into what we do, and when it comes out in your favor, it feels pretty good,” North coach Tim Matacio said.It wasn’t easy for Johnson and Hoskey to make the finals. They found their semifinal match against Geneva’s Pat Coveney and Wes Kappel to be more than just a morning stretch.Coveney and Kappel, who had beaten the North team in the second of two previous meetings this season, played the North duo within 6-3 in the first set, but the North Stars came alive in the second set to prevail, 6-0.In the finals against Wheaton Academy, North jumped to a great start, winning the first set, 6-1. But that’s when West and Moore of Wheaton Academy regrouped and came out strong, starting the second set, 3-0.Wheaton Academy made a match of it, but North regrouped to take the second set, 7-5.“The good thing was that we were able to come back and win it,” Hoskey said.While the wind seemed to play a factor in most of the day’s play, North's doubles champions wouldn’t have had it any other way.“Playing with the wind so much in our home court really helped us,” Johnson said.Fellow North Star John Mittvick, a freshman singles standout, battled his way into the finals before falling to Glenbard North’s Matt Boguslawski, 6-3, 6-1, to take second in singles.In Mittvick's semifinal match against Bartlett’s Yosh Patel, Mittvick won both sets via tiebreaker.“The only way I could beat him was to come to the net,” Mittvick said.The solution wasn't the same for Mittvick in his finals match. Boguslawski used a flurry of thrashing serves to keep Mittvick off balance.“He’s just a really good player and there was nothing I could do against his serve,” Mittvick said.Matacio was proud of Mittvick’s showing.“John’s been battling seniors all year long and he's only a freshman,” Matacio said. “He put in a real good effort today.”North, winning its their second straight sectional and fourth in eight years, is looking forward to action at this week’s IHSA State Meet, beginning Thursday.Also qualifying for the state draw was the St. Charles East doubles pair of Sam Gunther and Kirk Nelson, who played a semifinal match against Wheaton Academy’s West and Moore, falling, 6-2, 6-0.
May 18th, 2008
North Stars defend tennis sectional crown
BY KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ROSELLE – Neither the stiff competition nor equally stiff winds could stop the St. Charles North boys tennis team from earning its second straight sectional title Saturday morning.North (22 points) beat out Bartlett (17) for the team title on a day when the North pair of David Johnson and Christian Hoskey took home first place in doubles, beating Wheaton Academy’s Charles West and Devin Moore,6-2, 6-0, in the doubles championship match.“We put a lot of effort into what we do, and when it comes out in your favor, it feels pretty good,” North coach Tim Matacio said.It wasn’t easy for Johnson and Hoskey to make the finals. They found their semifinal match against Geneva’s Pat Coveney and Wes Kappel to be more than just a morning stretch.Coveney and Kappel, who had beaten the North team in the second of two previous meetings this season, played the North duo within 6-3 in the first set, but the North Stars came alive in the second set to prevail, 6-0.In the finals against Wheaton Academy, North jumped to a great start, winning the first set, 6-1. But that’s when West and Moore of Wheaton Academy regrouped and came out strong, starting the second set, 3-0.Wheaton Academy made a match of it, but North regrouped to take the second set, 7-5.“The good thing was that we were able to come back and win it,” Hoskey said.While the wind seemed to play a factor in most of the day’s play, North's doubles champions wouldn’t have had it any other way.“Playing with the wind so much in our home court really helped us,” Johnson said.Fellow North Star John Mittvick, a freshman singles standout, battled his way into the finals before falling to Glenbard North’s Matt Boguslawski, 6-3, 6-1, to take second in singles.In Mittvick's semifinal match against Bartlett’s Yosh Patel, Mittvick won both sets via tiebreaker.“The only way I could beat him was to come to the net,” Mittvick said.The solution wasn't the same for Mittvick in his finals match. Boguslawski used a flurry of thrashing serves to keep Mittvick off balance.“He’s just a really good player and there was nothing I could do against his serve,” Mittvick said.Matacio was proud of Mittvick’s showing.“John’s been battling seniors all year long and he's only a freshman,” Matacio said. “He put in a real good effort today.”North, winning its their second straight sectional and fourth in eight years, is looking forward to action at this week’s IHSA State Meet, beginning Thursday.Also qualifying for the state draw was the St. Charles East doubles pair of Sam Gunther and Kirk Nelson, who played a semifinal match against Wheaton Academy’s West and Moore, falling, 6-2, 6-0.
