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Benet’s Colin Bonnett puts up a shot in the Redwings’ supersectional win against Glenbard North on March 18. The Redwings won 62-59 to earn a spot in the state finals.
SOFTBALL PREVIEW
Redwings have high expectations for spring By JASON ROSSI aifjj`7j_Xnd\[`X%Zfd LISLE – Maeve McGuire (University of Georgia) and Ali Michalik have departed after batting .516 and .412, respectively, and Abi Gerth and Olivia Watson have also graduated, and yet Benet may be as strong as it has been in years. Benet brings back experienced players at nearly every position. “It’s never been like this,” head coach Jerry Schilf said. “There’s really only one new kid on the roster. Usually there’s three or four new faces on the roster, but last year we didn’t have a JV team so we had a little bit bigger roster than usual. “We lost four players [to
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graduation], but we really only have one position to fill.” Megan Stoppelman and Emily York split pitching duties last year while Molly Moran sat out the season with a
knee injury. Stoppelman and York are both back and Moran is close to making her return. Rowan McGuire was ineligible after transferring in last season. She and Moran are ready to go this spring, and the players that filled in for them last year are also back Opponents will most likely fear having to face returning players like Stephanie Abello, Marissa Panko and Julianne Rurka. Abello batted .550 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs last season. Panko hit .496 with a team-high 58 hits and 46 runs scored, and Rurka finished with a .362 average and was second on the team with 40 RBIs. “Marissa and Julianne are two big hitters and Stephanie
was right there last year, too,” Schilf said. “And I really think York might end up being the best hitter of them all. She had four home runs in the regional last year, and they were blasts. “She’s scary when she swings the bat.” The always-competitive East Suburban Catholic Conference will test the Redwings well before the postseason arrives. The goal in the playoffs is to match the success Benet has had in other sports in recent memory, including the boys basketball team’s run to the state finals this season. “We’re at a point where Benet athletics is competitive at every level no matter the sport, so I think the expectations are high,” Schilf said.
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Benet’s Marissa Panko gets set to throw the ball to first base in a game last year. Panko is one of several sluggers returning to the Redwings’ lineup this season.
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HINSDALE – Collin Pellettieri and the defense to the rescue. Pellettieri hit a big 3-pointer and the defense made it stand up as Benet’s boys basketball team topped Glenbard North 62-59 in a Class 4A supersectional game at Hinsdale Central on March 18. The win sent Benet to state for the first time since 1983. Colin Bonnett blocked a 3-point attempt by Glenbard North inside the final minute, then Pellettieri had no hesitation as he drained a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left that put his team ahead 60-59. “I knew we were down by two and we needed a big shot,” Pellettieri said of his shot, which gave Benet its first lead since midway through the third quarter. Another 3-point attempt by North was blocked with under 14 seconds to go, and Liam Nelligan sank a pair of free throws with 3.7 seconds left. North’s three at the buzzer just missed the mark.
Pellettieri hit eight 3-pointers in the game, six in the second half, and no two bigger than the one that gave Benet the lead and the one with 1:39 left that brought the Redwings to within 59-57. The 2009-10 Redwings also played in a 4A supersectional at Hinsdale Central, where Simeon outlasted them on the way to a state title. The supersectional win went a long way to exorcising of those demons. “It’s so big for our program to win this game,” Heidkamp said. “I did the math and I think we have 127 wins the last five years and it’s been a little bit of a hurdle [in the playoffs]. I’m so proud of these guys.” “It’s always a big deal going to state, even if it’s a team that does it all the time,” Pellettieri said. “We’ve been close in recent years, so it feels great to go down there.” Pellettieri finished with a game-high 26 points and was 8-of-16 from 3-point range. Sean O’Mara had 21 points for Benet and Nelligan added 14.
SPORTS |
3-pointer, D send Benet boys to state finals
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