LZMW off to strong playoff start

The Lake Zurich-Mundelein-Wauconda boys hockey team got off to a strong start in the North Central Conference Platinum varsity playoff game, notching a 7-0 shutout over Niles.

Zach Zentz scored the first goal for LZMW at 7:50 of the first period.

Brett Parola scored twice in the second period. He had a power-play goal at 9:36, assisted by Alex Pighini and Remi Mueller, and then scored again at 2:25 assisted by Mueller.

In the third period, LZMW received a second goal from Zentz at 7:23.

Tommy Sher scored on a wrist shot from the point (assisted by Jared Honda) that just went under the crossbar at 6:07.

Brett Parola assisted on Remi Mueller's goal for a 6-0 lead before a breakaway goal from Sergei Vorobiov capped the scoring.

Goalie Jake Breitenreiter's stopped all 14 of the Niles scoring chances in the first and second periods. Josselin Juras then made 11 saves in the third period, including a beautiful left leg kick save.

"It is great that we were able to get two wins in our first two playoff games.", said coach Steve Sarauer. "Once again, we were a third period team. Although we were up 3-0 headed into the third, the shots were even and the game was back and forth.

"Both our goaltenders played extremely well to get the shutout. Each goal, along with the excitement of the team and the energy from our fans pushed us and helped us take control of the third period and get the win."

Skating with the boys

It's called the Lake Zurich-Mundelein Vernon Hills boys hockey team.

But a couple of girls have been making key contributions as well this season.

Goalkeeper Josselyn Juras owns a 4-1-1 record while forward Marybeth Stone has scored one goal with 5 assists.

Josselyn Juras: Juras initially became interested in the sport when she saw her dad Barry on the ice.

"He's a goalie and the game itself looked fun and intriguing," Josselyn said. "It also looked like it took a lot of skill and I was up for the challenge."

Josselyn has been on the team since her sophomore year at Lake Zurich High School.

"That is when I picked up hockey and went straight to being a goalie," she said. "Over three years, I've put in the time and effort to be where I am today."

She has become more successful and skilled.

"I tried some other sports in middle school and high school but ice hockey has proved to be the most fun, challenging and rewarding," Jossleyn added. "I decided to play for the LZMW hockey team because I wanted to play for my high school."

Juras likes the bond the team creates by merging three schools.

"I knew joining the team would be hard because I had just started but I wanted to represent my school," she said. "Playing with the guys has further taught me the skills of teamwork and perseverance."

Juras said it was a challenge at first.

"That's because they were all much bigger and stronger than I," she said. "I had also just started playing while most of the guys had been playing since they were younger."

Juras' ability grew over time and she earned the respect of her teammates.

Now in her third season, she's become an integral part of the team.

"I've gotten to know the guys and really become part of the team," she said. "Joining this team has definitely been a challenge but being a part of the team has been fun and very rewarding."

Juras plans to study mechanical engineering in college and hopes to play college club hockey.

Marybeth Stone: Marybeth's father Robert played hockey his whole life so she and her siblings began the sport at a young age.

MaryBeth has been playing since the age of four.

Stone, a four-year member of LZMW, decided to play for the team because she wanted to represent Mundelein High School.

"And I wanted to play at a higher level of hockey than I could have if I had stayed at the midget house league level," she said.

"Probably the biggest challenge as a girl is not always getting the same bonding opportunities as the guys and as a result not always being as close with my teammates as they are with each other," she said. "But that has been getting easier as time goes on."

Stone also plans to play hockey for fun while in college.

Men's basketball

Villanova freshman guard Jalen Brunson (Stevenson) hit for a career-high 25 points as the No. 1-ranked Wildcats topped host Temple 83-67 before a Liacouras Center record crowd of 10,472. Brunson connected on 9-of-11 field goal attempts

The win wrapped up a third straight Philadelphia Big Five title for the Wildcats (23-3, 4-0), who have won 14 straight games in City Series competition.

"I came into this game with the same mentality as every other game," Brunson said on the Villanova website. "Coach (Jay Wright) preaches to treat every game the same and that's what I did."

• Augustana senior Griffin Pils (Libertyville) scored a career-high 27 points, including 10 of Augustana's 12 in overtime of a 103-101 win over Wheaton.

The Vikings captured their second straight outright CCIW championship, finishing 13-1. With a 24-1 overall record, they set a school mark for regular season wins.

Vikings senior Brandon Motzel (Carmel) was the No. 2 shooter (.652 percent) in the CCIW and No. 2 offensive rebounder (2.64).

For the season, Motzel tops the Vikings in field goal percentage (.645) and blocked shots (28).

Women's basketball

Augustana junior Olivia Mayer (Libertyville) averaged 7.6 points and led Augustana with 80 assists this season. Her 270 career assists rank fourth in school history, 106 away from Kristin Romolo's (2000-04) school record.'

The Vikings closed the season with a 10-15 record, the second-highest win total since the 2003-04 season (15-9).

Men's track

Illinois sophomore Matsen Dziedzic (Libertyville) placed second in the weight throw at the annual Orange & Blue meet at the UI Armory.

Dziedzic turned in a personal-record mark of 61-9½ (18.83m). Later in the day, he took fourth place in the shot put with a mark of 54-4½ (16.57m).

• Augustana sophomore Kyle Hucker (Wauconda) took third in the 400 meters (50.68) at the Spartan Invitational in Dubuque, Iowa.

Vikings senior Hans Hunecke (Lakes) cleared 14-0½ to take third in the pole vault.

Swimming

More than handful of former area swimmers led Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, In.) to its second consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin team championship.

The Rose's women's team had its best performance in program history at the CCIW championships.

Rose's men's team trailed Carthage College by 58 points heading into the last individual event of the meet, the 200 butterfly.

Sophomore Patrick King (Libertyville) won the event for the second consecutive year in 1.50.9, an NCAA Division 3 provisional qualifying time.

Junior Matt Schulstad (Buffalo Grove) was third (1.50.6), followed by sophomore Austin Salisbury (Warren), who was fourth (1.54.7), and senior Matthew King (Libertyville), who was eighth (2.00.5).

Teaming with two other Rose swimmers, they captured six of the top eight places in the event and turned the deficit into an 17-point victory.

Schulstad and Patrick King were named to the all-conference team for their performances.

Matthew King also was named all-conference for the fourth consecutive year with his third-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle (16.25.03).

Other area swimmers contributing to the men's championship team included sophomore Kirk Dickson (Grayslake Central), freshman Andrew Mueller (Fremd) and sophomore Dan Skiroock (Schaumburg).

Helping the Rose women to their highest point total in school history and a fourth-place finish was freshman Lauren Blake (Mundelein), who was a member of three Rose relay teams which set school records.

• Please email Sports Note items to jleusch@dailyherald.com