Hagberg sets PR in victory
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
May 17th, 2008
Hagberg sets PR in victory
BY KEVIN JENISON
Comments (No comments posted.)-->editorial@kcchronicle.comSTREAMWOOD – Burlington Central’s Dan Hagberg took no chances in making sure he was Charleston-bound.The Rockets senior ran a personal best of 14.1 seconds to win the 110-meter hurdles Friday at the IHSA Class AA Streamwood Boys Track and Field Sectional.“My goal was to win the sectional and make it down to state,” Hagberg said. But Hagberg’s goal wasn’t just the win Friday – it’s to be part of the upper crust at next weekend’s state meet.“I want to make finals,” Hagberg said. “And as of now I’m in the top nine for state.”Hagberg also won the 300 hurdles with a time of 39.41.Geneva finished second as a team, scoring 62 points, while Wheaton North (99 points) won the meet. Central (46 points) took third.Another top performer at the sectional was St. Charles North’s Chris DeSilva. The North Stars senior posted both individual and relay wins. DeSilva was part of the North 4x800 relay team, consisting also of Scott Speare, Steve Miller and Max Clink, to post a winning time of 7:52.87.“When I got the baton I was going to run smooth,” DeSilva said. “It was our first race of the day and we ran it smooth and won it in the middle legs.”Matt Strasser of St. Charles North was the top distance runner on the day, posting a 9:22.54 winning mark in the 3,200.“My plan was to slowly, little by little, decrease the space between myself and whoever is ahead of me,” Strasser said.Getting the win marks a first for Strasser.“I’ve never been to state in track before,” Strasser said. “I was confident in the training I’ve done, but when state comes, it’s anyone’s race and anything can happen.”Among others in the area who qualified for next week’s state meet were Geneva’s Joe Augustine, who posted a second-place finish of 49.46 in the 400.Sophomore Frank Boenzi joins his fellow Vikings teammate for the trip, earning a second-place finish of 52-11 in the shot put.St. Charles East’s Keenen Sellers (10.80) was second in the 100, finishing just behind Wheaton North’s Ken Collier.
May 17th, 2008
Hagberg sets PR in victory
BY KEVIN JENISON
Comments (No comments posted.)-->editorial@kcchronicle.comSTREAMWOOD – Burlington Central’s Dan Hagberg took no chances in making sure he was Charleston-bound.The Rockets senior ran a personal best of 14.1 seconds to win the 110-meter hurdles Friday at the IHSA Class AA Streamwood Boys Track and Field Sectional.“My goal was to win the sectional and make it down to state,” Hagberg said. But Hagberg’s goal wasn’t just the win Friday – it’s to be part of the upper crust at next weekend’s state meet.“I want to make finals,” Hagberg said. “And as of now I’m in the top nine for state.”Hagberg also won the 300 hurdles with a time of 39.41.Geneva finished second as a team, scoring 62 points, while Wheaton North (99 points) won the meet. Central (46 points) took third.Another top performer at the sectional was St. Charles North’s Chris DeSilva. The North Stars senior posted both individual and relay wins. DeSilva was part of the North 4x800 relay team, consisting also of Scott Speare, Steve Miller and Max Clink, to post a winning time of 7:52.87.“When I got the baton I was going to run smooth,” DeSilva said. “It was our first race of the day and we ran it smooth and won it in the middle legs.”Matt Strasser of St. Charles North was the top distance runner on the day, posting a 9:22.54 winning mark in the 3,200.“My plan was to slowly, little by little, decrease the space between myself and whoever is ahead of me,” Strasser said.Getting the win marks a first for Strasser.“I’ve never been to state in track before,” Strasser said. “I was confident in the training I’ve done, but when state comes, it’s anyone’s race and anything can happen.”Among others in the area who qualified for next week’s state meet were Geneva’s Joe Augustine, who posted a second-place finish of 49.46 in the 400.Sophomore Frank Boenzi joins his fellow Vikings teammate for the trip, earning a second-place finish of 52-11 in the shot put.St. Charles East’s Keenen Sellers (10.80) was second in the 100, finishing just behind Wheaton North’s Ken Collier.
Lavaja’s 7 kills lift North Stars
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
March 20th, 2008
Lavaja’s 7 kills lift North Stars
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ST. CHARLES – With standout Rusty Lavaja on the floor, everything seemed to go the St. Charles North boys volleyball team’s way.Behind the dominant play of Lavaja, the North Stars took down South Elgin in two games Wednesday to improve their early-season record to 2-0, winning 22-15, 25-8.Lavaja, the 6-foot-7, Brigham Young-bound senior, led the match with seven kills. “Rusty was always there doing a good job of hitting the ball down,” North Stars coach Brad Mitchell said.Lavaja was happy with his teammates’ contributions, but expects even more from the team as the season unfolds.“We’re a little shaky still,” Lavaja said.Although North had no problem flexing its offensive muscle, the Storm made both games easier with their miscues and lack of rhythm.“Whenever we got the ball in the court we were able to do a couple things with that,” South Elgin coach Joni Melahn said.South Elgin (0-2, 0-1 Upstate Eight Conference) started the first game missing the mark on its first four attempts to give the North Stars a quick 4-0 lead. The Storm couldn’t find a rhythm throughout the match as the North Stars (2-0, 1-0 UEC) pulled away.The second game started in favor of South Elgin after a North Stars violation. But North went on an 8-0 run after that to take firm control.“They gave us a lot of free balls and we had the opportunity to do a lot with it,” Mitchell said.North’s Tyler Hoerner had four kills, while the Storm were led by three kills from Kevin Mui and eights assists from Robbie Vasquez.
