High School Sports Notes
September 23, 2012 8:08PM
Updated: October 25, 2012 3:40PM
Boys Golf
Two Southland players made holes-in-one just days apart.
Marist’s John Yerkes fired an ace on the fifth hole at Glenwoodie and Lockport’s Nick Drake shot a hole-in-one on the seventh hole at Inwood.
Yerkes’ ace propelled him to an 85 and an eighth-place finish at the 15-team St. Rita Invitational.
“John has been an integral part of our team this year,” Marist coach Joel Vickers said. “John’s scores have counted towards our team score in every match and tournament except one.”
Drake, who finished with a 39 against Sandburg and Joliet, hit an 8-iron from 148 yards out to find the cup.
Playoff pairings are out and the Lincoln-Way Central 3A Regional looks stacked. Only three teams will escape out of a tough field that includes Joliet co-op, Lemont, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way Central, Lockport and Providence. All six teams have finished in the top three of large tournaments this season.
In 2A, look out for St. Laurence sophomore Jordan Velez in the St. Ignatius Regional and Chicago Christian and Illiana Christian to compete for top team honors in the Chicago Christian Regional.
Logan Malloy
Girls Golf
The SouthWest Suburban Red Conference concludes play on Thursday at Silver Lake. Lincoln-Way West sophomore Alexis Biedrzycki looks to repeat as champion, while Stagg hopes to capture the program’s third consecutive title behind the play of Taylor Lambertsen, Natalie Collina and April Hamer.
Lambertsen, committed to Tusculum College, is likely to compete with Biedrzycki for top honors, as will the Lincoln-Way North duo of Margaret Curtin and Jill Galich.
“So far this season, (Lambertsen) has placed in every tournament and has been the medalist or co-medalist in every match,” coach Marcea Reuther said. “Since I’ve been the girls golf coach here at Stagg, I’ve never had a golfer accomplish this honor.”
After conference, Stagg finds itself in one of the toughest regionals in the state. Naperville Central hosts 2011 state-placers Hinsdale Central (4th place) and Lyons (7th), along with tough outs Benet, Downers Grove South, Lemont and Naperville North.
“We have a very tough regional assignment, but if Taylor goes about her business on the course, she should be able to advance to the sectional,” Reuther said.
Lincoln-Way West and Lincoln-Way North lock horns at the Joliet co-op Regional.
Logan Malloy
Boys Soccer
Before the season, Oak Lawn coach Nate Joiner set his team’s sights on turning some heads in the area.
“Our goal is to surprise some people by finishing toward the top of the (South Suburban) and to win more than 12 games overall.”
The Spartans have accomplished the surprise part and are well on their way toward the other benchmarks after a 9-3 start.
Oak Lawn earned a huge 3-0 win over Eisenhower on Tuesday – Jakub Gil scoring a goal and Sebastian Duda making seven saves in the shutout — before a Thursday loss to powerful Lemont put the Spartans’ conference record at 3-2.
Spartans senior midfielder Steve Henry, who earlier in the season was named to the All-Tournament team in the Windy City Ram Classic, was named the Chicago Fire/SouthtownStar Player of the Week after scoring in three consecutive matches, including the game-winner against Chicago Christian.
“Steve’s our most experienced player and can play any position except goalkeeper because he has a combination of skill and toughness,” Joiner said. “His other main attribute is that he distributes the ball well in the midfield.”
Steve Millar
Girls Tennis
At its own meet earlier this year, Sandburg finally won the team championship.
“We haven’t done that in a long time,” coach Brian Ostrander said.
Returning state qualifiers Molly Traverso and Marissa Garoufalis won the title at No. 1 doubles. Traverso is a J.Kyle Braid scholarship winner.
“She spent a part of the summer at a ranch in Colorado learning to become a better leader and it’s helped,” Ostrander said.
Ostrander is hoping the two can use their success as confidence builders heading into conference and sectional meets next month.
Tinley Park’s Haley Wilcox is on her way to advancing to the state meet for the second year in a row. The sophomore is 9-2 on the season at No. 1 singles.
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Faith Huckabee, a state qualifier a year ago, is 15-0 at No. 2 singles for the Vikings.
Argo has been bitten by the injury bug, forcing some lineup changes throughout the year. Junior Kim Fields has taken over at No. 1 singles. Seniors Tina Neri and Donna Miskiewicz and twins Michelle and Claudia Beczarski, who are seniors, have played No. 1 doubles.
Dennis Nelson
