20 • Thursday, June 3, 2021 - The Elmhurst Independent
The Elmhurst Independent
Sports
June 3, 2021 • 20
York girls lacrosse team enjoying another strong season Dukes go toe-to-toe with 2019 state-champion New Trier
By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT
As usual, the York girls lacrosse team isn’t shying away from top competition. The Dukes were 9-4 in their first 13 games of the year, which included an 8-2 record in West Suburban Conference action. Those four losses came to the top three ranked teams in Illinois: New Trier, Loyola and Hinsdale Central (twice). In recent contests, York was a
21-4 winner over Lyons Township, lost 10-9 to New Trier (the last Illinois state champion), won 18-2 against Downers Grove North, lost 20-6 to Hinsdale Central, won 21-1 against Glenbard West and 17-2 over Lyons Township , while also scoring a 22-6 win over Oak Park-River Forest. Jenna Hughes, Bella Swanson, Olivia Holobowicz, Ellie Bernard and Elle Duhig continued to lead York’s high-powered offense, coach Ryan Walz noted. Walz also lauded
Swanson and Duhig’s efforts on the circle, and noted Hughes, Bernard and Holobowicz continue to score key goals in critical situations. “Bella Swanson, Elle Duhig and Jenna Hughes are the girls we have on the circle, and when they do well our team does well,” Walz said. “Our transitions, motion offense and draws have been very good and we continue to work on these daily as a team in practice.” Quinn Olson and Katie Kicher have been important parts of York’s
defense, Walz added. “We have some excellent defensive players, including Quinn and Katie, who are newcomers,” he said. “These two and our overall defense have been aggressive and consistent.” Julia Kogan has helped York in multiple ways. “Julia continues to be our most versatile player,” Walz said. “She can be our best defender at times, a major scoring threat and just a super player in all three zones of the field.” York is the No. 2 sectional seed
behind Hinsdale Central. The Dukes open postseason play Tuesday, June 8 at home against Trinity (No. 7). “We have really been super-successful in our conference, except for Hinsdale Central,” Walz said. “We are working hard to get some revenge and play them in the playoffs. We have a group of very talented, ambitious young ladies with a ton of talent. We work so well together and continue to get better every day.”
Timothy Christian baseball team wins three games; Jones continues mound dominance York boys tennis team continues year-long improvement
By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT
The Timothy Christian baseball team turned in a strong effort last week with three victories. The Trojans were 5-3 winners over Wheaton Academy in Metro Suburban Conference action. Timothy then defeated Crossroads Christian 15-0
and then shut out Glenbard South by a 6-0 count. In the Wheaton Academy conference win, freshman Jake Armstrong threw four scoreless innings in relief. Sophomore catcher Donald Tober struck a home run in the fourth to tie the game. Freshman Casey Folkerts had two hits and an RBI, while sophomore Evan Montella had a two-run single. In the Glenbard South win, Ben Jones pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits, striking
out six and walking none. On the season, Jones has thrown 34 1/3 innings and has struck out 45, while walking just one batter. Sophomore Myles Foy had a twoout, two-run single in the win. York boys tennis The York boys tennis team was 8-7 overall and 2.5-3.5 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division action heading into the recent conference tournament. York has WSC wins this season
IC Catholic Prep track teams excel at Chicago Christian invitational Manchester and Richardson take home outstanding athlete of meet honors
By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT
Both the IC Catholic Prep boys and girls track team took major positives out of the recent Chicago Christian invitational. On the girls side, the Knights took second in the meet behind Evergreen Park. IC Catholic Prep finished with 108 points. Evergreen Park won it with 124 points. Carly Manchester won the 1,600 with a time of 5:30.03 and won the 3,200 run in 11:50.70. Mae Bigane won the 300 hurdles in 59.87 and was third in the 100 hurdles with a time of 20.28. Alia Johnson won the long jump with a mark of 15-7, while Bigane was second in the triple jump at 30-0 1/4. Johnson was second in the 100 at 13.02 and also took second in the 200 with a time of 26.92. Frankie Chaidez was second in the 400 with a time of 1:03.65 and Hayden James placed second in the 800 with a time of 2:47.50. IC Catholic Prep’s 400 relay team of Chaidez, Faith Laluya, Ciara Stephens and Johnson took second with a time of 53.26. The 1,600 Knights’ relay team of Chaidez, Megan
