Lake County’s all-everything teams
Our all-area boys and girls basketball teams will run Friday, March 11 in Sports Extra, so let’s get warmed up.
I present my annual Lake County teams, which are half serious and half fun, with my annual reminder that only Daily Herald circulation area schools are included.
So you won’t see listed North Chicago’s Aaron Simpson and Tennessee State-commit Akeem Springs of Waukegan on All-Junior, Zion-Benton’s talented pair of Milik Yarbrough and Samantha Rodriguez on All-Freshman, and Lake Forest’s 6-foot-9 Creighton Titus on All-Name or All-Tall.
All right?
All set.
All-Senior (Girls): Wauconda G Tammy Ellis, Grayslake Central C Rebekah Llorens, Stevenson G Michelle O’Brien, Antioch G Andi Potkonjak, Libertyville G Savannah Trees
All in all: Llorens’ 37-point, 20-rebound effort against Johnsburg in the sectional final might have been the best single-game performance by any Lake guy or girl this winter, especially considering the magnitude of the contest.Potkonjak just committed to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she#146;ll be a preferred walk-on at the Division I school.All-Senior (Boys): Libertyville G Ryan Barth, Vernon Hills G DaVaris Daniels, Warren F Jeremiah Jackson, Mundelein F Ryan Sawvell, Grayslake Central C/F C.J. Stempeck
All in all: It doesn#146;t get much bigger than playing football for Notre Dame, but Daniels could have been a Division I basketball recruit if he wasn#146;t regarded as one of the best incoming college wide receiver prospects in the country.All-Junior (Girls): Lake Zurich F Dori Darras, Antioch G Lindsey Gofron, Grayslake Central G Skyler Jessop, Warren G Lexi Leneau, Warren C Jessica Prince
All in all: Deep bench with Carmel#146;s Jackie Meier and Sarah McHugh, Lakes#146; Ashlee Cunningham, Lake Zurich#146;s Katherine Anderson and Cathryne Spear, Libertyville#146;s Alex Haley and Nicole Kruckman, Mundelein#146;s Amanda Davis, Warren#146;s Amanda Barger, Wauconda#146;s Diana Enriquez and Vernon Hills#146; Abby Springer.All-Junior (Boys): Warren C Nathan Boothe, Round Lake G Juddon Carter, Grant F Jerry Gaylor, Lake Zurich F Mirko Grcic, Warren F Darius Paul
All in all: A deep bench with Carmel#146;s Brandon Motzel, Antioch#146;s Karl Nettgen, Grant#146;s Jared Helmich and Sean Wells, Stevenson#146;s Mike Fleming and Colby Cashaw, Libertyville#146;s Ellis Matthews, Grayslake Central#146;s Jordan Taylor, Lakes#146; Tanner Blain, Round Lake#146;s Danny Uriostegui, Warren#146;s JoVaughn Gaines and Wauconda#146;s Kyle Ryan.All-Sophomore (Girls): Vernon Hills C Meri Bennett-Swanson, Antioch G Megan Borries, Grayslake North G Jordyn Bowen, Lakes C Terese McMahon, Stevenson G Kari Moffat
All in all: Borries (Antioch girls coach Tim Borries) and Bowen (Carmel boys coach Tim Bowen) are the daughters of basketball coaches. It shows in their games.All-Sophomore (Boys): Vernon Hills G Stephen Curry, Grayslake North G A.J. Fish, Mundelein G Robert Knar, Grant F Brandon Lombardino, Mundelein F Sean O#146;Brien
All in all: Mundelein coach Dick Knar says his son Robert, who#146;s already eclipsed 1,000 career points as a Mustang, has been offered two full rides already, has visited Indiana, Wisconsin, Virginia and Dayton, and has received interest from USC, Duke, North Carolina, Iowa State, Santa Clara, Virginia Tech and many mid-majors.All-Freshman (Girls): Warren G Cassie Christie, Grayslake Central F Morgan Dahlstrom, Grayslake North G Kendall Detweiler, Vernon Hills G Sydney Smith, Vernon Hills F Lauren Webb
All in all: First player off the bench is Grant#146;s Kaylie Kanzler.All-Hops (Boys): Libertyville F Jeremy Birck, Vernon Hills G DaVaris Daniels, Grant F Jerry Gaylor, Warren F Jeremiah Jackson, Mundelein F Ryan Sawvell
All in all: Daniels boasts a 41frac12;-inch vertical. Sawvell dunks ferociously at least once a game. Birck finished sixth in the state (Class 3A) in the high jump last spring.All-Sharpshooting (Girls): Antioch G Megan Megan Borries, Grant G Morgan Jahnke, Stevenson G Michelle O#146;Brien, Libertyville G Savannah Trees, Libertyville G Valerie Van Roeyen
All in all: How many big shots did Trees hit this season? Libertyville probably stopped counting at 20.All-Sharpshooting (Boys): Round Lake G Juddon Carter, Mundelein G Robert Knar, Grayslake North G Teddy Ludwick, Carmel G Doug Meyer, Wauconda G Kyle Ryan
