Kapka opts for baseball at Lewis

If Kyle Kapka had focused solely on baseball he's not sure he would have a future in the sport at Lewis University.

Kapka, an all-area catcher who just graduated from Prospect, always loved baseball. But he admitted he wasn't in the best shape physically when he came to high school, so he decided to go out for football.

He originally thought he would do that for a year or two and then start focusing on baseball again. Instead, he became an all-conference lineman on a team that made the second round of the Class 7A playoffs last season.

"I started liking football," Kapka said. "Without football, I don't think I'd be where I am today with my speed and strength."

Where Kapka is headed now is to Division II Lewis in Romeoville with a partial scholarship. Kapka, who hit .356 with 9 doubles and 20 RBI, got in contact with Lewis in the off-season, and head coach Tim McDonagh came to see him play late in the regular season against Wheeling.

"I had a nice game defensively but not the best game offensively, so I was kind of upset," said Kapka, who is catching this summer for Arlington's American Legion team. "I didn't think he would like that.

"But we talked after the game and he told me I had a nice game defensively and hit the ball hard. He said I had a lot of potential to improve on."

Knox College in downstate Monmouth initially recruited Kapka for football and then talked to him about playing baseball as well. Kapka considered it but wasn't sure if trying to become the next Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson was for him.

"I thought it would be hard to do both and told them I just wanted to stick with baseball," Kapka said. "It was kind of a risk at the time - but I knew something was going to come up."

Former pro scout and coach Tom Barnard was helping to get some junior college interest for Kapka. Carthage was also a possibility since his parents went there.

All of it was taking a toll on Kapka early in the spring until Lewis started expressing interest.

"My junior year wasn't the best for me and I put a lot of pressure on myself at the beginning of the year," Kapka said, "because I really needed a great senior year to go play somewhere. Once Lewis called me it was a nice relief so I didn't have to worry and I could just play baseball and have fun."

Prospect coach Ross Giusti called Kapka "one of the most improved kids to come through our program." Kapka knows that will have to continue to compete for playing time with two other young catchers at Lewis.

"Obviously I have to improve on my catching," said Kapka, who plans to study physical therapy, "but if I can play some at third base I'll work on taking ground balls."

After all, Kapka already knows it's not always best to specialize on just one sport or position.

This one's for Yoo: Two-time IHSA girls golf state champion and Conant graduate Kris Yoo took third in the American Junior Golf Association's Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs, Mich.

Yoo shot a 6-over-par 222 for the 54-hole tournament to finsh 4 strokes out of first in the 35-player field. Yoo is headed to Wisconsin to play in college.

In the boys event, Bradley Beutler of Barrington tied for 78th and Ryan Starkman of Mount Prospect tied for 86th in the 108-player field.