Prep Baseball: Warriors ready for playoff push Westminster Christian began preparing for the 2008 Class 1A playoffs 347 days ago. That's when the Warriors saw their 2007 postseason run come to an end with a 12-1 loss against Pickneyville in the Class A state quarterfinals at Silver Cross Field in Joliet. Ever since that time, Westminster's primary focus has been on returning to Joliet for the second year in a row.
Prep Baseball: St. Edward falls short in finale St. Edward stumbled across the finish line in its regular-season finale on Monday, falling to visiting Montini 7-6 at Wing Park. The Green Wave pounded out 10 hits but left 11 runners stranded.
Cubs blow out San Diego in series opener So how come they can't do this anywhere but cold, damp Wrigley Field? Fresh off sweeping the big, bad Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend, the Cubs bullied the anemic San Diego Padres 12-3 on Monday night, proving once again that they can take the whup-up out of the can, even if they can't take the can on the road.
Monday's Highlights Monday's highlights in local girls soccer and college baseball.
Local Scoreboard A roundup of local results and upcoming contests.
Local Roundup: Andrews breaks own RBI record For Jacobs softball player Lizzie Andrews setting the team's single-season RBI record last season was nice, but it just might have been more fun the second time around. Also ... more results for high school softball and baseball.
Prep Softball: Sabres rally shocks Maroons A senior day win was all but complete for the Elgin softball team as it hosted Elgin School District U46 rival Streamwood on Monday. Ahead by a run heading into the top of the seventh inning, the Maroons had Streamwood down to its last out after starting pitcher Kelly Patchett retired the first two batters of the inning. But Elgin couldn't get the last out it needed as the Sabres rallied for two runs on their way to a 5-4 Upstate Eight Conference win.
Prep Softball: First season ends for Westminster Westminster Christian had a couple of goals before competing in its first postseason game in program history on Monday at the Elgin Sports Complex. The first goal was to have fun. The second one was to win. Well, one out of two isn't bad.
Prep Softball Notebook: Conf. titles up for grabsBartlett, Jacobs and Burlington Central all can wrap up outright conference titles this week by winning out. For Jacobs and Burlington Central celebrating a conference title is nothing new. The Golden Eagles, members of the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division, have shared the league title the last two seasons.
Prep Baseball Notebook: Super sophs stepping upWith the high school baseball season drawing to a close, what better time to peek to the future by taking a look at some of the sophomores who have made a name for themselves this year. Two of the area's top performing sophomores are Burlington Central's Austin Jarvis and Hampshire's Ryan Burke.
Proud of their premisesDandelion-infested outfields and bumpy infields often come to mind when thinking about high school baseball diamonds. However, the traditional view of high school fields being second rate is slowly disappearing as teams across the area put in the hard work to raise the level of the playing surfaces they call home. Some teams have gone so far as to build brick backstops, install outdoor batting cages, erect spiffy scoreboards, improve on existing dugouts and create press boxes, resulting in facilities that resemble college or even minor league ball fields.
Elgin High awaits field improvementsGood things come to those who wait. Those involved with the Elgin High baseball and softball programs surely hope that's the case. While their Elgin School District U46 neighbors have received upgrades at their baseball and softball fields, Maroons players and coaches might be wondering when they're going to get the goods.
Prep Baseball: St. Charles E. makes emphatic responseSt. Charles East proved it can win in more ways than one Saturday as the Saints battled Upstate Eight Conference foe South Elgin. East dominated Game 1 for a 7-2 win and fought back from a four-run deficit for an 8-7 win in Game 2. The doubleheader sweep comes on the heels of a 17-7 five-inning loss to the Storm on Thursday.