All in all: Carter dropped 37 points on Johnsburg. Knar popped for 33 vs. Elk Grove.All-Defense (Girls): Wauconda G Tammy Ellis, Grayslake Central G Skyler Jessop, Warren G Lexi Leneau, Stevenson G Anna Morrissey, Libertyville F Kaca Savatic
All in all: Stevenson coach Tom Dineen thinks Morrissey#146;s defensive skills will help her contribute as a preferred walk-on at Michigan State.All-Defense (Boys): Stevenson C Colby Cashaw, Vernon Hills G DaVaris Daniels, Warren G Brandon Ferguson, Warren G Jameris Smith, Grayslake Central G Jordan Taylor
All in all: Always the toughest team to pick, since so much of defense is players playing team #147;D.#148;All-Rebounding (Girls): Grayslake Central C Rebekah Llorens, Wauconda F Cara Nance, Stevenson G Michelle O#146;Brien, Warren C Jessica Prince, Antioch F Lauren Tiffany
All in all: Both Nance and Tiffany stand only 5 feet 9 but are relentless and fearless under the glass. Relentless like wrestlers. No wonder both are daughters of wrestling coaches (Wauconda coach Tom Nance and former Warren coach Mark Tiffany).All-Rebounding (Boys): Vernon Hills G DaVaris Daniels, Warren F Jeremiah Jackson, Carmel F Brandon Motzel, Lake Zurich C Drake Orser, Mundelein F Ryan Sawvell
All in all: Warren coach Chuck Ramsey on Jackson#146;s rebounding prowess: #147;He#146;s persistent. He tries to rebound every ball. Most kids go for only balls they#146;re sure they#146;re going to get. He goes and gets the ball with both hands. You don#146;t see him trying to tip the ball to himself. And contact does not bother him.#148;I love it, Chuck.All-Tough (Girls): Round Lake#146;s Sydney Miller, Wauconda#146;s Cara Nance, Warren#146;s Jessica Price, Libertyville#146;s Kaca Savatic, Grayslake Central G Alex Scarbro
All in all: I wouldn#146;t mess with any of these girls.All-Muscle (Boys): Vernon Hills F Brian Berzanski, Antioch F Sam Green, Lakes F Parker Blain, Grayslake Central F C.J. Stempeck, Stevenson F Brion Wood
All in all: The Penn-bound Wood was an all-state linebacker. Green attacks like a fullback, which he was in the fall. Berzanski, Blain and Stempeck were beasts in the football trenches.All-Cool Name (Girls): Grayslake Central G Roxy Acoff, Stevenson G Katie Batman, Warren G Lexi Leneau, Libertyville G Molly Moon, Wauconda G Mireia Sospedra-Parra
All in all: The name #147;Roxy Acoff#148; screams #147;rock star.#148; Mireia Sospedra-Parra: Simply a beautiful name. Rolls off the tongue.All-Cool Name (Boys): Lakes G Jay-Jay Elvir, Antioch F Kellen Kay, Warren G JoVaughn Gaines, Grayslake Central G Savonte McWilliams, Libertyville G Griffin Pils.
All in all: I#146;d change my first name from Joe to JoVaughn, but I#146;m not cool enough to pull it off. If I was, I#146;d also grow the hair on my head and get a perm so it could look like Griffin Pils#146;.#147;Special Kay:#148; A cliché nickname with a twist. Which makes it cool.All-Tall (Girls): Vernon Hills#146; 6-2 Meri Bennett-Swanson, Stevenson#146;s 6-2 Julia Dabrowski, Libertyville#146;s 6-0 Nicole Kruckman, Antioch#146;s 6-1 Jessica Ploss, Warren#146;s 6-3 Jessica Prince
All in all: If Vernon Hills 6-0 freshman Lauren Webb sprouts another inch or two, look out. She#146;s already a good rebounder, and like classmate Sydney Smith, has tons of upside.All-Tall (Boys): Warren#146;s 6-8 Nathan Boothe, Grayslake Central#146;s 6-8 Casey Boyle, Libertyville#146;s 7-0 Keegan McAullife, Lake Zurich#146;s 6-8 Drake Orser, Mundelein#146;s 6-8 Ryan Sawvell
All in all: The Evansville-bound Sawvell plays taller because of his athleticism. I shook Boothe#146;s hand once and my hand got lost in his.All-Small (Girls): Antioch#146;s 5-2 Melanie Lass, Grant#146;s 4-11 Kacie Wodek, Grayslake North#146;s 5-3 trio of Jordyn Bowen, Allie Ceglarek and Kendall Detweiler
All in all: Grayslake North#146;s smalls played big.All-Small (Boys): Round Lake#146;s 5-8 Isaiah Brooks, Mundelein#146;s 5-7 Charlie Gandolfi, Libertyville#146;s 5-7 Dan Ryan, Grayslake Central#146;s 5-7 Jordan Taylor, Libertyville#146;s 5-8 Adam Witucki
All in all: Don#146;t drive on Dan Ryan. (I couldn#146;t resist).All-Star Baseball: Vernon Hills G Chris Argianas (infielder), Libertyville F Joey Eichmann (pitcher), Antioch F/G Joe Gregory (catcher), Carmel G Tim Hendricks (outfielder), Lakes F Nick Hibbing (pitcher)
All in all: I#146;m ready for warmer weather and baseball.Joe Aguilar is the Daily Herald#146;s Lake County prep sports coordinator. Contact him at jaguilar@dailyherald.com.