March 20th, 2008
Lavaja’s 7 kills lift North Stars
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ST. CHARLES – With standout Rusty Lavaja on the floor, everything seemed to go the St. Charles North boys volleyball team’s way.Behind the dominant play of Lavaja, the North Stars took down South Elgin in two games Wednesday to improve their early-season record to 2-0, winning 22-15, 25-8.Lavaja, the 6-foot-7, Brigham Young-bound senior, led the match with seven kills. “Rusty was always there doing a good job of hitting the ball down,” North Stars coach Brad Mitchell said.Lavaja was happy with his teammates’ contributions, but expects even more from the team as the season unfolds.“We’re a little shaky still,” Lavaja said.Although North had no problem flexing its offensive muscle, the Storm made both games easier with their miscues and lack of rhythm.“Whenever we got the ball in the court we were able to do a couple things with that,” South Elgin coach Joni Melahn said.South Elgin (0-2, 0-1 Upstate Eight Conference) started the first game missing the mark on its first four attempts to give the North Stars a quick 4-0 lead. The Storm couldn’t find a rhythm throughout the match as the North Stars (2-0, 1-0 UEC) pulled away.The second game started in favor of South Elgin after a North Stars violation. But North went on an 8-0 run after that to take firm control.“They gave us a lot of free balls and we had the opportunity to do a lot with it,” Mitchell said.North’s Tyler Hoerner had four kills, while the Storm were led by three kills from Kevin Mui and eights assists from Robbie Vasquez.
McCurdy guides Rockets to final
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
February 27th, 2008
McCurdy guides Rockets to final
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (2 comment(s))-->SYCAMORE – Mike McCurdy is sure to be on the mind of the Kaneland boys basketball team for a long while.The Burlington Central senior made move after move and hit shot after shot in a complete performance against the Knights, leading his team to a 56-55 win in Tuesday’s IHSA Class 3A Sycamore Regional semifinals.McCurdy scored a game-high 24 points before fouling out in the final minute.“[Being in foul trouble] I had to settle for shots,” McCurdy said. “In the end, I had faith in our guys to make the shots and win it.”The Rockets advance to play the winner of today’s Oswego-Sycamore game in the regional finals Friday.“This time of year it doesn’t matter how you win,” Central coach Chris Payne said. “Just as long as you win.”With Central seemingly in control throughout, Kaneland (10-17) fought back in the fourth quarter to bring the game within a basket four different times, but never could catch the Rockets.With 15 seconds left and Kaneland down, 56-55, the Knights drove the length of the court. Sophomore Ryley Bailey put up a soft baseline jumper that rimmed out, and Central knocked the ball across the court as time expired.“We knew [Kaneland] was going to spread out and go to the basket,” Payne said. “[Bailey] got a decent look and I guess we’re lucky he didn’t make it.”The rematch of a regular-season game, which Central won by two, did not disappoint, with both teams showcasing fast-paced offensive attacks and stingy defenses.Kaneland, the underdogs to top-seeded Central (21-6), used a balanced offense to combat Central’s perimeter air raid and keep within a 26-23 deficit at the half.Rockets sophomore Shane Larkin came alive in the third quarter, scoring eight points in the quarter as Central built a nine-point lead.The Knights needed a fourth-quarter comeback, and who better to lead them than senior guard Nick Wagner. Wagner, who hit the game-winner against Sandwich the previous night, took control. A steal and a quick layup brought the Knights within 46-41 with 5:30 to go.Kaneland’s final point came when Kevin Green split two free throws with 23 seconds left. The Knights then fouled Matt McCurdy, who missed the front end of a one-and-one, setting up Bailey’s final shot.Free-throw shooting loomed large. While Central made 11 of 12 for the night, Kaneland struggled, shooting 7 for 15.“I thought we did everything we could do,” Knights coach Dennis Hansen said. “We just couldn’t knock down the free throws.”
February 27th, 2008
McCurdy guides Rockets to final
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (2 comment(s))-->SYCAMORE – Mike McCurdy is sure to be on the mind of the Kaneland boys basketball team for a long while.The Burlington Central senior made move after move and hit shot after shot in a complete performance against the Knights, leading his team to a 56-55 win in Tuesday’s IHSA Class 3A Sycamore Regional semifinals.McCurdy scored a game-high 24 points before fouling out in the final minute.“[Being in foul trouble] I had to settle for shots,” McCurdy said. “In the end, I had faith in our guys to make the shots and win it.”The Rockets advance to play the winner of today’s Oswego-Sycamore game in the regional finals Friday.“This time of year it doesn’t matter how you win,” Central coach Chris Payne said. “Just as long as you win.”With Central seemingly in control throughout, Kaneland (10-17) fought back in the fourth quarter to bring the game within a basket four different times, but never could catch the Rockets.With 15 seconds left and Kaneland down, 56-55, the Knights drove the length of the court. Sophomore Ryley Bailey put up a soft baseline jumper that rimmed out, and Central knocked the ball across the court as time expired.“We knew [Kaneland] was going to spread out and go to the basket,” Payne said. “[Bailey] got a decent look and I guess we’re lucky he didn’t make it.”The rematch of a regular-season game, which Central won by two, did not disappoint, with both teams showcasing fast-paced offensive attacks and stingy defenses.Kaneland, the underdogs to top-seeded Central (21-6), used a balanced offense to combat Central’s perimeter air raid and keep within a 26-23 deficit at the half.Rockets sophomore Shane Larkin came alive in the third quarter, scoring eight points in the quarter as Central built a nine-point lead.The Knights needed a fourth-quarter comeback, and who better to lead them than senior guard Nick Wagner. Wagner, who hit the game-winner against Sandwich the previous night, took control. A steal and a quick layup brought the Knights within 46-41 with 5:30 to go.Kaneland’s final point came when Kevin Green split two free throws with 23 seconds left. The Knights then fouled Matt McCurdy, who missed the front end of a one-and-one, setting up Bailey’s final shot.Free-throw shooting loomed large. While Central made 11 of 12 for the night, Kaneland struggled, shooting 7 for 15.“I thought we did everything we could do,” Knights coach Dennis Hansen said. “We just couldn’t knock down the free throws.”