Prep Baseball Roundup: Larkin defeats NeuquaLarkin used a four-run seventh inning to stun Neuqua Valley 5-4 in Upstate Eight Conference baseball action Saturday. Also ... Warriors drop pair; North sweeps Elgin; G-K, Hampshire split; McHenry 10, Dundee-Crown 0; Huntley 3, Grayslake North 0
Prep Softball Roundup: Bartlett runs win streak to 12 in rowBartlett ran its winning streak to 12 in a row Saturday, sweeping Schaumburg on senior day for the Hawks. Also ... South Elgin splits; St. Charles East 11, East Aurora 1; St. Charles North beats Batavia, Elgin; St. Edward 11, Immaculate Conception 1 (5 inn.); G-K sweeps Plano; Streamwood splits
Girls Track: Jacobs' Ross qualifies for State in 3 eventsJacobs' Sarah Ross qualified for State in three events Saturday at the Huntley Class AA Girls Track Sectional. Ross won the pole vault (11-feet, 6-inches) and the 100-meter dash (12.52 seconds) and finished second in the 200 (25.48).
Saturday HighlightsHighlights from Saturday's contests in girls soccer, boys tennis, and boys volleyball.
Prep Baseball: Maciaszek's hit lifts RocketsBurlington Central took longer than it would have liked to Friday night, but it still finished the job. Mike Maciaszek delivered the game-winning RBI single as the Rockets beat Westminster Christian 6-5 in nine innings at Trout Park.
Area Roundup: St. Edward relay team sets recordSt. Edward's 3200-meter relay team made history Friday night, advancing Downstate and setting a school record in the process. Also ... Results in boys track, girls soccer, and badminton.
Girls Track: Bartlett finds right mixtureThe state of the Bartlett girls track program was in limbo before the season began without a coach. That problem was solved when the school's athletic director Dan Kallenbach stepped forward to assume the duties. Ten years ago, Kallenbach got out of the coaching profession after more than a decade as the Streamwood High girls track coach.
Prep Baseball: Rockets rout Whip-PursGeorge Heller's two-run home run in the third inning effectively opened the floodgates for Burlington Central on Thursday. Trailing Hampshire by a run, Heller stepped to the plate with one out and a runner on first base and smacked an opposite-field drive over the right-field fence to give the Rockets their first runs of the game.
Prep Softball: Central earns share of titlePitching, hitting and defense all deserved equal credit for visiting Burlington Central on Thursday after the Rockets dropped Hampshire 11-0 in five innings for the second time this season in Big Northern Conference East Division action.
Boys Track: DeSilva, Carlson lead North to 3rd in UEC meetAs expected, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley dominated the Upstate Eight Conference Boys Track Meet at St. Charles North on Thursday. But the event was certainly not without its surprises.
Area Roundup: Hirsch, North Stars shut down MaroonsZach Hirsch was nearly unhittable for the St. Charles North baseball team on Thursday as the North Stars claimed an 8-0 Upstate Eight Conference win against Elgin. Also ... Neuqua Valley 6, Larkin 1; Streamwood 9, Lake Park 6; Marmion 8, St. Edward 2; Softball: Bartlett 3, Elgin 1; Waubonsie Valley 2, St. Charles North 1; St. Charles East 5, South Elgin 1; Genoa-Kingston 10, Rockford Lutheran 0 (10 inn.); Streamwood 5, East Aurora 3; Aurora Christian 16, Westminster Christian 4 (5 inn.).
Prep Softball: Royals can't get to Hawks hurlerLauren Wydra's fourth no-hitter of the season may have been subject to debate Wednesday, but Bartlett's place in the Upstate Eight Conference certainly is not. With a 4-0 win against visiting Larkin, the Hawks remained unbeaten at 15-0 atop the UEC standings. Wydra struck out 13 and walked three to improve her record to 14-2.
Prep Baseball: Jacobs batters D-C before rain strikesJacobs will have to wait two days to finish what it started against rival Dundee-Crown on Wednesday. The Golden Eagles scored in each of the first four innings and jumped out to a 6-0 lead against the Chargers before rain suspended the game in the top of the fifth inning.