Van Koughnet, James and Manchester took third in 4:40.07. “Our girls were outstanding,” IC Catholic Prep coach Bob Cronin said. “Alia and Frankie showed the way with gutty performances, showing why they are our captains. Mae is a freshman who performed so well in her events and is really coming along in the hurdles and triple jump. Carly was her usual dominant self.” Manchester was named outstanding athlete of the meet. Cronin noted she ran an 11:15 in the 3,200 at the earlier Palatine Distance Night. “Carly was not challenged in this (Chicago Christian) meet,” Cronin added. In the boys meet, IC Catholic Prep was fourth 46 points. Chicago Christian won the meet with 135 points. Antonio Richardson won the 100 in 11.37 and also won the 200 with a time of 22.98. Richardson was the anchor on the IC Catholic Prep 400 relay team that finished first with a time of 47.39. Richardson was joined by teammates Jason Hall, George O’Brien and AJ Walsh. “Antonio had a great night and was rewarded as the coaches voted him athlete of the meet,” Cronin said. “In the 4-by-1, we were fourth and 15 meters behind when Antonio received the baton. He ran an amazing closing leg to win the race” Previously, Richardson ran an 11.07 in the 100 at Riverside-Brookfield.
against Willowbrook, Downers Grove South, Hinsdale South, Glenbard West, Proviso West and Downers Grove North. The No. 1 doubles team of senior Gage Burkhardt and junior Sam Wit were 7-7 through late last week, while the No. 2 doubles team of junior TJ Paul and freshman Anthony Arnieri was 8-6. Coach Courtney Bison cited great all-around team efforts from singles players Nate White (senior), Simon Krukowski (senior) and Adam Fennell
(freshman), along with the doubles teams of Grant Dyer (senior) and Gannon Rice (junior), and Jack Tuchscherer (junior) and Paul Nicoli (junior). “We are staying positive, working hard and supporting each other,” Bison said. “This is a group of young men that hold themselves to the highest degree of integrity both on and off the courts. They stay focused, work hard and have been resilient through a crazy year.” York competes in the sectional this week.
Timothy Christian boys tennis team continues to roll By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT
The wins continue to pile up for the Timothy Christian boys tennis team. Through late last week, the Trojans were 18-1 overall and 3-1 in Metro Suburban Conference play. The Trojans recently were 3-2 non-conference winners against Nazareth Academy. While Timothy’s overall team record is impressive, so too are the squad’s individual performances. Freshman Elliot Mathew was 14-0 at No. 3 doubles through late last week, while junior Sammy Valeo was 18-1 at No. 1 doubles and second singles. Junior Tommy King was 17-2 at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, while sophomore Tommy Kunz was 17-2 at No. 3 doubles. Freshman Hendrick DeVries was 15-2 at No. 2 doubles, while freshman Brian Berbati was 14-3 at No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles. Senior Josh Keifer was 12-3 at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, while junior Winston Chen was 8-7 at No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles. Coach Keith Mills noted the No. 3 doubles combo of Mathew and Kunz has been particularly impressive this season. “Elliot and Tommy have pulled out a number of close matches at third doubles and are un-
defeated as partners so far this year,” he explained. “For both, this is their first year of high school tennis competition.” Timothy has benefited from talent throughout the roster this spring that has quickly passed the varsity litmus test, Mills added. “The team has come together quickly in this shortened season, and pulling for each other has helped them excel,” he said. “Team balance is a big strength this year and was a huge question mark going into the season with only one varsity returning player and no season last year. The only loss was to a strong Wheaton Academy team but we were without three starters. Also, having only one senior on the team makes the results even more surprising. Everyone has stepped it up. The teamwork at practices has been excellent. We are stepping up to the level of competition each time we have had close matches. Our top players have raised the level of play of their teammates and that probably is the key to the 18-1 season.” In the Nazareth contest, King and Valeo were 6-0, 6-4 winners at No. 1 doubles. Kiefer and Berbati were 6-2, 6-2 winners at No. 2 doubles, while DeVries and Kunz were 6-4, 6-4 winners at No. 3 doubles for the Trojans.