Kaneland overcomes slow start, wins
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
February 20th, 2008
Kaneland overcomes slow start, wins
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->MAPLE PARK – It took all four quarters, but Kaneland finally overcame its slow start.On a night when the Knights needed a jolt, they found it in senior forward Nick Wagner and sophomore center Dave Dudzinski, who led Kaneland to a 62-55 Western Sun Conference win Tuesday against Yorkville.Wagner was a major weapon for the Knights (9-15 overall, 5-9 WSC), scoring a game-high 28 points. Wagner hit four threes en route to his game high.“That was probably Nick’s best shooting game in a long time,” Kaneland coach Dennis Hansen said.Dudzinski came alive in the second half with 10 points for the Knights. He also made all six of his free throws on the night. “[Dudzinski] had some big offensive rebounds in the second half,” Hansen said. The first half was forgettable for both teams. Yorkville committed nine first-half turnovers, giving Kaneland multiple chances to cash in.But all Kaneland seemed to offer in response was an endless supply of quick, and mostly missed, shots.“Our first quarters haven’t been very good; we can’t seem to get jump-started [until] after that,” said Hansen, whose team came back from a 29-3 deficit Friday to beat Geneva.Then came Wagner, who scored on a four-point play and followed with two more baskets to chop eight straight points off Yorkville’s lead and bring Kaneland within 22-21 with a little more than 3 minutes until the half.“It just all felt good coming off my wrist,” Wagner said.With Yorkville leading by six points at the break, both sides came out with visions of team play on their minds. Instead, the half started with a compelling individual battle between Dudzinski and Yorkville’s Tavis Gibson, who both came out smoking.“Getting the ball inside was one of our halftime adjustments,” Dudzinski said.Still down by four heading into the final quarter, Wagner and Dudzinski continued their roll.A three by junior guard Brody Root gave the Knights a 46-45 lead with 6 minutes remaining, a lead they would not relinquish, thanks in part to a 9-of-10 team free-throw performance in the fourth.“We did enough to hang around,” Hansen said. “We played a good fourth quarter, and that was the difference.”
February 20th, 2008
Kaneland overcomes slow start, wins
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->MAPLE PARK – It took all four quarters, but Kaneland finally overcame its slow start.On a night when the Knights needed a jolt, they found it in senior forward Nick Wagner and sophomore center Dave Dudzinski, who led Kaneland to a 62-55 Western Sun Conference win Tuesday against Yorkville.Wagner was a major weapon for the Knights (9-15 overall, 5-9 WSC), scoring a game-high 28 points. Wagner hit four threes en route to his game high.“That was probably Nick’s best shooting game in a long time,” Kaneland coach Dennis Hansen said.Dudzinski came alive in the second half with 10 points for the Knights. He also made all six of his free throws on the night. “[Dudzinski] had some big offensive rebounds in the second half,” Hansen said. The first half was forgettable for both teams. Yorkville committed nine first-half turnovers, giving Kaneland multiple chances to cash in.But all Kaneland seemed to offer in response was an endless supply of quick, and mostly missed, shots.“Our first quarters haven’t been very good; we can’t seem to get jump-started [until] after that,” said Hansen, whose team came back from a 29-3 deficit Friday to beat Geneva.Then came Wagner, who scored on a four-point play and followed with two more baskets to chop eight straight points off Yorkville’s lead and bring Kaneland within 22-21 with a little more than 3 minutes until the half.“It just all felt good coming off my wrist,” Wagner said.With Yorkville leading by six points at the break, both sides came out with visions of team play on their minds. Instead, the half started with a compelling individual battle between Dudzinski and Yorkville’s Tavis Gibson, who both came out smoking.“Getting the ball inside was one of our halftime adjustments,” Dudzinski said.Still down by four heading into the final quarter, Wagner and Dudzinski continued their roll.A three by junior guard Brody Root gave the Knights a 46-45 lead with 6 minutes remaining, a lead they would not relinquish, thanks in part to a 9-of-10 team free-throw performance in the fourth.“We did enough to hang around,” Hansen said. “We played a good fourth quarter, and that was the difference.”
