Title in sight for Rosary
At the start of the girls swimming and diving season, Rosary coach Bill Schalz simply said of his Beads, "This is a good group." That may have been an understatement, considering Rosary is again the favorite at this year's state meet, which takes place today and Saturday at New Trier High School in Winnetka.

Vikings' dominance started with Wicinski on the outside
The kid may have been a thorn in her side the last four years, but Lori Trippi-Payne appreciates talent, even if it's on the other side of the net. "Good choice," was the first reaction of the veteran Batavia volleyball coach upon learning that Geneva standout Lauren Wicinski was named The Beacon-News' Player of the Year.

All Rylee-d up
Dripping wet, they walked side by side down the length of the pool at St. Charles East's Norris Center.

Juliet Suess paces East to sectional crown
The St. Charles East swimming and diving team needed a secret weapon to take down rival St. Charles North during the sectional Saturday meet at the Norris Center.

College's power base established nearby
The Waubonsee Community College cross country program didn't have to look far and wide when assembling one of the strongest teams in the nation. It just had to look in its own backyard.

Growth potential
They might be giants. It's an easy pun to make regarding the 2009-10 Batavia Bulldogs, as 10 players on the 15-man roster stand at least 6 feet 3 inches tall, while only two (Sam Shump and Braden Hrack) check in under 6 feet. But it has more to do with the team's potential. The Bulldogs finished 19-8 last year and lost in a regional final to Neuqua Valley, a team that seems to grow 6-4 swingmen on trees. This year the Bulldogs return just two starters in Ricky Clopton and Adam LeTourneau but could wind up one of the top teams in a competitive Western Sun Conference.

Faith in the script
A talented and hard-working senior class provided first-year Geneva coach Phil Ralston with a heck of an opening act last year: a share of the Western Sun Conference championship, two holiday tournament titles and more than 20 victories before a loss to Batavia in a regional semifinal.

Area roundup
A roundup of area results.

Beads capture 10 of 12 sectional events
If its performance at the Neuqua Valley Sectional was any indication, Rosary's girls swimming and diving team goes in to next week's state meet as a favorite to win its fourth straight state championship.

Neuqua Sectional swimmers braving the rapids
Right on down the line, area girls swimming and diving coaches agree that today's Neuqua Valley Sectional is a gauntlet. Might as well call it a mini-version of the state meet. "Every year it's tough," Oswego co-op coach Deryl Leubner said. "(The) Naperville (schools are) a hotbed for swimming, plus throw in Neuqua Valley and Rosary."

Area athletes make their college choices official
Yorkville senior Jed Lightfoot saw his dream fulfilled Wednesday when he signed a national letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Illinois. "It's where I've always wanted to go," said Lightfoot, a Class 2A state runner-up at 125 pounds last season. Lightfoot will likely move up to 130 or 135 pounds this season.

Three run to All-State honors
The state cross country meet is all about survival of the fittest. The first mile is typically run at a breakneck pace. For example, in Saturday's Class 3A meet, eventual winner Lukas Verzbicas of Sandburg, who was attempting to break Craig Virgin's 37-year-old course record of 13:50, took the field out in a blistering 4:28 before tiring and finishing in 14:07.

Foxes surprise with 2nd in 2A
The Yorkville girls' cross country meet headed to the IHSA state Class 2A meet at Detweiller Park Saturday hoping for a top-5 finish. The Foxes got it, and then some. Led by All-State performances from Ali Hester and Esther Bell, Yorkville scored 124 points to pick up a team trophy with a second-place performance. The Foxes, who placed 12th a year ago, finished just six points behind team champion Springfield.

Geneva gels too late against WW South
Jim Owczarski: As Wheaton Warrenville South was forced into yet another second-half punt, the Geneva defensive coaches couldn't contain themselves any longer. While the hard reality is that the Vikings are going home, 30-16 losers to the Tigers Friday night in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs, the statement wasn't wishful hyperbole.

'D' Bulls top LeBron
Would you believe the Bulls won for a second straight game because of their -- ahem -- defense? Believe it.

York comeback shocks Vikings
After the first game of the Class 4A Geneva Sectional matchup between the host Vikings and York, it appeared Geneva and star outside hitter Lauren Wicinski were headed for a tussle with defending state champion St. Charles East in the sectional final.

Quiet leader: Former Oswego standout Teah Gant
In a large ballroom at a Chicago airport hotel, there are faces in the crowd most basketball fans would recognize. Tom Izzo. Bruce Weber. Gene Keady. Coaching stars, present and past. Sitting at one large round table in the middle of the room is the face of an athlete not nearly as famous as those coaches mentioned above. Yet her impact on the program she represents is just as irreplaceable.