Prep Tennis: This spring perfect for WilliamsonIn a spring season that has been dominated by rain, sleet and even snow -- Dundee Crown tennis star Mike Williamson has remained perfect. With seven of the Chargers' meets postponed or suspended, it has been difficult to get in much of a groove, but Williamson has done it. Entering this weekend's Fox Valley Tournament, D-C's No. 1 singles player is unbeaten at 20-0.
Area Roundup: Burke pitches Whips to winThe Hampshire baseball team split its season series with Richmond-Burton on Wednesday by claiming a 6-1 five-inning victory. Also ... More results from prep baseball, softball, girls soccer and college baseball.
Prep Soccer: Central still dominantBurlington Central continued its domination over rival Hampshire on Tuesday in a Big Northern Conference East Division match and maintained course for a third straight league championship. For the second time this season, the Rockets beat the Whip-Purs 1-0. Should Central (9-7-1) win its next two conference games, the Rockets will play Richmond-Burton on Saturday in a game that will likely decide the outright BNCE title.
Prep Baseball: Sabres lever Storm miscuesStreamwood once again served notice it won't be a postseason pushover. In the preview of a regional quarterfinal matchup that will take place later this month, the Sabres took advantage of some sloppy play on the part of South Elgin to come away with a 7-4 Upstate Eight Conference win Tuesday.
Prep Baseball: St. Charles E. tops Elgin againFor five innings on Tuesday, Elgin was within striking distance of Upstate Eight Conference foe St. Charles East. The Saints, however, scored 10 runs in the final two innings of the game -- including seven runs in the top of the seventh -- en route to a 15-1 win and a three-game sweep of the Maroons.
Prep Baseball: Warriors dealt 1st PSL loss of yearWestminster Christian lost in the Private School League for the first time this season, falling 5-3 to Aurora Christian on Tuesday. Also ... Bartlett 8, Waubonsie Valley 5; Genoa-Kingston 8, Oregon 3; St. Edward 8, Immaculate Conception 1; Larkin 7, East Aurora 2; St. Charles North 9, Lake Park 8; Marengo 8, Hampshire 7; Huntley 4, McHenry 3; Harvard 4, Burlington Central 3 (8 inn.).
Prep Boys Softball: Storm uses power surge to winIn a game featuring the long the ball, South Elgin used its hot bats to defeat Upstate Eight Conference softball rival Larkin 10-2 on Tuesday. The scoring started early for the Storm (14-7, 7-7), which took a fast 3-0 lead after the first inning to help snap a four-game losing streak.
Prep Softball: Jacobs defeats rival D-CJacobs made quick work of its District 300 and Fox Valley Conference Valley Division softball rival, beating Dundee-Crown 12-0 in five innings on Monday. Jacobs has now won nine in a row and is a perfect 8-0 in league play. "We have a hard-working group," said Jacobs coach Jeremy Bauer.
Prep Baseball Roundup: Streamwood upsets NorthStreamwood stunned St. Charles North for the second time of the season Tuesday, picking up a 7-4 Upstate Eight Conference victory in the continuation of a suspended game from last month. Also ... St. Edward 17, St. Francis 14; St. Charles East 10, Lake Park 7; Hampshire 5, IMSA 4; Genoa-Kingston 3, Harvard 2; Woodstock 3, Dundee-Crown 0; Marengo 8, Burlington Central 5; McHenry 9, Jacobs 6.
Prep Softball Roundup: Central tops RichmondChalk up another dominant performance for Mackenzie Scott and the Burlington Central Rockets. Scott tossed her fifth no-hitter of the season as Central rolled to a 10-0 Big Northern Conference East Division win in five innings against Richmond-Burton. Also ... St. Edward 4, St. Francis 1; Bartlett 6, St. Charles North 4; Huntley 11, Grayslake Central 0 (5 inns.); Genoa-Kingston 5, Harvard 1; Lake Park 9, St. Charles East 4; DeKalb 1, Streamwood 0; Waubonsie Valley 7, Elgin 2.
Monday's Area HighlightsA roundup of Monday's highlights for girls soccer, boys tennis, boys volleyball, boys track and college baseball.