Pryor’s career night spoiled by defeat
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
February 16th, 2008
Pryor’s career night spoiled by defeat
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ST. CHARLES – Bartlett stole the sweetness from the St. Charles East boys basketball team’s Senior Night, edging the Saints, 85-84, on Friday in a double-overtime game dripping with drama.East senior Collin Pryor led the Saints with a career-high 37 points, 15 rebounds and went a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line.“Collin kept us in the game single-handedly,” East coach Brian Clodi said.But even on a career night, Pryor’s thoughts were on his team.“I feel I could have done more to get my teammates involved, so I was a little disappointed with that,” Pryor said.The Saints’ Zack Scott knocked down six fourth-quarter free throws, none more clutch than the pair that put East ahead, 66-63, with just less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.“I felt like I had to make [the shots] for my team, especially on Senior Night,” Scott said.But the Hawks answered with a last-second three by Marc Little to send the game into overtime.Just seconds into the first overtime, East surged ahead with a three by Scott to take the lead, 69-66. But Bartlett came back to tie it at 74 to send the players into yet another 4 minutes of battle.In the second overtime, Pryor gave East the lead, 82-81, with just less than a minute to play, and gave the Saints an 84-83 edge with an inside basket with less than 30 seconds to go.East was in prime position when the Hawks let an errant pass hit the bleachers for a turnover, giving East the ball back with the lead.But East (12-12 overall, 4-4 Upstate Eight Conference) turned the ball over when a Saints player stepped out of bounds, setting up a heartbreaking ending for the Saints.An East foul put the Hawks’ Little to the line with 5.9 seconds left. With Bartett down by one, Little sank both of his shots to give Bartlett the final lead.A last drive and heave by East’s Brian Lankton from just inside halfcourt clanked as the buzzer sounded.“We just have to learn how to close out the game,” Clodi said. “We control our destiny.”The game started with a furious offensive attack on both ends, with the Saints leading the Hawks, 21-14, after the first quarter. East hit its first three three-pointers, while Bartlett relied on big man Kamil Janton, the Eastern Michigan-bound senior, for a strong inside presence. Janton finished with 20 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.A big block by Saints junior center Kevin Senechalle with 3:08 before the first half ended got the home crowd into the game, and the teams entered the locker rooms tied at 35.Up next for the Saints is a matchup against Batavia at 6 p.m. today at St. Charles East.“It was around this time last year that [the team] came together as a family,” Pryor said. “We’re only looking forward.”
February 16th, 2008
Pryor’s career night spoiled by defeat
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ST. CHARLES – Bartlett stole the sweetness from the St. Charles East boys basketball team’s Senior Night, edging the Saints, 85-84, on Friday in a double-overtime game dripping with drama.East senior Collin Pryor led the Saints with a career-high 37 points, 15 rebounds and went a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line.“Collin kept us in the game single-handedly,” East coach Brian Clodi said.But even on a career night, Pryor’s thoughts were on his team.“I feel I could have done more to get my teammates involved, so I was a little disappointed with that,” Pryor said.The Saints’ Zack Scott knocked down six fourth-quarter free throws, none more clutch than the pair that put East ahead, 66-63, with just less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.“I felt like I had to make [the shots] for my team, especially on Senior Night,” Scott said.But the Hawks answered with a last-second three by Marc Little to send the game into overtime.Just seconds into the first overtime, East surged ahead with a three by Scott to take the lead, 69-66. But Bartlett came back to tie it at 74 to send the players into yet another 4 minutes of battle.In the second overtime, Pryor gave East the lead, 82-81, with just less than a minute to play, and gave the Saints an 84-83 edge with an inside basket with less than 30 seconds to go.East was in prime position when the Hawks let an errant pass hit the bleachers for a turnover, giving East the ball back with the lead.But East (12-12 overall, 4-4 Upstate Eight Conference) turned the ball over when a Saints player stepped out of bounds, setting up a heartbreaking ending for the Saints.An East foul put the Hawks’ Little to the line with 5.9 seconds left. With Bartett down by one, Little sank both of his shots to give Bartlett the final lead.A last drive and heave by East’s Brian Lankton from just inside halfcourt clanked as the buzzer sounded.“We just have to learn how to close out the game,” Clodi said. “We control our destiny.”The game started with a furious offensive attack on both ends, with the Saints leading the Hawks, 21-14, after the first quarter. East hit its first three three-pointers, while Bartlett relied on big man Kamil Janton, the Eastern Michigan-bound senior, for a strong inside presence. Janton finished with 20 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.A big block by Saints junior center Kevin Senechalle with 3:08 before the first half ended got the home crowd into the game, and the teams entered the locker rooms tied at 35.Up next for the Saints is a matchup against Batavia at 6 p.m. today at St. Charles East.“It was around this time last year that [the team] came together as a family,” Pryor said. “We’re only looking forward.”
North Stars take 2nd to Neuqua Valley at conference swim meet
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
February 3rd, 2008
North Stars take 2nd to Neuqua Valley at conference swim meet
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->NAPERVILLE – It was a day of close finishes in the pool at the Upstate Eight Conference Championship Swimming Meet on Saturday afternoon. But in the end, no one could keep pace with Neuqua Valley, which finished with 332 points.St. Charles North finished second to the first-place Wildcats with 226 points. St. Charles East finished fourth at the six-team event with 175.North Stars senior Matt Baumann pushed through the pack to take home first in the 100-yard backstroke in 54.1 seconds.“Some guys worked their tails off this week and paid the price today,” North coach Rob Rooney said. “It’s been a good day.“The kids who were ready and rested, I was really proud of them. They really opened the door for these kids that are going to be going to sectionals with their tapering and shaving. It’s going to come forth for them.”With a season’s worth of hard work coming to an end, and the postseason in sight, the North swimmers know what they need to do.“Mentally we’re a little beat up,” Rooney said. “But now we need to reel everything back in.”North battled for second place against a stingy Waubonsie Valley, with the North Stars defeating the Warriors’ 219 points by seven. East’s fourth-place finish was followed by Lake Park with 168 points and Bartlett-Streamwood with 113.The North Stars’ Jimmy Brooks placed second in the 100 butterfly with a time of 52.82. Brooks lost out to Neuqua Valley’s Brian Alden, who posted a new UEC record at 50.77, breaking the previous record of 52.88 set by St. Charles’ Steve North in 1999.St. Charles East’s Adam Carnell placed third in the 100 freestyle in 49.99. The Saints’ B.J. Roth placed fourth in both the 200 and 500 freestyle with a time of 1:47.5 (200), and 4:57.5 (500). Also for the Saints, Ken Tilges took fifth in the 200 indivdiual medley in 2:04.3.The North Stars’ varsity relay team finished second in the 200-yard freestyle relay, posting a time of 1:30.41. Daniel Stanek of St. Charles North finished third in the 100 breaststroke.Up next is the IHSA Sectional Finals on Feb. 22 at St. Charles North.“The state kids, we’re all at the end of our ropes,” Rooney said. “They’re tired; I’m tired. They need to taper, and that’s what we have to work our way toward now.”