Stiff defense pushes Vikings to Round 2
On the scoreboard, Geneva's 36-8 win over Shepard on Saturday in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs would look like the Vikings had an offensive explosion.

Vikings pull hat trick on Bulldogs
Give the Batavia volleyball team credit for reaching Saturday's regional final at Addison Trail after having to fight back to defeat Wheaton-Warrenville South on Thursday. But given a third chance to knock off Western Sun Conference champion and No. 2 seed Geneva, the Bulldogs were out of mojo as the Vikings (35-2) took the regional title 25-19, 25-11.

Spartans overpower Knights with ground game
The battle between a pair of 6-3 Western Sun Conference rivals never really materialized Saturday night as Sycamore ran roughshod over Kaneland 40-13.

Vikings survive muddy road to state
Blustery conditions and a muddy, nasty track greeted the field at the Class 3A St. Charles East sectionals Saturday, but Geneva advanced both its boys and girls squads to next week's state meet in Peoria.

Area roundup
A roundup of local results.

Late charge ignites Bulldogs
Down a set, with its season in the balance, Batavia's girls volleyball team had to find a way to fight back in its Class 4A Addison Trail Regional semifinal against Wheaton Warrenville South on Thursday.

Reversal of fortune
Last season, Geneva's boys soccer team met Schaumburg in the sectional semifinals and beat them to advance. The two teams met again Tuesday in the Class 3A Hoffman Estates Sectional and the result was the complete opposite. The second-seeded Vikings, the only top-eight seed still alive in the sectional, were handed a 2-0 defeat by the Saxons to end their season at 18-5-2. Schaumburg, the No. 12 seed (lowest at the sectional), remained red hot with its ninth straight win.

Cadets, Vikings ready for matches
Marmion's soccer team is preparing for Wednesday's Class 2A Hampshire Sectional semifinal match against Lakes, and is relieved it advanced to this point.

Six-rotation
K.C. Johnsen's only regret is that he didn't make the move sooner. "She's just a very good, athletic kid," the Geneva volleyball coach said of senior middle blocker Kelsey Augustine. "She's very quick, very fast, moves so well and has long arms so she covers a lot of ground on defense."

Bring it on: Area teams ready for playoffs
Saturday's IHSA playoff pairings selection was more interesting than in years past and created drama up and down the eight-class system. First, the IHSA (at the request of the Chicago Public League) allowed the top two teams in each of the Chicago conferences into the playoffs instead of the usual one, creating more teams.

Wahl pushes Vikings to title
Geneva's Brady Wahl didn't do everything for his team Saturday, although at times it seemed like it. Combined with a strong defense that made life easy for goalkeeper Ryan Ward, Wahl led the Vikings to a 2-0 victory over St. Charles East to win the Class 3A regional hosted by the Saints.

Vikings muster sweep
Geneva runners Kevin McDowell and Kevin Sparks spend a lot of time running shoulder to shoulder -- they are good friends and training partners. So it was no surprise they were doing so Saturday with about a half-mile to go at the Class 3A West Aurora Regional.

Geneva pulls away from Batavia in fourth
One of the great rivalry games in the state played out at Bulldog Stadium in Batavia to conclude the regular season Friday. It was a much closer affair than most may have predicted, considering Geneva was 7-1 coming in and Batavia was 2-6.

Kaneland secures postseason spot
Up 7-0 with 5:28 remaining in regulation, Kaneland kicker Chad Swieca had the opportunity to put Kaneland up by two possessions on a soggy senior night in Yorkville. The freshman made his field goal, giving the Knights a 10-0 win and a berth in the playoffs.

Run ends in round of 16 for tennis hopefuls
Emily Reuland of Rosary was playing the best tennis of her career in the state tournament this week, but it came to an end in the Sweet 16 Friday.

Vikings polish off perfect WSC season
Geneva's girls volleyball team has nine seniors on the roster this season, and the Vikings entered Thursday's Western Sun Conference finale, and senior night, with a perfect WSC record. One of those seniors, Lauren Wicinski, made sure the WSC season was capped off right.

'Mini-state meet' on tap at Oakhurst

Saturday's Class 2A Aurora Central Catholic Regional at Oakhurst Forest Preserve could be called a mini-state meet, with four highly ranked teams battling for a trip to the loaded Belvidere Sectional the following week.

Vikings begin title defense Saturday

Two-time defending state champion Geneva on Saturday begins its quest for a third state title when it headlines the Class 3A West Aurora Regional at Waubonsee Community College.

Calendar

Rosary senior settles into comfort zone

Emily Reuland loves playing tennis indoors.