February 3rd, 2008
North Stars take 2nd to Neuqua Valley at conference swim meet
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->NAPERVILLE – It was a day of close finishes in the pool at the Upstate Eight Conference Championship Swimming Meet on Saturday afternoon. But in the end, no one could keep pace with Neuqua Valley, which finished with 332 points.St. Charles North finished second to the first-place Wildcats with 226 points. St. Charles East finished fourth at the six-team event with 175.North Stars senior Matt Baumann pushed through the pack to take home first in the 100-yard backstroke in 54.1 seconds.“Some guys worked their tails off this week and paid the price today,” North coach Rob Rooney said. “It’s been a good day.“The kids who were ready and rested, I was really proud of them. They really opened the door for these kids that are going to be going to sectionals with their tapering and shaving. It’s going to come forth for them.”With a season’s worth of hard work coming to an end, and the postseason in sight, the North swimmers know what they need to do.“Mentally we’re a little beat up,” Rooney said. “But now we need to reel everything back in.”North battled for second place against a stingy Waubonsie Valley, with the North Stars defeating the Warriors’ 219 points by seven. East’s fourth-place finish was followed by Lake Park with 168 points and Bartlett-Streamwood with 113.The North Stars’ Jimmy Brooks placed second in the 100 butterfly with a time of 52.82. Brooks lost out to Neuqua Valley’s Brian Alden, who posted a new UEC record at 50.77, breaking the previous record of 52.88 set by St. Charles’ Steve North in 1999.St. Charles East’s Adam Carnell placed third in the 100 freestyle in 49.99. The Saints’ B.J. Roth placed fourth in both the 200 and 500 freestyle with a time of 1:47.5 (200), and 4:57.5 (500). Also for the Saints, Ken Tilges took fifth in the 200 indivdiual medley in 2:04.3.The North Stars’ varsity relay team finished second in the 200-yard freestyle relay, posting a time of 1:30.41. Daniel Stanek of St. Charles North finished third in the 100 breaststroke.Up next is the IHSA Sectional Finals on Feb. 22 at St. Charles North.“The state kids, we’re all at the end of our ropes,” Rooney said. “They’re tired; I’m tired. They need to taper, and that’s what we have to work our way toward now.”
East runner-up to Neuqua Valley
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
January 20th, 2008
East runner-up to Neuqua Valley
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->STREAMWOOD – The frigid weather might have kept some from doing what they wanted this weekend, but it didn’t stop St. Charles East from putting the heat on the rest of the competition at the Upstate Eight Wrestling Tournament on Saturday inside Streamwood High School.The Saints finished second with 217 points, 47.5 points behind champion Neuqua Valley (264.5). St. Charles North (116) finished fifth, and South Elgin (46) was 10th in the 11-team event.It was a day to remember for East, which sent six wrestlers to the finals, with four coming away with titles. North sent three to the finals.Alex Maynard of East dominated Joe Rovituso of Lake Park in the 103-pound finals, winning, 9-0, to claim first place in his first year wrestling varsity.“I do what I can for the team,” Maynard said. “I wrestled most of these kids before, so I knew what to expect.”Saints wrestler Cody Crawford got some payback in his 7-1 win against Kevin Roth of Waubonsie Valley in the 125 finals.“Last year I lost to [Roth],” Crawford said. “I knew I had to go out there and battle to get first.”Daniel Mercadante of East took home the 130 title, beating Adam Stine of Neuqua Valley, 6-4, in overtime. Mercadante was down 4-2 before coming back to tie in regulation and gaining the winning points in overtime.Adam Schaefer of East found himself in a difficult match with Jeremiah Myers of Waubonsie Valley for the 189 title, but Schaefer won in overtime, 8-6.“That was a great battle because [Myers] is a tough kid and never gave up,” Saints coach Steve Smerz said. “Adam came back tough after giving up those four points, got that escape to tie it up and won it in overtime.”North’s Eric Justice defeated Nick Proctor of Neuqua Valley, 5-1, for the 145 title.“This feels pretty good. It’s my second conference title,” Justice said. “I feel I improved a little bit from last year.”In the 215 title match, Dan McSweeney of North pinned Steve Schenck of East.“I’ve been working on my technique a lot and some hard practice,” said McSweeney, who earned his first conference title. “It’s amazing. It’s all my dreams come true.”
January 20th, 2008
East runner-up to Neuqua Valley
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->STREAMWOOD – The frigid weather might have kept some from doing what they wanted this weekend, but it didn’t stop St. Charles East from putting the heat on the rest of the competition at the Upstate Eight Wrestling Tournament on Saturday inside Streamwood High School.The Saints finished second with 217 points, 47.5 points behind champion Neuqua Valley (264.5). St. Charles North (116) finished fifth, and South Elgin (46) was 10th in the 11-team event.It was a day to remember for East, which sent six wrestlers to the finals, with four coming away with titles. North sent three to the finals.Alex Maynard of East dominated Joe Rovituso of Lake Park in the 103-pound finals, winning, 9-0, to claim first place in his first year wrestling varsity.“I do what I can for the team,” Maynard said. “I wrestled most of these kids before, so I knew what to expect.”Saints wrestler Cody Crawford got some payback in his 7-1 win against Kevin Roth of Waubonsie Valley in the 125 finals.“Last year I lost to [Roth],” Crawford said. “I knew I had to go out there and battle to get first.”Daniel Mercadante of East took home the 130 title, beating Adam Stine of Neuqua Valley, 6-4, in overtime. Mercadante was down 4-2 before coming back to tie in regulation and gaining the winning points in overtime.Adam Schaefer of East found himself in a difficult match with Jeremiah Myers of Waubonsie Valley for the 189 title, but Schaefer won in overtime, 8-6.“That was a great battle because [Myers] is a tough kid and never gave up,” Saints coach Steve Smerz said. “Adam came back tough after giving up those four points, got that escape to tie it up and won it in overtime.”North’s Eric Justice defeated Nick Proctor of Neuqua Valley, 5-1, for the 145 title.“This feels pretty good. It’s my second conference title,” Justice said. “I feel I improved a little bit from last year.”In the 215 title match, Dan McSweeney of North pinned Steve Schenck of East.“I’ve been working on my technique a lot and some hard practice,” said McSweeney, who earned his first conference title. “It’s amazing. It’s all my dreams come true.”
Batavia wins own wrestling invitational
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
January 13th, 2008
Batavia wins own wrestling invitational
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->BATAVIA – Showcasing its depth and led by a trio of first-place finishes, Batavia came out on top Saturday at the 25th Batavia Wrestling Invitational.Logan Arlis, with a record of 27-2, led the way for the Bulldogs in the 16-team field with a first-place finish, 4-0, against Seth Bonic of Morris, at 103 pounds. Arlis was also the winner of a hard-earned “Most Outstanding Wrestler” award for the 103-140 division.“The team pulled together and we all wrestled strong,” Arlis said. “We have a real good tournament team.”Batavia’s Rocco Wade (23-8) won the 135-pound division. Wade, with a loud fan base in the stands, beat Austin Hanabarger of Sterling, 7-4.“I’ve been working pretty hard and it paid off,” Wade said. “I did some things I don’t normally do in my matches, and it all came together.”In the 160-pound division, there was a hint of revenge in the air for one Bulldog. Danny Watson (27-4) left the mat after a hard-fought first-place victory, 2-1, against Kyle Czarnecki of Buffalo Grove.“I was real happy because I lost to [Czarnecki] 8-4 a couple weeks ago,” Watson said. “He was one of my [four] losses, and so I came back and beat him this week.”On top of having three of its wrestlers take first place, Batavia had a total of six make the finals. Charlie Ryan made it to the finals of the 125-pound division before falling to Matt Leibforth of Lemont. Matt McCarter, seeded third, battled Gordy Kickels of Lemont in the 189 finals, losing by technical fall.Ethan Huggins had a tough outing in the finals of the 215 division against Ryan Mussatto of Downers Grove North, falling by decision, 6-4, on a late call.“That was a rough call,” Batavia coach Tom Arlis said. “It’s not fair to do that to a wrestler. It messes with their psyche,” Arlis said, referring to how Huggins had thought the match was over, but with a few seconds remaining, the official made a late call that sent the pair to overtime. “I talked with the ref, and although we agreed to disagree on the call, we both agreed that it came too late in the match.”Through eight hours and 362 matches, Batavia beat 15 teams on its way to the tournament victory. Coming off a pair of tough matches, both mentally and physically the past few days, the Batavia wrestling team impressed its coach.“What can I say, they wrestled out of their minds,” Arlis said. “It was crazy.”
January 13th, 2008
Batavia wins own wrestling invitational
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->BATAVIA – Showcasing its depth and led by a trio of first-place finishes, Batavia came out on top Saturday at the 25th Batavia Wrestling Invitational.Logan Arlis, with a record of 27-2, led the way for the Bulldogs in the 16-team field with a first-place finish, 4-0, against Seth Bonic of Morris, at 103 pounds. Arlis was also the winner of a hard-earned “Most Outstanding Wrestler” award for the 103-140 division.“The team pulled together and we all wrestled strong,” Arlis said. “We have a real good tournament team.”Batavia’s Rocco Wade (23-8) won the 135-pound division. Wade, with a loud fan base in the stands, beat Austin Hanabarger of Sterling, 7-4.“I’ve been working pretty hard and it paid off,” Wade said. “I did some things I don’t normally do in my matches, and it all came together.”In the 160-pound division, there was a hint of revenge in the air for one Bulldog. Danny Watson (27-4) left the mat after a hard-fought first-place victory, 2-1, against Kyle Czarnecki of Buffalo Grove.“I was real happy because I lost to [Czarnecki] 8-4 a couple weeks ago,” Watson said. “He was one of my [four] losses, and so I came back and beat him this week.”On top of having three of its wrestlers take first place, Batavia had a total of six make the finals. Charlie Ryan made it to the finals of the 125-pound division before falling to Matt Leibforth of Lemont. Matt McCarter, seeded third, battled Gordy Kickels of Lemont in the 189 finals, losing by technical fall.Ethan Huggins had a tough outing in the finals of the 215 division against Ryan Mussatto of Downers Grove North, falling by decision, 6-4, on a late call.“That was a rough call,” Batavia coach Tom Arlis said. “It’s not fair to do that to a wrestler. It messes with their psyche,” Arlis said, referring to how Huggins had thought the match was over, but with a few seconds remaining, the official made a late call that sent the pair to overtime. “I talked with the ref, and although we agreed to disagree on the call, we both agreed that it came too late in the match.”Through eight hours and 362 matches, Batavia beat 15 teams on its way to the tournament victory. Coming off a pair of tough matches, both mentally and physically the past few days, the Batavia wrestling team impressed its coach.“What can I say, they wrestled out of their minds,” Arlis said. “It was crazy.”
Batavia’s Bryant sinks trey in final seconds for win
Published in the Kane County Chronicle on
December 28th, 2007
Batavia’s Bryant sinks trey in final seconds for win
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ELGIN – With 1.5 seconds remaining, Batavia’s David Bryant provided a dramatic flourish to cap off Day 2 at the Elgin Holiday Tournament.Down two against host Elgin, Bryant took a Phil Albrecht kickout pass and in a single swish put a night of shooting woes behind him with a game-winning three-pointer Thursday as the Bulldogs won, 51-49.Batavia faces Buffalo Grove at 8 p.m. today in the semifinals.“I was struggling during the game, but I got a good look and hit it,” said Bryant, who finished with 10 points. “[Elgin is a] physical team, but we played through it and won it in the end.”A tight game throughout, Elgin used a 5-0 run in the second quarter to push the Maroons ahead, 25-20. Batavia coach Jim Roberts called a timeout with 2:34 left in the quarter to stop the run and to settle his squad.It seemed to work as the Bulldogs (10-2) climbed back, tying the game at 27-all heading into the half on a Jordan Smith jumper.The game headed into the fourth tied at 39-all, with Batavia seemingly tiring.But the Bulldogs stayed close as Bryant hit a jumper to give cut the Elgin lead to 49-48. With 13.7 seconds left, Elgin’s Kenny Williams went to the free-throw line after being fouled, but missed the front end of a one-and-one situation.The Bulldogs grabbed the rebound to set up Bryant’s late-game heroics.Following Bryant’s last-second three, Elgin attempted a downcourt pass for a last-second shot of its own, but it was taken away by Jordan Smith to end the game and seal the Batavia victory.“We fought through some tough stretches of the game when not much was going right and our kids didn’t panic,” Roberts said.“Defensively we didn’t play too bad, and that’s what kept us in.”Batavia and Elgin were mirror images of one another throughout the entire game. Both started out slow and took time to build an offensive attack.The Bulldogs did a solid job early in slowing down Elgin standout Armani Williams, limiting him to only three points in the first quarter.Phil Albrecht, meanwhile, scored nine in the first half on his way to team-high scoring honors of 16, which he shared with Smith. Williams picked up his game in the second half to boost the Elgin offense and end with a game-high 18 points.
December 28th, 2007
Batavia’s Bryant sinks trey in final seconds for win
By KEVIN JENISON - editorial@kcchronicle.com
Comments (No comments posted.)-->ELGIN – With 1.5 seconds remaining, Batavia’s David Bryant provided a dramatic flourish to cap off Day 2 at the Elgin Holiday Tournament.Down two against host Elgin, Bryant took a Phil Albrecht kickout pass and in a single swish put a night of shooting woes behind him with a game-winning three-pointer Thursday as the Bulldogs won, 51-49.Batavia faces Buffalo Grove at 8 p.m. today in the semifinals.“I was struggling during the game, but I got a good look and hit it,” said Bryant, who finished with 10 points. “[Elgin is a] physical team, but we played through it and won it in the end.”A tight game throughout, Elgin used a 5-0 run in the second quarter to push the Maroons ahead, 25-20. Batavia coach Jim Roberts called a timeout with 2:34 left in the quarter to stop the run and to settle his squad.It seemed to work as the Bulldogs (10-2) climbed back, tying the game at 27-all heading into the half on a Jordan Smith jumper.The game headed into the fourth tied at 39-all, with Batavia seemingly tiring.But the Bulldogs stayed close as Bryant hit a jumper to give cut the Elgin lead to 49-48. With 13.7 seconds left, Elgin’s Kenny Williams went to the free-throw line after being fouled, but missed the front end of a one-and-one situation.The Bulldogs grabbed the rebound to set up Bryant’s late-game heroics.Following Bryant’s last-second three, Elgin attempted a downcourt pass for a last-second shot of its own, but it was taken away by Jordan Smith to end the game and seal the Batavia victory.“We fought through some tough stretches of the game when not much was going right and our kids didn’t panic,” Roberts said.“Defensively we didn’t play too bad, and that’s what kept us in.”Batavia and Elgin were mirror images of one another throughout the entire game. Both started out slow and took time to build an offensive attack.The Bulldogs did a solid job early in slowing down Elgin standout Armani Williams, limiting him to only three points in the first quarter.Phil Albrecht, meanwhile, scored nine in the first half on his way to team-high scoring honors of 16, which he shared with Smith. Williams picked up his game in the second half to boost the Elgin offense and end with a game-high 18 points.
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